Quarantine is lifted, but caution lingers for Wuhan residents
Despite the lifting of restrictions in Wuhan, the original epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, residents in the central Chinese city remain cautious as they fear infection from asymptomatic patients. Beijing (dpa) – Wang Tianchen, a Wuhan resident and coronavirus survivor, will finally be able to go outside after a gruelling two months spent inside hospitals and isolation facilities. But he has no interest in doing so. "I'll continue to stay at home," Wang tells dpa over t
Beijing Has Defeated Coronavirus. What It Was Like Living In The Locked-Down City For Two Months
Beijing (Forbes) - On Jan. 23, we were preparing for the weeklong Lunar New Year holiday – when businesses across China shut down and everyone travels to be with their families. News about a mysterious form of pneumonia that had originated in the central industrial hub of Wuhan and spread across China was incessant in the days leading up to the holiday. However, the expectation was that the central government would take minimal measures in order to not disrupt holiday-related
Coronavirus Causes A Dramatic Collapse Of China’s Economy
Beijing (Forbes) - A series of newly released economic indicators show a dramatic decline in China’s economy due to the coronavirus outbreak. The collapse in industrial production, retail sales and fixed-asset investment was much more serious than analysts had expected. The data, released Monday, can serve as a warning to other countries as to the coronavirus’ toll on the economy. Industrial production, a gauge of manufacturing, mining and utilities activity, dropped 13.5% in
Study Links Nike, Adidas And Apple To Forced Uighur Labor
Beijing (Forbes) - Nike, Adidas, Apple, Microsoft and Samsung are among 83 multinationals that have been linked to forced labor by Uighurs in factories across China, according to a new study by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI). According to the researchers, Uighurs, a persecuted ethnic minority from China’s western Xinjiang region, have been funneled to work in factories in other provinces under conditions “that strongly suggest forced labour.” The report esti
China’s Factories Are Reeling From Forced Coronavirus Closures
Beijing (Forbes) - China mandated factory shutdowns across most of its provinces last month as it struggled to control a new coronavirus epidemic that started in its central metropolis of Wuhan. Factories were supposed to remain closed for another 10 days after the weeklong Lunar New Year holiday and reopen on February 9. When that day arrived, Cui Kexu, like thousands of factory owners across China, was waiting for an official green light to restart production. None came. Al
Hogging plates: China's diners still want pork despite price rise
Pork prices have doubled in China, but that won’t stop families enjoying the traditional dumplings on Lunar New Year. Beijing, China (Al Jazeera) - On Lunar New Year's eve, families across China will gather for a lavish dinner of foods with symbolic meanings: noodles to bring longevity, fish for good fortune, peaches to ensure fertility, and red fruit such as apples and tangerines for good luck. Reigning supreme, requiring the most labour and sure to bring unmatched comfort a
Xinjiang whistleblower: 'Every detail told by survivors was true'
Asiye Abdulaheb risked everything to share the first-ever leak of secret documents describing China's mass internment of ethnic minorities. She's hoping their release will make the world see what is going on in her native Xinjiang. Beijing (dpa) – When Asiye Abdulaheb looked at the documents on her laptop, she immediately knew the stakes were high. China’s mass internment of ethnic minorities in its western region of Xinjiang had long been documented by journalists and rights
The Capital of Xinjiang Is Now in Turkey
Ethnic cleansing of Uighurs in China has forced an exodus to Istanbul—and a desperate effort to keep their culture alive. ISTANBUL (Foreign Policy)—On a Sunday morning in April, 9-year-old Nefise Kerim dragged her older sister, Saniya, to a bookstore in Istanbul’s Zeytinburnu neighborhood. The girl’s brown eyes scoured the bookshelves full of colorful tomes depicting an Arabic script. Kerim wanted to come after she had seen an announcement on Facebook that a new magazine for
China to hold massive military parade amid headwinds for leader
China is set to stage its largest military parade ever to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Communist Party coming to power. But while President Xi Jinping will use the occasion to reassert his position, he faces headwinds on multiple fronts. Beijing (dpa) – On October 1, more than 15,000 troops and 580 sets of military equipment will roll down Beijing's historic Chang'An Avenue, while more than 160 military aircraft will whiz through the air above. The military parade, C
China prepares giant military parade for October 1 celebrations
Pigeons caged, dogs banned and Internet slowed as China prepares to mark 70 years of Communist rule Beijing, China (Al Jazeera) - Wu Xiaoliang gushes about the tanks and missiles that are set to roll through the streets of central Beijing on October 1 to mark 70 years of Communist rule, in what will be China’s largest-ever military parade and a show of the country's strength. The 32-year-old horticulturist is a fan of a popular military drama on television, The King of Land B
