The Chinaphiles: Interview with Jessica Beinecke, Creator of OMG! Meiyu

Ever wonder how American slang translates into different languages? Well, you're about to find out! This month's Chinaphiles interview is Jessica Beinecke (白洁), the creator, writer, host and producer of Voice of America’s viral daily web show “OMG! Meiyu.” In each episode, Beinecke uses Mandarin to teach American slang and culture to her young Chinese audience. With just her Apple laptop and a few props, Beinecke produces “OMG” from her one bedroom apartment in New York City, and has garnered 20 million hits since July 2011. In addition to OMG! Meiyu, Beinecke hopes to broaden her production company's cross-cultural impact with more in-depth views into the lives of young people in China and the U.S. I was eager to find out the behind-the-scenes information on how OMG! is made, how Beinecke mastered Chinese, and her favorite Chinese slang. 

 Jessica Beinecke, Creator of OMG! Meiyu

Click to read more ...

Speaking at Tsinghua University, Beijing: Current Issues in US-China Cross Border Litigation

Of all my experiences living, working, and studying in China, my most useful (and most enjoyable) was the time I spent studying at Tsinghua Law School in Beijing, regarded as one of the top universities in China. (Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping are fellow alums!) The LLM program covered all aspects of Chinese law, from corporate to criminal, civil procedure to contracts. I continue to draw upon my Tsinghua education in my practice today, particularly in how to interpret and research Chinese law.

This week, I am proud to return to Tsinghua to share about my practice with the current LLM students. As a student, I remember being uncertain how I could use my China law education. I hope my experience gives the students an idea of the possibilities that exist in today's market, from securities litigation to products liability, discovery disputes to anti-corruption compliance. There's so many opportunities for attorneys to assist businesses as they establish and grow their operations in China.   

  

The Chinaphiles: Interview with Peter Anthony, Author and Collector of Chinese Coins

Today marks a new series for Chinaful: The Chinaphiles. In this series, I'll interview Chinaphiles (also known as Sinophiles, those who demonstrate a strong interest and love for Chinese culture or its people) that study and work in various fields, all with a focus on China. 

For this first interview, Chinaful features Chinese coin collector and author, Peter Anthony. Anthony is an expert on Modern Chinese coins, covering 1979 to the present. Author of Gold and Silver Panda Coin Buyer’s Guide and the monthly China Pricepedia price guide, Anthony’s research is the gold standard on all aspects of collecting, from accurate pricing to spotting counterfeits.

Peter Anthony, autor and Chinese coin collector

You can also access a wealth of information on Anthony’s website, www.pandacollector.com, which gives an introduction and news about Chinese coins. Having the opportunity to speak with Anthony, I wanted to learn what drew him to Chinese coins initially and lessons he’s learned while collecting and researching in China. 

Click to read more ...

Speaking on Developing a China Practice 101: January 17, 2013

Hello Chinaful friends and Happy New Year! It's been some time since my last post, but as of today, Chinaful is returning to regular programming. And just in time to share with you all about a panel I am speaking at this Thursday.  If you are an attorney interested in developing a China practice, join us January 17, 2013 at Foley and Lardner in Downtown LA.  The panel is diverse, with attorneys and attorney recruiting professionals, both transactional and litigation practicioners, and all stages of careers.  I'll be sharing the perspective of someone who has focused on building a litigation practice to serve Chinese clients, both through studying Chinese Law at Tsinghua in Beijing and working almost entirely on matters involving a Chinese party.  I hope to see you there. 

New Series: Chinese Government 101

There are so many aspects of Chinese life that I love, but one of my favorites is conversations with cab drivers.  Not only is it the tried-and-true way to practice Mandarin, it’s also a view into the Chinese mindset.  Particularly when it comes to politics, Chinese cabbies don’t pull punches – and they usually know their stuff.  I’ve discussed former President Bush and President Obama, the state of the US economy, universal health care, US-China relations, all from the passenger’s seat of a cab.

            

                                           {Various forms of Beijing Cabs, from Flickr available on Chinaful's Pinterest} 

Whether I agree with their politics or not, I always walk away impressed and wondering:

Do US cab drivers know the basics about the Chinese political system? Do Americans of all walks of life and profession? 

What about the role of the Chinese Communist Party?

Or the current Premier’s name?

I'm starting a new series on Chinaful to address these questions and more, "Chinese Government 101." Whether business interests, Asian studies or just general cultural curiousity bring you to Chinaful, a basic understanding of the structure of the Chinese Government is key. You may know that China is a Communist country, but that’s an abstract theory – you need to know how a case is tried or laws enacted to understand even the media reports on China, much less have a deeper understanding of China and its people. And I won’t just be giving you fast facts, but also the insight into how the system functions in reality and their influence policy and impact daily life in China.

Here’s the index for posts to come, once I post on a topic in the series I’ll link back here.  I’ll also be adding to the index as I go. 

• The Communist Party of China
• China’s Executive Branch
• China’s Judiciary (Post One and Two)
• China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM)
• China’s National People’s Congress and Standing Committee
• China’s Police
• China’s Procuracy
• China’s Provincial and Local Government
• China’s State Council
• China’s Special Administrative Regions
• China’s Special Economic Zones
• The Who’s Who of Chinese Government

Don’t see a topic you think should be covered? Leave a note in the comments, and I’ll try to incorporate it. (And don't worry - this series will be mixed with Chinaful's regular posts on business news, food, travel and culture as well, it won't be just government and policy!)