Hong Kong Elections: Umbrella Protest Parties Win

In late 2014, despite the 1997 promise of local autonomy (“One Country, Two Systems”), China’s ruling party proposed new restrictive measures for Hong Kong elections. Hong Kong responded with 80 days of street demonstrations. Young protesters carried umbrellas to shield themselves from police pepper spray, and the movement became known as the Umbrella Revolution.

While authorities suppressed the pro-democracy street protests, the movement for local self-government continued. Last week, a record voter turnout elected six leaders of the Umbrella Movement to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and Macau. The next Hong Kong Chief Executive election is scheduled for March 26, 2017.

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Let a Thousand Lattes Bloom

Walmart may be closing many US stores, but Starbucks is opening 500 new coffee shops in China every year for the next 5 years. Starbucks currently has 2000 shops located in 100 Chinese cities serving Green Tea Lattes, Iced Shaken Blackcurrant Raspberry Juiced Tea, Mango Passion Fruit and Tea Blended Juice Drink, and Red Bean Green Tea Cheesecake. A latte costs about $6.

More:

“1 U.S. brand booming in China, in spite of economic woes,” Shuai Zhang, CBS News

“China’s Changing Tastes Offer Upside for Coffee,” Laurie Burkitt, Wall Street Journal

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Newsweek’s Newest Writer: Ai Weiwei

Two months after he was released from government detention, dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has written an essay for the online version of Newsweek. It’s about economic oppression, human rights, and urban sprawl in Beijing:

“Every year millions come to Beijing to build its bridges, roads, and houses. Each year they build a Beijing equal to the size of the city in 1949. They are Beijing’s slaves.”

Read it here.

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The Great Schlep Forward

There’s a new growth industry in China: Jewish Studies Centers.

Ten universities have them. There are Jewish Studies classes and conferences, a China Judaic Studies Association, and the Institute of Jewish Studies at Nanjing University has published an 800-page Chinese translation of the authoritative Encyclopaedia Judaica. Mazel tov.

Related:

“So a Jew goes to China …” Michael Levy, Salon

“The Quest For Kosher Among China’s Other Billion,” Amy Ta, NPR

A tip o’ the yarmulke to InsideHigherEd.com

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China’s Space Station

NASA’s famed Evel Knievel Manned Space Program has an Asian rival. The People’s Republic of China is planning to launch a space station. The Tiangong or ‘heavenly palace’ will hurtle towards the heavens within the decade.

The Chinese man-in-space effort began ten years ago, and boasted its first space walk during the 2008 Shenzhou-7 mission. Meanwhile, in Florida, NASA’s antiquated Endeavour space shuttle is back in the shop.

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Ai Weiwei Held in China

Chinese artist and designer Ai Weiwei was detained by police at the Beijing airport before he could take a flight to Hong Kong yesterday. Even if you haven’t seen his current exhibition at London’s Tate Modern or those at Munuch’s Haus der Kunst and Tokyo’s Mori Art Museum, you still may know his work.  Ai Weiwei helped design the “Birds Nest Stadium” for the 2008 Olympics, the National Stadium of the People’s Republic of China.

Christine O’Donnell Foils Commie Invasion!

Thank God Delaware Republican Christine O’Donnell used her secret classified knowledge to stave off a Chinese Communist attack on the USA the last time she ran for the U.S. Senate, back in 2006. We don’t know exactly how she discovered that the heathen hordes were poised to pounce, but she did. How can we be sure? Because the candidate said so, and she never lies.

That was 2006, and China’s “carefully thought out and strategic plan to take over America” never materialized. How did Christine O’Donnell avert the Asian invasion? Was it … witchcraft?

Whatever. A grateful nation thanks you, Ms. O’Donnell.

 

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