Hao Hao ReportThe best China news and blog posts

Beijing Newspeak comments on a recent Xinhua article in which a teacher in Gansu was convicted of raping 18 grade 3 and 4 students. The young journalist that did the reporting was not eager to find out more details to expose the case because "it would not be good for China’s image."

This case mimics closely another child rape case in the same area that happened a couple years ago. At the time, NYT report Jim Yardley summed up the situation well with this quote:

The FCPA makes it illegal for a person or company to make a payment to a foreign official for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. I recognize the reality that sometimes a bribe to a certain local official would make your process easier. You might get your approvals for real estate faster, or whatever else. Don’t do it... and here's why.

Jack’s father (speaking to the grandson, Josh): “…I’m taking you away from this ungrateful country, to someplace we can both start over.” Josh: “Where?" Granndpa: “China. Within a decade, they will have surpassed this country in EVERY possible way. And WE can be part of it! I am going to give you the future I promised you when you were born. Josh: “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” “No, I didn’t think you would, but you will…”

Danwei, in their Front Page of the Day feature, reports on a rather bizarre rule at a Nanjing university - male students aren't allowed to use the elevator in the dorms. The reasoning? Safety concerns because the students are at that "special age". No joke.

Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s respected prime minister-elect is a mystery figure to the people of China. And I don’t mean that they find her to be a strange individual given to dabbling in the occult; I mean they don’t find her at all. Not in textbooks, not on television, not in the newspaper...

That’s right, Tencent publicly notes its expertise in… whistle blowing.

Until U.S. tax law changes, we American expats need good accountants on our side (not to evade tax law, but to make sure we don’t get screwed by it).

The police: We're just kindly reminding you. If you break the law, of course there are corresponding punishments, and it will surely not be like this, sitting here drinking tea.
Ma: You mean interrogation? I've already been through that. But what is this reminder, really, a warning or a threat?
The police: We're friends, and we don't want our friends to run into trouble.
Ma: But as I've said, we're not sitting here as friends. We are the ruler and the ruled.

One of the problems with living in China is that you begin to feel disconnected with the culture from your home country. You don’t get up on the latest trends, and it can be hard to follow the news carefully, or at least as closely as you would like to.