Issue No. 170 | Aug. 27, 2019
Dedicated to the development of the future stewards of U.S.-China relations
俗语
镜中花，水中月
jìng zhōng huā, shuǐzhōng yuè


Meaning: flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water; an illusion.

Original: "在这种情况下，美国所设想的美日韩三边安全合作，乃至“东北亚小北约”也成为镜中花水中月。"

In place of a suyu from Xi Jinping this week, we picked one from the weekly reading article on GSOMIA. This suyu is also commonly written as 水中月镜中花, and originates from 《红楼梦》.




Weekly Reading
A few days ago the South Korean government announced that it did not intend to renew the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) with Japan. The 军事情报保护协定 was an important piece of the U.S. security relationship with Japan and South Korea vis a vis North Korea and the U.S. alliance system. This non-renewal is aimed at punishing Japan, but it is unsurprisingly seen as a positive development by North Korea and China. Chinese media has been subdued in its public reaction, mostly focusing on how "polls show" that the Korean people wanted it cancelled. This important development is summarized well in this 新京报 article .
LARB China Channel's End of Summer Reading (and Watching)
The Los Angeles Review of Books (LARB) China Channel 's staff picks post, End of Summer Reading , highlights recommended China books, films, and even a YouTube cooking channel.
One recommended documentary, Diamond in the Dunes (2014), is about a Chinese-Muslim baseball team in Xinjiang Province. China Channel notes, "With access to Xinjiang now heavily restricted and monitored, it’s impossible to envision anyone making a similar documentary today."
Recommended for baseball fans and China watchers alike.
New Release:
American Factory
"American Factory" (美国工厂) is a documentary released on Netflix on August 21. In the film, "hopes soar when a Chinese company reopens a shuttered factory in Ohio. But a culture clash threatens to shatter an American dream."
"American Factory" is the first film released on Netflix by Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions.

For further consideration, check out this SCMP article: ' American Factory' stirs mixed feelings in China over working conditions and culture .
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