The China Thread

[The Larch]

I'm not sure about anything coming out of HK at the moment being a real alternative to China.

[Sheilbh]

I'm not sure about anything coming out of HK at the moment being a real alternative to China.

Yeah sorry not clear by Hong Kong groups I mean in the UK wanting to set up alternatives.

[Josquius]

I guess the trouble with getting decent Chinese people to do it is a big part of why governments are so happy with the prc doing it is that they pay for it.

It does seem it'd be a smart move for Taiwan and I doubt it could cost that much. But I'd imagine it would need to be much reduced with some countries prioritised over others.

[Admiral Yi]

Isn't the bloom off the rose of learning Chinese?

[The Minsky Moment]

Isn't the bloom off the rose of learning Chinese?

Not for young people looking for a career in a national security related field. 
But for them Confucius Institute is not the best choice.

[Sheilbh]

Interesting clip of Xi and Trudeau:
https://twitter.com/AnnieClaireBO/status/1592784639474929665?s=20&t=sWfqMEQq9yvsa2NNG-dqbg

And this on the last bit (before Trudeau cut over it) from a thinktanker:

Charles Burton
@cburton001
Xi says 否則這個結果不好說了 which was not translated. It is a menacing threat to Trudeau: "otherwise it is hard to say what will happen"

[Jacob]

Public protests in Shanghai, against Covid rules but including chants like "fuck the CCP" and "Xi step down."

Reportedly about 500-1,000 people, but still.

[Jacob]

A variety of reports coming in of people protesting in Beijing as well - universities, but also elsewhere.

Protest signs include completely blank pieces of paper and signs that say "you know what I want to say". The Internationale is being sung as a protest song. Online, people are supporting the protests by posting things like just saying "good good good good good good".

Obviously the Chinese state has a massive machinery of oppression in place, but this is still pretty noteworthy.

[mongers]

A variety of reports coming in of people protesting in Beijing as well - universities, but also elsewhere.

Protest signs include completely blank pieces of paper and signs that say "you know what I want to say". The Internationale is being sung as a protest song. Online, people are supporting the protests by posting things like just saying "good good good good good good".

Obviously the Chinese state has a massive machinery of oppression in place, but this is still pretty noteworthy.

Indeed, and the near total control opportunity afforded by Covid-19 lockdowns is one too many burdens for large numbers of ordinary Chinese to carry.

[Jacob]

Just saw a video of the protesters in Shanghai singing "Do you hear the people sing" from Les Miserables.

[Jacob]

Another video currently banned in China right now: pictures of world cup fans partying and chanting, with a Chinese woman voice over saying "guys guys! Please wear your masks! Don't you know it's a pandemic? Please wear your masks."

[Sheilbh]

Interesting thread from Cambridge academic on what seems distinctive in these protests:
https://twitter.com/wjhurst/status/1596722048717709312?s=46&t=tOrIV6EiwzNLXPuAqc8Drg

[Jacob]

Video on Twitter 45 minutes ago of a mass of students Tsinghua University (one of the top 2 universities in China) chanting "we want freedom" and "rule of law and democracy." This is happening right now. It's on Weibo, though it'll probably be taken down soon.

[Sheilbh]

Video on Twitter 45 minutes ago of a mass of students Tsinghua University (one of the top 2 universities in China) chanting "we want freedom" and "rule of law and democracy." This is happening right now. It's on Weibo, though it'll probably be taken down soon.

Total aside from this thread - but it is an example of the sort of thing that Twitter is brilliant for and (as a Westerner) I can't think of an equivalent. If there's something you're interested in you can follow accounts to see others who know better all commenting, as well as actual material from other networks being re-posted. From these protests, to Ukraine or the Arab Spring, which is when I first got Twitter because everything was being posted there.

[Jacob]

So the Tsinghua thing...

The first video, a few hours ago: One girl was standing at the university, holding up a blank piece of paper. Some plain-clothes (maybe four or five) security officers came to hustle her away, saying "you can't be here." This was filmed, and bystanders were yelling "why are you doing this to her?" "she hasn't done anything"and "you're the ones making this a scene!" Several other students - girls - joined her.

Now: Hundreds or thousands of students are chanting, demanding - among other things - democracy, rule of law, and freedom at one of China's top two universities. Videos are circulating.

That one girl, in that first video... she - and her family potentially - are going to be in a lot of trouble. Probably the same for the handful of girls who joined her initial stance as well, if they can be identified.

I don't know if this pebble is going to roll down the mountain or not, but I hope for the best for those brave souls.