Murphy strikes again. Last week was clear and hot, with maximum temperatures around 32 - 33C (much better than Beijing and Tianjin which sweltered in temperatures of over 40C ). So on Friday I packed all my winter stuff away. Wouldn't you know it, but a change came through yesterday and the weather will be overcast, wet and cool (max 20C) for the next few days.
Dragon Boat Festival
Today is a national holiday in China. It is the Duan Wu Festival 龙舟节 (or Dragon Boat Festival in English), which is held on the 5th day of the 5th month according to the Chinese lunar calendar.
The festival commemorates Qu Yuan (340 – 278 BC). He was a much-admired and much-loved official and poet. When his King was defeated by a neighbouring enemy, rather than capitulate he jumped into the river to his death.
Legend has it that villagers raced out in boats to save him or at least retrieve his body. When they couldn't find him they threw glutinous
rice into the river, in the hope that the fish would eat the rice and spare his
body.
Since that time, Chinese eat glutinous rice cakes (zongzi) on
this day to honour an ancient hero.
And now you know the origin of Dragon Boats. This sport has become very popular and has spread to all corners of the world. As I'm writing this blog, CCTV is showing Dragon Boat races being held in many parts of China today.
And now you know the origin of Dragon Boats. This sport has become very popular and has spread to all corners of the world. As I'm writing this blog, CCTV is showing Dragon Boat races being held in many parts of China today.
| Glutinous rice cakes are very popular around the Duan Wu Festival. They come wrapped in bamboo leaves; the filling is usually dates, or sometimes pork. |
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| Dragon boating now has followers in many countries. |
My sister, Angie, lives at Narooma a lovely little town on the NSW South Coast. She has become an enthusiastic Dragon Boat paddler.
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| Narooma Blue Water Dragons Club. Don't you love the Club motto: "Lookin' good, havin' fun"? |
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| 2013 Angie receiving the 'Narooma Rotarian of the Year' Award. |
Footy
Soccer
Only two weeks to kick-off of the World Cup in Brazil, 'the beautiful game'. Lot of interest in China, despite the Chinese National Team not making it. Sports channel CCTV5 has been running ads featuring David Beckham, and every day it backgrounds one of the participating teams. There is no doubt that soccer is the world game and I am so proud that the Socceroos made it. Let the games begin.Rugby
I am a keen supporter of the Canberra Brumbies in the Super 15 Rugby Competition (5 teams from each of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia). Delighted to see them have a big win against the Melbourne Rebels on Saturday night, six tries to one. But only 11,000 fans at the game. Attendance has been slipping in Canberra too. C'mon Canberrans, get behind your team!
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| Brumbies Fly-half Matt Toomua scoring one of his two tries against the Rebels, 31 May 2014. |
The Rugby Union test series against France starts soon - go the Wallabies!
Aussie Rules
Couple of unexpectedly big margins in Aussie Rules games this weekend: Sydney Swans 148 beat the Geelong Cats 38 (my mate Patrick will be pulling his hair out); and Collingwood 140 beat St Kilda 54.
Rugby League
I watched the first State of Origin Rugby League game at the new Pirates Bar on Wednesday night with about a dozen other Aussies (what are they all doing in this neck of the woods, I wonder?). NSW won a typically hard game against Queensland 12 - 8. Great effort to win in Brisbane.
There was another thing I liked about the game apart from the score. I have been worried about my expanding midriff, but was relieved to see that there were several others who were in much worse shape. Time for another beer ....
Adventurer extraordinaire
Can this be for real?
Many people do crazy, wonderful, remarkable, foolish things but I was astounded to read of this man's achievements. 62 year old (young!) Russian Fedor Konyukhov rowed from Chile to Australia. He set off on 23 December 2013 and arrived in Australia on 31 May 2014; 160 days to cover an estimated 16,000 km. How can you cover an average of 100 km a day for 160 days in a row boat? Amazing.
He previously rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, and now the Pacific too.
He has climbed the "7 Summits", the highest peaks on every continent (Everest twice).
Apparently he is already planning his next adventure: fly a hot-air balloon around the world! What a guy!
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| His row boat arriving at Mooloolaba Spit, Queensland on 31 May 2014. |
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| Fedor Konyukhov arriving in Australia after 160 days at sea. He admitted to feeling a little tired .... |
China - Vietnam dispute
In early May, when China positioned an oil drilling rig at the southern end of the Paracel Islands (China calls them the Xisha Islands, and Vietnam calls them the Hoang Sa Islands), all hell broke loose.
The Paracel Islands include some 30 islets, sandbanks and reefs over
a maritime area of around 15,000 square kilometres but only a few square
kilometres of land. The archipelago is approximately equidistant from the
coastlines of Vietnam and China.
The rig was about 120 nautical miles east of Vietnam's Ly Son Island - see map below.
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| The location of the Chinese HD981 drilling rig, south of the Paracel Islands. |
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| This map shows the disputed Paracel Islands in the northern part of the South China Sea (claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan), and the Spratly Islands in the southern part of the South China Sea (claimed by China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, and Brunei). |
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| Another map, bigger scale, showing the location of the Paracel Islands in relation to China to the north and Vietnam to the west. |
The People's Republic of China took over effective control of the Paracel Islands in 1949 from the defeated Kuomintang Government. The new Government of North Vietnam recognised China's sovereignty from 1956 to 1975 but assumed South Vietnam's claim to the Islands when the country was reunited in 1976.
The only habitation is the town of Sansha 三沙 located on Yongxing (Woody) Island, where a few hundred Chinese government and military personnel reside.
Vietnam insists that the Paracel Islands are on its Continental Shelf, and also within its Exclusive Economic Zone, but China says that's rubbish and they have been Chinese territory for centuries.
The Vietnamese government and public reacted vehemently to the presence of the drilling rig in waters south of the disputed Islands. There was angry confrontation on the water, and a Vietnamese fishing boat was sunk (fortunately the 10 crew were rescued).
On land, there was wide-spread rioting against Chinese companies and factories in many areas of Vietnam (Taiwanese and Singapore joint ventures also suffered). Much property was damaged; two Chinese staff were killed, and dozens injured (some seriously). China sent planes and ships to evacuate some 3,000 of its citizens.
Although they protested that they were taken by surprise, I suspect the Vietnamese government was secretly pleased with this demonstration of anger - which sent a strong message to Beijing.
Actually, it reminded me of 15 September 2012 when there were violent anti-Japanese riots in many cities in China in response to the dispute over the Diao Yu Islands (Senkaku in Japanese). What goes around comes around.
The Paracel Islands cover a large area. Why not split it down the middle - the northern half (closer to Hainan) to belong to China; the southern half to belong to Vietnam? End of dispute ... but don't hold your breath.
What a can of worms.
Jack Brabham, RIP
In last week's post I mentioned the passing of legendary rugby league player Reg Gasnier. Another name familiar to every Australian lad who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s was that of Sir John Arthur 'Jack' Brabham AO OBE, who passed away on 19 May 2014 aged 88.The young mechanic from Hurstville (then on the outskirts of Sydney) started racing midget cars in 1948 and did very well. He moved to the UK in 1955 and joined the Coopers Car Company team. His first Formula One race was the 1958 British Grand Prix. He won the F1 Drivers Championship in 1959 and 1960.
In 1962 he established the Brabham Racing Team and quickly became the largest producer of custom-built racing cars. He won the F1 Championship again in 1966, driving one of his own cars.
His last F1 win was the 1970 South African Grand Prix. He retired at the end of that season.
Famous contemporaries/rivals included Graham Hill and Stirling Moss.
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| The kind of midget car in which Jack Brabham learnt his driving skills. Midget racing had a big following in Australia in the 1940s and 1950s. |
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| Jack Brabham in 1966, when he won his third F1 Championship. |
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| Jack Brabham (1926 - 2014) F1 Champion 1959, 1960, 1966. 128 races, 14 wins, 36 podiums. Australians had to wait till 1980 for our next F1 Champion, Alan Jones. |
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Graham Hill (1929 - 75), F1 Champion 1962 and 1968. 179 races, 14 wins, 36 podiums. |
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| Stirling Moss (1929 - ) 67 races, 16 wins, 24 podiums. Perhaps the best driver never to win an F1 Championship. |
My friend Tony Butterfield is a petrol-head and loves racing. He told me that the day before Jack Brabham passed away, he attended the opening of a car museum which features a rare Brabham BT-18. During an interview with a journalist, Jack Brabham said "I will die without an enemy in the world - because I have outlived all the bastards!" What a guy.
Actually, I didn't see the news of Jack Brabham's passing but fortunately good friend Steve Craven alerted me to the fact. Although Steve is American, he happened to be in England and actually saw Jack Brabham win at Brands Hatch.
I met Steve in Singapore two decades ago when he was head of the US Embassy's Commercial Section. Like the rest of us, Steve is now retired (in Hawaii, lucky bugger). He keeps abreast of international trade matters and writes an entertaining and informative blog titled "Business Beyond the Reef". He has a knack of explaining complex issues in layman's language.
Steve Craven's blog on international trade issues
If you like international trade news stir-fried with a pinch of humour and a slice of insight have a look at his blog at http://kekepana.com/
Oh, and Steve is also a keen paddler of outrigger canoes.
News, May 2014
As you know, I like to do a summary of important/interesting news events which take place each month. Below is the summary for May 2014. I am hoping that, in later years, I will be able to look back at these monthly summaries and remember some of the key events which took place.
Events which made the news in China in May 2014.
Note: these news items were sourced from The China Daily newspaper published in May 2014. Actual events usually occurred a day or two before the date shown. Currency is US$, and the exchange rate I have used for May 2014 is US$1 = Yuan 6.2.
(a) International issues
1 May 2014
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The search for flight MH370 moved to a
new phase in the southern Indian Ocean.
Aircraft were withdrawn.
Underwater drone ‘Bluefin’ scoured the floor of the ocean in an area
of about 60,000 sq km defined by the ‘pings’ detected. By the end of May nothing had been found,
and a larger search area was nominated.
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1 May
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Conflict in Ukraine continued. Separatists took over areas in eastern
Ukraine (the Donbass Coal region). Luhansk, Donetsk, Horlivka. In referendums held mid-May (which Kiev & EU labelled illegal), 90% supported
greater regional autonomy. Many killed in more fighting. On 10 May President Putin of Russia visited
Crimea.
On 27 May Petro Poroshenko was elected
President of a badly divided Ukraine.
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1 May
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Nina Davuluri (of Indian background)
was crowned Miss America 2014.
Runner up was Crystal Lee, Miss California (of Chinese background).
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5 May
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Premier Li Ke Qiang arrived in Ethiopia. He will also visit Nigeria, Angola, and
Kenya. He was accompanied by his wife, Cheng Hong, a professor of English in
Beijing.
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7 May
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In 2013 US Graduate Schools attracted
819,000 international students, 29% from China.
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7 May
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The WHO approved a Chinese vaccine
against Japanese encephalitis.
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8 May
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Thai Prime Minister Yingluck
Shinawatra was found guilty of abuse of power by the Constitutional Court,
and removed from office.
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8 May
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Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City
Thunder was voted Most Valuable Player of the NBA regular season. He averaged 32 points per game and 7.4 rebounds.
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8 May
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Donald Sterling, owner of the LA
Clippers, was accused of racist comments. The NBA will hold a meeting on 3 June to
determine his future.
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9 May
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Construction of the railway between
Myanmar and Yunnan Province announced. It will include a 30 km tunnel through
the Gao Li Gong mountains.
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9 May
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Details of the 2014 Youth Olympics
released. It will be held in Nanjing
starting on 16 August. 3,800 athletes
between 15 – 18 years will compete in 220 sporting events.
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9 May
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China asked Vietnam to stop harassing
the oil drilling rig near the Xisha Islands. Riots against Chinese companies
in Vietnam: factories damaged, 2 killed, over 100 injured. China sent planes and ships to evacuate 3,000
Chinese personnel. A Vietnamese
fishing boat sank after collision with Chinese boats but all crew rescued.
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12 May
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2014 report on State of World’s
Mothers provides an international ranking of 178 countries on maternal heath
and child mortality. Finland #1;
Australia #9; China #61.
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13 May
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Treasurer Joe Hockey handed down first budget of
Tony Abbott’s government.
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13 May
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Manchester City won the UK Premier
League; Liverpool came second.
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15 May
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APEC meetings in Qingdao: Senior
Officials and Trade Ministers.
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17 May
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Congress Party did badly in Indian
general election. Next PM will be
Narendra Modi, leader of the Hindu Nationalist Bharatiya Yanata Party. Voter
turnout 66% (2009 58%).
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17 May
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Australian actor Robert Hughes (65)
found guilty of sexual abuse and sentenced to 6 years in jail. Trial of Rolf
Harris started in London. Ghost of Jimmy Savile.
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21 May
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The US Justice Department indicted 5
Chinese military officers on charges of cyber-theft (commercial secrets from
US corporations).
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21 May
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After 6 months of internal fighting
(28 dead), the Thai army proclaimed martial law, with General Prayuth
Chan-ocha as interim PM. 12th
coup in 80 years. King Bhumibol
expressed his support.
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23 May
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Flooded Sava River caused havoc in
Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia. More than 50
dead.
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26 May
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Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 4 – 1
to win the Champions League. Atletico fans must have thought they had it won, but Real Madrid equalised in the 93rd minute (in injury time) and then went on to score 3 more
goals in extra time.
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27 May
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Elections for the European Parliament
in UK and France saw big gains by ‘euro-skeptic’ right wing parties. UKIP won 28% (24 seats), Labour 25% (20 seats),
Conservatives 24% (19 seats). Voter turnout in UK 34%. Voting was on proportional
representation basis.
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27
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Li Na and Stan Wawarinka, winners of
the Womens and Mens Singles in the Australian Open in January, were beaten in the first round of the French
Open. First time that the two winners of a Grand Slam both exited in the first round of the subsequent Grand Slam.
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(b) China issues
1 May
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Blast at Urumqi Railway Station in
Xinjiang. 2 terrorists and one bystander died, 79 injured. East Turkistan Islamic Movement blamed.
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1 May
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Average annual incomes of urban
workers in China increased from Y14,040 in 2003 to Y47,593 in 2012. Average incomes of rural workers increased
from Y2,622 to Y7,916.
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1 May
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The average price of books in China in
2012 was $8.30. Chinese adults read an average of 4.7 books in 2013; 50%
paper and 50% on devices.
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1 May
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Ministry of Education estimates that 413,900
Chinese students were studying overseas in 2013, 40% undergraduate, 45%
post-graduate.
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6 May
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Continuing a trend in first 4 months, property sales fell 30% over the May
Day holidays, compared to 2013. There
are an estimated 10.2 million vacant apartments in China. Could this be the start of the
long-anticipated slow-down in the property market?
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6 May
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Sanya, a resort town on Hainan Island
which attracts many tourists, banned beach nudity.
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7 May
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Six injured by knife attacker at
Guangzhou Railway Station.
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7 May
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Govt announced increased dividends to
be paid by 121 central State owned Enterprises.
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7 May
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In Q1 2014 Chinese property developers
spent $732 m in USA (Chicago $464 m, Los Angeles $144 m) and $400 m in
Australia (Sydney $243 m, Melbourne $150 m).
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7 May
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In 2013 VW sold 3.3 m Passenger Motor
Vehicles in China, while GM sold 3.2 m.
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8 May
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E-commerce giant Alibaba filed for IPO
in the USA.
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9 May
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Govt announced arrest of retired journalist Gao Yu (70)
in Beijing for ‘leaking of State secrets’. Also another arrest in Guangzhou. Govt sending strong message in lead up to 25th anniversary of Tiananmen incident?
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9 May
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Kindergarten teachers in Yanzhou,
Jiangsu strike for higher pay (currently get $240 per month).
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9 May
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The first part released of what will
be a national register of property interests.
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9 May
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Severe over-capacity to be reduced in a number of industries, including: steel (29 million tonnes to be cut); cement (50 mt); aluminium (420,000 t); and copper
(512,000 t).
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10 May
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New series of “A Bite of China” on
CCTV attracts big following.
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13 May
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Police arrest 53 people at
demonstration which turned violent in Hangzhou against a planned incinerator.
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13 May
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Chinese internet companies told to
clean up online porn or lose licenses.
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13 May
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Beijing government hefty increases in fines on
polluters. Babcock & Wilcox fined
$48,000 for out-door painting of boilers (the coy was given a warning last year).
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14 May
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The Chinese yuan has depreciated 2.9%
this year.
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15 May
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Head of GlaxoSmithKline, Mark Reilly,
and other senior staff charged with bribery.
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15 May
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China Mobile lowered the entry level
plan (500MB) for 4G to Y30 ($5) per month.
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16 May
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The Port of Qingdao handled 450
million tonnes of freight in 2013, 7th largest in world.
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17 May
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From 1 January to 15 May 2014 Beijing
subways were used by 1 billion passengers.
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17 May
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A patient in Jilin Province got
replacement elbow joints produced by 3D printers.
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19 May
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Shaanxi Province has ordered teachers
not to give written homework to 1st and 2nd graders in
primary school.
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19 May
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In 2013 Shanghai had a population of 23.8
million, including 9.5 migrant workers; Beijing had a population of 20.7
million, including 7.7 m migrant workers.
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19 May
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In 2014 the Government will move 300
big polluting companies out of Beijing.
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19 May
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Auto companies have been told that mileage of new cars should not exceed 6.9 litres per 100 km in 2015. The target for 2020 is 5 litres per 100 km.
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20 May
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The People’s Liberation Army has taken
delivery of the first consignment of 1,000 Hong Qi (Red Flag) cars. The Chinese military will only buy domestic
brands in future.
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20 May
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Just over 26 million foreign visitors
came to China in 2013. Main purpose:
tourism 39%; Official 17%; conferences 7%; employment 4%; study 1%. Tourist numbers peaked in 2010 with 12.4
million; 2013 down to 10.1 million.
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20 May
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China produced 1.2 billion tonnes of
coal in the first 4 months of 2014 (down 1% compared to 2013).
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20 May
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Price of imported iron ore (62%
content) delivered to Tianjin slipped to $98.50 per tonne (a 27% reduction in
price this year). Apparently costs at
Rio are $36 per tonne, BHP $38 and Fortescue $50
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21 May
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Chinese government banned use of
Windows 8 in govt computers. After the revelations of Edward Snowden China is concerned about cyber-security and has ordered extra checks to be made on equipment from foreign
suppliers such as MS, CISCO, IBM, Intel, Oracle.
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21 May
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Guangdong Province introduced some
e-permits for travel to Hong Kong and Macao.
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21 May
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Civilian airlines will be able to use
more military airspace in emergencies. Hopefully will
improve the timeliness of Chinese flights.
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21 May
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Following increased crime against
Chinese tourists in Paris, 10 Chinese police will assist French police this
summer. In 2013 an estimated 1.5
million Chinese visited France and spent 570 million euros.
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21 May
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Yesterday, May 20, was a popular day
for weddings in China because 520 is texting shorthand for ‘I love you’.
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22 May
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Sino-Russia gas deal valued at about
$400 billion signed during Putin’s visit.
Gazprom will supply China with 38 billion cubic metres of natural gas
per annum for 30 years, starting in 2018.
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23 May
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Another terrorist attack in Urumqi Xinjiang, this time at a busy fruit & vegetable market . Two cars mowed down shoppers, and threw explosives. 31 dead, 94 injured. Second attack in Urumqi this month. The govt announced a ‘war on terrorism’. Some police in Chinese cities will now carry guns (previously only SWAT teams had weapons).
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26 May
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In Beijing 9,000 public buses now have
free wifi facilities for passengers.
Beijing’s subway will provide 4G mobile coverage in July.
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26 May
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Beijing govt has decreed that 18% of
parking in new and renovated communities must be equipped with charging facilities
for electric vehicles; hoping to have 1,000 public charging stations for electric cars in Beijing by end of this year.
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27 May
|
Heavy rain in southern China caused
widespread flooding. 26 dead, 10
missing.
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27 May
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WeChat (unit of Tencent group) with
650 million individual registered accounts and 3 million public accounts and
chat groups has been ordered by govt to crack-down on messaging which contains
and/or provokes: violence, terrorism, pornography, and malicious rumors.
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...
Well, that's it for this post.
Soon it will be exam time; in 3 weeks we leave for Kuala Lumpur and then Australia for a few weeks before returning in late August for the start of the 2014-15 academic year.
Best wishes, and keep smiling.
Alex & Vera Olah
English teachers at China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Monday 2 June 2014.
