USC and China in the News, May and June 2012

Click here for other "USC and China in the News" pages. 

June 27, 2012: Forbes

 An article about Chinese students studying in the US electing to return to China, noted that USC’s Chelsea Hu told China Daily she’d return to China because she hoped to get a more senior job than those available in the US.

June 16, 2012: The Economist

A study led by Richard Easterlin of the USC Dornsife College on happiness and satisfaction in China was highlighted in an article.

June 14, 2012: Radio Free Asia

Chinese students at USC are calling for harsh punishment for those who killed two USC students from China. The students were killed about a mile from campus on April 11. The article noted that the families of the slain students are suing the university, arguing that USC misrepresented the safety of the school. 

June 14, 2012: China News Net via Sina

An article reported on a petition drive organized by the USC Chinese Students and Scholars Association to call for severe punishment of those convicted of killing two USC students from China in April. 700 had thus far signed the petition.

June 12, 2012: Los Angeles Times

USC political scientist Stanley Rosen was quoted in an article about how China’s economic rise and the hopes of movie studios to do well in the Chinese market lead to self-censorship. Rosen said, "Hollywood these days is sometimes better at carrying water for the Chinese than the Chinese themselves. We are doing all the heavy lifting for them." 

June 7, 2012: Los Angeles Times

USC alum Daniel Zhao was highlighted and quoted in a story about opportunities in Chinese cinema for Americans. Zhao worked on Iron Man 3 and is currently working on another film, "We did a lot of major fixes, from shooting pickup shots to editing scenes to rewriting dialogue…. In L.A., for the amount of time that I've worked, it would be rare for me to work on a feature of this scale and have such an integral part in changing it." He also noted that not everyone on Chinese movie sets has worked in the industry for long, "I've been on sets where the grips, gaffers and even some of the key PAs are just migrant workers who would have otherwise been working on a construction site." 

June 6, 2012: ScienceNet.cn

Chongqing University president Lin Jianhua, in an article about being a university president, began by citing former USC president Steve Sample on the challenges and responsibilities of the position.

June 1, 2012: On the Media

USC political scientist Stanley Rosen was interviewed about the possibility of Hollywood studios seeking to appease China's government in order to gain access to a growing market for its films.

 

May 31, 2012: The Australian

Daniel Lynch, USC international relations specialist, was quoted in an article about the Chinese government’s plans for an economic stimulus.

May 30, 2012: The Business Insider

An article reported on research presented at the 10^th Annual China Internet Research Conference hosted at USC by the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and the U.S.-China Institute. Fu King-wa of the University of Hong Kong presented information on the deletion of posts on Sina Weibo, the top microblogging (Twitter-like) platform in China.

May 29, 2012: China Radio International

USC political scientist Stanley Rosen was interviewed about the plan Dalian Wanda, a Chinese firm, has to purchase AMC Entertainment, a movie theatre chain for $2.6 billion. The focus of the conversation was on the possibility that the purchase would enable Chinese films to get a stronger foothold in the United States market. Rosen said that this seemed unlikely, since the audience for Chinese film is limited. He thought there were significant cultural differences that limited Chinese film’s US-box office potential. He also discussed the place of the Confucius Institute in the US. USC alum Sun Shaoyi, who now teaches at Shanghai University, was also interviewed for the broadcast. Sun focused on what the deal could bring Wanda in China. He saw it as potentially weakening the state film distribution monopoly in China and strengthening its relationship with IMAX. 

May 27, 2012: The Philippine Star

Sonia Brady, a USC alum (masters’ in international relations) and career diplomat, was nominated to be the Philippines ambassador to China. This is seen as a key appointment because of tensions stemming from differences over South China Sea territorial claims. Brady was ambassador to China from 2006 to 2010. She has also been ambassador to Myanmar and to Thailand. In addition to her previous ambassadorial appointment in Beijing, she served in the Beijing embassy from 1968 to 1976 and 1988 to 1992.

May 26, 2012 (on the web on May 23, 2012): The Economist

An article focusing on investment in China cited research by USC economist John Strauss. Strauss and his co-authors examined a Chinese motorbike company which began by just producing exhaust pipes but gradually accumulated the know-how and experience to build entire bikes. 

May 26, 2012 (on the web on May 23, 2012): The Economist

USC U.S.-China Institute visiting scholar Calla Wiemer’s work on consumption and income was cited in an article looking at consumption patterns in China. Wiemer and Carl Bonham (Univ. of Hawaii) argue that people are slow to spend when their income increases and slow to reduce spending when their income declines.

May 25, 2012: The Christian Science Monitor

An article about Chinese attitudes towards foreigners included comments from USC international relations specialist Daniel Lynch. Lynch noted, “The strain of nationalism is still there,” argues Professor Lynch, “but it is based much more on self confidence rather than on a sense of insecurity and inferiority.”

May 24, 2012: Xinhua News Agency

Qu Wanzhi, father of slain USC student Qu Ming, spoke to the press about the loss of his son. He discussed the experience of visiting USC, his talks with USC officials, and his hope that the killers will be severely punished.

May 23, 2012: Marketplace

A report highlighted research by USC’s Richard Easterlin into economic change and happiness in China. The report noted that the gap between rich and poor is widening in China and with that satisfaction levels are declining.

May 23, 2012: Xinhua News Agency via Beijing Review

Two men, Bryan Barnes and Javier Bolden, were arrested on May 18 and have been charged with the murders of two USC students, Qu Ming and Wu Ying, from China. Many news outlets, including the Los Angeles Times and China Education News, reported the arrest and subsequent information about the suspects. 

May 22, 2012: Los Angeles Times

USC political scientist Stanley Rosen was quoted in a story about the Dalian Wanda Group’s plan to purchase the AMC theatre chain for $6 billion. "It's all about brand names and status, and AMC is a brand name," Rosen said. 

May 22, 2012: Associated Press via Monterey County Herald

Sun Shaoyi, a USC alum and professor at Shanghai University, was quoted in a story about Chinese cartoon studios expanding their horizons. Sun also teaches at USC. He said, "China's cultural influence has not matched its economic growth and officials here want to spread Chinese culture abroad." 

May 18, 2012: China Daily

The parents of Wu Ying and Qu Ming have filed a wrongful death suit against USC. The students were killed on April 11. The story quoted USC attorney Debra Wong Yang, "USC is deeply saddened by this tragic event, which was a random violent act not representative of the safety of USC or the neighborhoods around campus…. While we have deep sympathy for the victims' families, this lawsuit is baseless and we will move to have it dismissed." Alan Burton Newman, attorney for the parents, said, "It's terrible injustice. They (parents) are fighting that. The other side does not want to pay money." The Los Angeles Times, China Education News, and many other news organizations reported on the suit.

May 16, 2012: New York Times

The Green Blog reported on work by a number of scholars including USC Keck School of Medicine researchers Jicheng Gong, Duncan Thomas and Junfeng Zhang. The researchers found that a short-term reduction in a city’s air pollution can improve residents’ cardiovascular health. The study was conducted during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. ABC, NBC, BBC, Time, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and KPCC also reported the story. The research was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

May 14, 2012: Los Angeles Times

A blog entry featured research by Richard Easterlin of the USC Dornsife College and colleagues, finding that economic growth in China hasn’t led to greater life satisfaction for the majority of citizens. Easterlin studied self-reported levels of satisfaction between 1990 and 2010, finding that the level of happiness among the poorest Chinese has dropped, despite a booming economy. “The clear lesson from China is how important it is for people’s happiness to have jobs and a fair amount of certainty about those jobs, as well as a social safety net,” Easterlin said. Other media reporting on the study: The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Agence France Presse, and World Journal. The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

May 13, 2012: China Central Television via Sina.net

A report discussed the murders of Qu Ming and Wu Ying and their living situation, noting that Qu bought a used car, but seldom drove it. The report said that the car, a BMW, was the source of much discussion in China, owing to a report that said it was a $60,000 model.

May 13, 2012: Central China Television

An extended look at the lives of the two USC students from China killed on April 11. The program included interviews with parents, classmates, and included discussion of media coverage of the shooting.  

May 5, 2012: Los Angeles Times

Nicholas Cull, director of the USC masters program in public diplomacy, was quoted in a story about social media and the Chen Guangcheng case. He noted that news travels much faster today, in the past “"it might have taken days or months. It wouldn't have taken minutes." Moreover, it is no longer relatively easy for government officials to control the release of information.

May 3, 2012: China Economic Review

John Van Fleet of the USC Marshall School of Business published an op-ed about Chinese students in the United States. He wrote that Chinese students studying in America could be an excellent way to reduce future geopolitical strife. “Surely some of the million-odd Chinese who have lived in the U.S. have by now gained affection for the place,” Van Fleet wrote. “As they become leaders of families, businesses and perhaps government, that affection should translate into an incremental reduction in potential friction.”

May 3, 2012: Monocle 24

The USC U.S.-China Institute’s Clayton Dube was interviewed on how the Chen Guangcheng affair reveals about U.S.-China relations and about human rights in China. 

May 3, 2012: KQED

A radio discussion on Chen Guangcheng included comments from Clayton Dube of the USC U.S.-China Institute. 

May 2, 2012: KABC

Clayton Dube of the USC U.S.-China Institute was interviewed about the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue and the impact of the Chen Guangcheng case on the discussions. 

Click here to view other "USC and China in the News" pages.