I think the articles that have been spreading on social media websites do carry an element of xenophobia. Yes, irresponsible behavior from the two men, but how many kids have bought similar toy guns and done the same thing? I'm not sure, because it's generally not reported in the media, but I'm sure many have. It's fine that people were worried and it's good to see the police dealt with it in a responsible way but I can't see why it was reported by the media. Whoever wrote it should have been aware of the significance a meaningless story would take on once published. That day, I saw re-posts from sina weibo with extra pictures of dead gulls (presumably dying of natural causes or landing on electric wires and unconnected to teh foreigners).
Many foreigners re-posted the story with or without the dead gulls. Often the post was apologetic: 'we're not all evil', 'I'll hunt them down' etc.
I can't see how this doesn't send a message of xenophobia. Shouldn't we be condemning the articles as trashy and the overreaction to a poor joke as either a misjudgement or prejudice?
Heijing: Where salt was king
Posted byVisited yesterday. The atmosphere was a little frosty towards foreigners after covid. But still some lovely people there. Sadly the figures guarding the monk's tomb were stolen two years ago. One of the tombs was prised open so I presume both were looted. It's the furthest site to walk to from the town as well so maybe not worth it :(
Kunming trees and utilities still suffering from January cold
Posted byI have no problem with cutting back the trees for better growth but the trees on my street and many in Wuhua are now being dug up (roots cut off i.e killed) and bags of earth left for the tree that will replace it. These are tree that have new shoots. Seems very illogical and money/time-wasting. Surely either a big mistake in management or someone is making a big profit on the new trees at the people's expense
Kunming trees and utilities still suffering from January cold
Posted byI am no expert on plants and trees but it's fairly common that things die in winter and magically grow back in spring. I was very surprised to see the extent of the cutting back of the trees. But now all is clear.
Today i saw some of the remaining trees in the centre being not only cut back, but then uprooted and taken away. The irony is that they spent such a long time messing round with the trees after the winter and now Spring has arrived most remaining trees are sprouting new shoots. By Summer they'd be fine.
However when someone sees an opportunity to waste funds and fill their own pockets contracts for new trees are drawn up quickly.
Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions but I see no other reason why this is being done.
Kunming buses installing wi-fi services
Posted by1元 - normal bus journey
2元 - normal bus journey+unnecessary air-con
3元 - normal bus journey+unnecessary air-con+unnecessary Wi-fi
No real difference to most foreigners/well-off Chinese but the average worker really gets screwed.
Year of the Monkey
Posted byI've never met a Chinese person who knows the 'animal race' story. Is it just a Western reinterpretation of the story? If not., why do very few Chinese people know it?