Oh, bother.
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Panama! <indignant fist shake>
Yeah, I'm still a bit miffed about Panama ditching Taiwan to get in bed with Xi Jinping.
Disgusted, but not surprised
All that sweet development aid.
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Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
I'm kind of surprised. Wasn't China one of the main pushers of another canal through Central America, this time with even worse consequences for the environment?
I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
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Yes, and the Nicarguan canal project is currently in a stall because the Chinese corporation tasked with constructing it is short on funds.
Getting Panama on their side doesn't cost them anything and they tend to have multiple plans running simultaneously anyway. Belt and Road is the big one.
edited 16th Nov '17 5:59:40 AM by TerminusEst
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Meanwhile:
Believe in socialism not sorcery, China tells party members
Writing in the party’s official mouthpiece, the People’s Daily, Chen Xi accused some officials of becoming politically and morally “degraded” and of looking to religion, superstition and – perhaps even worse – western-style multi-party democracy as their faith in socialism faded.
edited 16th Nov '17 7:49:40 AM by TerminusEst
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. . . Are they going to purge Buddhists and raze their temples now? Because the Xi Administration really seems to be itching to reenact the Cultural Revolution, streets battles with pikes and all.
They've been doing that all the time. The principle is that as long as you put the party above everything else (like God), your religion is fine.
Which seems reasonable IMO, religion is strictly private and should not be placed above the common good of society.
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
Well, instead of society, it's the CCP we're talking about here.
As a one party state they are society. Or at-least their society's state.
No, what matters is that religion and the State are kept as separate as possible. To put it strictly in the private sphere makes sense only if: a) there's a Western secular background, usually of a post-Christian variety (which, therefore, makes it limited in terms of understanding the context of the struggles of non-majority religious beliefs outside the 'West'); or b) if it's in the historical and political context of a nation like, say, France (and I'm saying this even if I dislike France's form of exclusionary laïcité).
And even if it makes sense, it's still something that goes against the communitarian and social action/participation values of most religions in the world. Which might end up causing backlashes down the line.
Also, the CCP are doing it not out of supposed Enlightenment values, but for the sake of social and political control.
edited 16th Nov '17 10:41:10 AM by Quag15
Isn't keeping State and Church separate and keeping religion in the private sphere the same thing?
It's more of an institutional issue. This is the CCP however, so that issue also comes with torture and harvested organs.
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The CCP are essentially state atheists. They see religious faith as an obstacle to absolute population control. In effect they want to substitute "God" with "loyalty to the party". If you're familiar with Bioshock Infinite and its worship of the Founders, it's basically like that.
edited 16th Nov '17 1:08:51 PM by AlleyOop
They just disappear people who disagree with them. It's politics. In terms of razing religious buildings, local governments were caught doing that a few times, but I have no idea what came of it.
edited 16th Nov '17 1:28:26 PM by TerminusEst
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A procrastination in of itself
Not at all, one is avoiding religious influence over the government and ensuring that it favours no religion, the other is aggressively punishing people for having faith and/or admitting to it. We don’t segregate other organisations/hobbies out of public life if they are none harmful, why do it to religion?
On top of all this remember that the Chinese government is militant atheist, Communist China is actually a place where Christians face serious systematic oppression.
"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
Even with recent news, one of the detained bookshop owners who was allowed to be released, according to Beijing when they informed foreign media that he can leave if he wants to, never showed up on anyone's radar.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
https://ph.news.yahoo.com/china-slams-tibet-flag-flap-germany-football-match-111428453--sow.html
Chinese Foreign Ministry has condemned the use of the Tibetan flag during a soccer match in Munich. Those involved with the flag's presentation weren't fazed by it.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
Bet the foreign ministry will say they hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.
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Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
The statement:
"We are firmly opposed to any country or any individual offering support to separatist, anti-China and terrorist activities or activities defending Tibet independence, in any form or under any pretext," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular press briefing on Monday.
"I must stress that mutual respect is what the official host should provide their guest, and that respect between any two countries should be mutual," he said.
Oh, bother.
"We kicked Tibet's ass already! How dare they act all offended about it and demand such silly things as independence!"
What else can you expect from a nationalist authoritarian regime that even to this day refuses to acknowledge that it once fired upon and massacred a bunch of protesters?
Disgusted, but not surprised
My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare
So the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was just held in China. . .
BBC: Victoria's Secret Show with Chinese characteristics
Netizens were excitedly talking about Chinese model Xi Mengyao's tumble on the catwalk and guest Wang Sicong, son of Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin, who had to stand while watching the show because he was late.
Models and costumes
A record number of seven Chinese models were cast, with one of them handpicked from a reality show broadcast online.
Jane Zhang became the first Chinese singer to perform for Victoria's Secret, joining the ranks of Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. She shared the stage in Shanghai with Harry Styles, Miguel and Leslie Odom Jr.
While the models were getting ready for the show, they were wearing pink bathrobes with peony embroidery, which symbolises prosperity in Chinese culture.
In terms of costumes, one of the six themes was called "Porcelain Angel", which was inspired by the ubiquitous blue-and-white porcelain in China.
Victoria's Secret said on its official Weibo account that the show was invitation-only and there was no way to buy tickets.
But in September, a Chinese fashion website said it could provide access to buy tickets. Each ticket would cost 168,000 yuan ($25,300; £19,100).
And a listing on Taobao, China's leading e-commerce website, was selling a ticket at a whooping 300,000 yuan ($45,000, £34,150).
Underwear makes money
Victoria's Secret said on its official Weibo account that the show was invitation-only and there was no way to buy tickets.
But in September, a Chinese fashion website said it could provide access to buy tickets. Each ticket would cost 168,000 yuan ($25,300; £19,100).
And a listing on Taobao, China's leading e-commerce website, was selling a ticket at a whooping 300,000 yuan ($45,000, £34,150).
The lingerie brand's year-to-end sales until October dropped 11%. L Brands, the retail group which owns Victoria's Secret, describes China as "top priority" in its 2016 annual report - it doesn't come as a surprise that the brand is trying hard to reach out to Chinese consumers. In the past, Victoria's Secret franchise stores in China only sold beauty products and accessories.
But things started to change last year as L Brands reacquired the franchise rights of the 26 stores in China. Chairman and CEO Les Wesner explained the decision: "The China market is too big and too important for us not to own it."
This year, Victoria's Secret opened two flagship stores in Shanghai and Chengdu, which offer underwear as well.
But how big is the Chinese market? According to market research firm Mintel, the retail value of China's lingerie market can grow to 148 billion yuan ($23.2 billion, £16.80 billion) by 2020. Mintel's regional trends director Matthew Crabbe believes staging a show in China is a smart move.
"Victoria's Secret is targeting the Chinese lingerie market, which has been growing strongly in recent years, with a clear trend towards consumers trading-up to higher end brands. "Holding an event in China is a great way to raise consumer awareness in a highly competitive market."
Besides the fact that Katy Perry is now indefinitely banned from China due to appearing in Taiwan in 2015 and wearing an ROC flag as a cape at one point during her gig, the show was met with the full bureaucratic force and intelligence prowling of the Chinese government behind the scenes.
edited 21st Nov '17 5:27:19 PM by FluffyMcChicken
https://ph.news.yahoo.com/panama-opens-embassy-china-cutting-taiwan-ties-115451832.html
The Panamanian embassy is officially open for business in China.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"