Blogs » Society » China’s Top 25 Hotels: Westin Beijing Chaoyang

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• China’s Top 25 Hotels: Westin Beijing Chaoyang
• Find of the Week: Ice Cream Sandwiches at Strictly Cookies
• Meme Thursday: I Think I’ve Seen This Poster Outside A Beijing Nightclub…
• Weibo Watch: American Boy, Clay Garner, Becomes China's Justin Bieber
• Which Chinese Universities Spawned The Most Billionaires? See The List And The Rant
• Photo of the Day: Reflection
• Olympic Sponsors Brand Heathrow Airport
• American high school boy becomes popular for singing Chinese song
• China’s Economy Labors Under Its Demographic Pressures
• Beijing floods: not enough prevention
• Mid-Week Links: Beijinger and Londoner have different feelings about Olympics, an explosion in Fangshan, and People’s Daily joins Weibo
• Jiong: Shanghai's Best New Gelato Makers
• WIN a Luxurious Night at Lanson Place
• Man Atop Cow Delivers Perfect Rendition Of Justin Bieber’s “Baby”
• Happy Endings: Goodbye Shanghai, Hello Australia
• Oops! Xinhua: “New Round Of Downfall To Hit Beijing” – Perhaps They Mean The Mayor And Deputy Mayor’s Resignation?
• Muse: The Bund Lights Up
• Here Are Those Six Goals Bayern Munich Scored In Beijing Yesterday

China’s Top 25 Hotels: Westin Beijing Chaoyang Posted: 25 Jul 2012 08:00 PM PDT Date: Jul 24th 2012 12:17p.m. Contributed by: leemack Hotels come in two types: those for tourists and those for businesspeople. Tourist hotels may get all the press, but it's the business hotels which bring home the bacon. And one of the best business hotels in China is the Westin Beijing Chaoyang.

Find of the Week: Ice Cream Sandwiches at Strictly Cookies Posted: 25 Jul 2012 08:00 PM PDT Date: Jul 24th 2012 1:04p.m. Contributed by: geofferson We're unabashed fans of Strictly Cookies. We've spent much more money on them than we'd like to admit, and now that they've come out with ice cream sandwiches, it looks like we're only going to end up spending more there

Meme Thursday: I Think I’ve Seen This Poster Outside A Beijing Nightclub… Posted: 25 Jul 2012 05:00 PM PDT Showcasing the best in Asian-related memes. Source: We Know Memes

Weibo Watch: American Boy, Clay Garner, Becomes China's Justin Bieber Posted: 25 Jul 2012 05:20 PM PDT Date: Jul 25th 2012 3:20p.m. Contributed by: cityweekend_sh Clay Garner (or Gaoshan in Chinese) might be China's answer to Justin Bieber. Through the powers of social media he has become a Weibo celebrity.

Which Chinese Universities Spawned The Most Billionaires? See The List And The Rant Posted: 25 Jul 2012 05:11 PM PDT Another lighter post while I'm at Buddha Camp. U.S. News & World Report could learn a few things about ranking colleges from the Chinese. Forget all that baloney about student-teacher ratios and class sizes. I want to go to the school that has produced the most billionaires. Now, in China I can easily make my selection. According to ChinaDaily's 'List Ranks Colleges By Prominent Alumni: Based on research since 2003 on the careers of alumni of China's leading universities, thewebsite ranks universities according to the number of their graduates who have becomebillionaires, top scientists, political leaders, and other prominent figures. And, here's the list released by cuaa.net: Including billionaires stirred controversy, the best rant from the anti-CCP China Forbidden News–enjoy it here: http://youtu.be/OYwgRjRbcCo

Photo of the Day: Reflection Posted: 25 Jul 2012 02:46 PM PDT Want to see your picture here? Share your photos with us via Instagram or Flickr using the tag #shanghaiist! [ more › ]

Olympic Sponsors Brand Heathrow Airport Posted: 25 Jul 2012 02:48 PM PDT Photos: Ray Ally I've just flown into Heathrow Airport's Terminal Five and was surprised by the lack of Olympic branding at the airport. Considering it's the host airport for the games I think the organisers have missed a big opportunity. As when athletes, spectators and tourists arrive from around the world, the airport is the first point of touch of the games. This could be due to several reasons; a lack of vision from the organisers, restrictions from the airport or insufficient funds for promotional activities. However, more likely it's a strategy to earn money from the Olympic sponsors who have taken up all the media space available at the airport. While sponsorship is important for the Olympics I think there is a balance to be made. In between the messages of the sponsors to associate themselves with the games and those that the Olympic organisation wants to communicate. In the case of London 2012, its message of the "legacy games that inspires a generation" has been drowned out by big money advertising. BP, Panasonic and especially Visa have done a good job in branding Heathrow airport. Ensuring they are the first images that arriving athletes and visitors see and owning the first moment of the games. The ads are in the spirit of the Olympics and sportingly feature some of the stars like Usain Bolt and Phillips Idowu from team GB. The Olympic sponsors have dominated at the airport, but I hope the London 2012 message comes thorough stronger at the main Olympic venues. Money is important in sport, but it should not overshadow the message and values that the Olympics stand for. The London Olympics needs to inspire a new generation to the benefits that sport can bring for the individual and to society as a whole. And that in part, is what the Olympic rings logo hanging in the arrivals hall should stand for.

American high school boy becomes popular for singing Chinese song Posted: 25 Jul 2012 01:52 AM PDT Today, one of the trending topic on Sina Weibo is #美国男生翻唱中文歌走红# #American boy sings Chinese songs and becomes popular#. Recently, a video of an American high school boy, Clay Garner, Chinese name Gaoshan (高山) singing the Chinese song "Jar of Love" (我的歌声里) originally written and sang by Artist Qu Wanting, gain popularity on the Chinese Internet. Lyrics: "Appeared just like that, in my world, brings me surprise…" Netizens thought Gaoshan's Chinese is unbelievable, and his handsome playing and singing are very attractive. Not sure what the original singer of the song Qu Wanting think of this version. What do you think of his singing? He wrote on the video description he uploaded on Youku Sina Weibo: @高山claygarner Hello, everyone! I am Gaoshan, the English name is Clay Garner. I am a 18-year-old American high school student. I really like compilation of original songs, singing, playing guitar, learning Chinese. I studied Chinese for almost 3 years. The first short song I sent to my friends in Beijing! Contact me: gaoshanyinyue@gmail.com The piano part of this video is per-recorded! here is the original version of the song by Qu Wanting More songs by Clay

China’s Economy Labors Under Its Demographic Pressures Posted: 25 Jul 2012 10:50 AM PDT It is tempting to gloss over the conclusion of the newly published report of the International Monetary Fund's most recent annual Article IV consultations with China's economic policy makers. That the managed slowdown of China's economy to more sustainable long-term … Continue reading →

Beijing floods: not enough prevention Posted: 25 Jul 2012 07:01 AM PDT To keep people safe from freak storms, like the one that hit Beijing over the weekend, city authorities must empower residents to protect themselves, flood official Cheng Xiaotao tells Xu Nan. On July 21, at least 37 people were killed in Beijing in the heaviest rains the Chinese capital has seen since records began more than 60 years ago. The storm was particularly severe, but heavy downpours are not a new phenomenon for China. Memories of Guangzhou's summer floods of 2010 remain fresh, while the loss of 22 people in Jinan city's "July 18 downpour" in 2007 is still keenly felt. At the time of the flooding in Jinan, the capital of China's eastern Shandong province, senior flood official Cheng Xiaotao wrote an essay warning of the dangers posed by urban flooding. Five years later, what are his views? Following the weekend's tragedy in Beijing, chinadialogue spoke to Cheng, who is deputy director of flood and drought prevention research at the Ministry of Water Resources and also deputy chair of the Standing Committee of the International Flood Initiative. Too little focus on prevention Beijing was hit by severe storms in July 2011 too, although only half as much rain fell compared to this year. Since then, Cheng believes the government has improved its emergency response. "At least in the city proper, we saw progress this year compared to last year. After the rain was forecast, workers were sent to clear the pipe network, they were kept on standby and responded quickly when the water started to build up." Compare this with the previous summer, when "transportation broke down and you couldn't get the equipment anywhere" and water poured down the steps into some subway stations, he said. One station on Beijing's second subway line is named Jishuitan, after a nearby pond. Last year, the locals joked that all stations had turned into ponds. But, despite some progress, Cheng still has concerns: "To date, the emphasis of this work has been on responding to disasters rather than preventing them," he said. Around the world, but particularly in Asia, the frequency of localised cloudbursts is increasing, sometimes producing average hourly rainfalls of 50 millimetres to 100 millimetres, he said. The past three decades contain plenty of examples of devastating floods hitting Asia's rapidly growing cities. A turning point in conceptualising the problem of "urban flooding" was the Nagasaki floods in Japan in 1982, when transportation, communications networks and electricity supplies were completely paralysed. The death toll hit 299 and more than 20,000 cars were lost. In 1999, heavy rains swept through south-western Japan, causing flash floods in Tokyo and Fukuoka. More than 100 millimetres of rain fell within one hour and in both places, there were cases of people drowning in basements. Two years later, rainwater flooded the Seoul subway system thanks to severe storms which left at least 49 people dead and highlighted the weakness of our modern cities in the face of sudden and torrential downpours. Cities are particularly likely to experience heavy rains, thanks to the heat island effect, which in turn creates something of a "rain island effect", explained Cheng. Average temperatures in a city tend to be higher than the surrounding areas. When this hotter air rises to higher altitudes, it cools, forming clouds that produce rain. Cities are also less receptive to the rain when it comes: their hard, impermeable surfaces conspire to keep rainwater above ground. Ironically, underneath Beijing lies an enormous empty aquifer, while on its streets water gathers, unable to reach it. Managing flood disasters Cheng believes there are useful lessons for China in Japan's experiences of city flood management. In 2003, Japan passed legislation on the management of water flow into urban rivers, laying the foundation for the country's modern day flood-prevention system. The law requires that anyone converting an area of more than 1,000 square metres of greenery or farmland to urban usage must calculate the increase in run-off and provide corresponding stormwater facilities. Cheng put it in layman's terms: "The hard surfaces mean that a certain amount of water will remain at the surface, and you need to dig a pond big enough to contain that amount. And the developer pays." The idea is that developers do not have the right to endanger society by increasing the burden on city drains. The regulations aim to reduce pressure on underground sewers – if the water can't reach the aquifers, then you solve the problem at the surface, said Cheng. "Building drains is hard and time-consuming, particularly in established cities," he said. "In new urban areas, it is easier to implement a comprehensive programme, where a single trench is dug as the backbone of both sewer and road construction, and the infrastructure for water, electricity, gas and communications networks is done in one swoop. But digging up roads in old areas to lay large diameter pipes, is basically unrealistic. "Urban water systems should be seen as an organic whole. Everyone can do their bit to help. Any company, organisation or school can find ways of storing rainwater in their own backyard." Even before Japan passed its law, which was later copied by Taiwan and Korea, Japanese civil society was taking action, said Cheng. In one 235-square kilometre water basin, 85% or which was urbanised, a "comprehensive water management committee" was formed. Since 1990, this group has overseen the construction of 4,300 rainwater control points, creating 3 million cubic metres of water storage. After South Korea's storms of 2001, Seoul also jumped into action, restoring a number of streams in the city that had been filled in and covered by roads due to complaints of water pollution and the city's desire to ease traffic congestion. When the city was developing rapidly, these streams were considered an inconvenience; today, people realise their importance in managing urban water effectively, said Cheng. Identifying high-risk areas. In 2011, officials in China's Nanjing city made a promise to locals: the following year, they would have no floods. But the city's flood prevention systems could not be overhauled in such a short time-frame and, unsurprisingly the government came under fire for breaking its promise. Cheng stressed that improving urban sewers is a huge engineering undertaking, which can't be done overnight. City managers need to adopt a rational attitude and make gradual improvements, he said. They also need to keep the public informed of their plans, just as when new subway lines are being planned, the subway map will include dotted lines showing people when and where new routes will be completed so that they understand the potential disruption during the construction period. The authorities should also inform people about current drainage conditions – for instance where the flood-prone areas are, so they can be avoided during a big storm, and how deep floodwaters are likely to get in different places. This way, said Cheng, residents in at-risk zones can take appropriate measures to protect themselves. Put simply, his message is: tell the people what the plans are, and what the risks are. Cheng said that both city managers and locals need to understand the causes and impacts of city floods. Officials need to educate the public about flood prevention, while the public should also work to raise their awareness of potential dangers. Basic knowledge about flooding will help people avoid high-risk areas. For example, people should know to steer clear of overpasses in heavy rain, which will produce a lot of water run-off, said Cheng. Pedestrians should also pay close attention to the appearance of the water – a whirlpool, for instance, may indicate there is a pothole underneath. Several of victims of the weekend's floods in Beijing were electrocuted to death, Cheng added. Floodwaters can make contact with power sources, and become electrical conductors. But the electrical current gets weaker as it moves, so if your foot starts to tingle, you may still be able to step back quickly to where it's safe. But if you don't realise that the water is carrying electricity and carry on or – because you are rushing – move to a spot where the current is stronger and fall into the water, nobody will be able to save you. The fact that some unfinished buildings were damaged by strong winds during the storms, also causing casualties, is a reminder to avoid taking shelter in unstable buildings, Cheng added. In the Jinan floods of 2007, most of the deaths were avoidable, said Cheng, who has examined each case. The majority died because they did not know how to respond to the crisis, and went into high risk areas. These lessons should be remembered, he said. Xu Nan is managing editor in chinadialogue's Beijing office. Homepage image by 铁瓷, beyondme

Mid-Week Links: Beijinger and Londoner have different feelings about Olympics, an explosion in Fangshan, and People’s Daily joins Weibo Posted: 25 Jul 2012 06:30 AM PDT Foreigner in Hong Kong, via Reddit As we in Beijing await the second wave of rains, here are links. A Chinese person's take on the run-up to the London Olympics: "Only four days towards the start of the London Games, the atmosphere here is so different from that of Beijing 2008 that people who had experienced both Games might wonder if it is the same event that is held by different cities every four years." [Shan Lei, Xinhua] Now a Londoner's: "In an interview with the Sunday Times, [Jeremy Hunt] said: 'I believe we'll be better than the Beijing Games. They did a brilliant job, but it was a Games that was playing to China's strengths, and about China's role in the modern world. // 'We have something different to say. London is one of the great global cities — I believe it's the greatest city on the planet, and this is our chance to showcase that to the whole world.'" [The Telegraph] Chinese curiosity about the Aurora shootings. "But the next day the same coworker and two others wanted to know more. They were fascinated with the booby-trapped apartment and how one man could walk into a movie theater dressed like some kind of futuristic grim reaper packing three or four guns. // 'Your country is so violent,' one said, stating the obvious and not with malice. Indeed, and Aurora, a mostly downtrodden home for many unemployed which sees about 20 of its 320,000 or so residents murdered annually, is particularly so." [Justin Mitchell, Rectified.name] Beijing vs. Hong Kong response to storms. "Mainland Chinese microbloggers also expressed admiration for the Hong Kong's government's promptness in sending out alerts about the typhoon, which was the strongest the city has experienced since 1999. 'Look at how Hong Kong handles a typhoon,' wrote one Shenzhen-based user, commenting on reports that the government had issued warnings to taxi drivers reminding them not to illegally gouge passengers seeking transport during the heavy storm. 'Hong Kong's legal system is very robust,' the user wrote. 'There's no use in trying to bicker, let's learn from their system.'" [WSJ] People's Daily now has a Weibo account (@人民日报), and its first message was about the rain: "It's a sleepless night tonight. People's Daily is praying for those who are still on the way home and pays tribute to those who are at the front of battling heavy rain. Beijing, put it together!" [People's Daily] "Poor peasant boy" in Dongbei: "For 10 years prior to achieving fame, Li played female roles without telling any of his family or friends. Coming from rural Dongbei, where machismo is pervasive, he feared his profession would bring them shame. // 'So many insults have been thrown at me over the past 10 years, and many of them are too dirty to repeat,' he often said in interviews at the time." [The World of Chinese] Ai Weiwei on Alison Klayman's film about him: "Alison's film is not an art film. It wasn't made to promote anything. It just tells the truth about something that happened. As a film it's quite plain and direct. Because it's documentary, you cannot make it more impressive. You cannot. It's the facts. It's the truth. The plain truth is like that." [WSJ] Rescue after bridge collapse interlude (via NBC News: "Two cars from a wedding caravan plunge 30 feet into a river when they drive over a collapsing bridge in China"): Finally… South Korean activist accuses Chinese state security agents of torturing him. [NY Times] Shenhua chairman to play against Man U? [Wild East Football] Liu Heung-shing's photography. [Asia City Network] Sherpa's is holding a photo competition with a 47-inch flat-screen TV as the prize. [the Beijinger] Finally, finally… Via Free More News: "According to Beijing Fire Department, an oil tanker leaked and let into an explosion in Fangshan District of Beijing. Fire engines and rescue teams were sent to the scene immediately."

Jiong: Shanghai's Best New Gelato Makers Posted: 25 Jul 2012 02:55 AM PDT Date: Jul 25th 2012 5:22p.m. Contributed by: geofferson

WIN a Luxurious Night at Lanson Place Posted: 25 Jul 2012 01:56 AM PDT Date: Jul 25th 2012 4:58p.m. Contributed by: geofferson City Weekend is giving away a night in a two-bedroom apartment in Lanson Place's Jinqiao residence plus breakfast for two.

Man Atop Cow Delivers Perfect Rendition Of Justin Bieber’s “Baby” Posted: 25 Jul 2012 02:27 AM PDT BJC contributor Alicia found this just now, and it's one of those stunning works of art that makes you want to hug the Internet. It's a man atop a cow singing Justin Bieber's "Baby." The original video, titled "I am legendary, art dream," is the only work that appears under Youku user w451119777's page. Apparently it was published two months ago and viewed 1,830 times, a relatively small amount for such a heroic effort. But just yesterday, "I am legendary" was collected in an album by Youku Citizen Journalist Channel, which has aggregated more than 60 various videos, some with tens of thousands of views. And that's how Alicia found it: this piece was one of the promoted videos under the Youku menu "Citizen Journalist." It's finally destined to get the attention it deserves. Or… maybe it won't. Bieber is known around these parts, but he inspires nothing close to the amount of love and hate he does back home. But don't let that hinder your enjoyment of this. It's a man atop a cow singing Bieber. It's more or less perfect, if you ask me.

Happy Endings: Goodbye Shanghai, Hello Australia Posted: 25 Jul 2012 12:00 AM PDT Date: Jul 24th 2012 1:15p.m. Contributed by: julierl A quick reflection and a final goodbye--two years ago I arrived at Pudong airport bright-eyed and healthy-livered. Now—organ functionality and seven cell phones aside—I like to think I've gained more than I've lost to this crazy city.

Oops! Xinhua: “New Round Of Downfall To Hit Beijing” – Perhaps They Mean The Mayor And Deputy Mayor’s Resignation? Posted: 25 Jul 2012 12:43 AM PDT Our favorite government mouthpiece has flubbed again with the headline on its latest story (four-plus hours after its posting, it has yet to be changed). Ostensibly about a new round of rainstorms scheduled to hit this afternoon, Xinhua inadvertently draws our attention to the waves of negative reaction to the municipal government's disaster response, a sampling of which can be found on China Digital Times (highlights include: "In the Celestial Empire, every natural disaster is a prelude to an award ceremony"). But speaking of downfalls, earlier today, Beijing mayor Guo Jinlong and deputy mayor Ji Lin both resigned. I want to be clear though that this isn't really a "downfall," as these two are headed for greener pastures: earlier this month, Guo was "elected" as secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, and Ji has been appointed deputy secretary. The timing of their resignations, on the eve of a potentially devastating storm (up to 4 cm of rain in some parts) that reminds everyone of Saturday's devastating storm, is surely a mere coincidence. A couple other favorite comments from the CDT story: Several events stand out from yesterday's storm and its aftermath: The first is that the early warning system didn't actually warn anyone early; the second, that the emergency response was slow to start; the third, that people who drove on the airport highway to pick up stranded passengers were charged tolls; the fourth, that neither the government nor public facilities opened their doors to those in need; the fifth, that drivers stuck in the middle of the road were fined for parking illegally. The only thing that functioned properly last night were the people of Beijing. And: In my brief existence, a once-in-a-century solar eclipse has happened twice, a once-in-five-hundred-year flood has happened ten times, and a once-in-a-millenium earthquake has happened twice. The only thing that hasn't happened is the once-every-five-year general election. Repost if you feel me~~ We're told that the above post was censored very quickly. And now, here are two of the worst political mug shots you'll ever find, via Sina. The one on the left is this city's former mayor. Perhaps you would be so kind as to caption them, fair readers? (H/T Stan Abrams)

Muse: The Bund Lights Up Posted: 24 Jul 2012 10:00 PM PDT Date: Jul 24th 2012 12:56p.m. Contributed by: joho City Weekend reviews Shanghai's newest bars and clubs. While we've acclimated our eardrums and tastebuds to cheesy Chinese clubs like 88, the newest Muse shows an attention to detail and opulence that raises the bar.

Here Are Those Six Goals Bayern Munich Scored In Beijing Yesterday Posted: 24 Jul 2012 10:11 PM PDT Eh. Could've been worse. Wasn't exactly a bus wreck. Bayern Munich vs. Beijing Guo'an, 6-0 7′ Zhang Junzhe (own goal) 10′ Arjen Robben 43′ Claudio Pizarro 74′ Thomas Muller 78′ Mario Mandzukic 80′ Mario Gomez Youku video for those in China after the jump.