Thanks Michel for sending me the following link:
http://business.blogs.cnn.com/2009/07/27/blue-skies-over-beijing-china-business-in-the-red/
The reporter feels the air is so much better since the Olympics. Pity for him, the link is…. blocked in China!
While it may true up to a certain extent, the pollution remains BAD. As I explain in this blog, the Twitter figures reveal the real health hazard. When Twitter shows an average of AQI 180 (with higher peaks), such as today, Beijing happily reports API of 60 to 80 (=blue sky days). See the Pages on the right hand side.
I posted the following comment yesterday:
“John Vause should put on his glasses. We did have some good days but overall the air quality has been pretty bad, just like today. Twitter US Embassy correctly reported today AQI over 200. The Beijing official figures become a joke. Check my blog (blog.strategy4china.com) for monthly overview and comments.”
The article generated many comments, some reasonable, other from naïve foreigners or Chinese who think we just want to see bad things here. Pity them, or maybe not. They can enjoy the “blue sky” and pump the PM2.5 in their lungs.
Not that much to do with economy, the main culprit is still traffic. And the non-existent cops, the locals who drive like morons, never observe any rule. Civility is unknown. We need some Singapore police here to clean up the mess and educate people. By imposing heavy fines, confiscating cars, bikes etc. and locking violators up as they do with “political trouble makers”.
Obviously some of the young empty-headed generation love the chaos and don’t understand why we talk about that. Too bad, it’s their future.
Pollution
Total lack of transparency
China is becoming one of those countries where the word “transparency” is either blacklisted or used sarcastically.
It is getting on the nerves of many China watchers who actually care for the country. People are fed up with the many websites blocked since weeks. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, personal blogs and websites.
Political repression is growing. Lawyers who try to defend minority interests have a hard time (or worse).
The handling of the Xinjiang case – in itself very sad – shows the stubborn attitude of a sclerotic bunch who does not get it. In Europe we were faced (and still are) with similar clashes. Repression and ignoring the reality has never worked.
Where most of the world reacted very mildly at first, attitudes could turn against China.
The handling of the Rio Tinto case is another blow to the image of China. Do those goons NEVER learn not to shoot in their foot? “State secrets” is the typical cover for a dictatorial regime to do whatever they feel like. If they would simply follow the law, do a corruption investigation, nobody could say anything. That happens in the EU and USA too. People are in prison for corrupt practices. But there is transparency and the use of law. The excuses of the goons is again sad and ridiculous. Good for the naïve foreigners who still blindly fall for Chinese seduction tactics. The attitude is – do something I don’t like and I’ll get you anyway. Rule of Law – forget it.
Foreigners are excluded from mega-projects. All on ridiculous grounds just to protect their “Chinese industry”. Foreigners have set up factories in China, produce goods with over 70% local content, pay taxes, do charity, employ local workers. And get kicked out of local markets.
All fueled by neo-nationalism from the young generation (typically “educated” balinghou and jiulinghou – the uneducated have better attitude) that is too often empty-headed, useless, selfish. The “me-me” generation. Spoiled brats, except for a few.
With the 60 years whatever coming on 1 October, clampdown on visas and nightlife continues (can’t give details, sorry). Welcome to China? Forget it. Expo 2010? You must be joking, right?
Not to wonder some of us get real pissed off. Business confidence?
It’s like the pollution.
2pm on 17 July, 61st floor Park Hyatt
See here an official blue sky day in Beijing, 17 July 2pm. US Embassy: AQI is 144 (unhealthy), not too bad because of the rain. BEPB: API is 46 for that day – EXCELLENT. They sure will have explanations for that!
Now be your own judge. Transparency here is like in the picture.
Hazy Monday
Yes, thunder in the air and we’ve had rain several times in the past days. But the air remains sticky and heavily polluted. Buildings disappear in the fog. The BEPB keeps up its unbridled optimism (read: tries to fool us as usual) with the API (PM10) in Agricultural Palace yesterday at 67 (“blue sky day’). Of course we are not supposed to know the real bad news, how horrible PM2.5 levels are recently – AQI over 200 most of the times with peaks that threaten everybody’s health.
Click to see the details
Our American gave us a rain check last night but were back online this morning, just to make us feel miserable on this Monday morning.
have a nice week!
Have a nice week, smoke whatever you want. Won’t matter anyway. As for me, well, I try not to, keep windows shut with my IQAir humming next to me.
Found back WTC3
See here on 8 July 9:10am. We can see the tower again but the air is pretty bad still. According to BEPB the average till 8 July 12:00 was API 79 at the Agricultural Palace, considered “blue sky day”.
Tower 3 is back, in a haze
A bit further, our American friends fixed their station and values came back on Twitter, with afternoon day average AQI of over 160 – unhealthy.
Up to you to judge back be sure my air filter is running and the windows are closed!
Cough cough cough
Been fighting one of those vicious coughs / flu in beloved Beijing where of course, according to the silly people, the air is “good”. Readings of BEPB yesterday (a s### day) were API 67 (general laughter in the room plus coughing).
another lovely day in Beijing
See here the beautiful view from my very own pollution checking station in Julong – my library, today 9:06am. Admire the tall World Trade Center 3. Oops. Can’t find it. Must be all the fault of those damned Americans with their station, spreading rumors and fog. Well, their twitter station report was not hacked:
“BeijingAir – Site is currently under routine maintenance. Please refer to the last available reading – about 1 hour ago from web”.
Twitter is still blocked but not for the tech-savvy.