WARNING: Wild panda cub inside, and 5 more things you need to know today

EDITION OCT 01 Hi Inkstoners!   It’s Juliana here.   The weather is great here in Hong Kong on this Monday. And on the ground floor of Times Square, where the Inkstone office is located, the crowds are enormous. The visitors are mainly tourists from mainland China.   That’s because it’s a public holiday in China, as well as in Hong Kong. October 1 marks the founding of the People’s Republic of China and has been celebrated every year since 1949.   Back in 1999, the Chinese government designated the entire week of October 1 a “Golden Week,” giving everyone a whole week off in order to encourage folks to travel and spend money. China used to have three of these week-long holidays: Lunar New Year, May 1 and October 1.     People took advantage of these weeks to travel and spend. In fact, they were traveling so much (resulting in traffic congestion and, some argue, a mini economic slump) that, in 2008, the government decided to cancel the May 1 week, leaving two major weeks.   In our second story today, our video journalist Arman Dzidzovic and reporter Yujing Liu talk to Chinese tourists to see what they’re up to during this Golden Week.     Speaking of travel, many Chinese tourists will be going overseas, and Thailand is one of their favorite destinations. In fact, China was the biggest source of tourists for Thailand in 2017.   This year, though, the Thailand-related headlines making the rounds in China have been dominated by two viral stories: 1) a deadly boat accident in Phuket in which dozens of Chinese tourists died and 2) a security guard at Bangkok’s main international airport caught on camera slapping a Chinese tourist. Xinyan Yu covers what happened at the airport altercation in our fifth story today. 1. A fight in the heartland   If you come across a page in a US newspaper with articles about kung fu, robotics and China’s high-speed rail, look carefully at the top of the page. The supplement may actually be a paid “advertorial” by China Daily, a state-run newspaper that has been promoting Chinese culture and policies in the US.   It is not unusual for foreign governments to run propaganda campaigns overseas. But China Daily’s supplement in a newspaper in Iowa last week has prompted strong criticism from America’s envoy to China, and a tweet from Donald Trump. Read our story to find out why. READ 2. Golden Week   How are Chinese folks celebrating Golden Week? Arman and Yujing hang out in Causeway Bay in Hong Kong, where the prime shopping mecca of Russell Street used to command higher rent than Fifth Avenue, to find out. READ 3. Democracy in Hong Kong   Not everyone’s celebrating this week. On Monday, thousands of Hong Kong people took part in a march for democracy.   They include people who have really drawn Beijing’s ire: activists who call for the former British colony’s independence from China. Last week, Hong Kong authorities banned the Hong Kong National Party for such advocacy.   As it was evident in the march, few people in Hong Kong openly call for an independent future. But the broader pro-democracy movement is worried that Beijing’s crackdown on separatism is extending beyond this small group of strident activists. READ 4. Gay teacher fired Even though China doesn’t have anti-discrimination laws protecting gender minorities, the LGBT community has brought on a few high-profile legal cases in the pursuit of equal rights. This is one of them. A kindergarten teacher, 31, is suing his former employer for unfair dismissal based on sexual orientation. Read more about the case from Phoebe Zhang and Grace Tsoi here. READ 5. Paradise no more?   Thailand is one of the most popular overseas travel destinations for Chinese tourists: it’s affordable, not far from home and easy to get around. But a now-viral video showing a Chinese tourist getting slapped by a Thai airport security guard has angered many people.   This is the second incident, after a July boat accident in Phuket killing 47 Chinese tourists, that the Thai government fears may put off Chinese tourists to the paradise travel destination, so they reacted quickly to mend the situation. READ 6. Caution: Wild panda ahead   Why do news organizations run so many stories about pandas? Simple: they’re box-office. People around the world love to look at, visit and read about giant pandas.   But did you know they are no longer endangered? About two years ago, they were downgraded to “vulnerable” status. Their survival is not completely assured, but they’re doing much better. READ If you've got time China’s Health Care Crisis: Lines Before Dawn, Violence and ‘No Trust’   The New York Times delves into the litany of problems plaguing China's health care system. Thousands Could Be Deported As Government Targets Asylum Mills' Clients   NPR reports on the possible deportation of 13,500 immigrants, mostly Chinese, who were granted asylum status years ago by the US government. The first-ever Boeing 777 gets put out to pasture.   Find out more Get more Inkstone Inkstone is a daily digest of 6 China-focused stories providing unvarnished insight into a rising potential superpower. NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBE NOW MOBILE APP   © 2018 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

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