When the world gets closer.

We help you see farther.

Sign up to our expressly international daily newsletter.

Already a subscriber? Log in .

You've reached your limit of one free article.

Get unlimited access to Worldcrunch

You can cancel anytime .

SUBSCRIBERS BENEFITS

Exclusive International news coverage

Ad-free experience NEW

Weekly digital Magazine NEW

9 daily & weekly Newsletters

Access to Worldcrunch archives

Free trial

30-days free access, then $2.90
per month.

Annual Access BEST VALUE

$19.90 per year, save $14.90 compared to monthly billing.save $14.90.

Subscribe to Worldcrunch
CAIXINMEDIA

China's Online Masses Dare Officials To Swim In Polluted Rivers

Polluted river in Beijing... Go on, jump!
Polluted river in Beijing... Go on, jump!
Zou Zijian

BEIJING – Last month, President Xi Jinping told the mayor of Suzhou, who had outlined a plan to make improvements on the water quality of the city’s lakes, that for China’s netizens, the best measure of acceptable water quality would be to see whether the mayor dared to jump in and swim.

In February, a resident from Zhejiang Province, eastern China, challenged the directors of the local environmental protection bureau to swim in the polluted river. Since then, it has set off a frenzy among the Chinese public, with many people asking their mayors or environmental officials to swim in the rivers or drink the underground water.

Qian Jianmin, the mayor of Shaoxing city in Zhejiang Province was the first official to rise to the challenge, saying he would “swim in any section of the moat surrounding Shaoxing city.” Since then, whether or not officials agree to take a dip in local lakes or rivers has become the new reference to assess the water quality.

Li Zuojun, deputy head of the State Council’s Development Research Center, weighed in on the debate, saying "The fact that Internet users ask mayors to swim in rivers reflects the seriousness of China's pollution issue, but also shows the rising anxiety and discontent among the public over this issue. This is the way people express their dissatisfaction but also their expectation that the authorities will take action to tackle the problem and improve the environment."

Reforming ain’t easy

According to Li, in a society where the government plays such an important role, the government is all-powerful, shouldering great responsibilities and the public's expectation to deal with any economic and social problems.

The cause of China's grim environmental situation is in fact the pursuit of economic growth. "Because of the GDP-oriented official performance appraisal system, which has yet to be reformed, local governments dedicate all their energy to pursuing economic growth instead of focusing on the environment or their constituents’ quality of life,” explains Li.

Li says there are two key things that need to change: the way the government functions, and the local governments performance appraisal system. Local governments need to shift from being economy-oriented to society-oriented, while the government needs to shift from being authority-orientated to service-oriented.

Unfortunately, says Li, local governments will not take the initiative to transform themselves, because of their blind pursuit of GDP growth, which hinders all possibility of political achievement. Also, it’s easier for governments to tackle economic issues than to focus on the environment and quality of life. It will take a lot of courage from the central government determination to reform this.

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

Society

How WeChat Is Helping Bhutan's Disappearing Languages Find A New Voice

Phd candidate Tashi Dema, from the University of New England, discusses how social media apps, particularly WeChat, are helping to preserve local Bhutanese languages without a written alphabet. Dema argues that preservation of these languages has far-reaching benefits for the small Himalayan country's rich culture and tradition.

A monk in red performing while a sillouhet of a monk is being illuminated by their phone.

Monk performing while a sillouheted monk is on their phone

Source: Caterina Sanders/Unsplash
Tashi Dema

THIMPHU — Dechen, 40, grew up in Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan. Her native language was Mangdip, also known as Nyenkha, as her parents are originally from central Bhutan. She went to schools in the city, where the curriculum was predominantly taught in Dzongkha, the national language, and English.

In Dechen’s house, everyone spoke Dzongkha. She only spoke her mother tongue when she had guests from her village, who could not understand Dzongkha and during her occasional visits to her village nestled in the mountains. Her mother tongue knowledge was limited.

✉️ You can receive our Bon Vivant selection of fresh reads on international culture, food & travel directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.

However, things have now changed.

With 90% of Bhutanese people using social media and social media penetrating all remotes areas in Bhutan, Dechen’s relatives in remote villages are connected on WeChat.

Keep reading...Show less

The latest