The latest Sinica podcast is out, hosted by Kaiser Kuo, with Gady Epstein (Beijing bureau chief of Forbes), Li Xin (editor of the English version of Caixin, Hu Shuli’s new business news publication), and me.
The podcast includes discussion of inflation, a news roundup from Caixin and a review of the big news events of 2010, as seen through the top news stories of 2010 lists compiled by Xinhua News Agency, Southern Metropolis Weekly and by users of the popular Tianya.cn Internet forum. (Translations of these lists are at the bottom of this post.)
The podcast is here: Sinica: China 2010 – Year in Review; that page includes links to iTunes and RSS subscriptions to the Sinica feed.
Suggestions from Twitter
Before recording the Sinica podcast, we solicited suggestions for top news stories; here are some of the responses
Mainstream end of the China fantasy: Google, North Korea, South China Sea, Diaoyu / rare earths, LXB etc
The case of Zhao Zuohai would be on my list. Implications for criminal justice reform, death penalty.
Rise of Sina Weibo
Google withdrawal from China
Translations of top news of 2010 lists
Translations of the above-mentioned lists as well as links to other 2010 lists are below:
Note: These lists translated for explanatory purposes, not word for word from their original Chinese texts.
Tianya: Netizens’ list of important news events 2010
– Li Zhuang, a lawyer, was jailed for his defense of alleged mafia bosses in Chongqing clampdown jailed in January
– Google quits China Google’s intention stated in blog post on January 12, Chinese search server switched off March 23
– Shanxi vaccine scandal reporting Wang Keqin toxic vaccines distributed 2006 – 2007, report published in March
– Yushu earthquake April 14
– Stabbings and knife attacks in primary schools and kindergartens April – May
– Foxconn jumping suicide incidents April – June
– Explosion at Nanjing chemical factory July 28
– Zhouqu landslide August 8
– My Dad is Li Gang hit and run incident October 16
– Shanghai residential building fire (November 15)
Southern Metropolis Weekly‘s list of important but lost news events 2010
– Problematic vaccine killed and disabled hundreds of children in Shanxi Province toxic vaccines distributed 2006 – 2007, report published in March
– Foxconn serial suicides April – June
– Oil pipe explosion in Dailian caused massive oil spills July 16
– Former president of Microsoft China Tang Jun exposed as having a fake doctorate degree July
– Zhouqu landslide August 8
– Mengniu Dairy hires “black PR company” to spread slander about its competitor Yili Dairy on the Internet; Baby formula milk caused premature sexual development (Note: these were listed as two separate stories) August – October
– Articles written by Meng Jianwei, a PHD student whose father was beaten to death during forcible demolition caused discussion on the Internet father killed in October
– Deputy police chief’s son hit and ran, yelling “My father is Li Gang” October 16
– Shanghai residents spontaneously mourn the deceased in the residential fire; residents were demanded to move back to the burnt-out building November 15
Xinhua’s list of important news events 2010
– Shanghai Expo successfully hosted in Shanghai
– Taiwan and Mainland China signed economic cooperation accords
– China introduced a long term education-boosting plan
– China celebrated the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Shenzhen and Zhuhai economic zones
– Yushu and Zhouqu natural disasters were defeated
– China’s 12th five year plan was discussed during the annual session of the National Congress
– Guangzhou successfully hosted Asian Games and Asian Para Games
– China debuted the world’s fastest computer
– China’s grain production increased for seven consecutive years
– Central government gave its eight character guideline on economic development: positive, stable, cautious and flexible
Other top news of 2010 lists worth reading
• What were China’s top stories in 2010? by David Bandurski
• China in 2010: A Baker’s Dozen of Links by Jeffrey Wasserstrom
• List of Internet memes and slang words from Xinhua, explained by ChinaSmack
• Big 2010 stories hushed, but not forgotten by Ying Chan
• Baidu’s top ten new Internet phrases of 2010 by Baidu Beat
• Home › Year in P/Review › Shanghai › Life
• 8 popular online buzzwords from 2010 by CNNGo