One of the signs that China is becoming more and more open is for example the television programming. Let me first say something about the TV images itself which differs quite a lot from those in Holland. In the upper left corner there is a large logo with text telling you which TV station is broadcasting. Most often more information can be found in the upper right corner even if it’s only displaying the current time. The two lower corners are left, there you will find commercial banners: big, moving, twisting, flashing and with lots of colors. Sometimes this is so irritating that you can’t follow the actual program. And everything has subtitles, this because of the many dialects and languages of minorities but the characters are the same in all of China. 

Last week I saw a documentary about a young woman who was addicted to heroin. She kicked the habit 13 years ago but in the meantime brought into the world a handicapped child. A few years later, with her husbands help, she helped set up a special institution where children like this could learn, play sports etc. The institution runs on donations alone. Ten years ago it would have been unthinkable that people could speak about drugs on television, let alone a documentary about hard drugs. Granted, this documentary didn’t talk specifically about drugs but more about the institution where these kids were taken care off. But children of addicts and the addicted and later no longer addicted woman were often talked about. The channel was not of a small local station, it was one of the channels of CCTV, Central China Television. 

What you also see a lot nowadays are programs about fashion. A while ago I saw a piece about the Shanghai International Fashion and Culture Show and the Chinese contribution to that. Interviews with young designers, recently graduated from the Donghua University Fashion Institute, their creations and ideas. This haute couture can certainly compete with the French or Italian couture. But still you can clearly see the Chinese influence in every design; very beautiful. And of course, just as in the European couture, there are also creations which you can’t really wear, if only because the ladies don’t want to walk around naked, but which will serve as inspiration to the mainstream clothing lines.

Now about sports … In every large city there are at least 2 or 3 channels that broadcast sports and in such large amounts that if you’re clever enough you can watch sports all day.

Of course, Beijing 2008 is at the center of attention. I predict China will get the most medals in 2008. It came in close second in Athens but this will be different in 2008. Even in sports we think are not suitable for the Chinese is being trained for very hard at the moment. What do you think about speed skating, short track (which at the moment is being dominated by the Koreans), skiing, swimming, soccer, basketball (yes, Chinese over 2 meters (6 feet) tall do exist), sports that demand great physical strength, boxing etc. etc. A couple of these belong to the winter Olympics but I’m just giving some examples.

I follow the complete English and German soccer leagues on TV. The only hard part is that the names of the clubs and players are written in Chinese, which I can’t decipher just yet. Also some of the games are being broadcast “live” at night. 

And then there is car racing. A report about a National Four wheel drive Cross. All Chinese and Western Big Wheels are present, decked out and all. And I shouldn’t forget the report about the large International Car show in Beijing. A prototype of the environmentally friendly hydrogen car by General Motors was present there. This company is going to produce, in conjunction with SAIC, the largest Chinese car Production Company, environmentally friendly hydrogen and hybrid cars. Production is starting in the beginning of 2005. GM, of course, wants to increase sales on the world’s largest car market but this gives an indication that people in Beijing are thinking about environmental problems. Volkswagen and Toyota are also working with their Chinese plants to develop environmentally friendly cars. The exclusive Dutch brand Spijker was also present with their newest creation in a spectacular stand. The first Spijker was being sold in China at the car show for more than 200.000 Euro (about $260.000).

And of course the complete report on the Formula 1 Grand Prix held on the brand new Venue circuit in Shanghai.

Last week the semi finale of Idols, the Chinese version but clearly recognizable and very grand. 
The “Weakest Link” is also very popular in China.

The “Teletubbies” are even worse in Chinese than in Dutch.

Commercials, taking 5 minutes or more, for breast enlargements (both surgical or with special bras or with gels) are getting to be just as annoying as the Dutch commercials for menstrual pads and laundry detergent.