Hao Hao ReportThe best China news and blog posts

For anyone that heard about the China Eastern plane that's wheels gave out upon landing at Shanghai's Hong Qiao airport last week, this will add worry to your wonders. One of China Southern's plane's tail fell off just before take off.

JTFC. I mean, really... this confirms a suspicion I never wanted to believe - the air planes in this country suffer the same amazing level of quality control as everything else.

Though this story happens in Suzhou, it's an interesting peek into the seedier side of the crime and punishment on tap in China. It has all the makings of The Shield: China.

My mother had always wanted a girl, so even as I grew inside her womb she hoped that I would come out female. When she finally gave birth to me and realized I was a boy she decided to raise me as a girl anyway by dressing me in female clothes. Then, when I turned 2, my parents divorced and the judge gave my mother custody of my brother and sent me to live with my father.

When packing for Suzhou, I planned to take a couple of polo shirts with me, not to play polo you understand that would be ridiculous I’m just a fan of the more casual collar.

I found a shop called “Squirrel Shaped Fish” in the centre of Suzhou that had some fine shirts, and at a very reasonable price too. Imagine my surprise when I returned home to find the logo on these shirts was eerily familiar.

“We wanted the cadres to have energy for work.” Indeed, service is not always a priority for government workers after a few hours of slugging down shots.

Ryan in Suzhou figures how to live life in a way that doesn't add up to 249+1. Just where does this quirky bit of Chinese humor come from?

Steven over at Suzhou-Atlas has a good post about some re-designs BMW has done to their 5-series (with Chinese characteristics) to better suit the "I wanna be an emperor" market that is so prevalent among China's upper-crust.

An American fugitive accused of raping his daughter and posting videos of the abuse on the Internet lived openly in China, even enjoying visits from his new wife and registering at a local fitness club under his own name.

Steven over at Suzhou-Atlas has some good advice for anyone that's not checked out Skype recently. He gives a bit of a review and cost comparison between using Skype to call home and using the tradition man-on-the-street IP cards. Give it a look.