The topic of foreigner citizenship in China is trending on Weibo. When the Ministry of Justice published a surprisingly liberal draft of new policies this week, social media began to swell with opinion.
Some were caught unawares by the generally inclusive policies, which would welcome foreigners who fit certain criteria. If you’ve made internationally recognized achievements in the arts and sciences, contributed to China’s economic and social development, or hold expertise in key fields, the proposals would make it easier for you to apply for permanent residence in mainland China. Additional rights would grant foreigners greater freedom in purchasing real estate and housing in China.
Online, the subject has generated considerable discussion, with a mix of anti-immigrant sentiment and more open views similar to that found in many other countries at present, as well as debates over Chinese identity.
“Do you think that giving you a piece of paper, with the Chinese ‘nationality’ printed on it, makes you a real Chinese citizen? Impossible!” one user wrote, “The cultural ancestry must be absolute.”
Another added, “There is no reason to introduce any foreigners to the protected Chinese national land!”
YouTube stars David and Andrew Fung, aka “Fung Bros,” just dropped their latest video, a timely look at some of Wuhan’s most famous dishes — with no bats in sight.
As the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) has spread across the globe, so has a wave of misinformation and rumors about Chinese eating habits. That’s been compounded by racism and discrimination — both from people within China aimed at the city of Wuhan and Hubei province, and overseas toward Chinese communities and, more broadly, people of Asian ethnicities.
The Fung Bros have decided to tackle both of these issues head on with a “Real Wuhan Food Crawl.” Naturally, they kick things off with the rè gānmiàn — hot dry noodles — before moving on to some other Wuhan staples, a discussion of some of the racism and attitudes we’ve seen in response to coronavirus and then… some black tea popcorn.
The novel coronavirus Covid-19 has taken hundreds of lives and caused disruption and psychological damage throughout China and — increasingly — across the world.
With millions still under lockdown and self-imposed quarantine within China, and many Chinese unable to return home at an important time of year due to travel restrictions, Wǒ Men hosts Jingjing, Yajun, and Karoline discuss their personal experiences and perspectives of life during the virus.
Newsrooms the world over continue to tick and rattle with updates on the pathogen Covid-19, first reported under the names coronavirus, novel coronavirus, and Wuhan coronavirus.
That last one goes against the WHO’s guidelines for naming diseases, and we’ve already seen the consequences of the virus’ reputation as an “Asian disease”. Against that backdrop, let’s remember how much Wuhan has to offer, as a city that really doesn’t deserve this PR nightmare.
Here are five things that have helped define the provincial capital of Wuhan — and have nothing to do with the virus.
1. Tennis Great Li Na
Perhaps the biggest ambassador for the city on the global stage is Li Na. The Wuhan native was the first Asian woman in history to win a Grand Slam singles title, single-handedly swinging tennis into China’s mainstream, and causing a general racket.
Puns aside, Li Na is Wuhan’s superstar — without her, there would be no Wuhan Open, the international tournament of which Li Na is an ambassador. In 2019, she became the first Asian-born player to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Another sporting woman making the city proud is footballer Wang Shuang. The AFC Player of the Year winner and former Paris Saint-Germain star is currently under lockdown in her hometown, but that hasn’t stopped her from continuing to train:
Wearing a facial mask, Wang Shuang keeps training in a roof-top in her hometown Wuhan for her Olympic dream. She and her 3 teammates will miss the AFC women’s football Olympic qualifying 3rd round in Australia since they live in cities under lockdown(3 from Wuhan 1 from Wenzhou). pic.twitter.com/lwZp81uLjT
2. The Beginning of the End for 4,000 Years of Dynastic Rule
Wuhan is a city of crucial historical importance — it’s the site of the Wuchang Uprising, the first blow in the Xinhai Revolution that would later topple the Qing Dynasty.
With tension growing around the Qing government’s plan to nationalize local railway developments, an unprepared militia found itself launching a mutiny against city authorities. Nonetheless, the uprising was successful, driving the viceroy from his residence and establishing a Hubei military government. Its date is still celebrated annually in Taiwan as the birthdate of the Republic of China.
3. The “First” Chinese Punk Music
This one changes depending who you ask. Some people say Beijing, others say Wuhan. And it’s not a hard sell for the latter, given its history of rebellion.
If you want a taste of Wuhan’s punk scene, we invite you to dive down this rabbit hole:
A breakfast item that became an all-day favorite, hot dry noodles are spicy, elastic, and covered with just the right amount of sesame sauce. The dish is recognized as one of China’s most famous noodles.
5. “The Mother of Peking Opera”
Peking opera is famous around the world, but not many have heard of Han opera, which first emerged in Hubei province.
The lesser-known form of opera was one China’s oldest and most popular. Han opera, blended with Hui opera (from the area around Huangshan), is what gave birth to Peking opera. So next time you see a Peking opera reference in a movie or music video, you have Wuhan to thank.
The city also gave birth to a host of widely-used percussion instruments, including the tam tam, a type of gong used in orchestras the world over. These instruments recently formed the centerpiece of a new work by renowned composer Tan Dun (who you may know from his Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon soundtrack) entitled “12 Sounds of Wuhan.”
The spread of this coronavirus has been alarming for the whole world, and for the people of Wuhan, it’s personal, intimate, and frightening. When the dust settles, here’s hoping we can recognize the real Wuhan.
Justin Bieber’s recent video sending love to China amidst the coronavirus outbreak may have put him back in good books with the Chinese authorities. Bieber has been subject to a performance ban in the country since 2017 due to what the government deemed “misbehavior,” including a visit to Japan’s Yasukuni Shrine to war dead.
The pop star took to Instagram and Chinese social media platform Weibo last week to lend his support to the fight against the disease. In the video, he says, “I know it’s a very scary time in your country, but my prayers and support go out to you guys.” “Let’s fight through this together. Jiayou!” reads his Weibo caption. “Jiayou,” or “add oil” is equivalent to “Come on” in Chinese.
The next picture shows a document from the Beijing Chunmiao Charity Foundation thanking “比伯先生” (Mr. Bieber) for his donation of 200,000RMB (around 28,500USD). The certificate formally dubs him a “爱心人士,” or “caring person.”
Bieber’s latest album Changes was released the next day, on Valentine’s Day, in China.
Bieber also shouted out Chinese megastar Kris Wu and thanked him “for the conversation.” Wu himself has also been active on social media in regards to coronavirus, promising concert tickets to nurses and releasing special music videos of support. Wu and Bieber have known each other for some time, playing on the same team at the NBA’s 2018 All-Star Celebrity Game.
Bieber’s comments have unsurprisingly meeting with praise from Chinese netizens.
“Thanks, biebie… In Chinese we say ‘hao ren you hao bao,’ means good things happen to a kind person. So, wish you all the good things,” writes one Chinese Belieber. Another reads, “And the Chinese government banned Bieber…thank you Bieber for your kindness to the Chinese.”
The move has led to speculation that the performance ban on Bieber may be lifted in China, allowing him to return for shows in the country for the first time since his Believe Tour in 2013. Even Party propaganda outlet Global Times weighed in, with an op-ed piece stating that “we all agree that this ‘bad boy’ has come back with changes that people are happy to see. So why not give him a chance?”
Some bars in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and China’s other big cities are taking coronavirus confinement in their stride.
With many people holed up indoors due to the outbreak of Covid-19, a growing number of bars are taking to the streets to deliver drinks. As the New York Post reports, some bars are even sticking to their usual happy hour deals. But it’s not all fun and games — the measures come as many small businesses close, unable to pay out employees through a profit-less dead period.
Circumstances are different across different cities, but some of the more severe measures taken to halt the spread of the virus have stopped people from leaving their homes, or even from gathering in groups — dinner and drinks included.
Shanghai cocktail venue Union Trading Company, which regularly makes the “Asia’s Best Bars” list, is one of those to take matters into their own hands, announcing their freshly-minted delivery service “in light of our combined unfortunate circumstances”:
Elsewhere, the alcohol industry is coming to viewers at home through livestreaming; a text message ad for a Ballantine’s whiskey livestream sale starts off, “Stuck inside, you can still drink with your friends”:
An ad for a livestream selling Ballantine’s whiskey
No word on how sales of a certain Mexican beer brand are going, however.
A toast, to the bad times.
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