ChinaDaily Headlines, July 3rd 2008
Posted by MyLaowai on Thursday, July 3, 2008
Our friends at that very-honest-and-diligent Party mouthpiece, ChinaDaily, had a brainfreeze today. Amongst the many wonderfully entertaining propaganda items on the front page, was this:
Sarkozy not wanted at Olympics, survey says
Chinese people do not want French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, according to the results of a survey published on Wednesday.
Wu Yikang, chairman of the Shanghai Institute of European Studies, said Sarkozy’s inconsistency regarding China is not up to the standard of a thoughtful and responsible statesman.
“Sarkozy’s gesture of setting conditions for his attendance at the Beijing Olympics is an unfriendly move toward China. It shows his immaturity and carelessness as a politician,” Wu said in an interview with the Beijing-based Global Times. “The Chinese government will certainly not yield to his move,” Wu said.
“Some people are acting as if China is begging them to attend the Games,” Wu said.
That’s good, seeing as how the French President had already said he was thinking of not coming. I guess that makes him a safe target.
And this, too:
Chinese tourists say ‘no’ to France
The past few weeks has seen a sharp decline in the number of Chinese people traveling to France, the French Ambassador to China said on Monday.
“The number of visas issued to Chinese tourists has fallen by about two-thirds recently,” Herve Ladsous said at a press briefing.
“But I have spoken with Chinese tourism officials who told me the Chinese government has not issued any notices discouraging tourists from going to France, and I believe them,” Ladsous said.
Well, I have spoken to several travel agents, who all said that they had been instructed by the Chinese Communist Party not to accept bookings for tourist travel to France.
And of course, this one was entertaining:
Exporters face problem of defaulted payments
Chinese exporters, currently plagued by paper-thin profits, are threatened by another emerging problem of defaulted payments from foreign clients, economists said on Wednesday.
Poor dears. Those dishonest Laowai are at it again, apparently.
But this image topped the lot. It shows “members of China’s armed police demonstrating a rapid deployment during an anti-terrorist drill held in Jinan, capital of east China’s Shandong Province July 2, 2008, roughly one month ahead of the Beijing Olympics.”
Using Segway Personal Transporters. “Rapid” doesn’t even begin to say it.
Hahahahahahhahah! Go get ’em Sheriff!
Wo Shi Laowai - Wo Pa Shui 
Neddy said
Some of us will have to revise our views of the French. I mean, take Sarko: If he is “not wanted at Olympics”, he can’t be all bad, can he?
But the Segway squad is a riot! Imegethief shows the same photo, and next to it (when I read his post) was this Twitter display with words “Terrorists will be helpless before the might of the Segway precision assault squad!” I just could not help myself: What, helpless laughing on the ground, and ready for nicking?
http://news.imagethief.com/blogs/china/archive/2008/07/03/introducing-the-jinan-precision-segway-assault-squad.aspx
Stranded Mariner said
OMG that is so funny!
Neddy said
The Segway Rapid Response Squad is a touch of a law enforcement genius, actually. All they need to do is turn up. And while the rioters are rolling on the ground laughing their arses off and totally helpless, they just nick them.
One other point here: Are these the real Segways, or Chinese knock-offs?
Neddy said
Oh, and some of us will want to re-evaluate our views of the French. Take Sarkozy, the president. If he is not wanted at the Olympics, this guy can’t be all bad, can he?
Stranded Mariner said
@Neddy
And an easy score, given that he earlier said he is considering not going to the Olympics. :)
MyLaowai said
A few days ago, the Party boys said this:
“Some people are acting as if China is begging them to attend the Games,”
And today they say this:
China welcomes foreign leaders and heads of states to attend the Olympic activities and will provide conveniences for them… Foreign leaders and heads of states are being invited by their respective national Olympic committees as registered distinguished guests to attend Olympic activities, ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a regular press conference.
Of course, he added this:
China was always devoted to improving human rights. Any people without prejudice would admit the progress achieved in the country’s human rights situation, Qin said.
China’s human rights course is decided not by the willingness and standard of any other nation, force or organization, but by its own 1.3 billion population.
FOARP said
Man, turn that bunch loose in Afghanistan and see them kick arse! At least until the Taliban work out to run up some stairs that is . . .