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By Qi Zhai (China Daily)
There is a group of people in China who frequently come up in conversation accompanied by a resigned sigh or a dismissive “Oh, them.” In the media, they regularly feature as a subject of discourse, as the public attempts to diagnose them, identify the causes of their malaise, and figure out what can be done to fix them. From the way they are talked about, you would think they were a colony of aliens.

But they are not. They are just like me, only younger.

I am talking about the “post-90s”, the cohort born during China’s golden decade. Most of them are just now entering adulthood. In their lives so far, they have only tasted the sweet fruits of market reform and they harbor no bittersweet memories of the past. Because of the fortuitous timing of their births, the post-90s are a distinctive breed.

In public discussion, the post-90s are routinely characterized as a selfish, unwelcoming, and solitary bunch. They are allegedly unmotivated about exerting themselves, yet have expensive tastes, fed by the collective doting of six parents and grandparents. In school, they are supposedly apathetic; in life, lethargic.

The only thing that captivates their generally disinterested attention is the Internet. The prototype post-90s child spends his days poring over a laptop, conversing intensely with hundreds of strangers who are also doing their best to avoid communicating with real people, especially their parents.

Is there truth to this harsh depiction or have we concocted an exaggerated stereotype? Are the post-90s really so bizarrely different, and if so, why?

The adults - parents and teachers especially - certainly think that their charges are in fact oddly different. I myself have observed post-90s children sulking at home on weekends, plugged into three electronic devices and ignoring all conversation directed their way.

There are a few common explanations for why the post-90s are the way they are. Economic prosperity during the decade is seen as the main culprit. Born into the laps of luxury, these young ones are used to having nice things without working to earn them.

One mother of a 13-year-old boy lamented, “My elder daughter remembers falling asleep on the backseat of my bicycle in the 1980s, so she is a lot easier to please when it comes to material goods. But when my son was born, we already had a car; he always expects to have the best.”

The “one child policy” is another aggravating factor that is often blamed. By 1990, the policy had been in place for a decade, producing a generation of children who grew up in isolation, without the camaraderie of siblings, or cousins even. The post-90s exhibit classic single child syndromes. A history teacher at Beijing No 80 Middle School pinpoints one culturally important quality that has been lost on this generation: “They are unprepared to chiku (literally “eat bitterness”), and they don’t want to chiku.”

Perhaps the most profound force shaping the post-90s generation is technology. A study reports that 70 percent of children in China aged 7 to 15 have surfed the Web; and more than half of those living in townships and cities have Internet connections at home. The figure for Beijing is surely much higher.

While computers and instant access to wide-ranging information can be useful tools in learning, they can also cause “alienation, poor social skills and Internet addiction”, in the words of a veteran expatriate educator who has taught at the Beijing Foreign Studies University.

So the post-90s are dramatically different from other cohorts and society is worried. What then?

As parents and educators try to prepare post-90s children for the “real world”, they sometimes resort to scolding, pressuring and pulling out the “when I was your age” card. I’ve been guilty of doing the same with younger relatives. But each time I tell a yawning 18-year-old what he should be doing at his age, I also remember that I’m applying an outdated mentality to current issues.

After all, how can we expect the post-90s to resemble their elders in work ethic or attitude on life when they lived through such a unique time in China’s history? Is it right to impose our fears on these insouciant youths? Didn’t the parents of post-90s work hard precisely so their children could grow up without the oppressive worries that preoccupy people who have experienced war and famine?

Perhaps the apathy, lethargy and selfishness we observe are normal responses to the post-90s environment. And let’s not forget that every generation tries to define itself in opposition to its precedents. It may turn out that when they get older, the post-90s will prove themselves to not be so different from the rest of us.

I do think more could be done to engage post-90s children with the world outside of their comfortable homes. Making room for charity work and community service in crammed school days may produce more responsible, aware and compassionate students, who may eventually begin to give a hoot.

Other than this, the mass stress over the state of the post-90s may be excessive. As one teenager coolly told me, “I just want to tell everyone to relax. I’m going to be OK.”

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The death toll has climbed to 2,039 from a devastating earthquake in northwest China’s Qinghai Province, with 195 people still missing, according to the rescue headquarters.

As of 10 p.m. Monday, the 7.1-magnitude quake, which struck the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu Wednesday, has also left 12,135 injured, of whom 1,434 are in serious condition, the rescue headquarters said.

YUSHU, Qinghai — As truckloads of food, water and tents poured in amid inclement weather, a state of relative normalcy has begun to return to Gyegu, the epicenter of a powerful tremor last Wednesday that has left 1944 people dead and 216 missing in Qinghai province.

Dispelling the gloom briefly was news of two miracle rescues.

Five days after the catastrophe, an elderly woman and her four-year-old granddaughter were pulled out from the rubble on Monday.

A woman in her 30s was also rescued at 5:30 pm after being trapped under debris for 130 hours.

Badly-needed daily necessities as well as the first batch of television sets arrived Monday morning from Xining, the provincial capital 840 km away. Earlier efforts to send aid to this remote plateau town, home to 100,000 people, had been hampered by poor road and weather conditions as well as heavy traffic.

Survivors packed temporary phone booths and charger stations on Gyegu’s main street, trying to make free calls to relatives and friends or recharge their cellphones.

Life limping back to normal in Yushu
A family cooks a meal outside their tent in earthquake-hit Yushu, Qinghai, on Monday. [Agencies]

Jin Shan, a vendor from Henan province, and his wife were selling household necessities by their tent just outside Gyegu’s King Gesar Square. They had been running a store in Gyegu, the seat of the Yushu prefecture government, for five years, and pulled out some of the goods from the rubble of their collapsed store.

Although most survivors are housed in government-issued tents, some people were still staying in the open by the side of their flattened homes.

Kunkyap, from a local rural community, was one of them. The 27-year-old bought five pairs of socks for her mother, whose ankles were injured, and other family members. Her three children - aged 7, 3 and 4 months - were all rescued from under the rubble.

“I just hope that we can find accommodation in tents as soon as possible,” Kunkyap said.

Evening temperatures drop to below freezing point in Yushu, and there was a little snow and sleet on Monday afternoon.

The Ministry of Commerce said in Beijing that it had sent 3,000 stoves and some mobile shops to the quake-hit region. The stoves will arrive in Xining on Tuesday, the ministry said.

Electricity supply has been restored to pre-quake levels as of Monday morning, according to Gu Junyuan, chief engineer of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission.

Miao Wei, vice-minister of industry and information technology, said telecommunications were back to normal in all six counties in Yushu prefecture. Every village and township has been equipped with at least one means of direct contact with the rescue and relief headquarters.

Kunga, a “Living Buddha” from Derge county in Sichuan’s Garze prefecture which neighbors Yushu, arrived at the quake zone a day after the disaster with 280 monks. He said they were now trying to reach more remote regions.

“Tibetan Buddhism should be a vital component in the mental recovery of the victims,” Kunga told China Daily.

As Yushu is a predominantly ethnic Tibetan region, he believes survivors require the comfort of monks.

In Beijing, authorities begun to draft plans for a new Yushu, with “ecological tourism” as its pillar industry.

Xinhua and Wang Huazhong contributed to the story.

Editor’s note: China attaches great importance to its relationship with India. Only by putting aside differences and expanding cooperation will the two countries play a bigger role in the world.

To mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and India, top leaders of the two countries recently displayed strong political will to shelve differences and push bilateral ties to new heights. The ongoing visit by India’s Foreign Minister Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna to Beijing is important for officials from both sides to carry out dialogue, build trust and establish cooperation.

China regards its relationship with India as one of its most important bilateral ties. The growth in their relationship in the past 60 years have made it possible for the two most populous countries to forge ahead with a long-term strategic partnership.

The two developing but emerging economies have been regarded as bright spots bringing hope of a full global economic recovery. Expanded cooperation in trade will bring more benefits for the two neighbors and further shore up their economic clout around the world.

As two important regional powers, China and India share common interests in sustaining regional development and stability. The two nations also have common ground in tackling global challenges including climate change and energy security.

By cooperating on regional and international affairs, the two countries will better safeguard each of their interests and those of the developing world at large.

The call for China and India to play a bigger role in the world has been growing. The call will be better answered if the two neighbors leave behind their past friction and look to the future. The two countries will be better positioned on global affairs if they could stand united.

(China Daily 04/07/2010 )

By Wang Wen and Xiao Huo (China Daily)

The Chinese capital is allowing expatriates to be elected as “model workers” for the first time.

“You don’t have to be a Communist Party member, a Communist Youth League member or even a member of the trade union in your company,” said Wang Yonghao, director of the marketing department of the Beijing municipal federation of trade unions, the authority that selects the role models. “We are simply looking for people who have the potential to become leaders in society.”

For decades, model workers in China have been cast as a political symbols emulating selflessness among the working class. The title is awarded every five years. Winners of the title, many of whom are recommended by employers eager for public exposure, are often forced to endure media bombardment in return for the recognition.

But the federation of trade unions is taking a different approach this year.
“We welcome everybody in Beijing, be they foreign staff or migrant workers. Even nannies with excellent records and good personalities can be nominated,” Huo Lianming, vice-president of the union, said on a morning radio show.

The federation said there is no quota of expatriate winners but said at least some will likely be selected.

The move to include expatriates is part of Beijing’s ambition to become an international city, officials said.

Elyse Ribbons, an American actress and playwright who has been in Beijing for seven years, said she understands what it means to become a model worker in China and that she would be honored if chosen.

“I didn’t know that there are still model worker nominations now,” said the 29-year-old from Detroit. “It’s still part of a socialist-style propaganda campaign, but it would definitely be fun to be elected.”

The only criteria for Beijing’s candidates this time are three years of work experience in Beijing - not necessarily at the same company - and making exceptional contributions, the federation said.

There will be about 1,200 winners altogether, but what the winners get has not been decided, said the federation.
But the federation is unlikely to grant winners Beijing hukou (Beijing permanent residency).

“We have never granted hukou to previous awardees,” said Wang. “We believe the issue of hukou has little to do with honoring model workers,” Wang told METRO.
Five years ago, more than 100 model workers were selected in Beijing and each got 15,000 yuan. Some even got increased subsidies for education, medical services and housing, because their employers had to treat them well after their public appearance.
This is also the first time that migrant workers in Beijing, most of whom don’t have hukou, can become model workers.

The federation said that accepting migrant worker nominations promotes social equality.
The federation has started accepting nominations on March 15 and will stop on March 20.

It is known by reporter that until yesterday, eastern Prevention and Protection Bureau has taken about 50 pieces vaccine for migrant workers in Zhongshan city. Zhongshan Disease Prevention Center principle shows to us that the ready 20 thousand H1N1 vaccines will be sent to Zhongshan at the middle of this month. The migrant workers can go to the local Prevention and Protection Bureau sigh up for inoculation ahead of time.
According to the reports, another 30 thousand vaccines has arrived in Zhongshan in Dec, 2009. Also, there will have 70 thousand transferred to Zhongshan city before the middle of Jan, and these are mainly used for students, migrant workers and pregnant women etc, most of vaccines are prepared for the group of students.

Besides, from the Disease Prevention Center section Chief Zhou Hai, we have known that the inoculation project of pregnant women has started on 28, Dec 2009, in Zhongshan city, however, there is still no any pregnant woman coming to the local Prevention and Protection Center to sign up for registration.

Recently, in line with the unified deployment from Guangdong Ontario Ministry of Health, in 5, Jan, the vaccine inoculation will promote in the important working areas where migrant workers are relatively centralized, cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, Dongguan and Zhognshan etc will start the work in succession.

Yesterday, reporters got the news from Department of Health that some local Prevention and Protection Bureaus have begun to vaccinate for migrant workers yesterday. At present, it is about 20 thousand vaccines which are planned to assign to migrant workers. Migrant workers can take their relevant identity certification to local Prevention and Protection Bureau to sign up.

Those who have Contra-indication are not suitable for vaccines inoculation. The taboo of H1N1 vaccine is similar to seasonal influenza, for example: people who are allergic to egg or ovalbumin; those are suffering fever, acute disease, serious chronic disease; AIDP patient; kids under the age of 3 and some more. People having the above situation are not fitted for inoculation.

Do you still remember what was you doing when you were 6 years old? It is reported that the 6-year-old boy Samu Bo Boynton was appointed to be the new recreation director of the British Railway Museum. Little Boynton is keen to entertainment equipment. During the interview, he showed his love of recreation perfectly, beat other employees and won the job.

As the recreation director of the Museum, the main work of Little Boynton is to tell to the management workers that how to attract more children and how to make the entertainment equipment be loved by kids. The first suggestion proposed by Boynton after his induction is to meet the requirement of children by way of establishing Model Train Pavilion. From the point of children’s view on entertainment equipment, Boynton proposed many wonderful suggestions for the museum.

You may be surprised at this news and feel incredible. Anyhow, it is true. In addition, at least we can appreciate the courage of the British Railway Museum to employ a kid to do such an important work. What’s more, referring from this thing, we can get the information that the British Railway Museum try their best to understand what their customers want. They can consider from the view of customers, which is often lacked by most businessmen.

What is the widest used language all over the world? Of course it is English.

Rencently, there is a news, that in order to make good preparation of the World Expo, shanghai holds a activity of clearing out the Chinglish advertising slogans to avoid being laughed by foreigners. On the other hand, the Guardian in UK publics some articles to protect Chinglish from disappearing, and feels a pity that the Chinglish would be extinct.
Should Chinglish be defended or liquidated? When we have the self-confidence to not feel awkward about Chinglish, we should also endow Chinglish with genuine culture and creative vitality.

Chinglish is regarded as the short form for Chinese English. It is the combination of Chinese grammar and English words. It is greatly welcomed by people while regarded as unstandard by official.

In 2007, a Germany youth named Oliver Lutz Radtke published a book Chinglish- Found in Translation. It is a collection about Chinglish which he saw on the Chinese streets. Besides, he has also established a personal blog to show the pictures taken in public places about the Chinglish slogans. His blog is called Chinglish museum by people for fun.

It is said that the influence of Chinglish becomes greater and greater in the world. As is estimated, English words increased by twenty thousand in 2005. 20% of them are related with Chinglish.

In fact, there are two kinds of Chinglish. One is that words translated directly by translation software, which would lead to misunderstanding while communicate with it. Strictly speaking, this is not the real Chinglish. The other is one translated according to Chinese culture. Take “People Mountain People Sea” as an example, foreigners can infer from the phrase that the words mountain and sea are used to express the idea of large quantity. So they can understand that he phrase means number of people. You can see, real Chinglish will not course any misunderstanding, but will be helpful to transmit Chinese culture.

In a word, we should respect the Standard English. But chinglish, as a cultural phenomenon, should be protected; but it should be the real Chinglish of course.

As the National Day comes, the Military Parade becomes a hot topic recently. People are eager to know more about the news it, including the activities, the uniforms and some innovative businesses.

Recently, our reporter got the information that the flag-bearers of the flag escort on military parade on the National Day may be twins who were born in the 1990s.

Wang Lei and Wang Yu are twins who were born in Heilongjiang in 1990s. It would be an attractive scene that they two will be the flag-bearers for the military parade on the National Day.

“We are both recruits and just joined the army last year. It is such a surprise for us to be chosen as the flag-bearers.” They said “besides normal training, we have some extra-training. In order to be more qualified, we have already changed 3 instructors.” Wang Yu told the recorder that at the beginning of the training, they were required to do 600 goose-step, and each is restricted to 75cm long, then have a break, and go on with it. Instructors are very strict to them, and told them they would be passed if they can’t be qualified through training.

The twins do great effort for their job, and great changes happened to them. Their weights rise to 75kg after training from 60kg before training.

The instructor said “If the twins are the flag-bearers, it must be very novel and eye-catching, but it is under the premise that they are excellent enough.”

At present, the twins are still training with optimistic attitude “it’s an honor to be a member of the military phalanx, let alone being the flag-bearers.”

Let’s wait for their beautiful show.

There are 50 countries you have to go in the world for life, Tibet is ranked in the first place, and Switzerland second, the investigation is mainly done by the west. If you are a Chinese, I would like to advice you the country: German.

You may laugh that German is barbarian, two thousand years ago, when the ancient Rome has created a life style even can be used today, the Teuton are still wearing the skin of animals. However, other barbarian may be beated by Rome heavily, while the Teuton are leaded by Arminius and beat Rome to be shattered to pieces. That year is 9 A.D., the history of German begins.

Less than speaking that Vienna is the city of music in the world, it would be better to say that it is the place of tormenting the musicians. The musicians ever fight for their future and die at last in hunger, Mozart and Schubert are in them, after entering German, you need to ask where is not the palace of music, like Bach, Mendelssohn’s Leipzig, Handel’s hamburger and some churches in locate. If Austria is the center of music, then German is the trunk and heart of world music. You want to get married? Then you need to strike up Mendelssohn’s wedding march, because no one can better than it. People in the world all go with the wedding march to their happy life. Mendelssohn is the meaning of happiness, can you refuse it?

People who are interesting in the culture of beer, you need to go to German. After the borning of beer in 1040, German begins to be infatuated with it. Once the precise German drink beer, they will become talktive. In German, as long as you propose your wine cup, there will have people to echo you. On the ceremony of annual Munich Beer Festival, the first cup beer is always given to the premier of state, on this day, even though you drive in red face, it is ok, because the police on the street may also stagger, some may even insert a big size cup beer in their waist. It is almost that every small town in German has a factory for beer making.

German is garden of modern culture, the autos on the street are the pride for the German. On Germany’s highway, Benz, BMW, AUDI and VW are everywhere, their cars not just good in performance, quality, the out is also very classic. The buses of inner city are all set a electronic clock to show the time, they are always very punctual. The city is clean, there is no street without sweeping, no grasslot without cutting. The German are serious about their work and have detail plan about. Before going to the supermarket, a housewife will list out all the goods she need to buy. The German are much caring about the quality of life, they are crazy in work, body building, and then enjoy their holiday with abandon.

With giant cute shape and creative design, they capture people’s attention. Both adults and kids like it very much, they are always eager to come to play with these games again and again. Among these designs, inflatable, inflatable bouncer and inflatable slides are the most popular ones all over the world! If attached with the promoting information, they are also a good method of advertising. Want more information? Please get in touch with us!

The day before Father’s Day, Party School of the CPC research center appeal to bring the maternity leave for husband into the social insurance, the results of a survey shows that over 90% people regards maternity is also the right of male.

From the side of sex, people who support the view in this investigation are mainly man, that means man are more active than woman in establishing maternity leave, they have a strong sense about right, while whether they realize that maternity leave is not just a right, it is more like a responsibility.

Maternity leave is much different with other holidays, it is not just connected with the special of welcome the new life, the aims of holiday is not for rest, but to take care of expectant mothers and the new coming baby. The double property for right and duty in maternity leave requires the change of traditional culture. Giving birth to child is not just affair of woman, man also need to get involved. The government, employer and woman or man should think about the character in family work division seriously. It is the base for the system to take effect.

The setting of maternity leave for man is good for the harmony of family, husbands can take full use of this holiday to enjoy the happiness of becoming father, having more time to acompany with their wives, which is in favor of their wives of healthy recovery. This system is also better for the realization of sexual equality. According to a investigation done by Fudan University social sex and development research center, it is said that 58.6% women who have the experience of pregnant can not enjoy the right of maternity or give up it. It is obvious that our recent job is not to set up the maternity holiday for man in hurry, but perfect the woman’s right of maternity.

On other side, from the aspect of legislation of protecting the rights of emplyee, the more laws it set does not mean they are all put in place. As long as putting in effect fully, it can show the power of law. Even though the law of maternity for woman has been carried out for few years, there are still many dissensions about the right for baby break. This explains that the enforcement of law still needs to be perfect. The suggest of prolonging the time of holiday have not got any results for long time, now they begins to advise to set the holiday for man, is it too over for that?

With giant cute shape and creative design, they capture people’s attention. Both adults and kids like it very much, they are always eager to come to play with these games again and again. Among these designs, inflatable castles, inflatable water games and inflatable tent are the most popular ones all over the world! If attached with the promoting information, they are also a good method of advertising. Want more information? Please get in touch with us!