Tag Archives: Li Keqiang

Why you should take headlines from China with a sack of salt

The headlines from China that make their way into the sports sections of western media very often contain errors, falsehoods and sometimes just downright lies. Two rules of thumb: if it sounds too good to be true, it is; and be very, very careful with numbers. Here’s a selection of recent stories that have stretched the truth in various ways… 

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The future direction of China’s sports policy

Politics trumps everything in China, so when all the top leaders gather in Beijing for their annual meetings, it’s worth paying attention. Sports is not – it must be stressed – a top priority at the “Two Sessions” or Lianghui, but it does get a mention every now and then. Below are the relevant moments from the week’s major speeches, plus some attempts to read the tea leaves. 

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Nanjing Youth Olympics: worth the fuss?

With the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games (YOG) drawing to a close earlier this week after receiving little to none global attention, the few people who were watching have been debating the merits of the spectacle. In general, those who were there appear to have been won over by the Chinese penchant for ‘Bigger is Better’, while those who weren’t were more than happy to pile on.

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