The Soft Power Own Goal: China, Leeds, and Mad Men
I will admit that I have no idea where Leeds is. I know it’s in England. I know the Who played a concert there before I was born but I only know that because I listened to “Live at Leeds” about 9,474...
View ArticleOn an Island
While there will be considerable fanfare today commemorating the 15th anniversary of the British handover of Hong Kong to the PRC, it’s worth noting that this is also an important anniversary year in...
View ArticleRectified.Namaste, Part I
I am a large mammal from a cold climate. Even Beijing in the summer is a challenge. Last weekend – when the mercury in Beijing finally popped 100 – an hour of pick-up basketball left me gasping and...
View ArticleHong Kong’s Daddy Issues
If the Hong Kong-PRC relationship were a marriage, it would be Ashton and Demi.[1] Face it. The only crazier math than “One Country + Two Systems” is “27-year-old actor marries actress 15 years his...
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Dude, Where’s my…Emperor?
How do you lose an heir apparent? I mean…it’s not a like he’s a pet puggle. “Have you seen my once-in-a-decade-transition leader? If so, please send him home. You can’t imagine Hu’s missing him since...
View ArticleSeriously Hooked on Nationalism
Today was one of those perfect Beijing fall days, sunny, reasonably clear air and just the right temperature for a day-long hike of the Great Wall at Jinshanling….or for burning and pillaging your...
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Sacred Maos
Communiques from the CCP Politburo tend to be of interest to only the most committed China scholar or the most wretched insomniac. With the 18th Party Congress just two weeks away, however, several...
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Why do we call it “Spring Festival”?
For most of us 春节 chunjie or “Spring Festival” is an opportunity to enjoy a delicate mix of high-proof alcohol and shoddily made explosives. There are also dumplings and television specials so...
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Staying Safe During Spring Festival: A Teacher’s Advice to his Students
This is an actual email I sent to my students today. I thought it also might be useful to any first time Spring Festival-ers out there. ———————————————– Tonight is the beginning of Spring Festival....
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Passengers booted off of KLM plane
Anyone who has flown to or from China knows the drill. Flight attendants on international carriers are often very…particular about following the safety guidelines. Many upwardly mobile Chinese tend...
View ArticlePro wrestling as American soft power so why not Jerry Springer?
In a piece this week on the Foreign Policy website, Justin D. Martin looks at the surprising popularity of pro wrestling in the Middle East. Qatar is a conservative, Wahhabi-leaning country where...
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