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Tourist arrested for disgusting act at sacred UNESCO World Heritage Site

A tourist has been arrested after he committed this disgusting act on top of the Leshan Giant Buddha, a sacred UNESCO World Heritage Site in China. The man allegedly found a blind spot away from CCTV cameras, climbed over the security fence and on top of the statue. Once he reached the top of the monuments head, he proceeded to pull down his pants and urinate in front of horrified visitors who filmed the act. Security guards quickly removed the unidentified man and handed him over to police, after being informed of his actions. It is reported that the man was taken to a nearby hospital for psychiatric evaluation. The UNESCO World Heritage Site itself is a 71-metre-tall monument, which is considered to be the largest and tallest stone Buddha statue in the world. The Leshan Giant Buddha monument is located in the Sichuan Province of China, and was carved out of a cliff face between 713 and 803 AD. The statue and surrounding Mount Emei Scenic Area have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. This act is one of many incidences of tourists behaving badly across the world. In June 2023 a German tourist was detained after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/tourist-accused-of-causing-over-8-000-in-damages-to-iconic-roman-statue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climbing up</a> a 16th-century Fountain of Neptune, and was accused of causing over $8,000 in damages to the iconic statue. Prior to that, an Irish tourist landed himself into <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/tourist-busted-for-carving-name-into-world-s-most-famous-roman-relic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trouble in Rome</a> after carving his and his girlfriend's name onto the walls of the Colosseum. Images: News.com.au

Travel Trouble

Flight cancelled after parents demand free upgrade for their child

A flight was delayed for hours before being ultimately cancelled after two parents demanded that their child was upgraded to first class for free. A plane in China was grounded for three hours after the parents caused a ruckus with the cabin crew, and were eventually kicked off the aircraft. According to a fellow passenger, the argument kicked off when an unsupervised child began to sob uncontrollably after boarding a flight from Chengdu to Beijing. As it turned out, the inconsolable toddler’s parents were seated in first class but had only bought their child an economy ticket. It was then that the angry dad confronted the staff, demanding that his son be moved to first class at no extra cost. According to the South China Morning Post, the irate dad explained that because he had already paid for two first class tickets, his child’s upgrade should be free. In the clip shot by a fellow passenger, the outraged dad began berating a group of passengers, crew members, and security guards as they repeatedly explained why his child isn’t entitled to an upgrade. “Stop swearing at me,” fumed the father. “You have no right to do that.” When a security guard attempts to de-escalate the situation, the parent lays into him, shouting: “What gives you the right to order me about?” This prompts a woman to retort: “You’ve wasted too much of our time and we won’t tolerate it any longer.” After three hours of back and forth, the couple were eventually kicked off the plane, while the flight was cancelled. The entitled passenger has since been rinsed on social media with one commenter fuming, “This man is so selfish.” Others suggested solutions for the father that didn’t involve the airline giving the man an extra first-class seat. “He can switch seats,” advised one person. “Let him sit in economy class, and have the mum take care of the child in the first-class cabin.” Some on social media were quick to chastise the airline for their handling of the situation, with one person writing, “Keeping the quarrel going for hours? The problem-solving skills of the crew are poor.” Image credits: Twitter

Travel Trouble

Zoo's upright bear accused of being just a guy in a suit

A Chinese zoo has had to be completely trans-bear-ant about its popular sun bear, following allegations that it was actually a human in disguise. The Hangzhou Zoo in China gained international recognition after video footage of their sun bear standing on its hind legs and waving at visitors caused many to paws and look twice. Many were bear-side themselves with excitement as theories that it was a human in disguise continued to spread. The local Hangzhou Daily first reported on the attention that the four-year-old sun bear named Angela was receiving. “Because of the way they stand, some people online question whether they are ‘humans in disguise’,” they wrote. As Angela gained popularity, experts were summoned and had to confirm that the bear was in fact fur-real. Ashleigh Marshall, an expert from Chester Zoo, told BBC News that the animal “is definitely a real bear,” and affirmed to doubtful visitors that sun bears do often “look a lot like people in costumes”. The animal expert also pointed out that the folds on the sun bear’s back weren’t because the costume was loose, but its actual function is to protect the bear from predators and allow them to “turn around” and fight back if attacked. Various representatives of the zoo have had to come out and release statements addressing the controversy. A spokesperson has reportedly said that the state-run facility would never intentionally deceive people, in an audio clip circulating on popular Chinese social media platform WeChat. “Some people think I stand like a person,” read another social media post, written from the point of view of the bear. “It seems you don't understand me very well.” Another spokesperson for the zoo has also denied the allegations and said that a human in a fur bear suit “would not last more than a few minutes before collapsing” in the 40°C summer temperatures. Images: Twitter / WeChat

International Travel

"Thermonuclear bad": Millions of deaths expected in China's Covid wave

Experts have warned deaths will be "in the millions" as China faces an unprecedented Covid wave, which is set to become "thermonuclear bad". The most recent wave of the infections began after Chinese President Xi Jinping finally began to relax his "zero-Covid" policy, which has seen the country under heavy lockdowns for months at a time. Within days of the restrictions easing, Covid cases began to explode, with hospitals already “completely overwhelmed” and bodies reportedly piling up at morgues. Public health officials in China have admitted it is possible that 800 million people could be struck down by Covid in the coming months. However, the nation has officially recorded just two deaths since reopening, although there are now widespread reports that the true figure is far higher, with workers at the Beijing Dongjiao Funeral Parlour – the venue tasked with handling Covid deaths – claiming they were overwhelmed with bodies in recent days. The claims have sparked rumours of a government cover up, with international experts sounding the alarm over a tragedy in the making. Harvard-trained US epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding recently shared a video on Twitter purportedly showing rows of seriously ill Covid patients crammed into a clearly stretched hospital, with some seen lying on the floor or slumped in chairs, warning that things were getting “thermonuclear bad”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> ⚠️THERMONUCLEAR BAD—Hospitals completely overwhelmed in China ever since restrictions dropped. Epidemiologist estimate >60% of 🇨🇳 & 10% of Earth’s population likely infected over next 90 days. Deaths likely in the millions—plural. This is just the start—🧵<a href="https://t.co/VAEvF0ALg9">pic.twitter.com/VAEvF0ALg9</a> — Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1604748747640119296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2022</a></blockquote> “Hospitals completely overwhelmed in China ever since restrictions dropped,” he posted, adding that epidemiologists estimate more than 60 per cent of China and 10 per cent of the Earth’s population is likely to be infected with the virus over the next 90 days. “Deaths likely in the millions – plural. This is just the start,” he posted. His claims were backed up by a recent forecast by health data analysts Airfinity, which predicted China faces between 1.3 and 2.1 million deaths between now and the end of March. Fellow epidemiologist Ben Cowling agreed with the terrifying figures, telling <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/12/15/1143002538/china-appears-to-be-facing-what-could-be-the-world-s-largest-coronavirus-outbrea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NPR</a> the surge is “going to come very fast, unfortunately”, and predicting that “hospitals are going to come under pressure possibly by the end of this month”. Dr Eric Feigl-Ding went on to explain that nobody would be immune to the fallout from China’s latest crisis, predicting that the world would soon be hit by severe shortages of crucial medical supplies including antibiotics and fever medications. “What happens in China doesn’t stay in China — Wuhan was our lesson three years ago. The global fallout of this 2022-2023 wave will not be small,” he warned, adding that he believed the “global economic fallout from China’s new mega tsunami wave will be ugly”. Image credits: Twitter

Caring

China’s influence in Myanmar could tip the scales towards war in the South China Sea

The fate of Myanmar has major implications for a free and open Indo-Pacific. An undemocratic Myanmar serves no one’s interests except China, which is consolidating its economic and strategic influence in its smaller neighbour in pursuit of its <a href="https://cimsec.org/chinese-maritime-strategy-indian-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two-ocean strategy</a>. Since the coup China has been – by far – the main source of <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/myanmar-economy-idUSL4N2U721T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">foreign investment</a> in Myanmar. This includes <a href="https://www.myanmar-now.org/en/news/junta-approves-25bn-power-plant-project-backed-by-chinese-companies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US$2.5 billion</a> in a gas-fired power plant to be built west of Myanmar’s capital, Yangon, that will be 81% owned and operated by Chinese companies. Among the dozens of infrastructure projects China is funding are high-speed rail links and dams. But its most strategically important investment is the <a href="https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/china-myanmar-economic-corridor-and-chinas-determination-see-it-through" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China-Myanmar Economic Corridor</a>, encompassing oil and gas pipelines, roads and rail links costing many tens of billions of dollars. The corridor’s “jewel in the crown” is a deep-sea port to be built at Kyaukphyu, on Myanmar’s west coast, at an estimated <a href="https://www.bnionline.net/en/news/kyaukphyu-deep-sea-port-poses-challenges-maday-islanders-and-local-fisheries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cost of US$7 billion</a>. This will finally give China its long-desired “back door” to the Indian Ocean. Natural gas from Myanmar can help China reduce its dependence on imports from suppliers such as Australia. Access <a href="https://www.diis.dk/en/research/myanmar-chinas-west-coast-dream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to the Indian Ocean</a> will enable China to import gas and oil from the Middle East, Africa and Venezuela without ships having to pass through the contested waters of the South China Sea to Chinese ports. About <a href="https://chinapower.csis.org/much-trade-transits-south-china-sea/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">80% of China’s oil imports</a> now move through the South China Sea via the Malacca Strait, which is just 65 kilometres wide at its narrowest point between the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia’s Sumatra. Overcoming this strategic vulnerability arguably makes the Kyaukphyu port and pipelines the most important element of China’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/china-is-financing-infrastructure-projects-around-the-world-many-could-harm-nature-and-indigenous-communities-168060" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Belt and Road initiative</a> to reshape global trade routes and assert its influence over other nations. <h2>Deepening relationship</h2> Most of China’s infrastructure investment was planned before Myanmar’s coup. But whereas other governments and foreign investors have sought to distance themselves from the junta since it overthrew Myanmar’s elected government in February 2021, China has deepened its relationship. China is the Myanmar regime’s most important international supporter. In April Foreign Minister Wang Yi said <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wang-yi-aung-san-suu-kyi-china-myanmar-diplomacy-d68de69436c1462f647f6475b6315c92" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China would support Myanmar</a> “no matter how the situation changes”. In May it used its veto power on the United Nations Security Council to thwart <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/russia-china-block-un-statement-034542265.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a statement expressing concern</a> about violence and the growing humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. Work continues on projects associated with the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor. New ventures (such as the aforementioned power station) have been approved. More projects are on the cards. In June, for example, China’s embassy in Myanmar announced the completion of <a href="https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2022/06/08/feasibility-study-completed-for-myanmar039s-wan-pong-port-improvement-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a feasibility study</a> to upgrade the Wan Pong port on the Lancang-Mekong River in Myanmar’s east. <h2>Debt trap warnings</h2> In 2020, before the coup, Myanmar’s auditor general Maw Than <a href="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/costly-borrowing-06102020151951.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned of growing indebtedness</a> to China, with Chinese lenders charging higher interest payments than those from the International Monetary Fund or World Bank. At that time <a href="https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Forty-per-cent-of-Myanmar%E2%80%99s-government-debt-held-by-China-46071.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">about 40%</a> of Myanmar’s foreign debt of US$10 billion was owed to China. It is likely to be greater now. It will only increase the longer a military dictatorship, with few other supporters or sources of foreign money, remains in power, <a href="https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2021/06/23/how-the-coup-is-destroying-myanmars-economy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dragging down Myanmar’s economy</a>. Efforts to restore democracy in Myanmar should therefore be seen as crucial to the long-term strategic interests of the region’s democracies, and to global peace and prosperity, given the increasing belligerence of China under Xi Jinping. Xi, now president for life, this month told the People’s Liberation Army to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/09/xi-jinping-tells-chinas-army-to-focus-on-preparation-for-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prepare for war</a>. A compliant and indebted Myanmar with a deep-sea port controlled by Chinese interests tips the scales towards that happening. A democratic and independent Myanmar is a counter-strategy to this potential. <h2>Calls for sanctions</h2> Myanmar’s democracy movement wants the international community to impose <a href="https://specialadvisorycouncil.org/cut-the-cash/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tough sanctions</a> on the junta. But few have responded. The United States and United Kingdom have gone furthest, banning business dealings with Myanmar military officials and state-owned or private companies controlled by the military. The European Union and Canada have imposed sanctions against a more limited range of individuals and economic entities. South Korea has suspended financing new infrastructure projects. Japan has suspended aid and postponed the launch of Myanmar’s first satellite. New Zealand has suspended political and military contact. Australia has suspended military cooperation (with some <a href="https://www.dfat.gov.au/international-relations/security/sanctions/sanctions-regimes/myanmar-sanctions-regime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pre-existing restrictions</a> on dealing with military leaders imposed following the human rights atrocities committed against the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41566561" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rohingya</a> in 2017. But that’s about it. Myanmar’s closest neighbours in the ten-member Association of South-East Asian Nations are still committed to a policy of dialogue and “<a href="https://thediplomat.com/2022/11/will-asean-finally-change-its-approach-toward-myanmar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">non-interference</a>” – though <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2022/05/malaysian-fm-says-asean-envoy-welcomes-idea-of-engaging-myanmars-nug/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Malaysia</a> and <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2022/11/indonesian-fm-says-myanmar-military-to-blame-for-countrys-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indonesia</a> are increasingly arguing for a tougher approach as the atrocities mount. The <a href="https://myanmar.iiss.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project</a> says the only country now more violent than Myanmar is Ukraine. Given its unique geo-strategic position, self-interest alone should be enough for the international community to take greater action. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/chinas-influence-in-myanmar-could-tip-the-scales-towards-war-in-the-south-china-sea-189780" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Legal

Man hides hefty lottery win from wife and child

A Chinese man has kept his eye watering 219 million yuan (AUD$47,068,869) lottery win a secret from his wife and child so they don’t become lazy. Known only as Mr Li to conceal his identity, the man dressed up in a yellow cartoon costume when he accepted the huge win on October 24 at the lottery office in Nanning, in the southern region of Guangxi. “I did not tell my wife and child for fear that they would be too complacent and would not work or work hard in the future,” he told Nanning Evening News. Mr Li confessed that he bought 40 lottery tickets all of which had the same seven numbers, with the lottery company paying out 5.48 million yuan (AUD$1,177,811) for each ticket. Eventually he found out that he had the winning lottery numbers of 2, 15, 19, 26, 27, 29, and 2 and went to claim his prize. After receiving the hefty sum, Mr Li donated 5 million yuan (AUD$1,074,597) to charity and is still unsure of what to do with his fortune. Mr Li has been playing the lottery for a decade and only won minor prizes until this time round. “I regard buying the lottery as a hobby, and my family does not care. Plus, I do not spend much money on it, and the lottery provides a ray of hope for me,” he told the South China Morning Post. Image: Guangxi Welfare Lottery Centre

Money & Banking

5 actors who are banned from China

China carefully decides which American movies make their way into Chinese mainstream media. While the Chinese Government is more open to American movies now, there are still a few Hollywood stars who have gotten on the government’s bad side. 1. Brad Pitt Brad Pitt featured in the 1997 film Seven Years in Tibet as the 14th Dalai Lama’s tutor. Due to how the film portrayed the Chinese occupation of Tibet, officials took offense to the movie and decided they would bar the main people involved in the film from China. Pitt was banned from the country for 19 years and was only allowed back in 2016. 2. Richard Gere During the 1993 Academy Awards, Richard Gere made an impromptu speech about the human rights abuses that China had inflicted on Tibet. Gere was presenting the award for best art direction but skipped the pre-arranged comments to highlight the issue in Tibet. The Academy Award producers were furious and vowed to ban Gere from any future awards shows. Chinese officials also banned him from the country. Many major studios won’t cast Gere anymore as they want Chinese distribution to increase their profit. Gere has now focused his career on appearing in independent films and has received great reviews for his performances. 3. Sharon Stone In 2008, Sharon Stone commented on the Sichuan Earthquake at the Cannes Film Festival. Stone said she believed the disaster, which killed 90,000 people, was the result of a bad karma built up by the Chinese for oppressing the Dalai Lama. The Chinese government responded to her remarks by banning all her movies from China. It appears as if she didn’t receive an actual ban herself to enter but it’s most likely she wouldn’t be warmly welcomed. 4. Harrison Ford Harrison Ford has been a long-time advocate for human rights and in 1992 he was involved in Tibetan issues. His wife at the time, Melissa Matheson, worked with Martin Scorsese on the script for film Kundun which focused on the story of the 14th Dalai Lama. Ford had the opportunity to meet the Dalai Lama and he became an advocate for Tibet. In 1995, Ford testified before the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the need for Tibetan independence and highlighted all of China’s human rights abuses. Ford and Matheson were banned from the country but he still continues to advocate for Tibet. 5. Miley Cyrus The Disney star turned controversial popstar offended the Chinese government when she took a photo of herself imitating Asians by pulling back the skin around her eyes. The Organisation for Chinese Americans had strong words about the photo and the Chinese Foreign Minister said, “Miss Cyrus has made it clear she is no friend of China or anyone of East Asian descent. We have no interest in further polluting our children's minds with her American ignorance." Cyrus apologised and blamed the press for taking things out of context and attacking her and then later apologised again after her first one was criticised for not being genuine. The ban still remains in place. Image credits: Getty Images

Movies

Food blogger eats protected species

A Chinese food blogger has landed herself in hot water after illegally cooking and eating a protected great white shark. The foodie, known as Tizi, shared a video of herself eating the protected species which authorities believe she bought illegally from a seafood shop in the southwestern city of Nanchong in Sichuan province. She then recorded herself laying down next to the 2 metre long great white shark to show its size in comparison to her. The shark was then cut into several pieces before it was barbecued and the head boiled in a broth. “It may look vicious, but its meat is truly super tender,” Tizi says in the video. Viewers were outraged at Tizi for eating the protected species, with some challenging her to prove that the animal was “bred in captivity”. Tizi has since removed the video from her account and is being investigated by authorities for illegally cooking and eating the protected species. If found guilty, Tizi faces five years’ imprisonment or criminal detention and a fine for purchasing rare and endangered wildlife products. Images: Weibo

Travel Trouble

Curious detail about flag in Top Gun: Maverick

Moviegoers in Taiwan applauded an advanced screening of Top Gun: Maverick when Tom Cruise’s character came on screen wearing a jacket showing their flag. The Hollywood actor hits the screen in his bomber jacket which features patches of the flags from Taiwan, Japan and the United States, along with a United Nations symbol. When the trailer was released back in 2019, Cruise’s character Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell was wearing a jacket but this time the Taiwan flag appeared to be missing. The glaring omission of the Taiwanese flag sparked criticism that Hollywood was appeasing China. The Taiwanese flag has long been a political eyesore for Beijing, which claims sovereignty over the island and considers it to be Chinese territory under the “one China principle”. Taiwan however has continued to fight against being considered Chinese territory and to be recognised as independent. There are now rumours swirling that Top Gun: Maverick won’t be shown in China due to the representation of the Taiwan flag. “Hollywood is now pushing back,” Chris Fenton, a former movie executive who wrote a book about Hollywood and Chinese censors, told Bloomberg. “The market is simply not worth the aggravation anymore in attempting to please Chinese censors.” Image: Twitter

Movies

Jacinda Ardern welcomed as “good friend” by Joe Biden

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has left talks with US President Joe Biden on a positive note, saying the interaction pointed to the “warmth” in their relationship as political leaders. Ms Ardern was initially scheduled to meet with Mr Biden for one hour during her ongoing US tour, but the pair continued to talk for another 30 minutes, as reported by <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/jacinda-ardern-wows-us-president-joe-biden-in-white-house-meeting/news-story/a05ab88bfe0e2bfcc93a29f337db4684" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>. “I think that is a demonstration of the warmth in our relationship,” Ms Ardern said after the meeting. Mr Biden welcomed Ms Ardern as a “good friend”, citing the last time they met at the launch of the Indo-Pacific Framework and said: “We need your guidance”. “You understand that your leadership has taken on a critical role in this global stage - and it really has,” Mr Biden said. The pair also discussed gun control, online extremism, Ukraine, climate change, and the growing influence of China in the Pacific, with the last issue becoming the main focus as the US attempts to bolster its presence in the region. “We are in an incredibly difficult international environment,” Ms Ardern said. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CeP0hflvMcD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CeP0hflvMcD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern)</a> </div> </blockquote> According to a senior administration official, the leaders had a “very warm” and “direct” conversation, as the Biden administration looks to step up its cooperation to support the Pacific Island states. “The President and the Prime Minister met for well over an hour,” the official said. “The conversation was very warm, very direct, and there was a great understanding between the two of them, as you would expect. “And there really was discussion about the shared vision for the Indo-Pacific and the importance, in particular, of stepping up engagement with the Pacific Island states.” In a joint statement after the meeting, both leaders expressed their concern about the security agreement between the People’s Republic of China and the Solomon Islands, which also caused a stir in Australia in April. “In particular, the United States and New Zealand share a concern that the establishment of a persistent military presence in the Pacific by a state that does not share our values or security interests would fundamentally alter the strategic balance of the region and pose national-security concerns to both countries,” the statement read. “A freer and more open Indo-Pacific depends on preserving the international rules-based order in the maritime domain. “To that end, we reaffirm our support for freedom of navigation and overflight, in the South China Sea and beyond, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). “We oppose unlawful maritime claims and activities in the South China Sea that run counter to the rules-based international order, particularly UNCLOS. “We reiterate our grave concerns regarding the human-rights violations in Xinjiang, and the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, which undermines the high degree of autonomy enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law.” The meeting comes as China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, finishes his ten-day tour of the Pacific Island region, having visited eight nations in total and raising concerns that deals similar to that between China and the Solomon Islands would be struck with other countries. Within hours of Ms Ardern and Mr Biden’s meeting, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian accused the US of “distorting the truth that the cooperation between China and the Pacific Island countries has been in line with regional benefits”. “China and Solomon Islands have no intention to establish military bases,” Mr Zhao said. Australia is also making efforts to meet with leaders in the region, with newly-sworn-in Foreign Minister Penny Wong jetting off to Samoa and Tonga for her second visit to the Pacific in nine days. “We want to make a uniquely Australian contribution to help build a stronger Pacific family - through social and economic opportunities including pandemic recovery, health, development and infrastructure support, as well as through our Pacific labour programs and permanent migration,” Ms Wong said in a statement. “We will increase our contribution to regional security: we understand that the security of the Pacific is the responsibility of the Pacific family, of which Australia is a part. “We will stand shoulder to shoulder with our Pacific family in addressing the existential threat of climate change. And we will deepen cultural and sporting ties.” Image: Getty Images

International Travel

Father offers 20 homes to help lure wife for son

A father desperate for his son to get married has gifted him 20 homes in hopes of luring a wife. The dad, from Hebei Province in China, arrived at a matchmaker event carrying a pink bag filled with the estates to show off to potential wives for his 24-year-old son. Footage of the moment was shared on popular chat service Weibo with Wang, who signed up the father to the service claiming he was not showing off. “The father is not trying to show off. He just wanted to display his sincerity and find a daughter-in-law of equal status,” Wang told Jimu News. “He said his son has a stable job and has many good qualities.” Some people however said the father was taking it a bit too far and his son might feel pressured into something he doesn’t want. “That kind of pressure is a bit too much. Maybe the son doesn’t even want to get married,” one person wrote. “How bad is his son? Do good guys really have this much difficulty finding a girlfriend?” someone asked. “How’s this supposed to help? They are premarital property by law,” another commented. “Would the father add the name of his daughter-in-law to the property ownership certificates? All of the certificates?” another questioned. China has recently allowed married couples to have three children instead of one to help increase the population. Image: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Fears over new Omicron subvariant

There are fears in China that a new subvariant of Omicron has been discovered. The country recorded 13,000 cases of Covid-19 but found a different strain in a patient with mild symptoms. Health officials in Suzhou, west of Shanghai, said the subvariant came from the BA.1.1 branch of Omicron. “This means a new variant of Omicron has been discovered locally,” Zhang Jun, deputy director of the Suzhou Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, told state press agency Xinhua. GISAID, the global database for mutations to be recorded, did not match with the new subvariant. The subvariant has not yet been reported in any other parts of China or globally. However, another variant has been reported in Dalian city, in northern China, which also does not match with any other variant in the database. China is still aiming to eliminate the virus and placed the city of Shanghai, a population of 26 million, into lockdown last week to help lower cases. Image: Getty

News

How a man has lived in an airport for 14 years

In order to escape the rules imposed by his family, a man from China has thought of a unique way to live as he chooses. Wei Jianguo, who is in his 60s, moved into Beijing Capital International Airport over 14 years ago after his family told him he needed to quit drinking and smoking. Mr Wei has a set up with his food, belongings and sleeping bag in a waiting area of the airport, where he smokes and drinks as much as he likes: a habit he supports with his monthly government allowance. He says he is unable to return home because he has “no freedom there”, as his family disapproves of his unhealthy habits. “My family told me if I wanted to stay, I had to quit smoking and drinking,” he said. “If I couldn't do that, I had to give them all my monthly government allowance of 1,000 yuan ($210 AUD). But then how would I buy my cigarettes and alcohol?” Mr Wei moved into the airport in 2008, as he settled in Terminal 2 which is known as the “warmest” spot. The man said that he has given up looking for work, after he was let go from a job where he worked at an internal combustion engine factory in his 40s for being “too old”. While he goes out if he needs to do any shopping, he doesn't like to leave the airport because he “won't get cold that way”, Mr Wei told Pear Video. The news outlet also spoke with airport staff about Mr Wei’s residency, who said the man is harmless, despite being quite a loud drunk. One worker said that Mr Wei had been encouraged to leave a few times, but “every time we mentioned it he was drunk and lost his temper”. According to China Daily, Mr Wei has not been the only resident in the airport, with six people believed to be living there in 2018, with one dweller “notorious” for blasting Chinese opera music to passing travellers. Image credits: Getty Images

International Travel

Black box from China flight wreckage uncovered

Emergency workers in China have uncovered one of two black boxes from the China Eastern flight that <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/terrifying-final-moments-of-crashed-passenger-jet-emerge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crashed</a> earlier this week with 132 people on board. What is believed to be the cockpit voice recorder appeared to have survived the impact, a Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) official said on Wednesday. Flight MU5735 was en route from the southwestern city of Kunming to Guangzhou when it suddenly took a nosedive into the ground and erupted in a fireball on impact. According to the flight data, the plane had almost reached its destination after being in the air for more than an hour when it suddenly dropped from an altitude of 29,100ft to 9075ft in just two minutes and 15 seconds. The search for the second black box is continuing on the ground, while the cause of the crash has yet to be determined. Most of the plane appears to have disintegrated upon impact, although some debris and human remains have been found. “An initial inspection showed that the exterior of the recorder has been severely damaged but the storage units, while also damaged to some extent, are relatively complete,” CAAC official Zhu Tao said. The black box is being sent to a Beijing institute for decoding. Investigators are looking at several possible causes of the crash - including deliberate action, pilot error, or technical issues such as a structural failure or mid-air collision. Image credits: Twitter

Travel Trouble

Vietnam bans Hollywood blockbuster

Hollywood’s big movie release Uncharted has been banned from being shown in Vietnam because it shows China’s nine-dash line map. The film, which stars Antonio Banderas, Mark Wahlberg and Tom Holland, has caused controversy in Vietnam over historical claims. The nine-dash line map shows what islands within the South China Sea that China claims to control including Paracel, Spratly, Shongsha and Pratas. Vietnam and the Philippines express consistent and vocal disagreement about the boundary which they say is illegal and endangers the sovereignty of multiple nations with economic zones within the South China Sea. Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei also oppose the nine-dash-line claim but aren’t as vocal about it. “The film was banned from distribution after we watched it and found it contained an illegal image of the infamous nine-dash line,” Vi Kien Thanh, the head of the Department of Cinema told state-run Vietnam News Agency. Image: YouTube

Movies

China doubles down on bizarre Russia conspiracy theory

China has doubled down on a bizarre conspiracy that is believed to be part of an elaborate ploy to justify Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Earlier this week, a senior Chinese official accused the United States of running a series of biolabs in Russia, claiming the situation was “dangerous” and that the “safety” of the alleged labs were at risk. “Under the current circumstances, for the sake of the health and safety of people in Ukraine, the surrounding region and the whole world, we call on all relevant parties to ensure the safety of these laboratories,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian during a recent press conference. “In particular, the US, as the party with the best knowledge of these laboratories, should release relevant details as soon as possible, including what viruses are stored and what research has been conducted." “What is the real intention of the US? What exactly did it do?” Mr Zhao went on to claim that America's biological military activities in Ukraine were just the "tip of the iceberg", following a series of Russian reports that claim over 30 biolabs were in operation in Ukraine at the request of a US government agency. However, the bizarre conspiracy theory seems to have originated from Russia back in April 2020. At the time, the US embassy in Ukraine was forced to denounce the wild rumours, slamming them as “Russian disinformation regarding the strong US-Ukrainian partnership to reduce biological threats”. “The US Department of Defence’s Biological Threat Reduction Program works with the Ukrainian government to consolidate and secure pathogens and toxins of security concern in Ukrainian government facilities, while allowing for peaceful research and vaccine development,” the statement reads. “We also work with our Ukrainian partners to ensure Ukraine can detect and report outbreaks caused by dangerous pathogens before they pose security or stability threats." “Our joint efforts help to ensure that dangerous pathogens do not fall into the wrong hands.” The misinformation about the alleged biolabs has become so widespread that Britain's Defence Ministry has also weighed in. “Since the end of February there has been a notable intensification of Russian accusations that Ukraine is developing nuclear or biological weapons,” the ministry said in a tweet yesterday. “These narratives are long standing but are currently likely being amplified as part of a retrospective justification for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.” While the US confirmed it was working with Ukraine, they went on to say the were fearful of any biological research material getting into the wrong hands. “Ukraine has biological research facilities, which in fact we are now quite concerned Russian troops, Russian forces, may be seeking to gain control of,” senior State Department official Victoria Nuland said during a recent hearing, according to AFP. Image credits: Getty Images

News

Russia asked not to invade Ukraine before Winter Olympics

China asked its Russian counterparts to delay its invasion of Ukraine until after the Winter Olympics, according to reports. The investigation conducted by <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/02/us/politics/russia-ukraine-china.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>, included quotes by officials in US President Joe Biden’s administration and a European official who cited a western intelligence report. The western intelligence report, published on Wednesday, indicated that senior Chinese officials told their Russian counterparts to hold off their invasion of Ukraine until after the Winter Olympics. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops to invade Ukraine on February 24, just four days after the Winter Olympics ended. The NYT said the intelligence indicated “some level of knowledge” about Russia’s intentions in Ukraine. Another source, who refused to be identified, confirmed the intelligence report to Reuters that China made the request to Russia. However, Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington said the claims are just speculations. “The claims mentioned in the relevant reports are speculations without any basis, and are intended to blame-shift and smear China,” he said. On Thursday, China once again refuted the claims calling them “despicable”. “This kind of rhetoric is to divert attention and shift blame, which is utterly despicable,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said. The UN General Assembly conducted a vote to reprimand Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and demand Moscow withdraw its military. China and India abstained from the vote. Image: Getty

News

Coriander and ice-cream: the cross over nobody asked for

McDonald’s in China has launched a very unusual dessert. It is safe to say fast-food fans are not convinced. The “Cilantro Sundae” is a limited-edition twist on McDonald’s popular ice cream dessert that is topped with a bright green coriander sauce and fresh “crumbs” of the distinctive herb. While it may seem like an early April fools prank, the menu item is actually very real, reportedly launching on February the 21st for a limited time until February the 25th. Coriander widely acknowledged as being super divisive with some loving it and most hating it, so it comes as no surprise social media has erupted like this. Twitter user @ZhugeEX appears to have started the debate around the unique combination after sharing a promotional photo of the McDonald’s item. “McDonald’s China launched a Cilantro Sundae special menu item today, which is interesting...” the video games expert told his 161,000 followers. Reaction came in thick and fast, with some declaring they were “desperate to try this terrible thing”. Customers have also been sharing snaps of the 6.6 Chinese Yuan dessert which is roughly $1.45 and has been grossed out in the process. “Cilantro is one of my favourite things so I would try it lol,” one stated. “Dear @Mcdonalds, when is coriander sundae ice cream coming to Singapore? Pretty pls...” one coriander fan pleaded. Others mocked the unusual colour, one even comparing it to the green of Ireland’s St Patrick’s Day. “I’m reporting this for violent and graphic content,” one user joked. Image: Instagram

Food & Wine

China quietly changes the ending to famous movie

More than two decades after its release, the 1999 hit film Fight Club has had its ending revamped for Chinese audiences. Fans of the movie in China were enraged when they noticed a different version was available to watch on the popular Chinese streaming service Tencent Video, which removed the film’s iconic ending. In the final scene of the movie, the narrator, played by Edward Norton, stands with his girlfriend, played by Helena Bonham Carter, as they watch explosives blow up a cluster of skyscrapers. The buildings are all part of a larger plot in the movie to destroy the notion of consumerism by erasing bank and debt records. The film’s amount of unbridled anarchy, along with the government’s inability to stop it, has not sat well with China’s censorship rules. In the edited version for the region, the entire scene featuring the explosions has been cut out. According to CNN Business, the ending has been replaced with a caption explaining to audiences that the authorities arrived just in time to stop the destruction. “Through the clue provided by Tyler, the police rapidly figured out the whole plan and arrested all criminals, successfully preventing the bomb from exploding,” the caption reads.“After the trial, Tyler was sent to [a] lunatic asylum receiving psychological treatment. He was discharged from the hospital in 2012.”The new ending has infuriated some viewers, with one film fan writing on the streaming service that the change was “a pillar of shame in cinematic history”.“No one wants to pay money to watch a classic that has been so ruined to such an extent,” another person wrote on a movie review site.Fight Club is just the latest victim of Chinese censorship laws, with countless films undergoing a strict editing process to appease regulators before being released to general audiences. Image credits: Fight Club - Fox 2000 Pictures

Movies

Map drawn from memory helps man reunite with his family after 30 years

A Chinese man who was abducted in 1989 was finally reunited with his family after three decades, thanks to a hand-drawn map of his village drawn from memory. Li Jingwei, who was just four years old when he was lured from his home and sold into a child trafficking ring, shared a video of the map of his childhood village to the video sharing app Douyin late last month. From this, police were able to match the map to a small village and a woman whose son had disappeared around the same time. Following the completion of successful DNA tests, Li Jingwei was reunited with his family in Yunnan province over the weekend. Footage of the reunion showed Li Jingwei and his mother meeting for the first time in over 30 years, with Li Jingwei carefully removing his mother’s face mask to examine her face before breaking down in tears and embracing her. Ahead of the highly anticipated reunion, Li wrote on his Douyin profile, "Thirty-three years of waiting, countless nights of yearning, and finally a map hand-drawn from memory, this is the moment of perfect release after 13 days. "Thank you, everyone who has helped me reunite with my family." Li was abducted near the southwestern city of Zhaotong in Yunnan province in 1989, and sold to a family living over 1800km away. Now living in Guangdong province, he had little success asking his adoptive parents or consulting DNA databases. So he turned to the internet. In the video, Li holds up a rough sketch of his childhood neighbourhood, and says, "I'm a child who's finding his home. I was taken to Henan by a bald neighbour around 1989, when I was about four years old. This is a map of my home area that I have drawn from memory.” The drawing included features such as a building he believed to be a school, a bamboo forest, and a small pond. In 2015, it was estimated that 20,000 children were being abducted in China each year. Image: Weibo

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