September 26,
2014

ISSUE
No. 24

AMS Weekly Newsletter
Supporting the development of the future stewards of U.S.-China relations
The highlight of this week 's newsletter is surely the job opportunity listed at the end. For those of you looking to work in China this is a tough position to beat. The work is fascinating and will provide you a deep knowledge of policy issues from the Chinese perspective.  If you apply make sure to mention that you are an AMS member. 

Weekly Readings
 
With China's discovery of a new natural gas field in the South China Sea and Indo-Vietnamese cooperation, the South China Sea situation continues to become ever more complicated. To accompany these developments is an interesting article on the evolution of China's maritime law enforcement as well as the shipbuilding program that supports Chinese efforts to control their claimed maritime territory.
"中海油在南海发现大型油气田 万亿大气区正走进现实," Xinhua, September 16, 2014


Weibo Watch
 
Are the bad people getting old, or the old people getting bad? That's what the Hebei-focused Weibo account Yanzhao on Your Side (燕赵身边事) asked when a woman and an older man stood in front of a bus after college students refused to give up their seats. On the popular discussion page (#无人让座老人拦车#), the odd couple has few supporters. 

According to 行摄香港, a passenger saw the man and woman refuse seats offered to them when they first got on the bus. "Giving up your seat is a matter of willingness, and morality is just a way of saying things, " argues 经常中枪. "You can put a halo over your own head, but you can't put others in chains."

Helping the elderly has become contentious in China. On September 10, an older man in Zhengzhou, Henan died of a heart attack after a young man refused to give up his bus seat. The public was spooked as early as 2006, when then 26-year-old Peng Yu helped a 65-year-old woman who fell after getting off a bus in Nanjing, even taking her to the hospital and paying her medical bills. The woman sued Peng for knocking her over. Pen maintained that he did nothing wrong. But in 2012, Peng confessed that he had indeed tripped the woman.

成语 in Xi Jinping's speeches

姹紫嫣红

ch� zǐ yān h�ng
 

 

Translation: deep purples, bright reds / beautiful flowers

 

Xi Jinping gave a speech in honor of Confucius' 2,565th birthday. He made the point that each country and people have their own culture; they are equally valid and part of that country's soul. They differ only in their colors, like between beautiful flowers.

 

原文: 中国国家主席习近平24日在北京说,不同国家、民族的思想文化只有姹紫嫣红之别,而无高低优劣之分。每个国家、每个民族不分强弱、不分大小,其思想文化都应该得到承认和尊重。

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-09/24/c_1112608569.htm
 

Documentary of the Week

Recently, China's best tennis player, Li Na (李娜), retired from international tennis due to recurring injuries. She achieved the WTA #2 ranking and won two grand slam titles. Perhaps more importantly for Chinese athletics, Li separated from the Chinese Tennis Association in 2008, paying her own training costs and keeping her own winnings. In this short documentary, Li talks about life inside the state athletic system and her experiences as a professional.

Cool Job Opportunity

Your editor is going to be jealous of whoever gets this job--this is with a relatively little known but influential office called the Central Compilation and Translation Bureau. The positions are for full-time translation editors.

Position 1: English translation editor in the English Section

Position 2: German translation editor in the German Section
 
Position 3: English translation editor in the Section for the Translation of Qiushi Journal

 

Key Responsibilities: For Position 1 and Position 2, to ensure a high standard of translation of central government documents; for Position 3, to ensure the high-quality translation of the Qiushi Journal and other documents of the central government; To revise and polish translations, and produce draft translations when necessary.

Qualifications: Native English speaker for Position 1 and Position 3, and native German speaker for Position 2, with excellent written communication skills; BA degree or higher, ideally in China studies, international relations, or journalism; Good proficiency in Chinese (listening, speaking, and reading); Strong understanding of developments in present-day China.


 

Salary: 12,000 RMB pre-tax per month plus bonuses; subsidized housing and meals.


 

Accommodation: A fully furnished apartment (including living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom) is provided in the Xidan district of central Beijing. The location of the apartment is excellent, allowing easy access to public transport. It is situated one kilometer from the Bureau, and less than four kilometers from Tiananmen Square.

Insurance: The Bureau arranges social insurance (state pension and basic health care) for its foreign employees. Monthly contributions are paid jointly by the Bureau and the foreign employee.

Vacation and Flight Reimbursement: Foreign employees under a one-year employment contract with the Bureau are entitled to four weeks of paid leave after their first six months, as well as reimbursement for a round-trip airfare to their respective home countries.

To learn more about the Central Compilation and Translation Bureau and its Center for Central Document Translation, please visit our website at www.cctb.net.

Applicants for Position 1, please send your CV to Lili Wang at waizhuanzhaopin@163.com.

Applicants for Position 2, please send your CV to Xuan Wang at xuanzi.1120@163.com.

Applicants for Position 3, please send your CV to Yuling Jia at jiayulingqs@sina.com


Make sure to mention that you heard about this via the American Mandarin Society.
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