Chengdu to Lhasa by train — state media today
Newsletter
Xinhua News Agency’s Chinese website today leads with an article titled “Xi Jinping presided over the third meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Committee — what did they research?”
- It’s worth noting that the headline uses the new “fun” state media style — “what did they research?” is 研究了啥 (yánjiū le shà). The character sha (啥 shà) is northern Chinese slang for “what” that has become popular internet slang nationwide — it connotes cuteness, not seriousness.
- The article is actually an infographic that covers the same ground as Xinhua’s top English story: Xi demands efforts to improve disaster prevention, build Sichuan-Tibet railway.
- People’s Daily ran with a similar piece: “Vigorously improve the capacity for natural disaster prevention and control in China” (in Chinese).
- Here’s the Global Times on the Sichuan-Tibet railway and its aims:
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the full launch of the planning and construction of the 1,700-kilometer Sichuan-Tibet railway at a meeting held on Wednesday… The meeting emphasized that the railway, which will run from Chengdu, capital of Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, to Lhasa, capital of Southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, will promote ethnic solidarity, safeguard national unity and consolidate the stability of the frontier, as well as bolstering Tibet’s economic and social development, the report said.
