An apple for teacher (but no iPads please)

SEPTEMBER 10th is Teachers’ Day in China, an annual celebration of the contribution of educators. Inaugurated in 1985, it used to be a day for students to express thanks to school and university staff by making cards and giving flowers.[Read More …] Plant Earth Water

A moderate silenced

AFTER a two-day trial last week, Ilham Tohti, a scholar who has spoken critically of China’s policies toward people of his Uighur ethnicity, was sentenced on September 23rd to life in prison for separatism.[Read More …] Plant Earth Water

Class struggle

THOUSANDS of students in Hong Kong are boycotting classes this week to lie on sprawling lawns outside government headquarters and discuss topics such as “post-totalitarianism” and George Orwell’s book “Animal Farm” (see their protest calendar, in Chinese, here).[Read More …] Plant Earth Water

About-face

THE Confucius Institutes programme, an ambitious soft-power effort by China to support education overseas, has been dealt a setback by one of its most prestigious American partners. On September 25th the University of Chicago announced it was “suspending” negotiations with Chinese officials to continue its Confucius Institute.[Read More …] Plant Earth Water

Online learning is becoming more popular

NEARLY 7m students began their courses at Chinese universities at the start of a new academic year this month. In line behind them, a new cohort is already cramming for next year’s university entrance-examination, the notorious gaokao.[Read More …] Plant Earth Water

Tensions rise

Since late September demonstrators in Hong Kong have staged continuous street protests to press their demands for full democracy and the removal of the territory’s chief executive, Leung Chun-ying. On October 3rd tensions rose as residents opposed to the civil-disobedience campaign confronted the demonstrators.[Read More …] Plant Earth Water

Ebbing, but maybe not ending

THE number of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong has shrunk from tens of thousands at the demonstrations’ peak to a few hundred scattered across three districts of the city, as people return to work and classes.[Read More …] Plant Earth Water

Won’t get fooled again

THE number of demonstrators rallying to Occupy Central has dwindled in recent days, but the cancellation of proposed talks with the government means that the crisis is far from over[Read More …] Plant Earth Water