Shanghai Street View: Benevolent Bans
I thought I’d close out the year with a look at 2 upcoming bans that could have a profound impact on life in Shanghai in 2014. News junkies will know I’m talking about a ban on live chicken sales in...
View ArticleShanghai Street View: Scary Sidewalks
A recent story about a group of stubborn street vendors in the Zhabei and Baoshan districts got me thinking about the broader problem of sidewalk clutter in China, a seemingly mundane topic but one...
View ArticleShanghai Street View: Skyline Shaping
Shanghai’s signature Oriental Pearl Tower takes center stage in this week’s Street View, following a much-needed cleaning for the original high-rise in city’s fast-evolving Lujiazui financial district....
View ArticleShanghai Street View: Cool Communication
Shanghai’s local dialect has been back in the news these last few weeks, rekindling the debate about whether the city should make special efforts to save a colorful language that is quickly being...
View ArticleShanghai Street View: Beggar Bards
A new report about a brawl on Metro Line 3 is casting a spotlight on the ongoing drama involving subway beggars, featuring a colorful but also unruly cast of men, women, children and even babies who...
View ArticleShanghai Street View: Marriage Mixing
A new survey on marriage patterns in Shanghai is casting an interesting spotlight on what it means to be an outsider in one of China’s most international cities, whose high-profile embrace of...
View ArticleShanghai Street View: Irrational Appetites
I’ve refrained from writing before about Shanghai’s ongoing brouhaha over taxi apps, mostly because it seemed too local and didn’t have any broader significance beyond the unruly adoption of a new...
View ArticleShanghai Street View: Rising Returns
New numbers from the Education Ministry show a rising number of Chinese are returning home after study abroad, reflecting the growing attraction of living and working in their native country. As...
View ArticleChinese Change: Corkage Fee Outcry
The issue of corkage fees has been popping in and out of the headlines these past few months, spotlighting a practice that many Chinese consumers feel is unfair even though it’s quite common in the...
View ArticleShanghai Street View: Star Scams
Shanghai is working hard to reclaim its place as Asia’s entertainment capital, and has made big progress in that direction through recent major tie-ups with 2 of Hollywood’s leading stars, Disney...
View ArticleChinese Change: Medical Malaise
Shanghai is finally taking more action to combat the growing problem of attacks on health care workers, urging hospitals to take better measures to improve security to prevent such clashes. The...
View ArticleShanghai Street View: Bird Flu Takes Flight
What a difference a year makes. Many of us have been out and about these last couple of weeks enjoying the springtime weather, taking in cherry blossoms and celebrating the end of winter. Amid the...
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Shanghai Street View: Misguided Measurement
Shanghai improves air quality reporting Shanghai environmental officials have been busy this past week boasting of the latest improvements to their system for informing the public about the city’s most...
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Shanghai Street View: Arming Authorities
Shanghai police seek respect This week I wanted to take a look at the more serious issue of guns, which have made several appearances in the headlines these last few days. The series of stories on the...
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China Change: If I Could Change China
My 3 birthday wishes My 50th birthday is just 2 weeks away, so I thought I would give myself an early gift by making a few wishes for some of the things I would change about daily life in China if I...
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Shanghai Street View: Battling Bureaucracy
Shanghai cuts bureaucracy Most of us have certain dates that we dread, either for personal or cultural reasons. Many westerners worry about bad luck on Friday the 13th, and Chinese avoid celebrations...
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Shanghai Street View: Civic Insecurity
CICA comes to Shanghai Shanghai doesn’t get the chance to host many global events, so it’s understandable that city officials are quite excited about a major upcoming conference that will see...
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Shanghai Street View: Reluctant Retirement
Shanghai Daily loses veteran editor to Chinese immigration laws Shanghai has won kudos for hosting a major regional summit these past few days, but the situation was far more somber in the newsroom at...
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Shanghai Street View: Branding The Zone
Shanghai FTZ gets in the zone In brand-obsessed China, it seems that even something as abstract and esoteric as a free trade zone (FTZ) can become a mingpai, or famous brand. That’s my quick...
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Shanghai Street View: Cheating Challenge
Students sweat through gaokao Following the recent completion of this year’s national college entrance exam, or gaokao, and the coming end of the academic year, I thought I’d take a look this week at...
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