American Stabbed and Killed in Beijing

by Josh Lew on

With the memory of a spectacular opening ceremony still in everyone’s mind, some news from the opposite end of the emotional spectrum came out of Beijing today. Two American tourists, a man and woman, and a local guide were attacked by a man carrying a knife.

The attack took place at the famous Drum Tower that sits above the hutong near Houhai Lake. The tour guide and the woman were injured, but their male companion was killed. The two Americans were relatives of a US volleyball coach.

The attacker, identified by Xinhua News Agency as Tang Yongming from the city of Hangzhou, jumped to his death off the second floor of the tower after the attack.

Such an event is almost unheard of in China. It is even more surprising because of heavy security throughout Beijing. Chinese authorities have expressed concern about terrorism and unauthorized protests in the lead-up to the Games, but crimes against tourists are usually limited to pickpocketing and price gouging.

This appears to have been a random attack. According to reports, the victims were not wearing anything that identified them as Americans.

The attack took place at noon Beijing time. The tower remains sealed off from the public as police investigate.

New York Times coverage of the attack

Photo of the Day (08.08.08)

by Aaron Hotfelder on

I’ll admit it: I’ve got Olympic fever. So, apparently, do these kids. How could we not feature a photo from China today?

This shot from Marni Rachel was taken in Beijing. The boy, with his combination of a “Sports” shirt, a Chinese flag, and the “Victory” sign, appears confident that the Chinese will dominate this Olympics. Or maybe I”m reading too much into it.

Want your pic considered for Gadling’s Photo of the Day? Go to the Gadling Flickr Pool and submit it already.

Hong Kong-Macau Bridge to be Built

by Josh Lew on

Hong Kong is now connected to Macau by ferry. Long-running negotiations for a bridge connection between the two cities, and their mainland neighbor Zhuhai, have led to nothing but hurt feelings and finger pointing. Enter Beijing. The government of China has a rare chance to play the good guy in the former colonies. And it will only cost them a few billion dollars. According to The Standard, Beijing has stepped in to take over the project and will spend 7 billion yuan (HK$ 8 billion) to get things off the ground.

The result: in 6-7 years it will be possible to drive from the mainland to Macau to Hong Kong without having to board a ferry or even get out of your car. Impatient compulsive gamblers will not have to deal with sea-sickness or tardy ferryboat captains on the way to Macau. The bridge will also do wonders for the mainland, turning an already crazy shopping scene into an orgy of consumerism and name-brand knockoffs.

But what about the storied ferry service? Will it disappear? Probably not. When the tunnel was built under Victoria Harbor, ferries continued to do a brisk business up above. The same would probably be true for the HK-Macau service. Emphasis on probably.

Mickey Sets a Course for Shanghai

by Josh Lew on

Mickey Mouse has been planning to bring Disneyland to Shanghai for some time now. Details have been sketchy and the project has been put on the shelf several times.

But people in one village are banking on the billionaire rodent to eventually get things off the ground.

According to Shanghaiist, business people and home owners in Jinjia have been building on to current structures and establishing new businesses. These would-be entrepreneurs are not hoping that Disneyland will be built nearby so that they can sell food and souvenirs to the theme park’s clientele. They are betting that Disney will want to buy them out so that the park can be built directly on top of the village. The new constructions and additions are an effort to make property seem more valuable in the eyes of Disney so that the buy-out prices will be higher.

However, the mouse has not yet chosen the exact location of the park. The residents of Jinjia are acting on pure speculation.

Disney is currently negotiating with Chinese officials in an effort to iron out the details, which allegedly include some sort of profit sharing scheme (Mickey sure knows how to get things done in China) There is the small matter of the 2008 Olympics, which are probably causing a bit of distraction amongst area bureaucrats.

While most people could care less if there is another Disneyland in the world, one village, a handful of Chinese government officials, and one shrewd mouse are waiting for ground to be broken with bated breath.

China coverage on Travel Channel

by Jamie Rhein on

In preparation for the Olympics, The Travel Channel has been offering several China-themed options this week and is continuing with its coverage by repeating various episodes. Here they are in case you’ve missed them and want to catch up.

For those interested in China’s natural landscape and wildlife and how the natural world fits into Chinese culture and sensibilities, check out Wild China. Episodes range from panda bears to the ecosystem and take armchair travelers from Tibet to the Great Wall and from the deserts to the sea. (For schedule.)

Samantha Brown’s Passport to China is focused on three places: Beijing, Sichuan, and Xian. The show offers a potpourri look at life in China from a variety of angles. (For schedule)

Great Cruises is offering an episode “Royal Passage to Asia.” Like the others, it is being aired a few different times.

For the gastronomic delights–or the opposite of delightful, depending on your tastes, Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods and Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations are repeating episodes that are China related. (No Reservations schedule; Bizarre Foods schedule)

The photo of the Bird’s Nest, the stadium where the Olympic ceremonies will take place is from the Travel Channel Web site’s page that highlights Beijing’s attractions.