3 China Blog Articles of Note + a Note About China’s Population

First, links to articles of note this week from China expat blogs for your reading pleasure:

1. Born to Be Mild by Ryan. Ever wondered what it would be like to own a scooter in China, or what it will do for your social status? Hop on over to Ryan’s post to find out.
2. The Bookshelf Problem by John. This is a common problem we all run into when trying to learn anything, but especially when trying to learn Chinese. You end up buying far more books than you need to actually learn the language. I know I’ve done it, and if you live in China and study Chinese, you have done it too. The perfect Chinese blog he refers to in his post is this one, of course…
3. Are you NOT Asian? Do you have a talent? Chinese TV needs YOU! by Ben. If you are a foreigner in China (and this includes Chinese Americans and other Asian Americans contrary to Ben’s title – I’ve seen plenty of all types of foreigners on TV lately) and are brave enough to stand up and make a fool of yourself (much of the time this is what Chinese television producers want), you can be on TV in China.  Are you brave enough to do it, though?

China’s Urban Population to hit 50% of Total in Next Ten Years

Translated from this week’s Modern Weekly:

According to a report by the United Nations, in 2008 3.3 billion people will live in cities. In other words, half of the world’s population will live in cities. And China will itself pass the “halfway” threshold within the next 10 years. The explosion in global urban population and physical expansion of cities around the world will turn into the most important factor influencing humankind’s development in the 21st century.

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1. 1|Preya says:
   

   That last statistic is incredible. I wonder if the trend is balanced in Western nations at all with wealthier people moving into the suburbs–often called “white flight”?? Or are suburbs just considered expansions of cities?

2. 2|The Humanaught says:
   

   Haha… you have to tell me how you do those cartoons. They’re great.

   @Preya: I’m betting the suburbs are calculated, as it would be a little unjust to not call them “urban” areas – as they’re certainly not rural (despite what they were the day before yesterday).

3. 3|Jeremy says:
   

   The cartoons are done by Lucy, thank God because I know I couldn’t do them myself – the ‘concept’ sketches look like stick figures on crack – but she manages to make them into good sketches.