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Beijing's Controversial Games 3 Months Away
This summer's Olympic Games begin three months from Thursday [May 8], a multibillion-dollar extravaganza of athletics, pageantry and architecture meant to drop an exclamation point behind China's two-decade-long economic surge. Asia Looms Large in Delta-Northwest Merger Take a look at this city's newest airport terminal and it will help you understand why Delta Air Lines wants to merge with Northwest Airlines. China Invests in Top Athletes to Win Olympic Gold In a nondescript building in the center of this bustling city, not far from where Chinese emperors once prayed for good harvests, scientists test blood drawn from Chinese athletes to determine if they can train harder. UPS Bets Big On the Beijing Games Running a logistics center the size of 30 football fields. Moving soccer goals, giant scoreboards and kayaks through gridlocked streets. And getting uniforms and pommel horses in place on time. Chinese Bloggers Push Boycott over Ad Featuring Tibetans First criticized by activists angry that the Coca-Cola Co. is sponsoring the Olympic torch relay, Coke executives now face another problem: Chinese nationalists calling for a boycott of the brand. Olympic Torch Unrest Puts Coke in an Uneasy Spot Protests. Marches. Activists being arrested for hanging a "Free Tibet" sign from San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, part of the planned Olympic torch route. Business Clouds Human Rights in China Ties During his first visit to China last week, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue stressed growing trade links with the rapidly modernizing nation. Relations between the state and China are "harmonious," he said as he opened a Georgia trade development office in Beijing. UGA Partners with Top Chinese University The University of Georgia and China's premier institute for science and technology agreed to increase cooperative research and student exchanges on Thursday, the latest in a string of initiatives by Georgia schools to grow ties with China. Ohio Steps Up Trade Ties with China A small office in this bustling city offers a slice of home: A football signed by Ohio State fans sits on a shelf next to a bag of Ohio soybeans and a brochure for the University of Dayton. Georgia's Business Ambassador Brings Wealth of Experience Lindsay Liu, Georgia's first full-time business ambassador to China, confidently rattles off advice on how the state can tap China's growing market. Finding China's Past and Future in Shanghai On my left was history, a row of buildings built by the British in the 19th century. On my right, across a river busy with container ships, was the future — the surreal skyline of Shanghai's Pudong district. Taiwan's PC Powers Shift to Selling Brands Until recently, few Americans had heard of Asustek Computer Inc., a Taiwanese company that labored anonymously as the world's top producer of motherboards, the main circuit boards for PCs. Foreigners Leaving Tibet Tell of Fear, Violence Stories of persecution and violence trickled from Tibet on Sunday as foreigners began to make their way out of the Chinese-controlled region amid a government crackdown on Tibetan protesters. Election Could Signal Better Ties between Taiwan, China Jian Mao-lin could be a poster child for Taiwan. A Gambling Mecca Flourishes on China's Edge At 11 in the morning, six Asian men sit hunched over baccarat tables in a room with hardwood floors, plush carpets and paintings of European landscapes. Beijing Tightends Grip as Tibetan Protests Spread Protests against Chinese rule over Tibet grew on Saturday even as Beijing ordered foreign tourists out and locked down Lhasa, the Himalayan region's political and spiritual capital. PC Makers Take Aim at Cheap Notebook Market A growing market for low-price, no-frills notebook computers driven by Taiwanese computer maker Asustek has spurred the world's top PC firms to develop competitive models, according to analysts and industry players. Thailand Attracts a Tough Crowd from the U.S. American fugitive Morgan Michelle Hoke, dubbed "the ponytail bandit" for her suspected role in multiple bank robberies, could have reinvented herself here. 'Ponytail Bandit' Spent Final Days in Thailand with Her Mother and Her Cat During her final days on the run, Morgan Michelle Hoke – the woman dubbed "the ponytail bandit" – was traveling with her mother and her cat. Traditions Fade as China Celebrates Lunar New Year When Tang Qiliang began selling handmade toys in the 1970s, children rushed to buy the fur-covered rabbits and tiny clay mice his family made. Atlantan Taps China's Market with Pizza and Barbecue Olav Kristoffer Bauer makes an unusual business mogul. Olympic Megaprojects Spur Charges of Waste The view from this village north of Beijing is classically Chinese: Crumbling towers of the Great Wall jut from ridges above farm fields. Georgia Rolls Out Red Carpet for Chinese Companies How do you convince Chinese executives to invest in Georgia? Legal 'Culture Gap' One Root of Made-in-China Recalls Chinese executives need to understand American product safety laws to avoid dangerous and costly recalls, Atlanta lawyers told a conference in Beijing on Saturday. 'Tigergate' Stirs Emotions over Decline of China's Wildlife For conservationists, the news was exceptional. Chinese officials announced last fall that at least one South China Tiger, a species not seen in the wild for more than 20 years, still roamed the country's forests. Report Examines Coke Water Use in India Some Coca-Cola bottling plants in India are contributing to water scarcity but generally meet government regulatory standards on the level of pollutants in wastewater, according to a report commissioned by the Atlanta beverage giant and released Monday. As Beijing Olympics Approach, Questions Abound about How China Will Handle Protests If you're planning to visit China for next year's Summer Olympics, you may be wondering what to pack – or even if you'll get a visa. In India, Global Warming Sparks Fears of Epic Floods When the monsoon comes each summer to this poor Indian village, it brings misery. Finding Beauty in India's Bedlam Chaos. For Coke, Indian Water Woes Ripple around the World The gate of the Coca-Cola bottling plant in this remote Indian village is locked. Weeds grow around warehouses that have been idle since 2004, when the local government ordered Coke to halt operations. Home Depot Finds a Bright Spot Overseas Home Depot's international division is providing the company some cheer in an otherwise gloomy holiday season. Far From Home, Local Roots Grow Steven White probably has seen more of the world than any other Buckhead resident past or present. A Tourist Haven in Tiny Bhutan To locals it is known as the Taktshang Monastery. In English, it's called the Tiger's Nest — a temple that clings to a cliff face in the Himalayan foothills. As Bhutan Prepares for Democracy, Voters Ask WhyGwinnett Election Guide Kuenzang Dorji has an unusual problem. A 'Sunburnt' Country Battles Drought Like every farmer in this hardscrabble town, Joe Dalbroi watches the skies, hoping for clouds that will end the worst drought anyone here can remember. Global Warming Brings a Sinking Feeling in Tiny Tuvalu The sea has been good to Evi Tauaa. New Slogans for China, but Some Worry They're Empty Mao Zedong, China's top leader from 1949 until his death in 1976, famously said that political power comes from the barrel of a gun — and his rule was marked by violence. Georgia Bets on Trade with China If Georgia officials get their way, local executives will soon be able to obtain Chinese visas in Atlanta, fly from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport directly to several Chinese cities and pitch business ideas to a new trade development office in Beijing. Pacific Rim Nations Call for Free Trade World leaders responsible for more than half of the global economy ended an unusually contentious gathering on Sunday by committing to increase free trade, mitigate climate change and improve consumer safety. Pacific Rim Nations Set Goals for Global Warming Leaders of 21 Pacific Rim nations responsible for more than half of the emissions causing global warming set targets Saturday for improving energy efficiency and better managing their forests. In Australia, Bush Rallies Asians to War on Terror President Bush used a key speech at a gathering of Asian and Pacific leaders on Friday to shore up waning support for the U.S.-led operations in Iraq and against global terrorist organizations. Down Under, Bush Pushes for Climate Change Shift and Free Trade President Bush used meetings with China's president and a top Australian politician on Thursday to defend his positions on climate change, free trade and international security, the key topics on the table at a major international forum this weekend. How to Protect Yourself amid 'Made-In-China' Scare The scare began earlier this year when pet food killed dogs and cats. Then the U.S. government issued warnings about a poisonous chemical in toothpaste, lead paint on toys, car tires missing a key safety feature and fish contaminated with unapproved drugs. Financial Woes, Overcapacity Could Delay Kia Motors Georgia Factory When South Korean carmaker Kia Motors held a ceremonial groundbreaking in West Point, Ga., last October, Gov. Sonny Perdue called the planned $1.2 billion factory "the largest single economic development announcement in the history of our state." Home Depot Opens China Business The Home Depot launched its bid to sell to the world's most populous nation on Sunday. Nothing Fake about It, China Awash in Lies It started with a steamed bun stuffed with cardboard. Ahead of the Games, Beijing Steps Up Pressure on Dissidents Liu Qingzhen lives in constant fear of strangers. Fast and Efficient, Costly and Underused: Shanghai Debates Maglev's Future The doors slid closed and the world's only commercial magnetic levitation train began to move — not with the rattle of wheels or even the hum of a distant engine, but accelerating silently out of this city's airport and towards its futuristic downtown. A Year Before the Games: Beijing Builds, Problems Loom? In a country awash in political propaganda, one slogan posted around this city looks unusually convincing: "New Beijing, Great Olympics." As China's Megacities Grow, Calls Mount for Greener Buildings It is easy to overlook the small community of houses rising northwest of this sprawling capital. American Universities Flock to China In a classroom at Beijing's Tsinghua University recently, a dozen American students struggled to grasp a three-hour condensation of China's legal history, from the chaos of the Cultural Revolution to the free market reforms of the 1980s and 1990s. Chinese Fireworks Recalls Raise Safety Concerns Amid increasing concern over the safety of certain food and consumer products from China, the U.S. government has added — just in time for Independence Day — another potentially dangerous Chinese-made import to a growing list: fireworks. In China, a Dream to Bring King's Legacy to Stage In a Beijing rehearsal studio, five American singers belted out "Balm in Gilead," a traditional spiritual that expressed hope for freedom during American slavery. In Taiwan, Finding Chinese Culture without China's Hassles For most travelers looking for Chinese culture, Taiwan is literally off the map. Mistrust on Show as China and Taiwan Squabble over Olympic Torch When Beijing announced that the route the Olympic flame will travel from Greece to China ahead of the 2008 Summer Games, officials dubbed the 85,000-mile odyssey a "journey of harmony." Coke Pledges to Step Up Water Conservation Coca-Cola pledged on Tuesday to reduce the amount of water it uses to produce its wide range of beverages and to improve water recycling in bottling plants around the world. Darfur Groups Step Up Pressure on Beijing It's a nightmare scenario for China's leaders: In the run-up to the 2008 Summer Olympics, nations boycott the Games over China's close relationship with Sudan's government, which is blamed for fighting that has killed an estimated 200,000 people in the Darfur region and left nearly 2.5 million homeless. Taiwan to Ban Whale Shark Harvest Taiwan will ban the harvest and sale of whale sharks beginning next year, Taiwanese fisheries department officials said Monday, in a move hailed by environmentalists as an important step toward protecting the species. Tapping the China Market with Texas BBQ At first glance, China seems like a bad place to open a Texas-style barbecue joint: Beijing residents can go weeks without seeing a pickup truck, meat generally comes in chopstick-accessible pieces and most locals have never seen a football, let alone a football game. Jakarta Journal: Attack on Playboy Raises Spectre of Violence In the sprawling capital of Indonesia — itself a vast archipelago of 13,000 islands — I set off last month to buy a copy of Playboy magazine. Orangutans Face Bleak Struggle to Survive When staff rescued the infant ape from an oil palm plantation in 2004, her hand had been hacked off, probably by a machete blow that killed her mother, and workers had planned to sell her as an exotic pet. Modern China Seeks Moral Guidance In Its Ancient Past Zhang Xianliang is an unlikely advocate for remembering the past: Branded an enemy of the Chinese Communist Party in 1958, he was thrown into a labor camp and left there for 22 years, often surviving on little more than boiled grass. Pet Food Scare Sparks Fears Over Import Safety The U.S. pet food scare has raised the specter that surging imports from China and other nations with poor sanitary standards are outpacing U.S. inspectors and could threaten food safety for humans. Amid Fears Of Global Warming, China Weighs Profits and Pollution Perched among snow-capped mountains on the Tibetan Plateau, this saltwater lake has for millennia been a paradise for birds. Dell Unveils Computer For Chinese Market Michael Dell took the wraps off a compact personal computer system Wednesday in China, tailored specifically for the Chinese market. It's part of Dell Inc.'s efforts to craft products that will win customers in fast-growing emerging markets. Fears Of North Korean Famine Mount Before slipping across a frozen river from North Korea last year, Jin measured time in kernels of grain: The few pounds of donated U.N. rice he received each month, the small bag of ground corn he bought with earnings from factory work, and the two tiny servings of porridge he ate each day to make the food last. Groundswell Of Sarcastic Humor Begins To Undermine China's Censors It's a Chinese form of "truthiness" that might make Stephen Colbert proud. As Electronic Trash Piles Up, Pressure Grows To Reduce Damage After computers and other electronic gadgets around the world are discarded, many end up in this squalid town in southern China's Guangdong province. A Globe-Trotting Journey On China's Southern Edge Britain, Portugal, China, America. Year Of the Pig Sparks a Chinese Baby Boom Until recently, many expectant mothers in China's capital were working hard not to have their babies. Cancer Village Highlights China's Environmental Woes Villagers in this hamlet of squat houses in southern China's Guangdong province say red is the color of cancer. Experts: Tough Road Ahead For North Korean Nuclear Disarmament A landmark agreement Tuesday by North Korea to shut down its chief nuclear reactor and allow international inspections of the site is likely to be beset by a slew of difficulties, from convincing the nation's reclusive leaders to abide by their commitments to verifying compliance, experts said. A Rocky Meeting Of The Magic And Middle Kingdoms Before the Walt Disney Co. opened its first theme park here two years ago, planners carefully considered local customs. For China's Labor Rights, Increasingly The Game Is Blame Lei Huang could be a poster child for China's laboring classes. In China, 'Shenzhen Speed' Comes With Bumps Nowhere else is the country's breathtaking economic growth on display as vividly as in this south China metropolis. It even has a name: "Shenzhen speed," a remarkable rural-to-urban transformation. As Beijing Builds Its Future, The Poor Are Pushed Out Wang Chengming lives in one of Beijing's most prestigious districts. Ahead Of The Olympics, Beijing Cleans Up Its 'Chinglish' Visitors to China's capital can stroll through "Racist Park," enjoy a plate of "Crap in the Grass" and stop by a Starbuck's franchise for a cup for "Christmas Bland" coffee. North Korea's Growing Isolation Worries Experts North Korea's refusal on Friday to join talks about its nuclear and missile programs highlighted a trend worrying many Asia analysts: As Pyongyang becomes increasingly isolated from the international community, they said, the possibility of conflict is rising. Asian Meeting Highlights Geopolitical Shift The leaders of Iran, Russia, China and other Asian nations pledged Thursday to boost economic and military cooperation, raising fears among some experts that U.S. influence is waning in the region. Iranian President's Trip To China Spotlights Oil, Nukes When Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad travels here Wednesday to join a regional summit, China's appetite for oil and Iran's nuclear aspirations — and the connection between the two — will be in the spotlight. Richer, Stronger China Wins Friends In Region Dorn Taary has a good idea why China's influence is rising in Southeast Asia and the world. In China, Big Brother Goes Beyond The Phone Records Americans may be concerned about what the government will do with the millions of private telephone records it reportedly has collected. But Chinese citizens know what their government does with such information. And so do Americans and other foreigners living here. Khmer Rouge: A Timeline May 19, 1925 – Saloth Sar, later called Pol Pot, born in central Cambodia. Pol Pot: Brother Number One Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer Rouge movement for nearly four decades, went by many names. Three Decades After Genocide, Cambodia Moves Slowly Toward Trial Nhem Sal will never forget the faces of the Khmer Rouge soldiers who tortured him. As 2008 Olympics Approach, Beijing Tries To Teach Some Manners Smoke-filled taxis, unflappable line cutters, and spit-strewn sidewalks: When it comes to China, the list of things that perplex and infuriate both visitors and locals is long. French Villas? Bejeweled Watches? Fast Cars? Think China Wanted: Chinese tycoons to purchase 16,000-square-foot French-style manors in eastern Beijing. Cost: $2.5 million per property (includes in-home movie theater, indoor swimming pool and a bar seating 50). As Luxury Market Grows, So Do Counterfeits As China's economy grows and prosperity follows, consumers have developed a taste for the finer things in life. Hu Visit To Showcase Confident, Stronger China When Chinese President Hu Jintao visits the United States this week, he may be in for a rough ride. But experts say China's recent gains should help him avoid having to make economic or political concessions. Key U.S. Concerns About China When Chinese President Hu Jintao visits the United States this week, he's likely to discuss the following key concerns with American politicians and executives: Hyundai-Kia Scandal Highlights South Korean Economic Woes Investors and executives see different things in the glass-and-steel towers housing Kia Motors and its corporate parent Hyundai Motor Co. in a hilly suburb of this city. Sydney Builds On Olympic Legacy, And Aims For Profits How do you turn nearly $2 billion of leftover Olympic structures — including an archery range, whitewater rafting course and 110,000-seat stadium — into a profitable development after the Games end? Amid Trade Friction, Senators Push China On Currency Two U.S. senators on Thursday called on China's leaders to strengthen the country's currency against the dollar as a way of reducing the growing trade imbalance between the nations. Kia Makes U.S. Inroads And Builds For Future Growth A decade ago few Americans had heard of Korean carmaker Kia Motors despite its half-century history. When the company began exporting cars to the United States in 1994, it sold only 12,163 vehicles, many of which suffered mechanical problems. Ohio Farm Delegation Explores China Opportunities Put an artificial insemination specialist from Ohio, a cow, a dozen Chinese officials and several arm-length plastic gloves in a room for 20 minutes and what do you get? China Pledges Increased Spending On Rural Poor China will pour billions of dollars into its poor rural villages in the coming years, top officials said Monday, promising to balance the country's explosive economic growth with social welfare programs and environmental protections. Delphi's China Opearation Offers Tough Lessons For U.S. Manufacturing It is a tale of two countries, and one company. As Winter Games End, Beijing Gears Up For 2008 In a northwestern suburb of China's capital near a millennia-old tomb, men in heavy coats and hard hats welded together a metal frame last month — the skeleton of the site of the 2008 Summer Games speed cycling races. On China's Bird Flu Frontline, Ignorance And Inaction Zhao Wei is on the front line of the battle against bird flu, but he doesn't know it. |
Craig Simons Craig Simons is responsible for coverage of the region from Japan to India,with an emphasis on China. Since 2002, Simons has been a regular contributor to Newsweek and has written for The New York Times and the International Herald Tribune, among other publications. Previously, he was an editor and reporter in the Singapore bureau of Reuters. A native of Massachusetts,Simons holds a B.A.in English from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.A.in East Asian studies from Harvard University. Fluent in Mandarin and the Sichuanese dialect, he also taught journalism at Tsinghua University in Beijing. His professional experience in China began with a teaching stint in the Peace Corps from 1996 to 1998. Cox Newspapers Washington Bureau 400 North Capitol St., N.W., Suite 750 Washington, D.C. 20001-1536 Phone: 202-331-0900 |
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