Skies and Clouds in China

Something in all of the following scenes caught my attention earlier this week:

A-Ma Temple

Penha Church

Mandarin's House

Taipa Village

Apartments and a Coca-Cola sign

More colorful apartments

Narrow alley in Taipa Village

It was something that would not have caught my attention in the same way before my move to Shanghai 6 years ago. While living there I grew accustomed to only rarely seeing a type of sky that was far more typical where I had lived in the U.S. Regardless of whether Shanghai's common monotone grey skies were mainly due to the local climate or pollution, seeing blue skies with fluffy or wispy clouds seemed special in Shanghai.

However, during the summer of 2010 I noticed that Shanghai's sky appeared surprisingly "normal" on a regular basis. Was this due to a sudden change in climate? Doubtful. Instead, the dramatic change was due to government imposted measure intended to improve the air quality for the World Expo being held in Shanghai. The connection became "clearer" after the World Expo ended. High levels of pollution enveloped Shanghai and once more blotted out the sky. Yet again, everyone was paying a price for China's development. But at least more people knew what was possible.

While the Expo was open I commented to a Shanghainese friend that it was wonderful to see "normal" clouds in Shanghai. She laughed and said many of her Shanghainese friends were expressing confusion online about the "strange" clouds they were seeing. They were not used to such skies on a regular basis.

Their comments reminded me of a friend from nearby Nanjing. A few years earlier after she returned from Japan -- her first trip outside of China -- she told me she loved it there. I asked her, "Why?"

She quickly responded, "Because its sky is so blue!" When I later explained that the blue skies she saw were common in many cities outside of China she looked bewildered. She had assumed the type of sky she commonly saw in Shanghai was typical for cities everywhere.

So after my recent weeks in Shanghai it was with great joy I gazed upon the above scenes. But they are not from Shanghai. They are from one of China's two special administrative regions -- Macau:

Scene from Penha Hill

I am not sure that the air was truly healthy, but the bluish sky and its clouds were nonetheless welcome. And they made a wonderful day of exploring Macau all the better.

The weather has been noticeably hotter than some of the more comfortable days during my time here several months ago. But I do not mind, I have been distracted by the sky.

Scenes of China: For Sale on a Dachang Town Sidewalk

As part of a series on Shanghai's diversity, I have recently shared some scenes of less recently developed and more recently developed areas that can be found in Baoshan District's Dachang Town. This last set of photos from Dachang Town focuses on the sidewalk along the north side of Huanzhen North Road. Although the sidewalk includes some atypical designs, what most captured my eyes was what was the variety of items being sold on it:

Low overhead costs for sellers

Taking time to trim his toenails

Tea sets

Holes had been cut in the box to make it into a mask

Chinese-style fans

Assorted books

Items for kids

The man on the right seemed engrossed with his mobile phone

Clothes and perfume

More clothes

Scenes of China: Older Sections of Dachang Town, Shanghai

Previously, I shared photos of Dachang Town in Baoshan District, Shanghai, that captured some of what I saw there that was more recently developed. In this post I will share some contrasting scenes in Dachang Town from two neighborhoods with styles of architecture from Shanghai's past. Similar neighborhoods have been quickly disappearing in Shanghai, and the two I recently visited in Dachang Town are just small pockets remaining in the midst of more modern residential and commercial buildings. Walking around the small lanes made me feel like I was in another world from the scenes in the previous post despite being within walking distance.

The first area I stumbled upon appears to be part of (or at least near) an area called the Lu Family Residences (according to one Chinese map) in Dachang Town's Lianxi Village (联西村). As I discovered while there, it is just to the south of Shanghai University.

An island of homes in the midst of construction and demolition

At first I saw no obvious path to enter the area from the road that brought me there.

Shanghai's rural side

Public restroom

The building on the right with an awning has a small convenience store.

The shop's owners are a young couple. He is from nearby Jiangsu province and she is from Anhui province.

I can find no name for the second area I visited, but it can be found just northeast of the Changzhong Road Subway Station. And like the other neighborhood, I received some friendly attention and a few confused looks. I doubt many unfamiliar foreigners walk these lanes.

A typical lane

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Open air office

Some older buildings appear to have had more modern renovations.

Girl trying to put a ribbon on her cat

The friendly girl and her family were happy to chat.

Scenes of China: Dachang Town, Shanghai

To show more of Shanghai's diversity (earlier posts: an introduction; Xiaonanmen; Xuhui District; Jing'an District; Hongkou District; near the Huangpu River), I will share some photos from Dachang Town. In the south of Baoshan District (map) in northern Shanghai, Dachang Town covers over 27 square kilometers (over 10 square miles) and has a population of over 370,000 (overview of Dachang Town in Chinese)*. Looking at several maps it appears that most (if not all) of my walk was in Qian Creek Village -- just a small part of Dachang Town, which itself is just a part of Baoshan District.

In this post I will highlight some of the sections that appeared to be more recently developed in comparison to other sections that I will later share. The photos are presented in the order I first encountered the scenes.

Standing at one of the exits for the Changzhong Road Subway Station

Sitting under the tree in this housing development

Outdoor reading

Outdoor haircut

Apartments next to a creek

Vegetables for sale

Seafood section of a large indoor market

More vegetables for sale next to the market

Using a mobile phone next to some drying clothes

Ladder transportation

Auto-rickshaw

Sidewalk scene

This area included many larger stores and restaurants

Several public areas were in use for roller blading lessons

*The only map I could find showing Dachang Town's borders is in Chinese and from 2007.

Two Sides of Shanghai's Huangpu River

On Friday I had an late afternoon appointment that brought me to a taller building in Shanghai's central Huangpu district. To provide a quick look at some more areas of Shanghai (earlier posts: an introduction; Xiaonanmen; Xuhui district; Jing'an district; Hongkou district) I will share the view it provided across the Huangpu River to Lujiazui in Pudong district and just a few other photos from that overcast day:

Office with a view

On the other side of the pedestrian bridge in the photo above is a station for a form of public transportation often neglected by visitors to Shanghai -- a ferry. But before going there I visited a nearby collection of restaurants and bars called the Cool Docks. It includes refurbished buildings from Shanghai's past. Here is some of of what can be found in a section that is behind the main scenes:

3 people and a cat

Although there was plenty to keep one entertained, the nearby ferry beckoned:

A Shanghai ferry

There appears to be more stations in the ferry network than the first time I rode one in Shanghai about 7 years ago. But the route I took to Lujiazui still costs only 2 RMB (about 30 U.S. cents).

On the other side of the Huangpu River I was soon greeted by this sight in Lujiazui:

The heights of Shanghai

The buildings on the left are two of the tallest in the world. The building on the right will eventually tower over them (see here for a view from the building in the middle).

Finally, to balance off all of those earlier photos of unauthorized Apple stores, here is a photo including the entrance to one of the genuine Apple Stores in China.

Superbrand Mall on the far left, circular pedestrian bridge in the center, and Oriental Pearl Tower towards the right

The photo was taken from a rooftop patio at the Shanghai IFC mall -- one of the numerous buildings that did not exist in this rapidly developing area when I first came to Shanghai.

That is all. Soon I will share some photos from another district in Shanghai that will provide quite a contrast to the above scenes.

Eric Schmidt's Comments on China: The Risks for Google

In the previous post, I discussed recent comments made by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Google Chairman Eric Schmidt that link freedom of expression to economic strength. One could worry that Schmidt's claims, such as those about the inevitability of the "political and social liberalization that will fundamentally change the nature of the Chinese government's relationship to its citizenry", could be seen as threatening to the Chinese government and create more problems for Google (more on Schmidt's comments by Josh Rogin here). However, although the Chinese government is very unlikely to be pleased or respond positively, I am not convinced that Schmidt made a mistake in publicly expressing his views. The following provides some of the reasons I feel this way (not intended to be a full review of what is a complex situation with many layers).

What type of risks do Schmidt's comments present for Google?

Some of Google's major services, such as YouTube, are already blocked in China. Even many of Google's services that are "available" face regular interference from China's Great Firewall. Schmidt mentioned a reason he has little optimism for improvements in the near future:

"It's probably the case where the Chinese government will continue to make it difficult to use Google services," said Schmidt. "The conflict there is at some basic level: We want that information [flowing] into China, and at some basic level the government doesn't want that to happen."

Despite the challenges for their online services, according to Google it "continues to thrive" in China (video of Bloomberg interview with Daniel Alegre, president of Google's Asia-Pacific division, here). One of the brighter spots for Google in China is selling global ads to Chinese companies. It seems unlikely these sales would be impacted by Schmidt's comments (Bill Bishop has made this point as well). What happens to Google's services in China has no effect on its services elsewhere in the world. Chinese companies' desire for ad space in foreign markets will likely only increase. Similar to what I discussed in my post last year comparing Google Maps and Baidu Map, Google can offer a world's worth more than any Chinese online service.

Given the already existing problems for Google services in China, a bleak outlook in the near future for the change Google apparently awaits, and at least one of Google's key sources of revenue in China not likely being affected, Google does not have as much to lose in the short term as it could first seem.

The possible benefits to Google if China "strikes back"

Even if China decides to retaliate against Google's online services in China, it could still be to Google's net advantage, particularly in the long term. Some people will positively view Schmidt's comments as evidence that Google is willing to forsake profits in order to hold true to more idealistic aims. Such a view could be strengthened or further considered if China reacts in an obvious manner.

Although any immediate benefit may be most clearly seen in markets such as the U.S., where railing against China's censorship is well received by many, there could also be benefits in China. To be clear, many in China will never see Schmidt's comments. Regardless, the comments can serve as a reminder or signal to a valuable segment of Google's users (and potential users) in China who do hear them and are sympathetic to Schmidt's beliefs and hopes (see the previous post for how tying freedom of expression to China's economy could be relevant in this regards). Schmidt's comments can be yet another drop in the bucket to let people feel "Google still cares". If censorship eventually fails in China as Schmidt expects, Google's consistent strong voice on this topic could provide it with a core block of users/supporters serving as a valuable seed for future growth.

A long term evaluation required

As I wrote before, one of Schmidt's likely hopes is for Google to be prepared for the changes that he believes are inevitable but may not occur in the immediate future. His comments and Google's recent actions suggest they are thinking long term, particularly in regards to the online services they offer (or wish to offer) in China. Although there are other points to consider (for example, I have not touched on Android nor on other ways the Chinese government could respond), the above points suggest there is reason to believe that not only will Schmidt's comments not cause Google great harm, but they could even provide benefits.

A Street Market in Kaili, Guizhou

A follow up to my post about about some of Hillary Clinton's and Eric Schmidt's recent comments is taking longer than I expected. Instead of rushing it, I will for the moment share a scene of a place far away, both in terms of both distance and economic development, from the Shanghai scenes I have recently shared.

A street market in Kaili that is most certainly on the street

Although the city of Kaili in China's southwestern Guizhou province proved to be interesting in several respects, my primary reason for being there was to visit some of the surrounding ethnic minority villages. To see a side of China that is even "further" from Shanghai than Kaili, take a look at a post of some photos I shared last year -- China Scenes: Villages Around Kaili, Guizhou.

Hillary Clinton and Eric Schmidt on the Economics of Freedom in China

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Google Chairman Eric Schmidt recently made separate but similar comments that China needs to provide more freedoms for its people. There is much to mull over, and I recommend reading both of the pieces I reference below and Clinton's speech. In future posts I will soon cover other issues, but I will now briefly focus on a common theme in what Clinton and Schmidt said -- the belief that free expression is critical to China's continued economic development.

Jane Perlez in The New York Times shared some of what Clinton recently said while in Mongolia, a young democracy on China's northern border:

“You can’t have economic liberalization without political liberalization eventually,” [U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton] said. “It’s true that clamping down on political expression or maintaining a tight grip on what people read, say or see can create an illusion of security. But illusions fade — because people’s yearning for liberty don’t.”

In a dig at China as it wrestles with an economic downturn after a decade of double-digit growth, Mrs. Clinton added, “Countries that want to be open for business but closed to free expression will find that this approach comes at cost: it kills innovation and discourages entrepreneurship, which are vital for sustainable growth.”

Clinton's speech also includes a telling passage where she mentions that wealth is not sufficient without freedom but then emphasizes how freedom can lead to more wealth:

We need to make the 21st century a time in which people across Asia don’t only become wealthy; they also must become more free. And each of us can help make that happen through our policies, our programs and our actions. And if we do, the benefit is not only will people be more free, but they will be more secure and more prosperous. If we don’t, we will limit the human and economic potential of this great region.

On the same day as Clinton's speech, Josh Rogin in The Cable shared some of what Schmidt said about his expectation that China's "active, dynamic censorship" will eventually fail:

"I personally believe that you cannot build a modern knowledge society with that kind of behavior, that is my opinion," he said. "I think most people at Google would agree with that. The natural next question is when [will China change], and no one knows the answer to that question. [But] in a long enough time period, do I think that this kind of regime approach will end? I think absolutely."

The push for information freedom in China goes hand in hand with the push for economic modernization, according to Schmidt, and government-sponsored censorship hampers both.

"We argue strongly that you can't build a high-end, very sophisticated economy... with this kind of active censorship. That is our view," he said.

The way Clinton and Schmidt both frame the benefits of increased freedoms is significant. The freedoms they speak of do not always directly address the pragmatic day to day concerns of many Chinese and may be easily dismissed in the face of other challenges. But expressing their value in terms of an issue that is a major concern for most in China -- economic growth -- may catch more attention and cause deeper consideration. Even if people are not convinced of the connection between free speech and China's economy, what could matter most at first is if more people in China simply further consider the possibility that what is in the interests of the U.S. and Google could also be in their own best interests.

There may be some short term pains due to what has been recently said, and the potential gains may not appear soon (something I will further address in a later post). But Clinton and Schmidt do not appear to be solely focused on the short term. One of Clinton's goals is to help convince China to change. Her speech is just a small part of that effort. One of Schmidt's likely goals is for Google to be prepared for the changes that he believes are inevitable. Yet these changes will still require "a long enough time period" to be realized. And both of their hopes for increasing freedoms in China may be more likely or more quickly realized due to something that matters to many people in China and elsewhere --- money.

Twitter for Good in Shanghai

While waiting to meet a friend at a mall in Shanghai's Pudong district I briefly stopped by a small English language bookstore. Although Shanghai has mobile bookstores, there are reasons, such as quality, fakes, and selection, to buy books from more reputable dealers.

During my visit to the store, I noticed one section labeled "Chinese Related":

It contained a variety of books that did not seem to fit the category, but a book about Twitter in this row especially caught my attention:

"Twitter for Good: Change the World One Tweet at a Time" by Claire Diaz-Ortiz, who "lead[s] social innovation at Twitter", has been described:

As recent events in Japan, the Middle East, and Haiti have shown, Twitter offers a unique platform to connect individuals and influence change in ways that were unthinkable only a short time ago. In Twitter for Good, Claire Diaz Ortiz, Twitter’s head of corporate social innovation and philanthropy, shares the same strategies she offers to organizations launching cause-based campaigns. Filled with dynamic examples from initiatives around the world, this groundbreaking book offers practical guidelines for harnessing individual activism via Twitter as a force for social change.

Similar to how Facebook's popularity as a political tool in Taiwan likely caught the attention of mainland Chinese officials, the realization that Twitter allows individuals to join together and be a "force for social change" is likely at least part of the reason the online social networking service is now blocked in China.

So it could be expected that Twitter for Good would also be unavailable in China. But in addition to the bookstore I visited it is (currently) listed for sale on the Chinese online retail website 360buy and the Chinese online auction websites Paipai, and Taobao. It is also listed on Douban -- a Chinese social networking service website "allowing registered users to record information and create content related to movies, books, and music". However, no copies appear to be listed on several major online retailers for books such as Dangdang, 99 Online Bookstore, or Amazon.com China, despite those sites offering other books about Twitter such as Twitter Revolution. Regardless of whether or not there is a ban on Twitter for Good, it appears to be openly sold in China. Like the availability of other books about Twitter -- in English and Chinese -- it highlights the fuzziness of the line between what is and is not censored there.

Despite the Chinese government's concerns, there are signs that there are agencies with hopes for online social networking services in China -- particularly Sina Weibo. Unlike Twitter, Sina Weibo's ability and willingness to quickly censor its content per the Chinese government's desires provides a degree of control. This control combined with Sina Weibo's large reach can make it a attractive tool. For example, after an incident of a seriously injured girl being ignored by numerous passersby government officials reached out through Weibo:

The Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC Guangdong Committee on Tuesday published a message on Weibo calling for citizens to make suggestions on how the law could better assist those who offer help to people in danger.

The message read: "Please stop the coldness. Guangdong province is going to hold a discussion to criticize the behavior of leaving people in mortal danger out of indifference, and to advocate the spirit to lend a hand to those who need help. Your advice may be written into the province's legislative rules."

Maybe those Chinese officials could learn something useful from Twitter for Good to improve their efforts on Sina Weibo. In that sense, maybe Twitter for Good is indeed "Chinese Related".

Regardless, although Diaz-Ortiz would likely appreciate her books being read by more people in China (especially if the books are not unlicensed copies), she may prefer something even simpler that could also potentially aid positive social change in China -- unblocking Twitter.