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The Rickshaw Report: The Best and Worst of 2015

For this week’s Rickshaw Report, we ask two Beijing Rickshaw drivers about their highs and lows of 2015. 1. What was the highlight of your year? A.I had a Japanese customer this year. We chatted a lot about Chinese and Japanese culture and history. I realized that both our countries actually have a lot in common. The experience really opened my eyes. B. A lot of my friends got married…and, of course, I had to spend a lot of money on their celebratory gifts. So much money down the drain! 2. What do you think of China’s role in the world during 2015? A.I think China needs to make a greater effort to show the world that it can handle its country’s affairs with confidence. B. During the 19th century, China was weak and was overpowered by Western nations as well as Japan. However, recently, we have seen China’s rise as it has developed into a more powerful world power. China calls itself a peaceful country, and its actions reflect this. 3. What was the best news story of 2015? A. Too many to chose from. I am just happy that the area that I work in has become more calm and less crowded. B. (In a grumpy voice) This year brought no good news. 4. And what was the […]

Uncategorized Dec 31, 2015

UK Chancellor: We Want to be China’s Best Partner in the West

“There are those who say we should fear China’s rise – that we should somehow guard ourselves against it. But we reject such thinking, which would simply leave the UK slipping behind. Instead, we should embrace it,” George Osborne, the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced shortly before his five-day trip to China. The declaration was boldly made in an Observer article, which was also co-written by Lord O’Neil, a past economist for Goldman Sachs and the present commercial secretary to the UK’s Treasury. The article argues that “The future prosperity of [ the UK] depends on us strengthening our relationship with the world’s next superpower.” O’Neil and Osborne put forth that by reinforcing the UK’s relationship with the world’s second largest economy, the British would gain greater business opportunities in areas such as manufacturing and infrastructure, whilst the country’s economic stability would also be promoted as more Chinese enterprises would be drawn to expand their businesses in the UK. In some ways, the article almost reads as a love letter to China – surging with the enthusiastic compliments that are almost certainly aimed at getting the Chinese weak at the knees. The grand affirmations – such as “want[ing] to make the UK China’s best partner in the west,” – definitely give off such an impression. These songs of praise […]

Uncategorized Dec 25, 2015

The Rickshaw Report: Xi's Visit to the USA

1. Xi Jinping is set to meet with Obama this week. How is the current relationship between the US and China? I think the relationship is very straightforward. They are both on friendly terms, but are also cautious of each other. There is no permanent friend or enemy, only a permanent interest. 2. Who is your favourite American person? As a child, I was really inspired by American action movie stars, like Alain Delon and Sylvester Stallone. ( Editor: Alain Delon is actually a French-Swiss national – not from the USA.) They were tough men! On another note, I really think former US President Bill Clinton played a major role in strengthening the US-China relationship. 3. How do the Chinese regard the USA? It’s hard to say. In regards to the government, two issues stand out. Firstly, their policies are all based on their own national interest – but every country is like that. Secondly, the American government does not always do what it says it will. But the Chinese government does what it says it will do. However, we see American people as nice and down-to-earth. When they say something, they will follow through with it as a result of their good education. I have met a lot of foreigners from the USA. 4. Which issues pose the biggest […]

Uncategorized Dec 23, 2015

The Rickshaw Report: China and the UK

1. What do Chinese people think of the UK? On the whole, we think Brits are polite and well-mannered. However, this is just a generalization – of course, there can be exceptions! 2. The UK and China have had their ups and downs. They fought each other during the Opium Wars, and the British – alongside the French – were even responsible for the burning down of the old Summer Palace. How is the relationship now? Look, people sometimes have disagreements with their colleagues, however, cooperation lies in everyone’s interests. Friendships can go up and down, but as long as their mutual interests will exist, so will the friendship. 3. One of the UK’s top politicians wants his homeland to become China’s best partner in the West. What are your thoughts? Both countries are trying to make use of each other, but doesn’t mean that they are also trying to help each other. As for the negative episodes of the past, like the Opium Wars, both UK and China have moved past these – its all water under the bridge now. 4. After the UK announced its membership of the China-led AIIB, the USA accused the UK of ‘constant accommodation’ to China. What do you make of this? The USA seriously accuses the UK of this? This reminds me of […]

Uncategorized Dec 22, 2015

China alleged to invest in EU Infrastructure Fund

Reuters recently announced that the Chinese government shall contribute ‘an multi-billion dollar investment’ towards European Union’s investment fund, the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI). According to a draft communiqué presented to Reuters, the exact figure of the investment offer has not yet been confirmed. Furthermore, it has been suggested that China will make the pledge at a Brussels summit in late June 2015. The Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is also expected to participate at the high-level event. Both EU and China representatives have noted that China will predominately seek to back projects within the areas of telecommunication and technology. The EFSI was initiated by the European Commission in late 2014 to offer finance infrastructure programs in sectors such as energy, transport, education, and innovation . However, its introduction was met with criticism from the European press. In November 2014, The Telegraph commented that the investment fund, worth 315 billion euros, “ provide[s] almost no new money of its own and is relying on subprime forms of financial engineering [and] depends on leverage that increases the headline figure by 15 times, leaving EU taxpayers bearing the heaviest risk while private investors are shielded from losses.” As a result, the prospect of a financial injection from China will very likely come as a great relief to European Commission. The news coincides with […]

Uncategorized Dec 14, 2015

The Rickshaw Report: The UN Climate Change Summit

1. This December, 140 world leaders of the most powerful world leaders will meet in Paris for the UN Climate Change Summit. Xi Jingping made a speech at the Opening Ceremony. What do you know about Climate Change? I think climate change is real. Over the past years, the temperature seems to be steadily increasing. I think this phenomenon has been provoked from mankind’s activities. 2. Consequences of global warming include heat waves, droughts and flooding, which threaten the lives of humans as well as animals. Do you find this worrying? That’s what will happen if global warming continues. I heard also that the polar icecaps are already melting, causing the sea to rise by 2 meters a day. Before, we had no vehicles on the streets, so there was no pollution at all. But now, the technology is getting more developed, and the automobile making industry has boomed leading to more and more pollution. But I think, as common people, we do not have any control over this matter. We cannot stop anything, but we will have to suffer from the results. 3. Is climate change a big topic amongst Chinese people? Of course, Chinese people talk about it. We also complain a lot about the polluted air. But, just like I said before, I do not think our […]

Uncategorized Dec 10, 2015

Confucius Peace Prize Provokes Confusion

On September 28th, Zimbabwean President and current Chair of the African Union, Robert Mugabe, was declared the honourable recipient of the Confucius Peace Prize. To put it mildly, the news has managed to raise an eyebrow or two. However, to the dismay of many, the winner seems to have actually declined the award – a tasteful golden figurine of Mr Confucius himself – as well as the 500,000 yuan (around 78,910 US Dollars) cash prize. The surprising turn of events has left us with only one question: why was the prize rejected? According to Liu Zhiqin, whom The Global Times describes as a ‘special consultant’ to the judging panel of the Confucius Peace Prize, the Zimbabwean leader may have refused the award due to ‘political pressure’ – arguably inflicted by the Western media or Zimbabwean political opponents. However, it seems that Mugabe has refused the award after discovering it actually bears no relation to the Chinese government. According to The Guardian, Mugabe’s his spokesman George Charamba stated “The Chinese government informed the Zimbabwean government it was not associated with the conferring organization. The matter ended there as far as government and the president were concerned.” Instead, the Confucius Peace Prize – which seems fairly unknown amongst most Chinese – was founded by a group of scholars in 2010 as a […]

Uncategorized Dec 5, 2015

Climate Change: The Greatest Challenge for Our Generation

Global warming is an undeniable reality. Its adverse effects threaten both humanity and nature. Indeed, mounting evidence makes clear that climate change may very well be the greatest challenge that our  generation will have to face.  As a result, the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (also known as the COP21)  is one of the most significant events of 2015, not only for the 195 nations who have sent their teams to negotiate at the Paris summit, but also for ordinary citizens. The agreements reached at the summit will have a long-term impact on the lives of people throughout the globe. As The Guardian notes “the decisions […] will affect everything from which power plants provide you energy to what food you eat and how likely your home is to flood or be hit by extreme weather in the future.” Over the next two weeks, countries will endeavor to work out a deal for beyond 2020 ( the year the Kyoto Protocol expires) in order to maintain global warming to a 2c increase. In particular, countries will need to agree on commitments to limit their greenhouse emissions as well as usage of polluting fossil fuels. Needless to say, the outcome of the convention will also be greatly influenced by the endeavors of […]

Uncategorized Dec 1, 2015