Global Times Chief Editor Steps Down

Hu Xijin launched the English version of Global Times in 2009

It was interesting to find out that Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of Global Times who is a well-known and vocal propagandist on Twitter, has abruptly retired at the age of 62.

Apparently there were rumours yesterday of him stepping down but Hu did not confirm them until noon today on his Weibo.

"I'm approaching 62. It's time for retirement," Hu posted on Thursday. "I have gone through the retirement formalities and no longer serve as the editor-in-chief of the Global Times."

Hu is an outspoken propagandist on social media

The Chinese version of Global Times was launched in 1993 as a staunch and unabashedly nationalist tabloid paper. Hu was the editor-in-chief in 2005 and four years later launched the English version of the newspaper, managing both editions.

"I'll continue to contribute to the party's journalism and publicity work as a special commentator of the Global Times. Thank you for your support," he wrote in the Weibo post.

It is believed he will be replaced by Wu Qimin, international section deputy director of People's Daily. It will be interesting if she gets the top job, as critics describe Global Times as "China's Fox News" for its strong patriotic slant, with Hu's interest in the People's Liberation Army as well.

Nevertheless, why is Hu leaving so suddenly? China Media Project suggests perhaps the central leadership wants to rein in loose cannons "firing against the discipline coming from above", or could it possibly have to do with his recent comments about tennis star Peng Shuai that raised eyebrows.

Did Hu make missteps in the Peng incident?

He tried to look like he'd gotten a scoop when he posted video footage of the tennis player going out to dinner and the people in in the clip emphasised many times in it the day it was recorded which was bizarre and backfired spectacularly.

Nevertheless for Hu to retire at 62 seems too early for him -- what is he going to do? 

Following his post, there were some 6,000 comments. "Old Hu, thank you for speaking for China. You have my support! Wish you a happy life after retirement," posted one internet user.

"Good for you. You don't need to tell lies anymore," wrote another.

Professional Teachers' Union Under Attack

Teachers protested against the extradition bill in August 2019

 

This morning Chinese state media like Xinhua and People's Daily launched a blistering attack on the Professional Teachers' Union, describing the pro-democracy group as a tumour that must be rooted out.

They blamed the union for events during the 2019 anti-government protests, saying some teachers and students participated in violent and illegal activities, and that it didn't play its part to educate and stop them.

The PTU advocates for better quality education

Xinhua also said in its commentary that the union had participated in filibustering in the Legislative Council, encouraged class boycotts and supported what they called rioters and teachers who are poisoning students' minds.

The articles were published after the PTU dropped its association with the Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, which used to organize the annual June 4 candlelight vigils, and has been accused by pro-Beijing figures of violating the national security law.

However, Xinhua said union's exit was merely a "trick to evade accountability" and added the PTU was "long-hidden dirt in the education system", having engaged in anti-China and anti-Hong Kong activities.

Xinhua said the Hong Kong government "should get rid of the union", calling the task "an unshirkable responsibility".

People's Daily added the PTU had nothing to do with education or professionalism and that it was a malignant tumour that needed to be eradicated.

PTU was founded by Szeto Wah in 1973

The union was founded in 1973 by the late pro-democracy politician Szeto Wah. Its mission is to be politically liberal, socially activist, and defend the legal rights of teachers. It focuses on improving education quality by promoting teachers' professionalism and advocating education policies.

Soon after, the PTU issued a statement to respond to the state media attacks, saying it had always opposed Hong Kong independence and had cared about the country's development ever since the union's establishment. It also refused the outlets' accusations that it was "inciting kids to break the law", during the 2019 protests, saying it cared about students' safety and never invited them to participate in any demonstration.

The union added it would continue to listen and communicate with different sectors, and keep up its education work.

But that defense argument wasn't enough and the Hong Kong Education Bureau severed its ties with the union, and stripped it of its status as a professional group. 

The PTU, which has 95,000 members, expressed disappointment and regret over the decision on Saturday, saying it would be a loss to the whole education sector.

Days ago PTU withdrew from the alliance

A government source hinted the move to cut ties with the union was in the works and believed the PTU withdrawing from the alliance was a bid to relieve some pressure, but it was obviously not enough.

As a result of cutting its ties with the PTU, the bureau will no longer regard the union as a professional body, and will neither engage in any formal or informal meetings with it, nor take its opinions on matters pertaining to the sector. 

In addition, the bureau will temporarily stop looking into any cases referred by the union, and will review its advisory bodies and other groups with an eye to removing members who represented the PTU.

The union said it handled over 3,000 complaints and inquiries from members every year, and that the bureau's decision failed to take into account teachers' interests and welfare.

"The union has a positive impact on safeguarding workers' rights and bettering policies. Even though we have different views, if the bureau decides to cut ties with the union, it will be a loss to the whole industry," it said.

Education Bureau cut ties with the union today

Tam Yiu-chung, Hong Kong's sole delegate to China's National People's Congress, said the central government had disliked the union for some time for its participation in political affairs. 

"Instead of serving as an educational professional body, it's been more like a political group throughout the years," Tam said. "It does not matter whether the union is historical, it's more of whether it's an opposition force."

This should be a warning to other professional bodies in Hong Kong -- dissenting voices will not be tolerated.

258 Cheaters Discovered in Shenzhen Half Marathon

The Shenzhen Half Marathon was held last Sunday

More Chinese are getting fit by running and as a result there are a number of races including marathons that are organised around the country.

According to the Chinese Athletics Association, 1,072 marathon and road running races have been held this year. This compares to only 22 races held seven years ago.

But not all the participants are competing fairly.

Some runners cheated by crossing to the other lane

Last Sunday was the Shenzhen Half Marathon, but officials have since discovered 258 runners cheated.

There were 18 with fake bib numbers, three imposters and 237 others of whom a number of them took short cuts along the route.

A video shot by a traffic camera at one section of the course showed some runners crossing from one side of the road to the other instead of running another kilometre before making a U-turn.

That means they cut off two to three kilometres from the total 21 kilometres they should have run.

In another case, a local photographer took pictures of two people with identical bib numbers.

"We deeply regret the violations that occurred during the event. Marathon running is not simply exercise, it is a metaphor for life, and every runner is responsible for him or herself," said the announcement by the organizing committee.

Organizers found 258 people cheated during the race

Obviously there were not enough volunteers to keep watch along the route, though paying other people to run the race for you is absolutely outrageous.

Runners with fake bib numbers and those who hired people to run for them will be banned for two years, according to the announcement.

Even People's Daily wrote an editorial about the incident, saying, "Please respect the Marathon, and respect sporting spirit!"

Meanwhile on Weibo, one user lamented, "There are too many marathons in China nowadays, and too many so-called runners, but runners who really love running are still in short supply."

Running a race is for one's personal achievement. So if you really want to do a half or full marathon, you would be determined to run every kilometre. But then again in China, should we be surprised people would cheat the race?

Jack's a Party Member

Jack Ma is a card-carrying member of the Chinese Communist Party

Well what do you know! Jack Ma Yun is a Communist Party member!

He was outed yesterday in the People's Daily as one of 100 Chinese people who have made extraordinary contributions to the country's development in the past 40 years.

Ma along with Tencent Holdings CEO Pony Ma, Baidu CEO Robin Li, basketball star Yao Ming and volleyball coach Lang Ping were on the list.

Pony Ma of Tencent is on the 100 list, but not a Party member

It is unclear when Ma joined the party and how much money in dues he pays each year.

Interestingly this made huge headlines today, but one should expect that someone as successful as Ma is to have some kind of affiliation with the Party. How else could he succeed?

But he has said before that it's not a good idea to be too close to the Party. In media interviews he would say, "Fall in love with the government, but don't get married."

However, with President Xi Jinping wanting to have greater control over everything, everyone else has to comply, and Ma seems to be one of them.

"We're seeing an increasingly close relationship between China's leading internet companies and government because government sees them as one of the most effective ways to realize its policy initiatives," says Mark Natkin, managing director of Beijing-based Marbridge Consulting.

Xi Jinping visits the cave in Yan'an he spent during his teens

"Being a party member is essentially tipping your hat to the legitimacy of the party and it doesn't necessarily denote any particularly high level of political activity."

Nevertheless, some entrepreneurs are going a step further to demonstrate their loyalty to the Party.

In 2015 Jack Ma visited Yan'an, the city often considered the birthplace of the Chinese Communist Revolution. Pony Ma -- who is not a Party member -- also went to Yan'an this year and even wore a Red Army uniform. Yan'an is also where President Xi spent much of his teenage years.

Ah the symbolism! And the song and dance people need to do to keep in the government's good books...

Even More Chinese Investment in Africa

Xi announces another US$60 billion for African countries

At the start of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing yesterday, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged another US$60 billion to African countries to build major infrastructure projects, such as roads, railways, ports, pipelines and other links.

It's a whopping large amount adding to Africa's indebtedness to the Middle Kingdom, and Xi doesn't mind -- he's even willing to write off previous debts to get access to the African countries' natural resources.

From 2000 to 2014, China loaned US$86 billion. What's another US$60 billion?

The China-Africa Cooperation forum is on now in Beijing

With governments weak without much capital, this heavy investment from China is a godsend, but at what price politically, economically and socially? The Chinese are flooding African countries with cheap Chinese made goods, bringing in thousands of mainlanders looking to make money, but also giving Beijing much more political clout.

A decade ago the Chinese were proud of being able to "help" Africa, but now critics at home aren't so sure giving away US$60 billion to the continent is the best use of the money.

"You should first raise your own children," one online commenter wrote. "My God, there have been so many natural and man-made casualties recently, can you please take a look at our low-income people?"

Another exclaimed, "US$60 billion is money that we earned! Tell me who is causing the suffering of China's everyday people?"

Sounds like first-world complaints are already sprouting in China.

Infrastructure projects like highways have been built in Africa

State media were quick to defend the investment, saying how the money benefited both China and Africa, that Africa had large amounts of natural resources such as crude oil, manganese and copper. China is also Africa's largest trading partner, surprise surprise.

The People's Daily insisted China's aid did not have any political preconditions, and that many African countries have consistently reciprocated by helping China.

If you were given billions of dollars, the least you could do is give the donor what they wanted... which is why some accuse China of "neo-colonialism", or "cheque-book diplomacy".

In any event, with the on-going trade war with the United States, and the Chinese economy slowing down, Beijing-based economics professor Hu Xingdou thinks the generous loan should have been more carefully considered.

"Trade numbers and industrial revenues are going down, and most Chinese still cannot afford proper medical care or education," he said. "There are many critically ill Chinese who cannot do anything but wait for death, so skepticism online is quite natural... Aid to Africa is necessary but needs to be done within China's capabilities."

Word of the Day: Buddhist Youth

Xin Shi Xiang is a WeChat account dedicated to Buddhist youth culture

There is a term for post-90s generation in China who are described as slackers -- they aren't driven, they don't have needs or expectations.

In a way it sounds Buddhist, as they try not to let things bother them, they avoid conflict and try not to take anyone or anything too seriously.

And so these young people are called Buddhist youth or 佛系青年 fúxì qīngnián.

If you can't decide what to eat, have the same as yesterday

Here are some examples of how they apply their philosophy to everyday life:

Catching a ride: You can just stay wherever you are. I will walk over.

In a relationship: You decide. I'm fine with anything.

Ordering food: I have no idea what to eat. Maybe just order the same food I had yesterday.

Child rearing: Not man children can be successful people when they grow up, so I want my kid just to have a happy childhood.

At work: I desire nothing more than to arrive at my office safely and to leave my office quietly.

While Buddhist youth sounds like demotivational culture, some argue this kind of attitude helps young people ease their anxiety and pressure.

In a relationship, one says: you decide. I'm fine with anything

However, the Chinese government doesn't sound too pleased the next generation doesn't seem to care about anything.

The People's Daily wrote two opinion pieces last December. The first one warned: "There's nothing wrong with young people having a breezy attitude toward everything. But we have to remember, there's always some issues that we need to put our hearts into."

The second article said: "Being demotivated is pessimistic enough, but what's even worse is stopping yourself from having any sort of feelings, even it is lack of motivation. Young people by nature should be energetic, positive, passionate about life, and curious about the world."

Does anyone you know fit the term Buddhist youth?

The Power of Propaganda

In 1941 Mao forgot when the CPC was founded and chose the date instead

History lesson, folks. When was the Communist Party of China founded?

Chinese leaders would like you think it was on July 1, 1921, but the reality is that it was on July 23, 1921.

The wrong date is apparently due to Mao Zedong's bad memory and the senior Chinese leadership not being sticklers for detail.

July 1 just sounds easier to remember and what do you know! It coincides with the same day as the handover of Hong Kong back to the motherland!

The actual date is July 21, 1921 in Shanghai in this building

While historians know the exact date, the general public don't thanks to intense propaganda about July 1 thanks to outdoor billboards and news media propagating the date.

However, according to a Russian-language document of the Communist International, published in June by the Party Literature Research Office, 12 people -- 10 Chinese and two Soviet organizers -- attended the party's founding congress in Shanghai on July 23, 1921.

That document was held by the Soviets and with having to fight the civil war and the Sino-Japanese war, Mao didn't really remember the official day.

When he was living in the caves in Yan'an, Mao wanted to commemorate the party's 20th anniversary in 1941, but forgot the exact date. He wrote to Zhang Baijia, deputy head of the Party History Research Office, according to an article published in May in History Reference, a magazine belonging to People's Daily, the Communist Party newspaper.

"No one remembered the opening date of the first party congress," wrote Zhang. "They just remembered it was in July so they decided on July 1."

Even Hu Jintao propagated the date of July 1 in 2011

For historian Zhou Xun at the University of Hong Kong, the mistake matters.

"This is a good example of how the party makes up all kinds of things, such as events, historical figures, and how they eliminate facts. It's just a constant thing," she says.

For someone like then President Hu Jintao in 2011 to declare the Communist Party of China was founded 90 years ago on July 1 -- the wrong date -- "is pretty amazing, really", she adds.

So if you hear or read the Communist Party of China was founded on July 1, 1921, it's factually wrong. Yes, Mao was wrong.

And no one was brave enough to correct him or successive leaders...

Hold Your Mother's Hand

Be like Xi Jinping and hold your mother's hand, OK?

The Chinese state -- or shall we say Chinese President Xi Jinping -- wants to tell you what to do.

And these days he wants you to hold your mother's hand.

On February 19, People's Daily began its "Hold Mother's Hand" #牵妈妈的手# campaign on social media, starting with a video about white collar workers in cities who are "too busy" to visit their mothers.

A video shows urban workers too busy to call their mothers

They are at work all day, while their mothers sit by themselves in the living room or kitchen by the phone, waiting for their child to call.

"How long has it been since you last spoke to your mother about what's on your mind?" the ad says. "How long has it been since you had a taste of your mother's cooking? Or since you went together on a walk? How long has it been since you held her hand?"

Talk about laying the guilt trip on thick.

Then there's a scene of a young woman scrolling through her phone and seeing a picture of President Xi holding his mother Qi Xin's hand during a stroll outside. He can be heard reading the first lines of a Tang poem: "慈母手中線，遊子身上衣", which means, "The threads from a caring mother's hand, are in the clothes of a traveling son".

After seeing this image of Xi, these workers then call mom

By the end of the video, people are smiling when they call their mothers, who in turn are so happy to hear from them.

Tugging at the heart strings.

But the image of Xi and his mother reiterates how he is the "People's Leader", and that he is the "Father of the nation", as his nickname is "Xi dada"...

So go on -- hold your mother's hand. Xi and she will be happy.

Mainland Misunderstandings About HK

The seven police officers who were sentenced for assaulting Ken Tsang

After the seven police officers were sentenced to two years in jail for assaulting Ken Tsang Kin-chiu during the Occupy protests two years ago, it was shocking to read that the son of a general in China was willing to pay people 10,000 yuan each to beat up the judge who sentenced them.

Cai Xiaoxin, the son of late PLA Major General Cai Changyuan, wrote on his social media account he would pay anyone who would assault Judge David Dufton.

Other mainlanders were angered that a foreign judge would rule against the police officers, and felt Dufton was sympathetic to the Occupy protesters because he was British.

Hu Xijin claims the British judge's ruling was biased

Even Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of The Global Times said Dufton's ruling was biased and influenced by politics. He said the judicial system in Hong Kong had inherited a tinge of colonialism and not committed to China's constitution.

Here we go again -- the giant rift between how Hong Kong and China works, and the difference between rule of law being upheld by the book, and by political influence.

Eric Cheung Tat-ming, a lecturer on law at the University of Hong Kong, said the outrage expressed in mainland media over the case was due to the lack of understanding of how the city's legal system worked.

"The Basic Law establishes that our judges were appointed by reference to their professional ability and merits rather than where they are from or their race," Cheung said.

The ruling, he explained, was not influenced by politics, and that jurisdictions that practiced common law regularly had judges from overseas hear local cases.

"The common law system is a legacy of the colonial era. But it is guaranteed in the Basic Law that we can continue the... system."

Ken Tsang (centre) was beaten up after in police custody

Also, it is outrageous and dangerous for the People's Daily to say: "The genesis of the Occupy movement in Hong Kong is inseparable from the political landmine the British government planted before it left the city."

That is fake news.

A culmination of factors led to the Occupy movement that sprung up completely spontaneously, the likes of which we will probably never see again.

The Chinese government is trying to blame someone else for Hong Kong people's unhappiness with the electoral reform package, but it was Beijing's white paper in 2014 that set the tone for the resentment and frustration towards the mainland that resulted in the 79-day protest.

But the Chinese will never understand these things because they see things the way Beijing wants them to see them, ie: warped.

The fact is, is that seven police officers beat, punched, kicked and slapped a man already in custody. Yes he got into trouble with the law by pouring liquid on them, but that doesn't give the police license to assault him when he was already ziptied.

This is what is wrong and they are being punished for it.

Seems pretty straight forward, no?

As for former Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's conviction, there was probably no news about it at all on the mainland...

Xi Jinping, The Model Worker

Apparently Xi Jinping works so hard that he doesn't have lunch...

The former personal secretary to then President Hu Jintao and chief of the Party's General Office, Ling Jihua, was jailed for life last month for bribery and other crimes. And it seems the current president isn't content to let the matter rest, but continue the negative campaign against Ling and his boss.

The chief of staff to Xi Jinping Li Zhanshu revealed details about conflicts within the communist party's general secretariat in a transcript that was published on the website of People's Daily today.

"During the investigation [into Ling]... some had hidden facts and some had resisted the investigation. Those are not honest people," Li said in a speech delivered in June to the General Office.

Xi's staff reveals more allegations against Ling Jihua (centre)

"During Ling's stint in office, some people courted, pandered to, and flattered him without principles," he said.

Ling had worked for 17 years in the General Office, which handles security, health care, paperwork and logistics for senior leaders, and his last five years were as chief of this office.

This prime job came to a crashing end in March 2012 when his son was killed in a car accident involving a Ferrari and two women.

The incident not only left Ling completely exposed, but at least eight other colleagues too.

One was Huo Ke, who was the director of the office's secretary bureau. He was expelled from the party for taking bribes and leaking state secrets to Ling, according to state media reports.

Another was Xia Yong, the former director of the office's research branch, who was expelled from the country's top advisory body, which indirectly confirmed a reported investigation into his activities.

Does President Xi exercise? Inquiring minds want to know

"When Ling told you to tell a lie, if you really didn't care to tell the truth, you could at least remain silent; when Ling did wrong, if you didn't have the courage to expose it, you could at least refrain from being an accomplice," Li said.

He added all office employees, from drivers to chefs to guards and clerks -- must remain absolutely loyal to the party, echoing an instruction from Xi in 2014.

Li also explained Xi and other senior leaders worked long hours, explaining that documents could be sent to them as late as 11pm or midnight, and that during overseas state visits, Xi attended numerous meetings with heads of state and events each day.

And back at home, Xi wakes up early and returns home around 9pm or 10pm without having eaten lunch and still reads documents and handles daily administrative affairs, according to Li.

Sounds like Xi wants to prove that he and his colleagues are working hard to solve the country's problems and make the best decisions.

But does Xi really not eat lunch? His portly figure seems to deny Li's supposed observation.

Or does he have a really late dinner or snacks after hours?

That's what we really want to know...

Vaguely Addressing the Cultural Revolution

China claims it says "bye-bye" to the Cultural Revolution, but has it?

Yesterday the Communist Party of China's main mouthpiece, the People's Daily, broke the media silence over the 50th anniversary of the Cultural Revolution.

In an editorial it offered assurances the party would not allow such a revolution to happen again, though it warned against allowing discussions of turmoil to be used to weaken the party's legitimacy.

"History has spoken that the Cultural Revolution was wrongfully started by the leadership and used by counter-revolutionary clans. It was a serious catastrophe to the party, the country, and people," the editorial said, quoting the party's official verdict on the event issued in 1981.

Global Times, Caixin and People's Daily wrote editorials

"The revolution is not, and could not, possibly be a revolution or social progress in any sense," it said. "The mistakes of the Cultural Revolution will not be allowed again."

Other media outlets, like the nationalistic Global Times and financial journal Caixin also chimed in yesterday.

The Global Times editorial said Chinese people had developed an "antibody" for the revolution, and thus it surely would not happen again. "We said bye-bye to the Cultural Revolution long ago," the editorial said. "Today we can say one more time that the Cultural Revolution cannot and will not reoccur."

Meanwhile Caixin republished an excerpt of the 1981 document on the 10-year political campaign. "Building a socialist political system with a high degree of democracy is one of the key missions of a socialist revolution," it said, quoting the document.

"The fact that the mission was not attached with importance became an important condition under which the Cultural Revolution broke out. It is a bitter lesson."

People's Daily said the nation must "firmly remember the historic lessons from the revolution, insist on the party's verdict and resist interference from the left and the right over the topic."

Can China promise revolutions like this won't happen again?

All these editorials are just skirting around the issue and not dealing with it head on. And for those who weren't even born during that period would not even know what these editorials are hinting at.

This just shows the insecurity the government has about dealing with such a horrific event that impacted millions of people, and yet it still wants to ensure its legitimacy in ruling the country.

It definitely wants it cake and wants to eat it too.

This skimming over of the Cultural Revolution seems more aimed at everyone outside of China to prove it is not completely silent on the half-century anniversary. While no one expected the party to own up to its mistakes, trying to assure people it will never happen again may be words it will come to regret.

Xi Defines State Media Role

Xi Jinping is "anchoring" the news, saying state media must work for the Party

When I worked in state media in Beijing, my colleagues who were Communist Party members would disappear once in a while for an entire afternoon for a "meeting". It was actually a study session to decipher then President Hu Jintao's "Three Represents" (三个代表).

They would also be reminded that the state media was the medium in which the Party's doctrine would be communicated, that everyone must be in line with the Party for the sake of unity and ensure everyone got the same message.

This was said behind closed doors.

And periodically Hu or the Premier Wen Jiabao would visit state media outlets and re-emphasize these points that were published in newspapers, read out in news casts and such.

But the exercise was stepped up by President Xi Jinping last Friday when he visited Xinhua, People's Daily and CCTV and insisted state media must show absolute loyalty to the Party.

Ren Zhiqiang says the media should serve the people

There were no vagaries here -- it was straight to the point. According to a report in People's Daily:

The Party's news and public opinion work must adhere to the principle of the Party character, cleaving fundamentally to the Party's leadership of news and public opinion work. Media run by the Party and government are propaganda positions of the Party and the government, and they must reflect the Party. All work of the Party's news and public opinion media must reflect the will of the Party, mirror the views of the Party, preserve the authority of the Party, preserve the unity of the Party, and achieve love of the Party, protection of the Party and acting for the Party; they must all increase their consciousness of falling in line, maintaining a high level of uniformity with the Party in ideology, politics and action.

It's pretty clear how Xi is instructing how the media should operate. What happened to the so-called "vibrant media" in China, where there were different shades of red?

Seems like that is no more, as everyone must disseminate the same message.

But perhaps even more interesting is that an outspoken tycoon has criticized Xi's pronouncement about state media's role in society.

Ren Zhiqiang said on Weibo on Friday that the media should serve the people, that news operations were funded by taxpayer money and so should serve the public rather than the leadership.

"When does the people's government turn into the party's government? [Are the media] funded by party membership dues? Don't waste taxpayers' money on things that do not provide them with services," he wrote.

Needless to say Ren was immediately attacked by a news site affiliated with the Beijing municipal party committee, accusing him of "anti-Communist Party" thought.

Qianlong.com claimed Ren represented capitalism that sought to topple the Party's rule and establish Western-style constitutionalism on the mainland, and even accused him of having "completely" lost his Party spirit.

It'll be interesting to see how Ren gets himself out of this fiasco unscathed if possible, but he is technically right. Taxpayer money does go to state enterprises like state media and it is the job of media to inform its readers.

But, things are done differently on the mainland, and with Xi in charge, it's near impossible to beat the President.

Nevertheless, with 37 million followers, Ren could win in the court of public opinion, though politically and financially he may lose big time.

Editor's Red-faced Blunder

Hu Xijin's latest blunder was publicly exposed in anti-graft campaign

Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of Global Times, both Chinese and English versions is an interesting character.

For starters he's journalist worth respecting -- he has covered wars in Bosnia and Iraq for People's Daily, though he's hardly a charismatic-looking fellow. He has a kind of bowl haircut and hardly dresses like an editor, wearing jeans from the 1980s and shirts with sleeves that are too long for his stocky body.

At Global Times his goal seems to be to whip up as much nationalistic fervor has possible, which works in certain circumstances (South China Sea, Taiwan).

But some people like the younger generation see through the provoking opinions and stories and find the Global Times the kind of paper that likes to create attention for itself is tiring and self-serving.

So does it come as a surprise that Hu was recently reprimanded for breaching Communist Party rules by using the newspaper's funds for personal travel?

He and his deputy were ordered to pay back 6,417.90 yuan and write a self-criticism for the party disciplinary team at the People's Daily, according to a statement from the paper.

It confirmed a rumour that circulated online in September that Hu had been punished for changing the schedule of a China-Germany media forum in June 2013, where he arranged for guests to travel to Poland for three days. His newspaper covered the expenses.

The rumours led to people mocking Hu for quickly criticizing others, and yet he himself does not set a good example.

The public punishment of Hu was part of a self-inspection campaign at the People's Daily, which began when it was being scrutinized by an inspection team from the Communist Party's anti-corruption agency from June to August last year.

So this time Hu lost some big face, but he will probably recover soon enough -- with his next breaking story.

Having been through war twice, Hu has a pretty thick skin, and will survive to live another day.

The Chinese government seems so keen on showing that the country has more than one story to tell, and when it comes to state media, it's the various shades of red...

China Slighted by Li Ka-shing's Exit

Li Ka-shing finally hits back at criticisms from Chinese state media

In the last few weeks Chinese state media have been ganging up on tycoon Li Ka-shing, criticizing him for pulling out his business interests in the mainland.

Even Communist mouthpiece People's Daily joined in with a commentary urging readers to "build a better country to make his departure today become his regret tomorrow".

To China, Li was the man to look up to, who persevered with humble beginnings making plastic flowers to now owning a conglomerate that includes shipping, telecommunications, electricity, beverages, hotels and of course property.

He was portrayed as the filial son for investing in the mainland, building schools and of course commercial deals.

But now he feels like he's made his dough -- plenty of it -- and wants to exit the China market and find other opportunities elsewhere.

However the mainland feels insulted because it believes a business decision should have nationalism in mind, when really they are two separate things.

China obviously hasn't been watching what Li has been doing in Hong Kong these last few years...

In any event, Li finally broke his silence today, blasting the mainland media for its "cultural revolution"-style attacks on him that did not represent central government views, and maintained he was still very much invested in China, despite being called "unpatriotic".

"I understand that freedom of expression is a double-edged sword so even an article with logical fallacies can stir up a heated debate," he said. "But it is with regret that the tone of the articles sent chills down people's spines with a distorted view."

However we have to keep in mind that if a chorus of mainland media have ranted at Li, particularly People's Daily, some senior officials in the propaganda department have given the green light...

In a media statement issued by the group's corporate affairs department, the tycoon stated clearly that he would not benefit from any restructuring of his empire in China, adding the claim that he withdrew mainland assets worth billions of dollars was unsubstantiated.

And in an explanation as to why it took him so long to respond, Li said he didn't want to create controversy during Chinese President Xi Jinping's trip to the United States.

"We are vigilant not to let these unfounded allegations escalate to cause investors' concerns and militate against President Xi's positive message to the business community and investors at large," the statement said.

Awww, how thoughtful. See? Li still has China's interests in mind.

It is too simplistic for Chinese state media to bash Li without understanding how an astute businessman operates in a free market. Perhaps someone high up in the propaganda department may lose his or her job for giving the green light to state media to bash the tycoon.

But at the same time Li surely understands the optics of restructuring his business and what it means, especially to mainlanders.

Can we just kiss and make up now?

Seemingly in Denial

Chinese stocks fell another day, sparking more fears of China's economy

Chinese stocks slid for another day, 7.6 percent lower and adding to the 8.5 percent lost yesterday, it was the benchmark's lowest level since December 15.

Some experts like Kenneth Rogoff, a professor of economics at Harvard University predicted China's financial crisis -- if this is it -- and says it's because of the Middle Kingdom's massive debt.

The Chinese government may like to believe -- or make others believe -- it has control of the markets, but Rogoff says, "It is very vulnerable. There is a lot of debt."

No one knows exactly how much debt China has, but according to a report published earlier this year by McKinsey & Company, China, the country's debt rose from $7 trillion in 2007 to $28 trillion by mid-2014.

Professor Kenneth Rogoff predicted China's impending crisis

"Several factors are worrisome: Half of loans are linked directly or indirectly to China's real estate market, unregulated shadow banking accounts for nearly half of new lending, and the debt of many local governments is likely unsustainable," the report says.

Yikes.

Rogoff isn't the only person who has been pessimistic about China's economy -- former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr predicted doom and gloom, while hedge fund manager James Chanos has been ringing alarm bells for years. "Whatever you might think, it's worse."

It's a serious issue the Chinese government needs to sort out, Rogoff says. "Financial meltdown leads to a social meltdown, which leads to a political meltdown. That's the real fear."

And then on top of it, is how the explosion in Tianjin almost two weeks ago that has now left 135 dead, is being handled by the government. The lack of transparency and getting more information out has undermined the Chinese government's credibility.

No mention of stock market losses today

Speaking of which, People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, made no mention of Black Monday in any of its 24 pages today. It instead focused on economic development in Tibet and the upcoming 70th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II.

However what's interesting is that those media who don't tow the official line have openly discussed what should be done about the economy and stock market, some calling for the government to intervene, others not. It's a good healthy debate, though at some point Beijing may enforce a total lock down on the matter.

Regardless it's a serious issue that needs to be sorted, which the officials in Zhongnanhai must been trying to figure out as we speak.

In the meantime why not learn more about how the economy in Tibet is developing!

Depreciating the Yuan

The Chairman Maos aren't worth as much as they used to be...

The value of the Chinese yuan dropped for the second day in a row, following a 1.9 percent drop yesterday, and 1 percent today, making it the biggest two-day fall since 2005 when the yuan was unpegged from the US dollar and moved to be valued against a "basket of currencies".

In Hong Kong this meant that yuan deposits fell by a staggering HK$32.6 billion in a book value of 1 trillion yuan deposits.

However the chief economist of China's central bank, Ma Jun, said there was no need to worry.

"Based on fundamentals, our key economic data all supported a stable yuan," said Ma, of the People's Bank of China, in a commentary in the People's Daily. "China's economic fundamentals obviously fare much better than those economies which face huge pressure to devalue their currencies."

But perhaps the sudden move is to help jump start the country's export markets, particularly car and textile companies to become more competitive, and people buying Chinese goods abroad will find the prices cheaper. Tourists traveling to the Middle Kingdom will find the cost cheaper too.

Nevertheless, this does not bode well (if this drop continues) for those companies exporting to China, particularly luxury goods, as the Chinese will find them even more expensive, while domestic companies that have foreign currency debt will feel the pinch having to pay in dollars.

We will have to see what the fallout is, and how long it is sustained, but everyone gets nervous when China suddenly changes tack without much explanation. If this move is to spur the country's economy, it's a big risk the PBOC is taking...

Harder to Defend

Don't mess with Zhongnanhai, as the government cracks down on lawyers

It is troubling to read more than 100 people were detained by police on the mainland over the weekend, from human rights advocates to lawyers in an unprecedented crackdown that state media are calling a nationwide operation to smash a "criminal gang".

The People's Daily claims the operation launched by the Ministry of Public Security was to "smash a major criminal gang that had used the Beijing Fengrui law firm as a platform since July 2012 to draw attention to sensitive cases, seriously disturbing social order".

The article said the firm's director, lawyers and one of the lawyer's husbands were detained for "seriously violating the law", though the exact charge was not given.

It also claimed the group was "colluding with petitioners to disturb social order".

In the article it claimed high profile activist Wu Gan was "a key player" in stirring up a public outcry over the fatal shooting of an unarmed man, Xu Chunhe, by a policeman in Qingan, Heilongjiang in May, while the lawyers were accused of being involved.

"These lawyers publicly challenged the court... and mobilized troublemakers to rally petitioners... outside the court," the story said.

Teng Biao says the campaign mocks China's "rule of law"

As of yesterday evening, 106 people from 15 cities and provinces have been detained, summoned, questioned or were missing, according to Hong Kong-based China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group; 82 have been released.

However, of those released, at least three were taken away for a second time, says a lawyer who did not want to be named. Two were known to be released again.

Former human rights lawyer Teng Biao who is now a visiting fellow at Harvard Law School, says the Qingan incident was only a pretext to clampdown on rights activists and lawyers, who have been critical of the government over the years.

He said the crackdown made a mockery of the authorities' claim to "rule the country by law".

Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch finds the latest development alarming, as it showed the Ministry of Public Security's interpretation of "disturbing public order" as ever expanding.

"That these lawyers are a 'major criminal gang' is a new and serious allegation, one that demonstrates the authorities' willingness to warp the law beyond all recognition," she said.

China has always claimed it has followed "rule of law", but the Party is consistently above the law. As a result, the rules keep changing to suit its goals.

On the outside the government claims it has a constitution, and a just legal system, but in reality it is becoming, as Richardson says, more and more warped.

Foreign companies have seen they are not able to do business on equal footing in China, and will get punished for corruption, even though every other firm has to grease a few palms to get things moving.

And for years we have seen activists forced to become silent, and now the next step is to detain their legal representatives, their lawyers, who will find it harder to defend clients because they themselves are on precarious ground.

This sends a frightening chill in the human rights activist community -- it forces them to either retreat or continue their work with the utmost courage. Either way we salute them for doing their best in such a difficult environment.

Convoluted Language

What would be the Chinese euphemism for iPhone?

Ah, leave it to the Chinese government to try -- once again -- to ban foreign words from the language.

The Communist Party's mouthpiece the People's Daily has published two editorials this week waging war on the use of such words as "Wi-fi" and "iPhone", saying "mingling foreign words in Chinese has damaged the Chinese language's purity and undermined communication".

To solve the problem, the Guangming Daily urged the Chinese government to quickly provide Chinese translations of imported foreign words before they became widely used by the public.

But many people online mocked the latest attempt to get rid of foreign words from Chinese, calling it the "grand competition to keep the purity of the Chinese language". The phrase received almost 130,000 hits.

"Excuse me, do you know where the Very Important Person lounge is?", pretending to have a conversation without using the word VIP.

Another wrote: "Today's level of 'atmospheric particulate matter with diameter of 2.5 micrometres of less' has broken the record again," making fun of not being able to use the term PM2.5 that measures air pollution.

This comedy show about geeks is now not available in China

Previously China Central Television banned its anchors from using the term "NBA" during broadcasts and they had to refer to the organization as the "US professional basketball association".

Basketball fans were not amused, and the severe backlash resulted in CCTV backing down.

The Chinese government is trying hard to clamp down on foreign influences with further tightening of the media. This week top video sites like Sohu video stopped providing online streaming for such popular TV shows as The Big Bang Theory and The Good Wife.

Why The Big Bang Theory? It's just about a bunch of geeks, unless the Chinese government thinks they are revealing state secrets in code...

Grinding the Wrong Way

A Xingbake or Starbucks on Qianmen Street in Beijing

Chinese state media are usually united on issues. They take the same stand suggested by the government and then go of on their own tangents, but they are basically taking the same line.

However, it is just as amusing when they start criticizing each other.

A few days ago China Central Television presented a scathing report on Starbucks, saying it had "hefty product prices" on the mainland compared to other international cities.

It said that the price of a 354ml cafe latte in Beijing cost 27 yuan ($4.43), higher than in London (24.25 yuan), Chicago (19.98 yuan) and Mumbai (14.60 yuan).

The program interviewed the chairman of the Coffee Association of Shanghai, who estimated that a tall cafe latte cost less than 5 yuan to make, and that Starbucks' 32 percent profit margin in the China/Asia Pacific region in the second quarter was higher than in other regions.

Reports like this fan the flames of economic nationalism, but not to the point of last year's torching of Japanese cars and trashing Japanese restaurants because of the Senkaku/Diaoyu Island dispute flared up again.

Nevertheless, the report on Starbucks follows criticism of Apple, with complaints about its warranties and customer service, and then Fonterra's baby milk powder being contaminated.

While all state media were on board with Apple and Fonterra, they didn't go along with CCTV on Starbucks.

Some internet users suggested CCTV go after state-owned enterprises that profit from practically having monopolies on the market, that not only sell expensive products but also have shoddy service.

People's Daily didn't seem impressed with CCTV's report. "Other than coffee, what else is more expensive in China than overseas?" it asked on its Sina Weibo account. It then answered its own question that listed such items houses, cars, medical expenses and education fees.

Seems CCTV will have to crawl back to its corner with its tail between its legs and wait for an Alpha dog to take the lead to avoid making the same mistake again.