Russian Embassy Compares Crimea Crisis With Tiananmen Incident On Weibo

Russia Embassy microblog Tiananmen comparison
As the US and EU prepare to levy economic sanctions on Russia for its actions in Ukraine, Russia's leaders may be growing desperate to find support wherever they can. On Tuesday at 12:14 pm, the official Sina Weibo microblog of the Russian Embassy posted a message that, in no uncertain terms, sought Chinese empathy. There was one big problem: the post contained a remarkably tone deaf reference to the "Tiananmen Incident," i.e. the 1989 student protests in Beijing that resulted in a violent government crackdown, i.e. the one event that no one here is supposed to talk about. Read more »

No Survivors On MH370, Says Malaysian PM, Sparking Sanctioned Protest In Beijing

MH370 headlines in black and white
In a televised statement on Monday at Lido Hotel in Beijing, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which has now been missing for 18 days, likely "ended in the southern Indian Ocean." After his statement, family and friends of MH370 passengers were reportedly notified by text that "none of those on board have survived." Read more »

Former Bloomberg Editor Says China Reporting “Undermined By A Tiny Band Of Fools”

Ben Richardson LinkedIn featured image
Bloomberg continues to lose longtime reporters because it values financial services over journalism. On Monday, Bloomberg News editor Ben Richardson, based in Hong Kong, resigned after 13 years with the company over the mishandling of an investigative piece -- it was unceremoniously spiked -- about a Chinese entrepreneur's financial ties with Communist Party leaders and their families. Read more »

Junkyard Transformers In Shandong Are Somewhat Amazing

Transformer made by repairman in Jinan, Shandong featured image
China's obsession with Transformers is evident in box office revenue, filming location (Transformers: Age of Extinction has scenes from Wulong county in Chongqing), and this massive Optimus Prime in Kunming. We can now add another chapter to the legend, thanks to "repairmen" in Jinan, Shandong province. Read more »

Sindicator, Ep.02: Austere China: Xi Jinping Is. Not. Playing

Sindicator Ep02
Communist Party cadres throw down rapper-level cash on luxury brands, especially in the name of "gifts of guanxi," but a shrinkage in the gift market has affected some key industries in the domestic policy game, like Moutai, which has seen sales plummet over the last year. Luxury darlings Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Cartier also have all seen a slump in demand. Read more »