Terrorism threat
Beijing has identified terrorism as the biggest threat to a successful Olympic Games.
So, the government has issued a citizens' anti-terrorist attack manual.
The manual's in Chinese. But my Chinese colleagues have translated some extracts...
How to detect terrorist suspects
Terrorist suspects won't put a sticker on their faces to say they are terrorists. However they will have some abnormal behaviour that can make us alert, such as:
• Those who look panicked and strange in their words and behaviour
• Those who dress in clothes that don't fit their identity or the weather
• Those who pretend to be close friends, and flatter
• Those who refuse to do security checks, and sound arrogant
• Those who frequently appear at big event venues
• Those who frequently appear around security areas
• Those who look like wanted suspects
What should you do after being kidnapped by terrorists?
• Keep calm. Don't resist. Believe the government
• Don't make eye contact with or speak to the terrorists. Bend your body down to the ground slowly
• Try to keep and hide your telecommunication device. Put your mobile phone into silent mode at the appropriate moment and send messages to police or call 110. If you send a text message, the content should include your location, the number of hostages, and the number of terrorists
• Pay attention to the number of terrorists and remember who their leader is for subsequent investigations
• At the moment of the police action, try your best to bend down and leave under the police protection
I’m 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~28~RS~)
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"Believe the Government". Hmmm ... says it all, really, doesn't it?
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Personally, I'm more scared by the instructions what to do!
"Keep calm. Don't resist. Believe the government".
Yikes!
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To Jordan D:
well, ... I'll say that better to believe the policeman than to believe your own martial arts.:D
btw, this is for chinese to understand and would have to write in a way that sounds silly to westerners, but hey, who cares. ha~
I was living near Euston 7th July 2005 and my research lab is right next to Tavistock Square. A cleaning lady in my building was dead because she was on the double-decker. But I don't remember receiving any anti-terrorist attack manual afterwards. So government isn't that trustworthy after all, I admit.
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"believe the government" should be better translated into "trust the authorities". It bascially means don't try to be a hero and take matters to your own hands. James, I think you should get a new translator.
Seriously though, when will you start learning Chinese yourself? Chinese language is special in that by learning Chinese you will also begin to learn Chinese culture and understand the Chinese way of thinking.
Trust me, learning Chinese will serve you well when reporting in China. Only then will you be able to talk to ordinary Chinese yourself and understand the hope and desire of these lovely people.
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How to detect terrorist suspects:
? Those who look panicked and strange in their words and behaviour
hmmmm, reminds me of Beijing new subway line clip...
? Those who frequently appear at big event venues
? Those who frequently appear around security areas
...
Is that...?
I GOCHA, James! :D
? Those who pretend to be close friends, and flatter
--- You gonna start counting from VIP area, mate. Plus, all "Look like wanted suspects" also in retrospect.
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Let's see who these rules would apply to: -
? Those who look panicked and strange in their words and behaviour
Hmm, George Bush maybe?
? Those who pretend to be close friends, and flatter
? Those who refuse to do security checks, and sound arrogant
? Those who frequently appear at big event venues
? Those who frequently appear around security areas
Most politicians and celebs would fit these criteria.
? Those who dress in clothes that don't fit their identity or the weather
Guess it would be too easy to spot the free tibet t-shirts.
? Those who look like wanted suspects
Leave this one open....
As for the rules for being kidnapped, good grief, this is what happens when you live in totalitarian regimes, you lose common sense.
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Pretty useless suggestions. I would have escaped if I have the time to send detail txt msg to the police. I like the one they show on the public transport in London: don't touch any unattended bag and report to a member of the staff immediately.
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To 1#
So, in case of an abduction, are you going to fight to free yoursekf then? :-)
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it seems to me the CCP is using the terror laws as a front to keep the lid on dissent.
if they were to arrest well-know dissidents and keep them under house arrest during the duration of the games, they are just going to use the excuse of 'fighting terrorism' to justify their position.
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Another example of "lost in translation".
Sometimes the tone of a sentence just does not translate, and I am so frustrated with it.
English speaking people often tell me my English is good but the way I say things is often complicated. Chinese people think I am sharp and straight to the point and very accurate. But when I try to translate my Chinese sharpness and simplicity into English, it just neverever works.
I read the chapters James' Chinese colleage
translated for us. The translation was correct but the tone was terrible. I would not blame him because to get the exact tone the translation will probably become too long.
But James, what do you think about the guidlines? Do you understand them? Do they make sense to you? If you do, can you help us to put them into better English?
At the end of the day, it is your blog, you should be responsible to the quality of these translations, shouldn't you?
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Just Brilliant!!! Why has the US and the UK not come up with this anti-terrorism tactic before....?
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"? Those who look panicked and strange in their words and behaviour
? Those who dress in clothes that don't fit their identity or the weather
? Those who pretend to be close friends, and flatter
? Those who refuse to do security checks, and sound arrogant
? Those who frequently appear at big event venues
? Those who frequently appear around security areas
? Those who look like wanted suspects"
That pretty much covers all Europeans and Americans then.
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James,
I support my government anti-terror measures 101%!
But it makes our little peoples' life so hard. Terrorists everywhere!
On the street, all the uniformed terrorizing us all the time. Going to government offices, from the security guards to the janitors, not mention the high-ups, all are terrorizing. The other day I dared to venture close to the bird nest, I am still shaking now: there were missiles pointing at us!!
I will asking our great leaders what we can do to get rid of all those terrorists.
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The small dogs always bark louder.
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just realised that there is a huge drawback of releasing such manual: terrorists can make a manual accordingly. "Terrorist attack manual, chapter 1, how to be a terroist: put a sticker on you face to say you are terrorist. "
joking:) but you get the idea of how ridiculous translation can be and how pointless to mock a useless manual.
This manual is no more than a rough guideline to ordinary citizens to identify some street troubles. It is not even well thought out and has no power of law whatsoever. So, to jamesxu no.9, use this stuff "to keep the lid on dissent"? even funnier than my joke.:)
If you've already believed that it's a totalitarian regime, then tell me, when does a totalitarian regime need any reason to jail dissents? If by any chance you don't think the CCP is as bad as hell, then would there be a little bit possibility that they are just trying to protect people's safety, including the guests?
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These are just crap! Look what the UK and US did to avoid terrorist attacks: put cameras in every corner and watch everybody; arrest random people and jail them in Guantanamo Bay without any reason. How brilliant! Those are the models that China should follow, right?
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It would be nice if James also provide the Chinese version alongside the English one here.
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To Post 4: So your logic is: if we understand Mandarin we will realize that the Chinese are lovely people?
I am at a loss to explain to you that you are a perfect example of what is wrong with your country.
What would anybody think in the west if I said 'the lovely French' 'the lovely American' or the 'lovely Germans'? They would rightly think that I am stupid. Until you are honest, we will not trust your word.
PS: Many Chinese people I have met are full of an unspeakable hatred for the Japanese. Whatever their reasons, I don't call them lovely?
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Terrorism is an very important threat at the Olympics...
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As a black African man who has been lving in Beijing for a few months I don't know whether to be amused or afraid. I do dress in attire that definitely does not fit the weather sometimes when I want to make a connection with home (and I do not know who decides clothes that fit somebody's nature).
Also because I am the only non-chinese person where I live I get stared at A LOT and I might panic when people start talking loudly in mandarin (which I have not learnt yet) and pointing at me. Does that make me a terrrorist?
On the other hand nobody has ever asked me to identify myself and the city is not under some kind of security force siege. Life goes on as usual. Most of us understand that there are people out there who would love to prove a violent point at these olympics given the chance. So we put up with the random (and infrequent) checks at the subway stations and other places.
I am hoping a lot was lost in the translation because, as the regulations are, they sound pretty funny and unrealistic.
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Baysidetina: Your English is not good enough yet. I speak three laguages and being able to transmit the same "feeling" in another is totally possible but it takes the right environment, lots of effort and practice.
I am surprised at all the people critizicing the translation, the bottom line is we all know is bad English but when reading it whe can make sense of it in our heads. (we can translate it into proper English in our heads). English doesn't have as many restrictions like in Chinese ??? (near synonims) As long as it has the same meaning we are used to "missusing it".
My opinion is that the people who did that list are not the best security professionals in the world. Why do you feel the need to justify it? Look around the BBC coverage of other countries they will call on everything that makes no sense
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I think these suggestions are pretty helpful and useful. You know what I can read Chinese.
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They are so funny. It is good to know. But I dont really think people will really react in the way Government want them to do when they are really kidnapped by terrorist. Further, why should terrorists kidnap ordinary people. They are not stupi. If their skill and energy is their scare capital, why should waste their capital without achieving anything objective. ...
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:) To be honest, I doubt if I have chance and time to send a text including location, number of hostage, number of terrorists, when I am kidnapped. hahaha......
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Obviously there are a lot of people that have issues with the communist dictators in China, however the threat of terrorism has been blown out of proportion by them. Maybe they want to be seen as the victims?
They even call the Tibetan Youth Congress terrorists because they put up pro Tibet banners in Beijing!
And of course terrorist No.1 is an old monk who talks of nothing but peace and compassion and is adored across the whole world.
I doubt any Tibetan, Mongolian or Uyghur muslim will be allowed any where near an Olympic venue. Most of the Tibetan monks and nuns are currently being held in prisons across the country until after the games have finished and the world's eyes have been averted.
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To those mocking on this manual,
After read the chinese version of the manual from A to Izzard, I found:
This is just a guidelines for ordianary citizen in China to have some awareness of how to deal with possible terrorism incident in their normal lifes and nothing more!
And this is certainly not the guidelines for police force of China over anti-terrorism matters.
So stop making it sounds like everyone going to China will be arrest by Chinese police immediataly after getting off the plane with your unspeakable and malicious hidden agenda!
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if you are living in a foreign country. learning some of their language means respect to the people and culture.
one of my german friend said so, and i do so.
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these are really funny to read.
i think if these instructions can work, then may be the american government should be on the top list to follow suit.
however, i doubt if anyone, ordinary, being kidnapped can recall all these.
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this kind of instruction in some levle reflect how the government handle things.
these are pretty much annoying, at least to me. the government is so out fashioned.
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I live and work in a small Olympic city and we have lots of security restrictions in place because of the games. The torch will be coming through the city next week. The security is so tight that only specially selected people can watch it, all the roads and buildings will be closed so there'll be no access for most local people. Lots of places are already closed, many businesses have been shut down for a six week period. Many people are expressing fear about terrorist attacks and are not looking forward to the games. Security is important but it seems such a shame that something which should be a positive event for the people here has caused disruption and fear.
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What terrorism!Since when china had a terrorist attack like in the rest of the world?.
Don?t use Olimpic to further supress Tibet,Xinjang Folung Gong and the political dissidents while the world is enchanted by Party's polite,well-mannered and smiling-face.
c.tashi
new york
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Godasse wrote.....
"I am at a loss to explain to you that you are a perfect example of what is wrong with your country."
This is a perfect example of the type of people who are bias to the core, to the extent that they have lost the capacity to understand a simple message.
One does not have to be a genius to know that language is the window to knowledge and that includes understanding or perceiving various aspects and subtlety inherent within any culture.
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ypagunavardhana wrote,
Just Brilliant!!! Why has the US and the UK not come up with this anti-terrorism tactic before....?
FYI, The US are more than happy with the Guantanamo Bay while the Colonial British invented ISA, the Internal Security Act that allows detention without trial, which is still conveniently used in many British Commonwealth countries like Singapore, Malaysia etc
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The Chinese version is quite amusing as it doesn't actually inform the public "what to do" in the case of X,Y,Z despite the questions being worded in such a way. The website made me chuckle for a good half hour, especially "What to do if you suspect the person you live with is a terrorist." As it only gave the possible signs, strange smells from their room, going out in the middle of the night etc, not what to do about it.
What's also funny is that the website is obviously scanned from the printed manual and therefore a little fuzzy.
You need to learn Chinese, Mr Reynolds.
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Well at least they tried. I was reminded of what the UK government issued back in the 80's on what to do in the event of a nuclear attack.
If obeyed then the government would know where to find the bodies if there was anyone left to look.
There may be another reason for the Chinese high-profile and for some 'heavy' security measures : If there were a repeat of what has already happened at some olympic venues then they can never be accused of not being vigilent.
When the games come to London I rather suspect we will see a lot of 'We were critical of the Chinese for doing this.'
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To be a ?Terrorism Threat? or a Shakespeare play. Interpret- as you please!
Personally, the Party should have consulted with either Israel, India or the British.That way it would have sounded more sincere and convincing.
c.tashi
N.Y.
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Don't disturb james. it will sound silly if a British reporter is not sarcastic.
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To worlddonotforgettibet.
You are far from being informed. Never heard of bus bombing in China? It had happened many times. If you have basic Knowledge about the country you are talking about then you should know China shares border with Afganistan. You are sure they are not going to cross border and carry out some spetacullar attacks on Bush/Americans? There are Chinese terrorist still locked up in GTB. They are not terrorists according to your standard? Why your country still lock them up then?
You have not forgetten Tibet? During the recent riort in Lasah, Tibetan youth carried out systemic looting, beating, stabbing and burning against nonTibetan people( Han and Muslim). and their property. They even burned down hospitals and schools. They are peaceful people according to your standard?
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The translation sounds silly
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I hope there isn't an attack on Sunday week ahead, 10/08. We've already suffered from 09/11, as well as 07/07. However, terrorists seem to hate U.S.A., United Kingdom and Spain, rather more than the east.
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The BBC reporting of the terrorist threat against the Beijing Olympics should be more even handed, no government will give details of terrorist activity to the media, even in the UK the flow of information is restricted, so please be aware that the same will happen in China and this should not be taken as a comment upon freedom of information in China.
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* James Reynolds
* 7 Aug 08, 08:39 GMT
China once believed that you could see the Great Wall from space.
This myth was not perpetuated by the Chinese but in fact by NASA after the 1st space exploration in the late 60's early 70's and has been running as a FACT ever since!
Anyone who has ever visited China as a tourist will tell you the English speaking Chinese guides get great amusement in a kind way of pointing out to westerners and their Chinese guests on tour buses on the way to the Great Wall, that at it's widest it's no wider than a 4 lane road and therefore were it to be visible from space so would all roads above the size of a dual carriageway be! When you think about it in those terms it then simply does not make logical sense!
having brought that snipped back from a China visit in 2003 many suggested it was the sheer length that made it visible but again The Pan American Highway isn't visible so why should the great wall be. It's understandable that James Reynolds got his fact wrong by stating it was the Chinese when I too believed this particular myth until someone logically explained it to me.
On another topic well done China what a fantastic opening ceremony and who is George Bush to criticize China's human rights record? whilst it's a long way from perfect need we mention Guantanamo bay or our citizens who were locked up there for years without trial only to be sent to the UK given a pat on the back by the local bobby and sent home! pot calling the kettle black me thinks!
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