National News

Will Yao Play?

China's hopes for basketball gold rest on Yao's tender fee
There are 157 days until the Olympics, but for China, it's the next 120 days that matter, as Yao Ming recovers from foot surgery. The season-ending injury has raised a firestorm of debate about whether the All-Star center should take the court in August. Yao has made it clear that not playing would be devastating, a sentiment which drew criticism in the U.S. The New York Times called it the “perfect career-imperiling storm,” but Rockets teammates, who have the most to lose, defended their teammate saying that people in the U.S. just didn't understand what the Beijing Olympics meant for the 7'6” center. Yao went in for surgery last month and Netease.com reports that it was successful, but he's looking at a four-month rest, followed by rehab. "I'm lucky,” Yao said, “the operation went smoothly. I look forward to returning to my team soon, even if just to cheer for them." Yao's doctor was more optimistic, "Yao will definitely join the Beijing Olympic Games.”

Guizhou

Fapiao Fakes
The Chinese government has come down hard on China's biggest underground industry: the fake fapiao. The Economist reports that late last year the government arrested suspects in possession of fake sales slips worth ￥200 billion in Guizhou, easily the largest of the nearly 3,000 cases uncovered by authorities last year. On Feb. 22, four men were convicted of fraudulently producing bogus receipts valued at ￥1.05 trillion (US$147 billion), equal to Google's current market capitalization. Think about that next time you want to buy fake receipts at the train station.

China vs WORLD

China Says

China City Traffic Cops Given 43 Years to Live CRI “Pollution was the chief culprit, but stress, traffic noise and standing long periods in the sun were also to blame.”

More Chinese Children Exposed to Online Danger CRI “41 percent of Chinese children have talked to an online stranger about sex or something that made them feel uncomfortable.”

The World Says

Beijing Campaign Wants Nice Cops UPI “Those unable to force a friendly smile can be fired.”

Chinese Film Warns of Teenage Net Dangers The Register (UK) “In a bid to shine a light on the problems, Internet Teenagers follows the effort of 'model teacher' Suo Lala to help a group of 'problem children.'”

DIGITS
➜ 7:3
No more Spongebob or Voltron? Chinese government officials responsible for enhancing innovation in the domestic cartoon industry have demanded that at least 70 percent of all cartoons be 100 percent Chinese.
➜ 1,798
The reported average monthly starting salary of a Chinese college graduate in RMB.
➜ 60
The percentage of post-menopausal Chinse women more likely to get breast cancer after switching to a "meat and sweet" Western style diet from a "veg and soy" Chinese diet.