News

China Did Not Violate Trade Law, U.S. Says: The Bush administration said Thursday that China was not manipulating its currency to gain an unfair trade advantage, a finding that angered Republican and Democratic lawmakers whose states have been hard hit by job losses they blame on cheap foreign goods.

Wal-Mart to open first Sam's Club in SW China: Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, is expected to set up its first Sam's Club in Guiyang city, capital of southwest China's Guizhou province in 2004.

In defence of Chinese characters: The existence of so many Chinese dialects makes a writing system based purely on phonetic representation impractical. For instance in rural China one villager can observe marked difference in the accent of another villager who lives only a few kilometres away.

Buttons

RainbowKids.com, in a continual effort to promote and support adoption, has designed and is offering 7 Adoption advocacy buttons to wear during National Adoption month. The buttons are free and can be found at:

http://www.rainbowkids.com/1003adoptionbuttons.htm

News

Chopsticks May Cause Arthritis, Study Shows: A study of more than 2,500 residents of Beijing found that osteoarthritis was more common in the hands used to operate chopsticks—and in the fingers specifically stressed by chopstick use.

Global survey—Chinese women sexiest: Though China ranks fourth in "the most sexy country", the world's men regard Chinese women as sexiest, taking 11 percent of the ballot, immediately followed by Brazilian women.

Beijing to replace coal with natural gas as major energy source: The Chinese capital will replace coal with natural gas as the major energy source for heating and power generation by 2008, when the Olympic Games take place.

Pumpkin Carving Pattern

The Fu ("Good Fortune") Jack O' Lantern Pattern can be found right here!

New On-Line Store

Ling Ling's — specializing in Asian cultural items for families with adopted Chinese children. Ling Ling's brings you exclusive Ling Ling's T-shirts and sweatshirts, Mandarin silk clothing, a signature jewelry collection and charming adoption announcements. Along with great Chinese books, adorable Asian baby dolls, Yixing teapots, videos and music to fill your home with a touch of China, we also offer wonderful folk art paintings, beautiful traditional silk clothing for the entire family and many more wonderful and whimsical Chinese items!

News

Chinese censor online chat: Messages critical of the Chinese Government either never appear or are purged from popular chat rooms, a study by the free speech pressure group has revealed. The study also found that Chinese law enforcement agencies regularly track down and even jail the authors of the critical messages.

Why Bush Won't Bash China: When it comes to the domestic economy, President Bush's major political weakness has been the millions of manufacturing jobs lost under his watch. That's why it's surprising and politically risky, as the Presidential election season approaches, that the Administration has all but decided against citing China and other Asian nations under U.S. trade laws for manipulation of their currencies.

New Stone Age human skeleton discovered in Beijing: Chinese archeologists have claimed discovery of a New Stone Age human body that lived about 10,000 years ago in Donghulin Village in Beijing's western outskirts.

Avon to open 500 boutiques in China: Cosmetic giant Avon Inc is planning to add another 500 boutiques to its sales network in China over the next few years, in a move to further cement its leading position in the market.

Book Review

Beyond Tiananmen: The Politics of U.S.-China Relations, by Robert L. Suettinger.

According to Robert L. Suettinger, the calamity in Tiananmen Square marked a critical turning point in U.S.-China affairs. In Beyond Tiananmen, Suettinger traces the turbulent bilateral relationship since that time, with a particular focus on the internal political factors that shaped it.

Through a series of candid anecdotes and observations, Suettinger sheds light on the complex and confused decisionmaking process that affected relations between the United Sates and China between 1989 and the end of the Clinton presidency in 2000. [Amazon.com editorial review]

Frank Ching, writing in the Far Eastern Economic Review, states that the book is, "a thoughtful and thought-provoking book that helps the reader put day-to-day events in context."

Book Review

The New Chinese Empire

. . . is an altogether splendid book. It is lucid, erudite without condescension and courageous in spirit. The author boldly predicts the end of the Communist Party's rule of China at a date that is uncertain but to be followed by a time of turbulence. The New Chinese Empire should be read by anyone who plans to deal seriously with China over the next decade.

(Richard Hallaron, October 23rd issue of the Far Eastern Economic Review.)

News

Nine killed, 43 injured by two major quakes in northwest China: Two powerful earthquakes have struck northwest China's Gansu province, killing nine people and injuring 43 others. The quakes, measuring 6.1 and 5.8 on the Richter scale, jolted areas between Minle and Shandan counties of Gansu province's Zhangye city on Saturday.

Shanghai's shoreline swiftly vanishing: Geological experts warn Shanghai is rapidly losing its waterfront and if efforts to protect beaches aren't made soon, the coastline along the Yangtze River will shrink to half its size in 20 years.

Adoption Blog

Mark and Naomi have created an adoption blog. Follow along as they complete their journey. With an entry like this, you know it's going to be an interesting trip!

And so it begins. Today at lunch I went to the courthouse to get a criminal background check/police clearance report for Naomi and I. Naomi's came back clean. But mine, well let's just say I almost fell over when I read it. There were two charges listed. One for assault on a government official and another one for intoxicated and disruptive behavior. I quickly realized that they gave me the wrong report. It turns out it was someone else that had two names, and one of them matched mine.

China Related TV Guide

China Sprout posts a much-appreciated weekly guide for China Related TV listings.

Beautiful China

News

Gender imbalance prompts more care for girls in China: Zhang, father of two daughters in Liugou village of Huaiyuan county in east China's Anhui province, found his life turned around in 2001 when China launched a national "care for girls" campaign to help control the gender imbalance in this world's most populous nation. "Raising girls is as good as raising boys now," Zhang said.

China May Send Two Into Space Next Time: China's next manned space launch might carry two astronauts into orbit, a government news agency said Saturday, citing a senior space program official.

China's first man in space triggers trademark race: China's success in sending a man into space has triggered a feverish race among businessmen to cash in on the astronaut's fame by securing the right to use his name as a trademark, state media said.

Feng Sui for the Little Ones

Baby Sui strives to relate the importance of creating an early environment of balance. Having a deeper knowledge of your child's surroundings will help you grow a space that has more positive energy; which in turn can offer your child good health, harmony and prosperity in their lives. Creating such a space will enhance your child's creativity, personality, and educational pursuits; it can also protect them from misfortune and activate their luck.

Madame Chiang Kai-shek

Madame Chiang Kai-shek, a pivotal figure in one of the 20th century's great epics—the struggle for control of post-imperial China waged between the Nationalists and the Communists during the Japanese invasion and the violent aftermath of World War II—died on Thursday in Manhattan, the Foreign Ministry of Taiwan reported yesterday. She was 105.

(New York Times article.)

Wall Street Journal Discussion

Adoption's New Geography: A surge in the number of Americans who adopt children from overseas has prompted the State Department to propose new regulations that could make the process more difficult. Join a discussion with Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Opdyke about international adoptions and his efforts to adopt a baby girl from China.

(Thanks Sandi from APC!)

Looking to Help?

Love Without Boundaries is:

. . . a group of moms and dads around the United States who have realized that volunteers and individuals who have a pure love for helping children can truly make a difference. We all donate our time and money in an attempt to brighten the lives of some of the world's most vulnerable children.

We believe anyone who has a heart for children should be allowed to help us in our efforts. We welcome all volunteers to our team, and we know that the joy of seeing a sick child made healthy or a hungry child made full is all that any of us ever needs in return.

Workplace Safety in China -- Two Views

Decrease in work related deaths in China: China's work safety record improved in the first three quarters of the year with a drop in the number of industrial accidents and deaths.

Workplace Deaths Rise in China Despite New Safety Legislation: New work safety rules and beefed-up enforcement have failed to reduce the death toll in China's mines and factories so far this year.

Video Game

For those of you looking for an action-packed video game with a China theme, check out Dynasty Warriors 4.

Dynasty Warriors 4 is a fighting game series played from the third-person perspective, where you pick a military general as your avatar and fight through across sprawling battlefields. The generals all have distinct personalities, and there are a few women characters included, too. As you campaign, you collect special items—such as the Dragon Amulet, which increases your Musou gauge (Musou allows you to enact special, prolonged attacks on multiple enemies.) You have bodyguards, you kill enemy generals, and along the way your new skill points increase your weapon's power.

It includes lots of battle-field carnage (if that's your thing).

Local Story

I will take care of you forever: After spending two years and $50,000 on unsuccessful fertility treatments, veteran journalist Wei Chen, 38, and her husband of a decade, Michael Pollard, 37, decided to adopt a baby from China.

Who is the richest in China?: Before Rupert Hoogewerf first started compiling the annual list for Forbes magazine five years ago, people could only guess who the country's richest people might be.

Hong Kong considering shifting to Mandarin: Hong Kong may require schools to use the official Mandarin dialect to teach the Chinese language, replacing the Cantonese dialect that Hong Kongers have long been speaking.

Tibetan boy able to recite world's longest epic: The boy, named Sitar Doje in the Tibetan language, is a fifth- grade student at a local elementary school in Shading Town, Banbar County in Qamdo Prefecture. He said he fell asleep one day when he was 11 years old, and woke up miraculously able to tell the story of King Gesser. Now the boy can talk and sing about the story for six consecutive hours.

Computer viruses rampant in China: If you use a computer in China, the chances are that you have to do battle with a virus sooner or later. Official figures quoted by the Xinhua state news agency show that about 85% of computers were infected with a computer virus this year.

China's Boom Adds to Global Warming Problem: China's rapid economic growth is producing a surge in emissions of greenhouse gases that threatens international efforts to curb global warming, as Chinese power plants burn ever more coal while car sales soar.

Flexibility and Balance

Young Chinese acrobats perform for tourists in Wuhan, the capital of China's central province of Hubei. China has launched a campaign to revive its once-booming tourism industry. —Reuters

Christmas Ornaments

OurChinaAngels.com now has Chinese Christmas Ornaments.

These beautiful Chinese Christmas ornaments are exclusive to our China Angels. These large wooden ornaments were designed and hand crafted specifically for us by a local artisan. These ornaments are hand painted with wonderful animated characters as well as Chinese characters. Since these ornaments are hand painted, no two will be exactly alike. All are made of birch wood.

News

Wushu a world popular sport: Wushu has turned out to be an international popular modern sport with increasingly more professional players and fans worldwide after development and improvement during the past decades.

China's Biggest Brands: Many Chinese manufacturers have little choice but to go global. Fierce competition at home means future profits lie in selling branded goods in rich countries, just as Japanese and South Korean firms found. It will require a combination of attractive products, good service and first-rate technology. Top Chinese companies are now getting into the branding game. We pick 15 with a good shot.

Computer viruses rampant in China: If you use a computer in China, the chances are that you have to do battle with a virus sooner or later. Official figures quoted by the Xinhua state news agency show that about 85% of computers were infected with a computer virus this year.

China for Kids

Dragon Kids is an English-language China web page for kids. You can learn a number of facts about China, including—most importantly—the origin of the noodle.

(Thanks JH from RCC!)

Beautiful China

News

Stamps issued to mark the successful manned space mission

China launches anti-poverty award: China launched the Poverty Eradication Award on Friday to honor those who have made significant contributions to China's anti-poverty campaign.

Winter SARS explosion unlikely says Chinese expert: A major winter resurgence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed 774 people worldwide, is unlikely even if sporadic cases occur, a leading Chinese expert on the disease said.

News

China's 'space hero' returns to Earth: The first Chinese person in space returned safely to Earth early Wednesday, landing as planned on the soft grass of Inner Mongolia.

120 million Chinese suffer from malnutrition: About 120 million Chinese people suffer from malnutrition and the country's poverty problems are still pressing, said Vice-Agriculture Minister Zhang Baowen at a conference to mark the 23rd World Food Day on Thursday.

Baby traffickers on trial in China: A baby-trafficking gang involved in the trade of 118 babies faced trial Wednesday in Yulin City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

China endorses property rights: China’s top Communist Party leaders ended a four-day meeting Tuesday with promises to protect private property and allow farmers to amass large land holdings, key steps toward creating a more capitalist economy.

News

China becomes third country to blast off into space: China became only the third nation to send a person into space as its Long March rocket soared aloft Wednesday from a launching pad in the country's remote western desert.

Cheers, Gasps as Chinese Rocket Blasts Into Space: They clapped and cheered at the launch site when the booster rockets separated on China's first manned space flight on Wednesday. A thousand miles away in the capital, pride was mixed with relief.

China's man in space gets mixed reaction: The long-anticipated launch of China's first astronaut on Wednesday was greeted with a mixed, though largely congratulatory, reaction.

China lift-off in pictures:

Webpage Spotlight

This is the website of our daughter Jasmine (aka Jazzie) Mei-Chun. We adopted Jasmine on May 14, 2003 in Hunan, China when she was 10 months old...

Languages of China

Interested in learning a little about the 202 languages of China? This site will be of interest!

(Thanks Susan from APC!)

News

China TV to delay space footage: China has cancelled plans to show live pictures of the launch of the country's first manned space flight this week on state television. Correspondents say the Chinese Government could be worried about the possibility of public disappointment and criticism if the launch is a failure.

China Expects Tourism to Grow Rapidly: [A] report, issued by the World Travel and Tourism Council, a private organization that represents hotel and travel companies, predicts the number of tourists and business travelers visiting China will grow 22 percent a year beginning next year through 2013, and the flow of Chinese tourists and travelers going abroad will probably grow even faster.

INVASION OF THE SPOTTED LADYBUGS!: OK, they don't pack the menacing punch of killer bees, West Nile-carrying mosquitoes or even Eurasian milfoil. But the humble ladybug (specifically the multicolored Asian lady beetle) is on the rampage, invading homes in droves and driving Minnesotans just plain buggy.

News

China Plans Giant Step This Week: Amid all the clutter that has been rocketed into space is a clunky satellite expected to circle the Earth until 2070. The satellite, the Dong Fang Hong, was the first ever launched by China, in 1970, and is also an extraterrestrial boombox: It broadcasts into the cosmos the strains of the Maoist anthem, "The East is Red."

Population Forecast System Introduced to Avoid Baby Boom: The forecast data, as part of the city's population and family planning regulation, will be publicized periodically to make citizens aware of the situation relating to birth numbers in the city.

Traffic accidents seen as top danger for children: According to the Ministry of Public Security, the country reported 448,535 traffic accidents in the first eight months of this year, resulting in 66,180 deaths and 330,331 injuries.

China Related TV Guide

China Sprout posts a much-appreciated weekly guide for China Related TV listings.

Beautiful China

Dolls

Looking for Asian Dolls? This site will point you in the right direction.

We have over 200 Asian Dolls including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese. This store is dedicated to all those who have and those who are adopting babies from China.

(Thanks Julie from APC!)

News

China Arrests Church Leader's Adviser: The legal adviser to an imprisoned leader of China's unofficial Christian church has been arrested along with a prominent church activist and his wife.

China's leaders discuss reform: It is the first gathering of its kind since the new party leader, Hu Jintao, came to power in November last year. The four-day long gathering will take place behind closed doors. Leaders will be discussing how to narrow the gap between rich and poor regions and they are likely to focus on how to revive the fortunes of the former industrial heartland in the north-east.

Virtual Tour of China

China Vista has a website with virtual tours of China.

(Thanks Cheryl on APC!)

Featured Website

The Connell Family Adoption page is a nice summary of their experience. They also provide a number of handy tips for others adopting from China.

Welcome to the web site about our adoption. We have organized this site in chronological order, so you can follow our journey (literally and metaphorically).

Adoption Conference

FCC-Delaware Valley is sponsoring the adoption conference Under One Sky—A Celebration of Adoption and the Many Faces of Family. [Website has annoying Geocites ads]

This event is being held at the Adam's Mark Hotel on City Line Avenue in Philadelphia, PA, on Sunday, November 2, 2003. Registration deadline is October 15th!

Baby Counting Book

Teaching your child how to count? The book Ten Little Ladybugs comes highly recommended.

In Ten Little Ladybugs, one by one, ten tactile bugs disappear. Where did they all go? Young ones will love finding this out as they feel their way through the sturdy, colorful pages of this innovative book. The cute critters provide a hands-on learning experience and the rhyming text reinforces the counting concept. Interactive, educational, adorable—this magical countdown book adds up to a whole lot of fun. See why over 800,000 have been sold to date!

(Thanks Shelley from APC!)

News

Millions Empty Nesters Struggle to Live Alone in China: "Empty nesters" refers to senior citizens in a family without children around, including both the married and the widowed. China has at least 23.4 million "empty nesters" and the number is still growing.

Russia jumps on Chinese poachers: A report by Russian TV One claims that as many as 15 poachers have been caught red-handed by Russian border guards in the past week alone. Frog meat is highly prized in China as a delicacy, and frog fat is used in traditional Chinese medicine.

'Riverdance' Heads to China's Great Hall: When the sequined dancers of the Irish musical sensation "Riverdance'' perform this week in the Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square, they won't merely be ushering in the biggest international production ever to hit China. They'll also be bringing their flashing lights and thundering steps to a swath of hallowed political ground—the enormous stage where Mao Zedong held forth, and where Communist Party leaders still gather for their public spectacles.

Women Question Early Retirement: When the pioneers of New China formulated rules allowing women to retire five years ahead of their male colleagues out of concern for their health, they did not foresee that their goodwill would be resented by many women decades later.

Personalized Cards And More

The Miracle of Adoption has all sorts of items such as:

• Custom Adoption Announcements & Shower Invitations
• Fill-in-the-Blank Announcements & Shower Invitations
• Birth Mother & Birth Mother's Day Cards
• Waiting/infertility
• Congratulations
• Original Adoption Poems Matted Prints
• Chocolate Bar Wrapper Announcements
• Etc.

News

China to launch manned space flight on Oct. 15: After a decade of preparation, China will launch its first human being into space on October 15 in a 90-minute flight that will orbit the Earth once.

Going into space to gain face: Ranked 96th in last year's UN Human Development Index, China still counts itself among the mass of poor, developing nations. Yet it is expected next week to try and put a man into orbit, becoming only the third nation in history to do so.

As Big Brother Fades, Chinese Rush to Say 'I Do': Autumn is always wedding season in China, but this week record numbers of couples have been marrying in cities like Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai, according to officials and news media reports. In Beijing, by one report, more than 2,000 couples were married on Oct. 1, while the state news agency put the nationwide total that day at tens of thousands of couples. Some began lining up at wedding registration offices at 5 a.m.

March 2003 DTC Page

The March 2003 DTC webpage is nicely done and—dare I say?—charming! Check it out.

Local Stories

Rochester couple ask China to let orphan stay: He was found abandoned at a train station in China and ended up at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Carol Nassif, 36, said she fell in love the first time she saw Luke, who's now 3. She and her husband, Rob, 34, decided to try to adopt the boy, who has undergone three heart surgeries at Mayo.

Hannah Is a Cherished Jem From China: Hannah Horst is an American girl. The 18-month-old Lakeland toddler wears Osh Kosh and eats Cheerios, likes to look at books and adores playing with her toys. But her parents, Michelle and Dennis Horst of North Lakeland, are also planning to teach Hannah about her Chinese heritage.

A Can of Worms: A legal tug-of-war between Chinese and American parents who love the same little girl began with an act of kindness.

Featured Website

Chuck and Robin have a wonderful homepage—Our China Jewel—filled with great informatmation and pictures.

China Related TV Guide

China Sprout posts a much-appreciated weekly guide for China Related TV listings.

Beautiful China

8th Grade Documentary

Apple Computer gives awards for creative uses of iLife (an integrated suite of Apple's software for digital music, photography, moviemaking and DVD creation). A recent 1st Place Award was for the documentary Grass Born to Be Stepped On: Women's Rights in China.

For the statewide History Day competition, eighth graders from Mansfield, Connecticut researched the historical impact of rights and responsibilities, and then created powerful documentaries that combine drama with relevant photos, interviews, music, and narration.

The video deals with sensitive subject matter, and may not be suitable for younger children.

(Thanks Deb from RCC!)

Local Story

After trial and trauma, the Wallaces are home: It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.

To be honest I never really understood this old literary reference until three weeks ago when my husband, Eric, and I headed to China to meet the daughter we would adopt and bring home.

NYC Area Play

If you are in the NYC area, check out the play OneFamilyOneChildOneDoor at the Yangtze Theater.

The play is a black comedy on the human costs of China's one-child policy set in 1987 in a small village in south China. It tells the fictional story of Chang, a prosperous farmer who already has a teen-aged daughter whom he cherishes. When his wife is unexpectedly found pregnant again, he decides that this is the son whom his entire clan has been waiting for. But he is not allowed a second child under the one-child policy. Being a law-abiding citizen, Chang has to come up with an ingenious way to meet his dilemma; his impulsive actions and strategy yield hilarious and very surprising results. In heart warming and humorous detail, the comedy peeks into the lives of ordinary citizens who, besides being under the yoke of ancient traditions, have to contend with a system that sets decent people against each other in the interest of the common good.

(Thanks Susan from PAC!)

News

China's 100 Richest 2002 : Forbe's fourth annual list of China's 100 Richest includes 34 new names, led by Shanghai real estate developer Eddie Ye Lipei, who enters at a tie for sixth place.

Illegal rat poison makers may face death penalty in China: China will severely punish those who engage in the illegal making, buying and selling, transporting or storing of "dushuqiang", an arsenic-based rat poison, and other prohibited highly toxic chemicals.

In Paperback!

The Lost Daughters of China is finally out in paperback!

The Lost Daughters of China is that rare book that can be many things to different people. Part memoir, part travelogue, part East-West cultural commentary, and part adoption how-to, Karin Evans's book is greater than the sum of its parts. Evans weaves together her experience of adopting a Chinese infant with observations about Chinese women's history and that country's restrictive, if unevenly enforced, reproductive policies. She and her husband adopted Kelly Xiao Yu in 1997, and anyone curious about adopting from a Chinese orphanage—which houses girls and disabled boys—will learn about the mechanics and the emotional freight of the two-year process. Borrowing an image from Chinese folklore, Evans conveys herself, her husband, and their daughter as tethered by a red string that yoked them across an ocean and an equally awesome cultural divide.

(Note, on Amazon.com, you must click on the paperback link.)

News

Chinese Girls' Toil Brings Pain, Not Riches: Each eyelash was assembled from 464 inch-long strands of human hair, delicately placed in a crisscross pattern on a thin strip of transparent glue. Completing a pair often took an hour. Even with 14-hour shifts most girls could not produce enough for a modest bonus. [New York Times: requires free registration]

One wild, wonderful National Day holiday: The week-long National Day holiday which started yesterday has become both an occasion for celebrating the birth of the country and a time for people to relax, reunite—or tie the marriage knot. Of all the activities being held across the country to celebrate the 54th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, flag-raising ceremonies on National Day are the most precious.

Wan Hu Is In the Stars

Review from Publishers Weekly:

Just as she did in her acclaimed Chin Yu Min and the Ginger Cat, Armstrong uses simple, elegant prose to conjure up the mystical beauty of Chinese folklore. Wan Hu, the hero of this original tale, suffers from classic poet's distraction, endlessly musing about the stars, unaware that he is wearing only one shoe or sporting a rice pot instead of a hat. While the rest of the villagers scoff at the poet's "foolish dreams," the kindly gardener listens to Wan Hu's ambitions of traveling to the heavens to be among the stars. First Wan Hu climbs the highest mountain, then he harnesses a flock of geese so that they might lift him up into the sky. Finally, inspired by a fireworks display, Wan Hu builds himself a contraption that catapults him into the air and out of sight. (Ages 5-up.)

You can order Wan Hu Is In the Stars from Amazon.com.

Also, check out the recent news article about Wan Hu.

(Thanks Barb from MAC!)

News

President urges political reform, expanding democracy: Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Tuesday called for active and steady promotion of political system reform, expansion of socialist democracy and improvement of the socialist legal system.

China—The Next Big Conquest?: They are eye-popping numbers: Some $12 billion worth of goods made in China were sold to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. last year. That's a full 10% of all U.S. imports from China. But the Chinese aren't just Wal-Mart suppliers. They're also Wal-Mart shoppers.

China media fury over 'orgy': The Chinese media are buzzing with indignation over the alleged orgy involving hundreds of Japanese tourists and Chinese prostitutes in the southern city of Zhuhai.