James M Zimmerman @jmzbeijing Twitter profile

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

It's here! Just in time for my USA book tour! #ThePekingExpress

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

All-hands video call with my Beijing office. 90% of people have Covid (up from 50% a few days ago). Some obviously miserable. Many nursing kids/parents at home. Our “work at home” policy is now “work at home if you’re well enough”. This thing came on like a runaway freight train.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Yesterday we were ordered to close our Beijing office and all employees work from home. This morning most of our 30+ staff reported their communities went into a 7-day lockdown. This is happening all across the city. Most government offices are apparently closed as well. Chaos!

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Foreign media is like a Chinese banquet. Some spicy, some not. Some sweet, some sour. But lots of choices nonetheless. Chinese media is like American fast-food. All tastes the same. One size fits all. Choices limited. (Headlines from different PRC media)

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Yes....press freedom is a wonderful thing. It's good that Mr. Liu has much access on the scene in Ohio. Meanwhile, foreign journalists in Mainland China that have attempted to cover the peaceful "white paper" protests are harassed or get dragged off and detained by the PSB.

Hu Xijin 胡锡进

@HuXijin_GT

1 year

A young Chinese reporter for CCTV, Liu Xiaoqian, is in Ohio. His live reporting was praised on the Chinese internet.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Arrived at Shanghai last night via SFO. First time in 30 years border control grilled me on whether I previously worked in the US government or served in US military. And a litany of questions on what I do, where I live, and why I haven’t booked a flight out. Welcome home!!!

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Nope. China's entry into WTO and access to Western markets and tech is what has driven its modernization.

Spokesperson发言人办公室

@MFA_China

1 year

The Chinese path to modernization cleared the myth that modernization equals Westernization. It tells the world that countries are able to independently explore ways to modernization in light of their own national conditions.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Yesterday we had a weekly video call for our Beijing office. Of 25 people, all but 2 had Covid. Most miserable and unable to get meds. I pulled what I had from my home stash and circulated to several employees. Until today, no one has ever said to me "thank you for the drugs"...

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

4 years

@GuthrieGF My 88-year old mother gave me a reliquary of St. Martín de Porres, saying it's important for 2020. He is the patron saint of mixed-race people, public health workers, and those seeking social justice. St. Martín's feast day is Nov 3rd. Yep, election day! Let that sink in! Go Joe!

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

“... China’s autocracy simply wasted three years’ worth of national resources to end up in the same place as the rest of the world.” Insightful and must-read piece @MichaelSchuman on Xi Jinping’s Covid Flip-Flop and what it means for China.

Zero COVID’s Failure Is Xi’s Failure

Whatever happens with case counts in China now, one person owns them.

www.theatlantic.com

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

A Beijing law school now requires foreign professors to submit course syllabus for approval based on the attached template. It's all about Xi Jinping. The intention is to indoctrinate and to "focus on every aspect of students' morality education." Orwellian. Welcome to 1984.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Beijing Banner Man: I hope the brave soul was able to leave the scene before getting caught. Given the timing before the Party Congress and themes he expressed in his message, he is likely to be prosecuted for more than just “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.”

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Day 30: Quarantine 22 days in SHA and now 15 in Beijing. Test neg 11x. Have green codes. Not allowed to Q at home, despite open-heart surgery 4 months ago. No real exercise or healthy diet in a 1-star hotel room. USG protesting. Stores empty. Lockdown imminent. The new normal.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

56 years ago May 1966: Mao unleashed the gates of 10 years of hell on his country with the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, designed to purge traditional culture and bourgeois elements from society leading to out-of-control violence and breakdown of authority. (photo NYT)

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Some believe the pull back on zero-Covid is a reaction to public protests. I disagree. With censorship, most people have been unaware of ongoing protests. It's all about a bleak economic outlook and a frantic effort to drive a tanking economy before it sinks even further.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Watching Hu Jintao's removal reflects raw power on display. Hu probably expressed his frustrations by questioning the process, results, or XJP himself. Then, Hu was drummed out the door under protest while everyone else refused to even glance at him. That's called fear.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

10 months

Qin Gang’s removal: If China can’t manage what could have been an orderly succession of a wayward leader in a quick, transparent manner, all it is doing is proving to the world (again) that its real decision-making is conducted with secrecy in a parallel universe while the other…

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

The propaganda machine is in overdrive. The official storyline of 2022 will be revisionist — downplay, spin, and forget. Like magic, all the excesses and frustrations of zero-Covid will soon be buried and forgotten. The state-media operates in a structured, transactional bubble.

Liu Xin刘欣

@LiuXininBeijing

1 year

COVID is not something to fear. Even if you are infected you can boost your immune system to mitigate the effects. Li says. "The severe type of COVID is not caused by COVID itself. The virus storms the immune system. Chinese medicine can stop symptoms from becoming too severe."

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

I took the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed train. Passing Tianjin, Jinan, Zaozhuang, Xuzhou, Nanjing, and then to Shanghai my phone lit up with notices of epidemic control measures. Each city different. No uniform national policy except: visitors, don't bother getting off the train.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

My take: Jiang Zemin was a complicated guy with a mixed legacy. But he encouraged many Mainland Chinese people to embrace the world — travel it, learn from it, respect it. Xi Jinping is no Jiang Zemin.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Today I took my team out for a "working" lunch at Migas Mercado Spanish restaurant in Beijing (China World Mall). Amazing food and atmosphere with the CCTV tower and the very blue skies of autumn looming in the background.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Very honored to announce the upcoming publication of my book, The Peking Express. It's a true story of banditry, hostage-taking, and geopolitical intrigue. Based upon private records of former hostages and archival sources from around the globe. And much trekking across Shandong.

China Books of The Year 📚

@NewChinaBooks

2 years

THE PEKING EXPRESS The forgotten story of train-robbing revolutionaries, and a 1923 hostage crisis that shocked China and the West. April 2023 @jmzbeijing @HachetteBooks

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Friend in Beijing: Why do foreigners always complain? Me: Because we can. And the government's censorship of social media regarding the #BeijingBannerMan is a reminded of that.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

China has no credibility as a mediator and its "peace plan" is a farce. China's relationship with Moscow defeats all trust/objectivity. There is a real-world reason why a mediator is referred to as a "neutral". Excellent piece @austinramzy via @WSJ

China Sticks Close to Russia as It Makes Cautious Diplomatic Push

Beijing has sought to cast itself as an advocate for peace in Ukraine, but has shown little willingness to distance itself from Moscow’s positions.

www.wsj.com

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Lots of rumors of a 3-day lockdown. Lots of denials. Much panic buying. No taxis/DiDi. No subway. But we had a perfect sunset in Beijing.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Claiming protesters are "mainly students" is both incorrect and an attempt to discount their voices. Depending on location, videos indicate a mix of folks in their 20s-40s. And don't disregard the unhappy voices that stayed at home for whatever reason.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Beijing Banner Man doesn’t represent 1.4 bil people but does reflect growing discontent. You see it in business struggling to stay open, delivery guys who just want a daily meal, parents frustrated with school closures, and all of us trying to normalize our lives around 0-Covid.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Asked my Beijing employees about rumors of reopening. One irate employee with kids ages 12 and 8 said: "Schools in Chaoyang closed until spring semester in Feb. Adults can adjust and handle remote work. Kids can’t. Huge difference. Until schools reopen, nothing really relaxing."

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Now they got the (spin) doctors out in full force to convey a message that Covid is effectively benign — a remarkable one-eighty.

Global Times

@globaltimesnews

1 year

#Omicron is not scary, and about 99% of those infected with Omicron can fully recover within 7-10 days, China's top respiratory disease expert Zhong Nanshan said at a national academic video conference of respiratory diseases on Friday.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Much talk of China protesters being “arrested.” Nope, not formally arrested — which (in theory) triggers procedural rights and right to counsel. Rather, they are administratively detained under broad, discretionary rules allowing police detention for alleged anti-social behavior.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

This isn't always the case in China, but there is a fundamental lack of trust in the system. People just don’t want to get caught up in a police investigation, and fear there is too much risk in being a witness (or worse, a suspect) in a possible crime or legal violation.

Mike Cormack

@bucketoftongues

1 year

Chinese woman falls off scooter, and has seizure while bystanders do absolutely nothing

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Xi is not "losing his grip on power" and, yeah, he will get a third term. That said, all of the tension and debate behind the scenes is the selection process for Li Keqiang's job and various ministry-level posts. In that sense, Xi has been challenged.

Rumours that Xi Jinping is losing his grip on power are greatly exaggerated

Evidence is thin that past episodes of factional strife in China’s communist party are repeating themselves

www.ft.com

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

It's remarkable how misinformed and shallow the PRC Foreign Ministry can be. This is like a parody account without really trying.

Spokesperson发言人办公室

@MFA_China

1 year

We’re also curious what the US “plan for the destruction of Taiwan” looks like. The US needs to provide a clear explanation on this.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Hu Jintao was stunned. After resistance (and words to Xi), he managed to walk on his own and nobody — not one — turned to wish him well (if he was indeed ill). Maybe something nefarious, maybe not. But highly unusual. Excellent video @dansoncj

Danson Cheong

@dansoncj

2 years

Early drama: Hu Jintao seen being led out soon after reporters are led into the main hall

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

In halls of power across the globe, leaders are watching events in the PRC and strategizing how to respond. Hopefully, they will be skillful enough to avoid saying things that feed the Party hardliners' argument that "foreign forces" are driving the protests (which they're not).

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

The time from landing to arrival at quarantine “hotel” was almost 6 hours. Most of time waiting for scrum of hazmats to figure out what to do. Total chaos. How many hazmats does it take to organize the bus ride?

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Today, Guomao (China World) towers closed nearby testing booths to 11/27 because they caught 1 positive case. What are testing booths for? Meanwhile, Guomao ordered all offices to reduce their staff to 5%, and the rest work from home. China's zero-Covid off-ramp is a roundabout.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

State Dept. 9-25-2015. XJP said: “I’m convinced that as long as our two sides join hands and move forward together with perseverance, we will continue to make new progress in growing China-U.S. relations and better serve the people of our two countries...” 7 years on, now what?

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

"As one of my friends said to me in my last days: We love China, but it doesn’t love us back.” A moving and personal piece @sophia_yan . If China wants the world to learn about the country and its people, it needs to stop driving away the journalists.

'I stopped saying Xi’s name out loud': Why The Telegraph’s correspondent had to flee China

In 2012, Sophia Yan arrived in Hong Kong to a mood of national optimism. A decade on, she leaves under a cloud of fear and surveillance

www.telegraph.co.uk

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Apparently, a high-speed train from Shanghai to Beijing today was stopped at Jinan and they put all passengers in quarantine since one positive case on that train. This is not the first time. Makes you wonder how the passenger got on the train with all the screening.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Sorry, no comparison. The Beijing protestors didn’t storm Zhongnanhai or Great Hall of People. And the Jan 6 “disruptors” weren’t holding white paper or singing Internationale — they caused considerable property damage and threatened lawmakers. And they got due process on arrest.

Global Times

@globaltimesnews

1 year

#Opinion : Some US elites have a shameless double standard: They condemn and even sentence those who incite violence in the US to long prison terms; but when it comes to anti-China disruptors, they spare no effort to defend them.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

The PSB/MSS are now in full overdrive. It's not just a heavy street presence, but they are visiting or making calls to participants of the protests, foreign media outlets, people on watch lists, and so on. It's all for a chilling effect. Be vigilant! Be safe!

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

The problem with China’s “dynamic zero-covid” is, by definition, its dynamic — constantly changing without predictability leading to abrupt decision making. People need certainty in their lives and not haphazard lockdowns, lockouts, school closures, & biz suspension ad nauseam.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

And hazmats refuse to help any passengers in need. Everyone, old and young, loaded up their own bags. I can’t even imagine doing this with kids. And once under way, God forbid we have an accident (like in Guiyang last week)! So unsafe.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

10 months

Word salad. I have never had an American, Chinese, or whatever ask me “what kind of flower will grow out of China?” So out of touch with how people even talk with one another. Nothing this guy says resonates with the American people he is trying to persuade.

Xie Feng 谢锋

@AmbXieFeng

10 months

On China’s development: An American friend asked me: what kind of flower will grow out of China? My answer is: it will be a flower of peace, cooperation, and common development. It will be a Chinese peony, as beautiful and sweet as roses.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Arrived at Beijing Capital Airport the other day and used my APEC Business Travel Card to go through a special lane to avoid long lines. In the APEC line, I wasn't grilled about prior U.S. military service or USG employment. The process took under a minute as it did pre-Covid.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

4 years

The very fact that this is a "phase one" deal is a reflection of utter defeat. Nothing gained but lukewarm purchases after 18 months of a costly trade war. Why? Because Trump and team never had a viable China strategy. Excellent piece @Dimi @JamesPoliti

US and China near trade deal lowering tariffs

Stocks hit record after US president hints at progress ahead of Sunday deadline

www.ft.com

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

A friend sent this photo from Soho towers in Sanlitun. Apparently, these quarantine pods went up in a parking lot overnight. They must be expecting a huge surge in positive cases within Beijing.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Beijing Creeping Lockdown Update: The communities east of me (my path to walk to work at Guomao), are now under lockdown. Getting closer every day. Another grocery run tonight!

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Guomao (China World) office complex in Beijing sent a notice today requiring daily tests starting tomorrow 11/8 with no end date. I know other complexes/communities in city have started daily testing as well. A big scramble now at COB with huge lines for testing. Oh brother.....

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Anyone living in China knows that this is utter nonsense. Just ask the airlines, railway operators, hotels, and restaurants. Or the people confined to their homes for months. The tourism sector has been gutted and its unlikely to rebound under current policies. Let's be honest!

Global Times

@globaltimesnews

2 years

China’s #tourism sector expects this year’s summer tourism to be better than same time last year as improved epidemic prevention control situation has given them much needed confidence.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

10 months

Someone needs to tell Kissinger that current policy on US-China relations has already left him way behind at the station. The train is long gone, and it’s not coming back without a major shift in the Party’s policies on Russia, SCS, human rights, and so on. US policy won’t budge…

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

PCR testing scheduled for 5-700am on Day 1,2,3,5,7,10. If I don't wake for testing they would add an additional day of quarantine. Despite jet lag, I ended up being wide awake in anticipation of visitors from 330am onwards. They came by at 630am today. Pointless, crazy!

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Ritan Saturday Afternoon Walk: Chinese cabbage on doorstep for getting ready to make suancai (酸菜), pickled cabbage for the winter months. Something you see even in the urban areas of Beijing.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

I went to my pharmacy in Beijing to buy sophisticated heart-related prescription medicine. No problem. Then I asked for OTC Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and was barred from buying as it requires special registration. It's a fever reducer and subject to quarantine restrictions. Absurd.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

For decades, I always characterized China's development path as "two-steps forward, and one step backwards" — good progress nevertheless. But, today, and from my vantage point, it's looking more like three-steps backwards.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

US Embassy: As a result of a surge in Covid cases across China, all routine visa services are temporarily suspended; all regularly scheduled appointments at Embassy Beijing and the other consulates have been canceled. Probably same for other embassies.

Alert: Update from U.S. Mission China Consular Services for December 15, 2022

china.usembassy-china.org.cn

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

After closing many of the testing booths in Chaoyang, my apartment complex set up its own little testing tent. I showed the photo to my office staff and they responded with words like "so cute", "adorable", and "everybody looks happy". Oh brother...let's not normalize this stuff!

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

9 months

I am on a weekend trip to old Chefoo (Yantai) for a writing project — chasing ghosts from 1905-1907. Some of the best preserved treaty port era architecture in China is here. Chefoo was the last stop in former President Ulysses S. Grant's trip to China in 1879.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

The tragic fire in XJ this week reminded me of the fire department “training” we get at Guomao office towers in Beijing. They openly told us that we cannot fully rely on them to rescue us in the event of a fire. Why? Because of Beijing traffic, they said. Made sense. 1/3

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

The reaction to the “spy balloon” is a reflection that there are too many voices with a tendency to jump the gun when this will likely come out to be nothing more than a low-tech, untethered, and wayward weather balloon in an era where satellites are more discreet and effective.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Touchdown! Just got care package from my Shanghai office: refrigerator, induction cooktop, pot/pan, and so on. 4th time in quarantine and only 2nd time "hotel" allows the frig and all. Squeaky wheel gets the frig! Will do my own healthy cooking. Make ice for drinks. Good to go!

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

5 years

@gadyepstein Get your tickets to Mar-a-GoGo! No shame. Keep digging deeper and you’ll see foreign money going to Trump’s businesses and the campaign coffers, as well as Madam Yang’s Mainland ties. This one won't get better for the GOP.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

@JDMayger Now you can add "drug dealer" to your resume.....

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Morning walk update: Did a wide 5-mile loop past the Beijing ancient observatory (北京古观象台), a hidden gem built in 1442. Jesuit missionaries helped create the astronomical instruments you see on the roof circa 1673 bringing western tech to China.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

If we continue to expand the use of the "national security" argument in trade matters, so will China and the rest of the world — allies included. It's hard to see how this really helps the long-term security and economic interests of U.S. companies, consumers, and workers.

USTR Office of Public Affairs

@USTRSpox

1 year

We have made it clear that issues of national security cannot be reviewed in WTO dispute settlement. The U.S. strongly rejects the flawed interpretation of challenges to the U.S. Section 232 measure on steel brought by China and others.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Choices, we all need to make choices. Some choices will haunt us. Some we'll regret. But our choices define us.

Spokesperson发言人办公室

@MFA_China

1 year

China stands ready to work with Russia to further advance our comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

@EP_Lawrence Godspeed, Ed. And, whatever you do, don't let this deter you from doing what you do best, and that is to continue reporting with courage.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

It's remarkable how brazen and bumbling the global propaganda machine can be.

Cameron Wilson 韦侃仑

@CameronWEF

1 year

Original tweet deleted, but too good not to preserve: The bridge is designed in Denmark, built by South Koreans and Turks, and over 1,000km from the earthquake epicentre. Zhang Meifang is the Chinese consul for... Belfast.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

A perfect day to walk 9km from home to Lao Shi Dumpling restaurant in Baochao Hutong. Simple, but superb dumplings. But too packed down touristy Nanluogu Hutong (few masks). And on a cold day, nothing beats walking behind the sweet potato guy — toasty warm and a sweet aroma!

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Guomao (and apparently all of Chaoyang) just sent a notice that they are reopening the testing booths effective tomorrow morning. A total reversal — once again. Sounds more and more like a financial issue that took two days to resolve. Are we dizzy yet?

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

More than ever, I am repeatedly asked if I am planning to leave China. Almost annoying. After 34 years in this racket and having lived in Beijing 24 years, my response is "no plans". Despite the chaos and policy dysfunction (of all governments), there is much opportunity for biz.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

@JessicaZ1018 I have lived/worked in China for 25 years. Raised three daughters in Beijing. I have a drivers license and pay taxes. I have owned four cars in China. I've rescued/raised half dozen dogs/cats. I go to church here (sometimes). And so on. Why am I still considered a "foreigner"?

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

I am honored and humbled that the acclaimed storyteller @PaulTheroux_ wrote the book review on #ThePekingExpress in The New York Times. Happy publication day today! @public_affairs @HachetteUS The Great Train Robbery on the Shanghai-to-Peking Express

The Great Train Robbery on the Shanghai-to-Peking Express (Published 2023)

A century ago, justice-seeking bandits derailed a train in rural China and took dozens of hostages, a story unspooled by James M. Zimmerman in “The Peking Express.”

www.nytimes.com

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Closely watching the Creeping Lockdown here in Beijing coming my way (Blue Dot) from the east and south. Like a bad movie, I am indeed in the path as it oozes closer and closer to me then on to Zhongnanhai. Does XJP watch the App like I do? I hope so. Just a matter of time.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

I suspect incoming foreign minister Qin Gang had a hand in this. Maybe we’ll see a kinder, gentler approach to Beijing's global diplomacy under Qin Gang. Yet a loose cannon in the department focused on land and maritime boundaries will be interesting.

China 'wolf warrior' diplomatic spokesperson Zhao moves to new role

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian, who gained prominence as one of China's most outspoken "wolf warrior" diplomats, has been transferred to its department that manages land and sea...

www.reuters.com

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

The Party’s propaganda machine is showing its true colors — since when is BRICS a Communist Party led effort? We all know Russia is already a vassal state of the CPC, but India, Brazil, and South Africa should take issue.

Zhang Meifang

@CGMeifangZhang

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Weekend in Zaozhuang (Tsaochuang). Had lunch with local friends 1 km from the derailment site of #ThePekingExpress . Nothing beats an 8 kuai ($1.15) bowl of hand-rolled Shandong noodles, veggies, and chicken. Making new (bandit) friends and checked out the local sorghum firewater.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Sure, guys, let's go back 100 years when China was in the middle of the chaotic and murderous Warlord Era beset by internecine fighting. Russia, too, in 1923 just came off a series of civil wars and famine that put the country in a near-state of ruin. History matters. Learn some.

Valerie Hopkins

@VALERIEinNYT

1 year

"Right now there are changes, the likes of which we haven't seen for 100 years," Mr. Xi told Mr. Putin through an interpreter after the state dinner as the leaders bid farewell. "And we are the ones driving these changes together.”

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

But it’s still inexcusable to block the exits or seal any door or exit with anything other than an alarm that can be ignored in the event of a fire or other emergency. Even the FD said its illegal to block the doors. 3/4

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Every home in Beijing (and for those that used to live in Beijing) should have a Liuba Draws book on their coffee table. Liuba really captures the essence of life in the Jing. (Book published Nov 2022)

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs — which is the supervising government agency for foreign media — needs to investigate the treatment of @EP_Lawrence . Otherwise, his press credentials and the rules allowing foreign media to operate in China, are meaningless. This is a safety issue.

BBC News Press Team

@BBCNewsPR

1 year

BBC Statement on Ed Lawrence

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

A friend who has lived in Beijing for 20 years took a flight 6/9/22 to Phuket for time at his condo. He got Covid with symptoms of bad cold. Went to clinic 6/16/22 ($50 fee), got meds, and was ordered to "bed rest at home" for week. Already feeling better. Contrast with China!

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Schools in Chaoyang district, including int'l schools, are going online. Half day tomorrow to prepare for the transition (long haul?). Now parents need to scramble to have someone watch their younger kids at home. Not a great development. Notice from Western Academy of Beijing.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Baozi...Beijing's Breakfast of Champions!

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

A bit hazy today but still a nice Sunday for a long walk, including a visit to the Beijing Ancient Observatory (北京古观象台) with its impressive instruments from the Jesuits dating from the mid-1600s.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

@macastel3 The decline of foreign biz executives on the ground (and CEOs that previously travelled to China) is a deeper, long-term loss for Beijing. These executives have historically been strong advocates for China back home. Zero-Covid is doing more harm than just driving people away.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

In the past, lawyers in China had more fun than those in today's legal profession. In Norwood Allman’s 1943 book "Shanghai Lawyer" the key qualification was horsemanship since “[m]ost of the American lawyers in China played polo”. Who'd rather ride a horse than study XJP thought?

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 months

Journalism is not a crime. When PRC police and security forces harass and detain foreign reporters (and local staff) all they do is create a whole new storyline — and most oftentimes its negative. If China has a good story to tell, let the journalists do their jobs. @fccchina

Foreign Correspondents' Club of China

@fccchina

2 months

FCCC statement on harassment of reporters in Chengdu Mar 1, 2024 The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China is extremely disturbed by the treatment of Dutch journalists during a recent reporting trip in Chengdu.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 month

The old Jesuit library in Shanghai (上海图书馆徐家汇藏书楼) is a fabulous resource for anyone researching life in China/Shanghai in the early 20th century. In the course of researching The Peking Express story, the staff was most helpful. A national treasure.

Historic Shanghai

@HistoricSH

1 month

Happy Easter from the Bibliotheca Zi-ka-wei, the old Jesuit Library (1847). Here’s a peek at the two-storey library, though we can’t bring you that glorious antiquarian book scent (why does no one bottle THAT?). How did it survive the Cultural Revolution? 1/

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Jaime FlorCruz, former Beijing bureau chief of CNN, has been named as Manila's ambassador to China. This is fabulous news @jflorcruzCNN and all of us that knew him during his years in Beijing. Marcos names ex-CNN Beijing bureau chief as PH envoy to China

Marcos names ex-CNN Beijing bureau chief as PH envoy to China | Global News

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed CNN’s former Beijing bureau chief Jaime FlorCruz as the new Philippine ambassador to China.

globalnation.inquirer.net

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

10 months

Just finished reading “Assignment China”, an extraordinary work @mikechinoy . A captivating narrative involving the media giants of China sharing their stories — personal, upfront, and insightful. An important historical record of journalism in action.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

A must-read, must-share from my friend @Lingling_Wei . She is the face, mind, soul, and legacy of US-China engagement. A beautiful essay. The architects of America’s China policy need to heed the lessons that she and her peers represent. via @WSJ

Essay | What Engagement With China Has Meant for Me

For a Wall Street Journal reporter born in China, the mutual openness that began in the 1990s made it possible to envision a better future.

www.wsj.com

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Pedestrians in Beijing have no rights — parking on the sidewalk is all too common. Welcome to my daily commute to the office. These guys only get in trouble if captured on camera parking illegally in the street. Meanwhile, there is plenty of underground parking — but for a fee.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Got results of 12th test: negative, of course. Also told that no one in this hotel has tested positive. But told a new rule today: Close my window to keep my “air” out of the hallways, especially when I open my door. Sorry, but no. It’s called making up the rules as we go!

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Great Saturday for urban walk in Beijing. High 40sF. No wind. Sunny. Walked from home (Guanghua lu) to Panjiayuan (Dirt Market). Crowded but I didn’t see any foreigners. I am always intrigued by the old book section.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

WeChat account suspension is a serious risk given the dependency on the platform. And the risk continues to increase on a daily basis as the gatekeepers add to the list of sensitive topics. What’s sensitive information? What's benign information? You will know it when you see it.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

1 year

Maybe I missed it but I am waiting for "Balloons-R-Us (Beijing) Co., Ltd." to be publicly revealed. The PRC foreign ministry claims the owner is a private company yet no-one has come forward, and whether ownership traces back to the PLA, MSS, or the weatherman.

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Out of quarantine. Took train SHA-Beijing. Hongqiao station normal. Shops open. Almost no dabai. Many unmasked people. Beijingnan normal, but when home received dreaded pop-ups. Ugh! No stores/office until after 7 days or after multiple tests. Endless testing. Home sweet home!

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James M Zimmerman

@jmzbeijing

2 years

Beijing May 8, 1999: US Embassy under siege after bombing in Belgrade. I shut down my law firm office for a week after angry staff told me that I was "on my own". Good 2019 piece @maryhui Photos: How China erupted into anti-American rage 20 years ago

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