The proposed 24 hectare park will include a monument to the victims. It will also house new city kindergartens and some 5,000 new apartments for residents whose homes were damaged in the blast.

High traces of cyanide were discovered at the blast site last month, which officials maintain pose no health risk to Tianjin residents.

Twelve suspects have been detained in connection with the explosions, including 11 officials and port executives accused of dereliction of duty and abuse of power. No criminal charges have been laid.

Last month, the Communist Party fired the head of China’s work safety regulator for suspected corruption. Coincidentally, the regulator was the former deputy mayor of Tianjin. Despite firing the official, the Party has not accused him of any direct responsibility for the explosion.

A growing death toll from the Tianjin blasts currently puts the number of fatalities at 160.

The post Tianjin Explosion Site To Be Turned Into Commemorative Park appeared first on The Nanfang.

A Shanghai Daily pixellated cartoon shows a hand marked “Purge” cutting the tongue of a cell phone marked “Online Rumors”.

Nearly 200 people have been punished by law enforcement authorities in China for posting content online regarding the Tianjin explosions, the recent Chinese stock market crash, and the upcoming September 3rd military parade in Beijing, calling them malicious rumors.

In a statement released yesterday, the Ministry of Public Security said 165 accounts have been closed for violating current laws and 197 people arrested. The statement did not what punishments they face.

The ministry’s statement said these people were punished for publishing rumors like “man jumped to death in Beijing due to stock market slump,” “at least 1,300 people were killed in Tianjin blasts” and content regarding Thursday’s military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

This latest crackdown on Chinese internet users follows last week’s announcement that some 15,000 people had been been arrested for committing various cyber crimes in an attempt to “clean the internet”. Days before that, 50 websites were shut down for “spreading false rumors” pertaining to the Tianjin explosions.

For the past two years, China’s Public Security Ministry has undergone a continuous campaign to stop rumors from spreading online, claiming such behavior needs to be wiped out. This past March, new regulations for WeChat users strictly forbid a number of things including lying and the using the names of famous people.

China has been accused of censoring information regarding last week’s “Black Monday” stock market crash, while the BBC reports that netizen discussion in the wake of the Tianjin explosions have been muted by online censors.

The post China Punishes 197 for “Spreading Rumors” on the Internet appeared first on The Nanfang.

In an attempt to “clean the internet” of “improper online speech”, the Ministry of Public Security arrested suspects committing a number of internet crimes, including illegally obtaining personal information, tampering with online information, uploading gambling content, and fraud. Some suspects allegedly hacked into company and government websites before committing the crimes.

The Ministry reported that police investigated approximately 7,400 cases of internet crime, but there’s no word on when the arrests were made.

The announcement comes just days after some 50 Chinese websites were shut down for “spreading false rumors” about the Tianjin explosions and “inciting panic”. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) permanently closed 18 websites and suspended another 32 for publishing stories that claimed  “more than 1,000 people were killed” in the Tianjin blasts.

The Associated Press says at least one person was detained for allegedly reporting an exaggerated death toll of the blasts.

The crackdown seems to have effected online netizen discussion of the Tianjin blasts, which has been notably muted in tone. The BBC reported that Chinese authorities censored online discussion in the wake of the blast, targeting articles and discussion threads referencing the terms “Tianjin” and “explosion”. Chinese netizens have been most critical regarding the lack of local Tianjin media coverage the day following the August 12 explosion.

Earlier this year, more than 200 lawyers, bloggers and activists were targeted with police detention and questioning. Amnesty International called the police action “unprecedented”, arguing that the “Chinese authorities must end their assault on human rights lawyers.”

The post China Cracks Down Online, Arresting Thousands for Internet Crimes appeared first on The Nanfang.

The dead fish appeared yesterday about six kilometers away from the blast sight.

The director of the Tianjin Environmental Monitoring Centre, Deng Xiaowen, said his department will immediately look into it. Other agencies such as the fisheries department are also said to be investigating.

Deng said there isn’t enough evidence yet to blame the chemical explosion for the dead fish, adding it could be from any number of reasons (which is in itself alarming). Some reports say the waters around Tianjin are so polluted anyway fish often die at this time of year.

At the present time, wWater in Tianjin harbor is locked behind a sluice, preventing it from escaping into the neighboring Bohai Sea. Tests on the water indicate it does not meet environmental standards.

Meanwhile, the chief engineer at the Tianjin Environmental Protection Bureau and head of the environmental protection team at the scene of the explosion Bao Jingling said the blast area is under military control as they test for chemicals and other pollutants. This past Monday, Bao reassured the people of Tianjin that there was no threat to their health in the wake of the explosions. “People do not need to worry about the air and water quality around the blast zone,” said Bao.

Bao pointed out that no harmful pollutants, including sodium cyanide, were found in samples collected from rivers, waste water and the sea. Meanwhile, the State Oceanic Administration said no harmful pollutants were found in the Bohai Sea around Tianjin in tests as of Sunday.

So far 114 people have died from the explosions and 69 remain unaccounted for.

The post This Isn’t Good: Tens of Thousands of Dead Fish Surface After Tianjin Explosion appeared first on The Nanfang.

A 26 year-old man named Chen from Guangdong was caught red-handed by a police patrol on Sunday morning carrying stolen property. Since August 13, the day after the explosions, Chen has been entering homes in the Vanke Harbor City residential complex. He has able to pilfer around RMB 12,000 ($877) worth of cash and goods in the form of jewelry and electronics over three days.

A police patrol found Chen to be acting suspiciously at around 8am on August 16. An investigation determined Chen had stashed the stolen goods in a wooded area of the complex, and was getting ready to leave just when he was arrested.

Meanwhile, a Sohu report says that six thieves have been arrested by Tianjin police for looting homes in the disaster area.

At least 114 people have died and 70 remain missing due to the August 12 Tianjin explosions.

The post Guy Caught Looting Tianjin Homes While Residents Were Evacuated appeared first on The Nanfang.

Fears of further chemical contamination after last week’s warehouse explosion in Tianjin have risen further after white foam bubbles were seen throughout the city after the first rainfall since the disaster.

Netizens and news agencies posted pictures of the bubbles online, some of them appearing on Huanghai Road near the Meihua Hotel, where the press conferences regarding the Tianjin explosions have been held.

However, despite the concerns of an anxious public that has been frazzled by reports of cyanide being found throughout the city, the Tianjin government is assuring everyone that the “white foam” does not pose a threat to public safety.

Deng Xiaowen, director of the Tianjin environmental protection monitoring center, said the the 17 environmental monitoring stations set up around the city in the wake of the blasts have not noticed any significant changes since the rainfall began yesterday morning in Tianjin.

With the white foam appearing five kilometers away from the blast zone, Deng said it was unlikely that the explosive material had made it that far away. Deng said crews have not found a substantial amount of cyanide either before or after the rain, calling the white foam a “normal phenomenon” that occurs during rainfall.

Officials say some 700 tons of sodium cyanide were on site at the August 12 explosions that killed 114 people and has left another 70 still missing. The sodium cyanide is described as remaining mostly intact after the blast.

Here are more photos of the foam:

Related:

• China Strengthens Censorship After Tianjin, Shutting Websites and Restricting Information
• Newspaper Cartoon on Tianjin Sums Everything Up
• Tianjin Residents Near Blast Site: “No One Told Us There Were Chemicals Here”
• CCTV Cuts Short Tianjin Press Conference After Uncomfortable Questions

The post Mysterious Bubbling Foam Falls from the Sky After Rain in Tianjin appeared first on The Nanfang.

Four Chinese people are confirmed to have been killed by the blast, two of which were from Hong Kong, two women aged 19 and 24. Another 15 Chinese have been injured. With the memory of last week’s Tianjin blast still fresh in people’s minds, yesterday’s explosion resonated among Chinese netizens, even if it was to illicit a jaded response.

Here then are some Chinese reactions to the Bangkok bombing in which many of them drew parallels with the Tianjin explosion, which so far has claimed 114 fatalities with 70 still missing:

无敌双1988：
Fight back against any form of terrorist attack! Bunch of inhumane animals!

天地一芥：
Is this to shift the focus on domestic issues?

YYYMMua:
What is there to say? At the first opportunity, the casualties were announced to the outside world for the Tianjin explosion. There is no way during organized large-scale search and rescue efforts to confirm the number of dead. On another day, another country, the same situation has happened in Tianjin. The cause behind both of these explosions is not necessarily the same.

云下的浪子：
Don’t go to places with a lot of people; it can only be this way. This contempible, lousy world is too ruthless.

周洲Z_Z：
Isn’t everyone saying that most of this was for the Chinese people?

cocogtw：
My goodness! Yet another explosion!!

kou_离离原：
I hope this was not directed at Chinese tourists… 

尼玛团成团：
I haven’t yet wiped my bum clean when there’s now a new news story that overtakes the important issues.

JKuing：
The frequency of explosions lately is awfully high.

唯一的隐士：
Don’t worry about Thailand. There’s lots still unknown about Tianjin that needs media there.

Miss桃Yy：
The explosion in Tianjin was so big. How could they be part of the fatality list if they were unable to find the bodies? Some people’s brains don’t work properly. If you can find them, then do so!

杨树与海豚：
The (explosions in) Tianjin and Bangkok don’t contradict each other, okay? They are both news; don’t be constantly shouting out that this is just a diversion.

番番番番茄控：
Oh my goodness, what kind of fantasic logic is this? We are all very sad over the Tianjin explosions, but just because we reported the events of August 12, does this mean that we can’t publish other news!? In terms of body count, Tianjin was the bigger explosion. In the resulting chaos, who can put together a precise fatality count? Can a count be made just because you say so? The bodies of so many of our fallen compatriots can’t even be pieced back together! Don’t idly spend all day calling things into question! At this time, you need to put trust into your own country!

窦庆阳：
Yo momma… What is up with China at the moment? Okay, I can handle problems in China, but now tragedy is befalling Chinese in other countries. I pray for the victims, and hope for peace for our country! I love my mighty China!

小小小女子521：
I pray for my mighty China, may the heavens bless my mighty China. Bless the Chinese people with health and safety!

进击之win_记：
There has been a lot of explosions lately…

夢想家PCfan：
Explosions: do they bring contaminated pollutants as well?

IKeyi：
There are Chinese people everywhere.

猪猪猫儿：
So many sons of bitches I need to take care of! You know, many Chinese were hurt in the Bangkok bombing! You brain dead shitheads! How can this be changing the subject, and not caring anymore about our own country? I really think you need to go get your head checked out by a doctor.

The post Chinese Debate Bangkok Bombings in Shadow of Tianjin appeared first on The Nanfang.

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has permanently shut down 18 websites, including chefu.com and 127q.com, and has given month-long suspensions to 32 others for spreading rumors regarding the explosions. The offending websites were punished for publishing “inflated fatality numbers”, with one claiming “more than 1,000 people were killed.” Another said “no one survived in the blast radius of 1,000 meters.”

As of today, the official fatality count is 112 dead, with 95 victims still missing.

According to BBC News, Chinese authorities have censored online discussion in the wake of the blast, notably articles and discussion threads referencing the terms “Tianjin” and “explosion”. Netizens have been particularly outspoken, complaining that local news reports haven’t provided updated information on the tragedy.

Meanwhile, state-run media outlet Global Times has lashed out at those making critical comments after the explosion. Urging the public to “Rein in carping queries”, the Global Times said now is not the time for criticism:

If some reporters or opinion leaders stormed into questioning the rescue operation, they should then seriously reflect on their constructiveness. These questions have led to mistrust from the public toward the rescue efforts, just when the rescuers needed encouragement and support the most.

The post China Strengthens Censorship After Tianjin, Shutting Websites and Restricting Information appeared first on The Nanfang.

As the number of fatalities from last week’s explosion in Tianjin continues to rise – with the count now at 112 dead and 95 missing – so too does the demand for compensation as property owners petition the government to buy back their homes that were damaged in the blast.

Local residents say they were not aware of the dangerous chemicals that were stored so close to their homes.

Having bought an apartment in Tianjin’s Binhai port area in 2013, 27 year-old Liu Xuerui is one of many local residents who don’t want to live there anymore. “We thought there were just piles of containers and parking lots for imported cars. Nobody told us that there were chemicals, or I would never have chosen to live here.”Nobody told us that there were chemicals, or I would never have chosen to live here,” said Liu.

Zhang Lu, another property owner caught in the blast, also wants answers. “We deserve an explanation over why the warehouse was built near my home without my knowledge,” said Zhang.

But it isn’t just answers that local resident want from the government in the wake of last week’s explosion. For the second day in a row, property owners held a demonstration to petition the government to purchase their damaged homes.

Protestors demonstrated outside the Tianjin hotel where government officials have been holding press conferences, carrying banners and holding up pictures of property damage and personal injuries. Holding signs saying things like, “Binhai property owners love the Chinese Communist Party and trust the government”, the protestors say they are afraid for their personal safety and are concerned of poisonous gases entering their homes.

The second day of protests from the property owners also saw an increased police presence. While yesterday’s protest was met by four to five police officers, today’s protest saw the presence of SWAT police and armed police officers.

Although residents say they weren’t informed of the presence of volatile chemicals, a public notice on the Binhai New Area’s website on September 10 last year indicated that the company had changed the purpose of its warehouses to allow for the temporary storage of dangerous chemicals during export and import procedures.

Southern Metropolis Daily reported that Ruihai International Logistics, the company operating the warehouse where the blast occurred, had stored 700 tons of sodium cyanide on its premises when the explosion happened. The report said Ruihai is only permitted to store ten tons of sodium cyanide on its premises.

The Tianjin head of propaganda said he is confident the government can satisfy the concerns of residents, but Liu and Zhang say they are not moving back to their damaged homes. “Whether the warehouses are relocated or not, or however the government offers to help fix the damage, I am not going back. I only want to put the nightmare behind me,” Zhang said.

Meanwhile, insurance claims stemming from the Tianjin explosion are expected to range between five to ten million yuan ($780 million to 1.56 billion). A Saturday estimate said some 17,000 households, 1,700 enterprises and 675 shops in Tianjin had been affected by the explosions. Here are more pictures of the demonstrations:

The post Tianjin Residents Near Blast Site: “No One Told Us There Were Chemicals Here” appeared first on The Nanfang.

i-Cable News ambushed Li as he was leaving a hospital in the Tianjin Economic Development Area after visiting victims of last week’s blast in Tianjin. Li didn’t reveal much when asked by the reporter about the firefighters caught in the blast, but did express surprise at how many were included with the recent sudden increase of fatalities and missing victims.

【最新　現場直播版】 【李克強到天津視察　首度回應記者提問】【最新　現場直播版】【李克強到天津視察　首度回應記者提問】天津危險品倉庫大爆炸，增至 112 人死亡，仍有 95 人下落未明，包括 85 名消防員。總理李克強下午到爆炸現場視察，他接受《有線新聞》訪問時表示，所有參與搶救的消防員，都是為民眾服務，不應有分別。留意稍後完整報導。有線中國組　＃有線新聞　＃李克強　＃天津

Posted by 有線新聞 i-Cable News on Sunday, August 16, 2015

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