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Sinica Podcast

Zhao Liang and the South-North Water Diversion Project

Sinica Podcast

Kaiser Kuo

Currentaffairs, Business, News, China Politics, Shenzhen, Chinese, Chongqing, China News, Politics, China, Culture, Sichuan, Hangzhou, Beijing, International Relations, China Economy, Chengdu, Film, Shanghai, Guangzhou

4.7710 Ratings

🗓️ 27 August 2011

⏱️ 51 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

China makes an about-face on Libya, we discuss a recent controversy in Beijing's arts community over independent filmmaker Zhao Liang. We also get an on-the-ground update on the state of China's South-North Water Diversion Project: a little-publicized infrastructure effort that already dwarfs the Three Gorges Dam in both its human and environmental impact. We're lucky to have an incredible lineup of guests. Joining Kaiser Kuo in our studio this week is Edward Wong from The New York Times, whose recent profile of independent filmmaker Zhao Liang sets the stage for our discussion today. Kathleen McLaughlin from the GlobalPost is also here, fresh back in Beijing from a trip to Shaanxi to investigate the state of China's plans to redirect southern water to the country's parched north. We are also lucky to be joined by Sinica-stalwart Will Moss of Imagethief fame. Recommendations: Edward Wong Crime and Punishment (Zuì Yǔ Fá), Petition (Shàng Fǎng): https://www.amazon.com/Liang-Collection-Petition-Punishment-Airplane/dp/B006Z1H4M0 Still Life (Sǎn Xiá Hǎo Rén): https://www.amazon.com/Still-Life-%C3%82-Zhou-Sanming-Zhao/dp/B001CD6GL6 Will Moss When A Billion Chinese Jump, by Jonathan Watts: https://www.amazon.com/When-Billion-Chinese-Jump-Mankind/dp/141658076X Kaiser Kuo Décadence Mandchoue, by Edmund Trelawney Backhouse: https://www.amazon.com/Decadence-Mandchoue-Memoirs-Trelawny-Backhouse/dp/9881944511 The Hermit of Peking, by Hugh Trevor-Roper: https://www.amazon.com/Hermit-Peking-Hidden-Edmund-Backhouse/dp/190601101X/ref=dp_ob_title_bk> See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to the Cynica podcast, a weekly discussion of current affairs in China, coming to you from the pop-up Chinese studios here in Beijing.

0:16.0

I'm your host, Kaiser Guo.

0:17.6

We've got a great show for you today.

0:19.3

Joining me in the studio today is the inimitable Will Moss, the man behind the blog,

0:23.1

Image Thief.com and a regular on Seneca, playing today the role of Jeremy Goldhorn, who is

0:28.1

down under.

0:29.5

Great to see you again, a little.

0:30.6

Good to be back.

0:31.2

Less swearing than Jeremy.

0:32.9

We are also joined by Kathleen McLaughlin, recently back from a recording trip to Shaincy

0:37.0

Province. Kathleen writes for The Global Post, nice to have you back, Kathleen. Thanks,

0:42.4

Kaiser. I'll try to take up this wearing mantle as well today. Oh, good, good, good, good.

0:46.5

And joining us on Cynica for the first and certainly not last time is Ed Wong from the New York

0:51.0

Times, whose own bag carrying, own coffee-ordering cousin Gary,

0:55.2

distant cousin Gary, I'm sorry, has recently taken up residents here in Old Chokey.

0:59.6

Welcome to Sinica, Ed.

1:00.9

Thanks a lot.

1:01.5

And I hope you're going to pass along a welcome to Mr. La.

1:05.3

I saw him for the first time in Chengdu last weekend.

1:08.0

I had never met him before.

1:09.0

Did you guys hang?

1:10.0

We spent around five minutes while Xi Jinping and Vice President Biden were walking around.

...

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