Changchun claims endurance karaoke title

New Culture View
March 11, 2009

Changchun celebrated a record-breaking accomplishment today: a nineteen-day singing marathon involving more than a thousand of the city’s residents set a new record for continuous karaoke. New Culture View‘s front page shows the scene shortly after midnight when Changchun’s heroes bested the Finns’ old record of 446 hours 4 minutes and 5 seconds.

But it was still far too early for everyone to go home, so they kept singing for another ten hours, concluding with a rendition of Lo Ta Yu’s 1986 all-star charity single “Tomorrow Will Be Even Better.” The final total ended up being 456 hours 2 minutes and 5 seconds, during which 1,302 participants sang 6,281 songs.

Endurance karaoke has certainly come a long way since 2007, when a crew of hardy singers in Anhui lasted just 145 hours.

New Express
March 11, 2009

In more serious news, a patrol ship recently acquired by China Fishery Administration departed the port of Guangzhou yesterday heading for the South China Sea, reported today’s New Express.

The 4,450 ton No. 311 Fishing Administration Ship, formerly a PLA Navy support vessel, becomes the CFA’s biggest boat. According to the newspaper, the ship is on its way to carry out a patrolling and fishery protection mission. The article commented that the new ship has strengthened China’s power to sustain maritime sovereignty.

On the same page, the newspaper reported on the incident involving the US Navy ship Impeccable, and quoted PLA Navy vice-commissar Wu Huayang calling the whole incident “America’s hype” (美方的炒作): “they are sneaking around the fence, so the house’s owner goes out to see what is going on. Does it make any sense that they accuse us of infringing their right?”

The incident was also covered on the front page of today’s Global Times. The big headline reads “American spy ship messes around with China in the South Sea.”

The cover illustration of today’s China Business View assembles the photos of five former high-level officials who were busted last year. Right above it is the top headline: “1,200 White-collar crime offender were arrested last year.”

On the sidebar, the newspaper reports on Liu Xiang’s return from the US. Liu has been a CPPCC representative for three consecutive years but skipped the last two annual sessions.

Liu’s absence has been controversial. Liu Shikun, a famous pianist and CPPCC representative, had reportedly described him as “on the pot but not shitting” (占着茅坑不拉屎). However, The Beijing News reported today that Liu Shikun has released a statement to the Internet claiming that he had never said anything of the sort, and that he was not qualified to criticize Liu Xiang. According to the article, Liu will attend the reminder of this year’s legislative sessions.