This is very sad. David Webb’s collection of data has been a treasure trove for journalists and HongKongers alike. Thank you, Mr Webb, for all your hard work. Godspeed! webb-site.com/articles/shu...?

Hopefully by the time the 2034 World Cup comes round, the message it’s not okay to grope visiting supporters will have been heard. What a grim story. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Behind all the excitement of these TikTok escapees discovering Little Red, Chinese censors must be having kittens. Chinese public have a lifetime of inate self-censorship, ease to fit XHS's ToS. "Free speech" American kids? Not so much~ 🔮Surely many bans coming~ 🔮

Happy 2025! I started a Substack. Here's my first post: open.substack.com/pub/chinaspo...

Happy 2025! I started a Substack. Here's my first post: open.substack.com/pub/chinaspo...

This SCMP editorial on a "fresh start" for Chinese football feels like it's straight out of the Xinhua library. Utter tripe. www.scmp.com/opinion/comm...

The lesson being Hong Kong is horrible at organizing exhibition football

Wang Jianlin (Atletico Madrid) Zhang Jindong (Inter Milan) Guo Guangchang (@Wolves) Dai Yongge (@ReadingFC) All bought European clubs between 2015-2018 What else do they have in common? They all sat on the National Committee of the CPPCC - which coordinates the UFWD #China #football #influence

Four typos in four sentences for this BBC homepage piece on Vanuatu's earthquake. It's clear the editors were laid off there years ago, but what about Grammarly? AI? Or even a read through??

A 20-year prison sentence was handed down to former Everton and China player and national team coach Li Tie today - "short" according to what he could have received for admitting bribery charges of more than $10m. Sad end to a truly groundbreaking career.

Qi Jun, former director of the strategic planning dept of the CFA, who was also team leader of the men's national team during the 2022 World Cup qualification campaign, was sentenced to 7 years today. Speculation in Chinese media that Li Tie's verdict could come as early as this week...

That, and the fact that "Hong Kong" was the reason why the NBA hasn't played games in China since 2019. No point in giving the critics - and there will still be plenty critical of this move - the neat and tidy "full circle" ironic headline.

NBA games are returning to China next October - six years since a single tweet derailed the league there. Covered this a LOT in my book, as all my worlds - comms, sports, China, US-China - collided. Expect plenty more rhetoric next year... apnews.com/article/nba-...

This is explosive. Summary: -WADA's investigation unit tells WADA that Chinese athletes are likely/historically taking trace amounts of TMZ. -WADA then learns Chinese athletes tested positive for trace amounts of TMZ. -But WADA does not inform its own investigation unit WADA --> not fit for purpose

Ohtani's 50/50 ball sold for $4.4m last month to Taiwanese investment firm UC Capital - a tenant of Taipei 101 - so they decided to put it up for viewing until March next year.

Bluesky now appears to be blocked in China

🧵The Shanghai marathon takes place tomorrow, December 1. Last month, the Abbott World Marathon Majors (@worldmarathon.bsky.social) announced that Shanghai was in contention to join its elite races. A thread on why that might still happen - but why it probably shouldn't.

I remember the days long, long ago, when you could read stuff like this on Twitter. 10/10 thread.

At an over/under of 10 days until Bluesky is blocked in China, I'm taking the under.

First hot take on a new social network: international baseball needs to happen more. It’s Taiwan v Japan in the finals of the WBSC at the Tokyo Dome and the atmosphere is electric. Got dudes going headfirst into first. Fan chants booming. Half of Taiwan is watching. National honor on the line.

Tried the Hong Kong-Beijing overnight high-speed train journey last weekend. Overall: good, but seems like I was only overnight passenger in the cheap(er) seats, which were packed from HK-Changsha (7:30-11pm) and again from Shijiazhuang-BJ (5:30-7am), but deserted in between!

Remember Bing Dwen Dwen, the mascot of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics? Well, it's back - with some snake-themed hairstyles for the upcoming Year of the Snake!

China lost 3-1 at home to Japan last night in 2026 World Cup qualifying, "a result that many considered worthy of praise", as per the Global Times, noting that "plenty of Chinese journalists burst into applause" at the end of coach Ivankovic's press conference. Tells you everything you need to know.