SCFBM says the new rule is designed to protect national secrets and copyright. In a recent interview with Caijing, the SCFBM added:

Recently, some industry workers have engaged in professional misconduct over the use of information, and have wantonly transferred and disseminated secret information, and have put this information attained through professional means on social media. Some industry workers have exploited their position or influence for inappropriate gain, leading to an illegal transgression. This behavior has disrupted the systematic broadcast of news, and has damaged the Party and national interests. To strengthen the information management of industry workers is to strengthen the establishment and preservation of the urgent requirements of systematic news broadcasting. This is also to guarantee the healthy development and promotion of domestic news.

The SCFBM then explained the requirements this law will make upon news industry workers:

First, in dealing with information related to national secrets, industry workers must abide by the “Preservation of National Secrets Law” and other regulations. They are forbidden to illegally copy, record, or store national secrets; forbidden to transmit national secrets in any way or form; forbidden to transmit this information as an individual. Secondly, in regards to information not classified as a national secret, newsrooms must establish a unified management system whereby a signed contract that forbids the transmitting of secrets by holding the person responsible. News industry personnel must abide by all these regulations. Workers can not work for other foreign media or websites, work as a “special correspondent“, special author or special columnist.

No specific details were given pertaining to what will happen to journalists who breach the new contract.

The awkward father and daughter relationship in the movie Eat Drink Man Woman. Photo credit: Daily Life

Did you know that 87% of Chinese college students find it embarrassing to tell their fathers “I love you”? It’s true, according to Guangzhou Daily.

It’s no secret that Chinese can be emotionally reserved. Although saying “I love you” is common in English, the phrase is rarely expressed among Chinese families, Global Times reported.

“I love you” in Chinese and English. Photo credit: New Castle China Town

Sure, college students might be embarrassed to say it; but, you might be surprised to know that their parents are equally as embarrassed to hear it.

In one clip taken from Anhui TV station showing college students telling their parents they love them, the parents’ responses were priceless: “What is going on?”, “Are you drunk?”, or “Are you pregnant?” One father seen in a similar video clip by Shanghai TV replied bluntly: “I am going to a meeting, so cut the crap.”

The Global Times interviewed Peking University sociologist, Xia Xueluan, who said Chinese parents are different from their American counterparts and are not used to hearing the phrase from their children. Instead of expressing positive emotions, they are more prone to express negative language when educating children, Xia added.

Things change when looking at the actions of those same Chinese students: a full 76% said they would send text messages or call their fathers on Father’s Day. Some said they would help out with household chores or give their fathers a shoulder massage, the report said.

At the end of the day, 98% of respondents will use Weibo or online forums to send their love to their fathers, which will probably be retweeted or seen by hundreds or thousands of people; but, not their fathers.

Photos: Daily Life, New Castle China Town 

Those children! While we can’t stay mad at such innocent precociousness, there’s a valuable lesson to be learned here in trying to better take care of one’s own passport. Why can’t more news stories have morals to them?

It turns out, however, that this story may not be true at all. Purveyor of video games and fan boy mediator Kotaku recently pointed out that there are several anomalies seen in the photo of a passport defaced by a child that bring its authenticity into question, such as:

• all key identification (name, passport number) completely eradicated
• passport photograph also altered to hide identity
• ink lines retain same pixel width throughout
• ink drawings retain a flat plane inconsistent with the bending of the paper in a three-dimensional space (a la MS Paint)
• no smearing on a document with a gloss covering
• ink markings fly off right side of page into space
• immaculate detailing of a flower judged too advanced for a four year-old child

Have a look for yourself:

These all appear to be good points, though that last one seems a little harsh; after all, we are talking about Chinese children. Are children from other parts of the world able to detain their parents at customs with such artistic bombastic aplomb? We suppose we’ll need to allow an independent international body like UNICEF to settle that issue.

Kotaku’s Brian Ashcraft points out the story may have been inspired by a similar case published earlier this year in which a Chinese man was also detained in South Korea when his passport was defaced by his son.

But if that is the case, and this story is proven to be a hoax, then how will people of the world learn this important life lesson?

Photos: Kotaku

But that misses one of the fastest-growing social networks in China at the moment: Weixin/WeChat. Today we’re happy to announce we’re finally live on WeChat.  You can follow us using the QR code below, or by searching for the account named The Nanfang.

We’ll be sharing a selection of stories and must-see events on our WeChat account, so follow us!

We’re also getting our mobile site in order just in time. The mobile version of The Nanfang works decently well on iOS devices, but there are still some bugs on Android. Hang in there, as our development team is working on it and you’ll notice changes in the coming weeks.