Govt Will Now ‘Intervene’ In Abortions
The government’s family planning association has said it would “intervene” in abortions among unmarried women and teenagers in a bid to “improve reproductive health” starting this year. Domestic media reported citing the state-backed organization’s 2022 work plan. The announcement came nearly five months after China’s cabinet, the State Council, issued guidelines to reduce the number of abortions conducted for “non-medical reasons,” sparking speculations over whether abortion would be limited in the country. However, authorities said the move aimed to “enhance women’s reproductive rights.” Abortion is legal in China, though the country has banned sex-selective abortions since 2001. Official data suggests over 9.5 million abortions were performed between 2014 and 2019, with one study showing a high proportion among women and repeat abortions.
Source: Sixth Tone
Courting Overseas Chinese
A senior official in Beijing has called on overseas Chinese to draw wisdom from the enduring Chinese civilization in the face of global changes unseen in a century. “The overseas Chinese will be well perceived in the world only when the Chinese civilization is correctly understood,” Pan Yue, director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council said. Observers say the outreach to the diaspora is driven by two objectives: the spread of Chinese culture abroad; and involving the Chinese diaspora in China’s development. This may stepping up the work of the Confucius Centres even though they are under suspicion for activities considered harmful to the host country.
Source: Xinhua & Agencies
Forced To Stay Overnight At the Mall
The government is going to extraordinary lengths to ensure the Winter Olympics remain Covid-free. But sometimes these measures can go over the top. Visitors to Shanghai’s 1788 shopping mall were forced to stay there overnight when two staff members at a milk tea shop across from the mall, tested positive. The shop was closed and the areas was listed as medium-risk. But as a precaution, the 1788 mall was also closed for a day. As a result, visitors and workers at 1788 found themselves living a teenage dream come true: a sleepover at the mall. An eye-witness estimates there were around 100 shoppers inside the building, which has six floors of retail, dining, and service businesses, as well as an unknown number of people in the connected office building. In total, many spent close to 48 hours in the mall.
Source: Radii China
China, South Korea Look To Cool Down Netizens ‘War’
Beijing and Seoul are working to cool tempers on social media after China won, by default, in the short track speed skating event at the Winter Games. South Korea is a rated a power house in speed skating, so when its two skaters Hwang Dae-hon and Lee June-so were disqualified in the semi-finals of the 1000 metres, the internet exploded with outrage. Much of the outrage was directed at the default winners, China’s Ren Ziwei and Li Wenlong, who took gold and silver. This being the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two states, agencies in both capitals are working to assuage hurt sentiments.
Source: Global Times
Great Visitors To Great Wall
A series of micro-videos, titled Foreign Heads of States on the Great Wall, will be launched on streaming media. The first of the 15-episode series, jointly produced by the Information Office of the Beijing government, GMW.cn and the China Public Diplomacy Association, aims to convey shared values of peace and friendship, and promote interpersonal exchange and mutual understanding among civilizations. The series will be released at the rate of two episodes per day on multimedia platforms of the three co-producers, as well as on other major websites and social media. The production team has selected 15 foreign leaders from 14 countries; India, the US, the UK, Pakistan, Nepal, Poland, Greece, Italy, Russia, Ireland, Latvia, Cuba, Cote d’Ivoire and Uruguay, and made the series using old footage and images.
Source: China Daily
