September 7, 2012
Translated by Zhang Dian

Editors from the EO's Chinese website publish a daily collection of extracts from commentary pieces that have appeared in the mainland press over recent days. Every Friday the EO's English team translates a selection of these opinion pieces.

GM Experiments on Chinese Children

Background
Tufts University in the United States has admitted testing genetically modified (GM) rice on Chinese children. However, Hengyang City (衡阳) of Hunan Province (湖南) says that there was research but officially denies that GM experiments were ever done on primary school students.

Commentary:

Not only does this incident involve law and ethics in biological research, but it also concerns the rights of children. This is a big deal. But the first question we should ask is why there are two divergent accounts from the US University and Chinese local officials.
Changjiang Daily(长江日报)
Original article: [Chinese]

Aside from the safety of the GM rice, this incident reveals problems with GM supervision in our country. Must we wait for the official announcement from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health before we know about it? Only through a transparent system can panic be avoided. And only through public information can the safety of GM food be corroborated.
Dongfang Daily (东方早报)
Original article: [Chinese]

Why does Hunan Province deny the GM experiments by claiming it as research on efficiency? There are two possibilities: One is that the officials want to fool the public. The other is that even the officials don’t know much about the GM experiment. This is a shame.
The Beijing News (新京报)
Original article: [Chinese]

GM experimenting is a scientific question, but whether or not to eat it is a matter of human rights. Science can tell us if the experiment is safe, but who can give us a reasonable explanation as to why those children involved and their parents have no idea about the experiment? How can this experiment be carried out without telling the truth to those involved people?
China Business View (华商报), a popular daily newspaper published in Xi'an.
Original article: [Chinese]

Trousers-like Building in Suzhou

Background
The Gate of the Orient (东方之门), a new landmark being built in Suzhou City (苏州市), has received a lot of attention online. Many say it looks like a giant pair of trousers. Others say the new trousers building can be good company for the trousers-like CCTV tower in Beijing.

Commentary:

Such a magnificent landmark in a big city needs suggestions and advice from all walks of life, instead of the opinions of only a few experts. The city officials have to bear in mind that public architecture has to meet the requirements of the public.
The Beijing News (新京报)
Original article: [Chinese]

The charm of urban architecture comes from history and time, not from the hasty and practical intentions of modern people. There is no way for us to understand the art of architecture with a practical mind.
Southern Metropolis Daily (南方都市报)
Original article: [Chinese]

We cannot simply label the Gate of the Orient as beautiful or ugly. But it indeed needs to attract more grassroots affection. Only when it's open to the public's opinions can there be less controversy.
Huaxi Metropolis Daily（华西都市报）
Original article: [Chinese]

Unlike apparel, it’s not possible for architecture to be fashionable. After it’s built, it can’t be torn down quickly when it's no longer trendy. Admittedly, everybody wants to be fashionable, but what does fashion mean for a city?
Guangzhou Daily (广州日报)
Original article: [Chinese]

Primary School Students Carry Desks to School

Background:
Nearly 3,000 students in Shunhe County, Macheng City of Hubei Province (湖北麻城市顺河镇) have to bring desks for school. Even though 2,000 have been allotted to the county, there’s still a large shortfall.

Commentary:

How can Macheng City afford a governmental building but have no money for school desks? Their scant attention to education may be the reason for their poverty. But how can the senior officials stay aloof when this kind of thing happens? How can the compulsory education in Macheng City pass the supervision from the government?
The Beijing News (新京报)
Original article: [Chinese]

The country is ranked second in GDP, yet education investment is still less than 4 percent of that GDP. And the huge gap between education in cities and the countryside is even more shocking. Is our education investment so small that some rural schools can’t even afford desks? Or does someone appropriate the money for desks but then put it in his own pocket?
Guangzhou Daily (广州日报)
Original article: [Chinese]

Why is the county official absent when there are no desks for school kids? Why is there no help from the government when children of those migrant workers can only have their grandma help them carry a desk to school? The condition of rural schools these days is almost the same as it was 30 years ago, while the local fiscal revenue has kept rising. It’s nothing but a shame - for both education and local officials.
Jinan Daily (济南日报)
Original article: [Chinese]