Only joking - I have yet to receive suggestions on how to “improve” my blog. I have been amazed at the speed in which news of this blog’s existence has spread across the (China-related) blog kingdom. That is largely due to the friendly folk who can be found on the blogroll to your left. And cheers for the comments - and indeed emails - much appreciated.
I have no idea where this blog is heading but I just want to clarify one point. This blog is not a Xinhua News Agency dirt-disher. I won’t be going through TCM’s rubbish bin or following him to the nearest dumpling bar to find out his favourite filling. I would like to try to go some way in dispelling the myth that Xinhua only (there is real emphasis on that word - more than can be conveyed through italics) reports exactly what the Chinese government wants it to. For every senior editor who is terrified of truthful, analytical stories, there is a Xinhua journalist capable of writing an excellent critique - in their second language - of an aspect of Chinese society. Take this article about the Chinese health sector for example - although the writer was asked to add more positives towards the end of the story because its release coincided with the October National Holiday and people don’t like reading bad news when they are on holiday. Apparently.
Xinhua’s marketing publications display the glorious catchline: The World of Xinhua, Xinhua of the World. Well, for health reasons, I sometimes need to escape that often bizarre world so this blog will also talk about Beijing bumf and inanities.
In the meantime, here is a taste of Chinese media in New Zealand, as emailed to me by New Zealander Jonathan Dow with the line, “It’s no wonder I get weird questions about Beijing from folk back home.” I’m pretty sure the street in the photograph is not Chang’an Jie…
China Law Blog | 17-Mar-07 at 9:56 pm | Permalink
My suggestion: keep up the good work.
Tetsuo | 17-Mar-07 at 11:41 pm | Permalink
In defense of my homeland, there’s a reason so much of the (rare) Chinese media in NZ is like that - by far a majority of it are thinly veiled Falun Gong propaganda rags.
Chas | 20-Mar-07 at 8:42 pm | Permalink
Whatever you do, don’t go the way of Leaking State Secrets. A crap blog written by a sad individual who began to believe his own rantings about exposing the evil system at China Daily.
Chris O'Brien | 21-Mar-07 at 11:00 am | Permalink
Thank you for writing that, Chas. Nearly flagged up that blog in my original post but was suddenly struck down by a bout of compassion for the misguided. There will be no photos of “spooky” Party offices on floor eight on this blog.