China reluctantly began allowing select foreign journalists to visit the massive re-education camps of Xinjiang province last month, staging performances to reinforce the Communist Party line that the hundreds of thousands of Muslims consigned to the camps for reprogramming are actually the happy voluntary residents of “vocational schools.” Judging from NPR’s account of China’s media blitz, things got pretty weird. NPR reported:On the fifth day of a government-sponsored media tour last month, at a detention facility in the far-western city of Kashgar, two dozen Uighur detainees belted out the American children’s song “If You’re Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands.” The group of adults, some as old as 40 and dressed in colorful ethnic Uighur costumes, stumbled over the English lyrics. From the front of a classroom, their teacher guided them to stand up, sing and — at the song’s cue — clap their hands in unison: an … [Read more...] about China Puts On a Show for Media at Muslim Re-Education Camps
China communications construction group
China downplays political impact of global development push
Updated 1:45 am CDT, Friday, April 19, 2019 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi waves as he leaves after a press conference on the upcoming Road and Belt Forum in Beijing on Friday, April 19, 2019. China is downplaying the political implications of its global development campaign known as the Belt and Road initiative, saying that it aims to boost multilateralism amid protectionist trends in the U.S. and elsewhere. less Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi waves as he leaves after a press conference on the upcoming Road and Belt Forum in Beijing on Friday, April 19, 2019. China is downplaying the political implications of its ... more Photo: Ng Han Guan, AP Photo: Ng Han Guan, AP Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Image 1 of 5 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi waves as he leaves after a press … [Read more...] about China downplays political impact of global development push
Exclusive: Tesla, smarting from trade war, seeks bids for China…
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Tesla Inc has opened a tender process to build its Shanghai Gigafactory and at least one contractor has started buying materials, according to sources and documents reviewed by Reuters, the clearest indication that construction is imminent. A government announcement of a land request is seen on a fence on the land secured by Tesla for its Gigafactory in Shanghai, China November 11, 2018. REUTERS/Yilei Sun The details, previously unreported, reveal that state-owned Shanghai Construction Group Co Ltd is taking part in the bidding while a unit of China Minmetals Corp Ltd is preparing materials for the plant’s foundations. The $2 billion factory, Tesla’s first in China, is a major bet for the U.S. electric vehicle (EV) maker as it looks to bolster its presence in the world’s biggest auto market where its earnings have been hit by increased tariffs on U.S. imports. The so-called Gigafactory would also be China’s first wholly … [Read more...] about Exclusive: Tesla, smarting from trade war, seeks bids for China…
Cracks show in China’s vision for model ethnic unity village
Emily Wang, Associated Press Updated 9:59 pm PST, Tuesday, November 20, 2018 In this Sept. 20, 2018, photo, an Uighur child plays alone in the courtyard of a home at the Unity New Village in Hotan, in western China's Xinjiang region. Hotan Unity New Village is a Communist Party showcase for its efforts to tame Xinjiang province, the heartland of China’s often restive Uighur Muslim minority and an unforgiving terrain. less In this Sept. 20, 2018, photo, an Uighur child plays alone in the courtyard of a home at the Unity New Village in Hotan, in western China's Xinjiang region. Hotan Unity New Village is a Communist Party showcase ... more Photo: Andy Wong, AP Photo: Andy Wong, AP Image 1 of / 19 Caption Close Image 1 of 19 In this Sept. 20, 2018, photo, an Uighur child … [Read more...] about Cracks show in China’s vision for model ethnic unity village
This US Firm Wants to Help Build China’s Surveillance State
In a nondescript office tower a mile from the Las Vegas Strip, two women toil in a windowless room crammed with bikinis in every size, style, and hue. It’s the stockroom of Bikini.com, an online swimwear store. Down the hall, colleagues are working to break into China’s red-hot market for surveillance software powered by artificial intelligence. Bikini.com is owned by Remark Holdings, a small public company with Hollywood producer Brett Ratner on its board and financial ties to TV’s Dr. Mehmet Oz. Remark’s leaders are trying to transform the unprofitable, debt-loaded website operator into a provider of corporate AI technology in Asia, particularly China. Remark’s business and share price are struggling, but its peculiar AI project has made some progress. In March, Remark said it had signed a deal with a Thai conglomerate that operates more than 10,000 7-Eleven stores in Thailand, among many other businesses. Charoen Pokphand Group hopes to recognize the … [Read more...] about This US Firm Wants to Help Build China’s Surveillance State