Oh DVD, Where Art Thou?
Isn’t it amazing the after a decade of knock-off DVDs, which the Chinese government always maintained that it was doing its best to tamp down on with no effect, it has managed to strip them off all the shelves in about a week? Same thing goes for all of those “Guci” and “Ormani” bags. Ya-Show and the Silk Market are magically filled with local brands that actually claim to be local brands.
There are two things to think about here:
First, is the government really committed to this policy, or is this entirely show? The test will be after the Olympics if the enforcement stays in effect. I think of Chinese policies as having four phases
1. Pre-Olympics (PO). This is the haphazard policy set we’re used to
2. Olympics (:0) This is the haphazard policy set we are not used to
3. Paralympics (P’d) This is when the policies the government never cared about whatsoever but needed to enforce for the sake of face will be ended
4. Post-Olympics (still PO’d) This could be the same as PO, a fully Stalinist state or possibly the Apocalypse. I’d say equal chance of all three.
Second, um, couldn’t they have just done this six years ago? Are they trying to put on a good face for all of the foreigners they won’t allow into the country?
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Meg responds:
Posted: July 1st, 2008 at 10:41 am →
There’s also a huge lack of helloyoubuydvd men outside around the silk market. I’m finding it a bit annoying that Olympic changes are destroying a lot of the unique spots in Beijing,
Nick responds:
Posted: July 1st, 2008 at 8:37 pm →
Watch! Lolex! DVD!… what happens if foreigners actually venture outside of BJ?
Turtlewind responds:
Posted: July 1st, 2008 at 10:16 pm →
When did this happen? My local shop seemed to be pretty well stocked on Sunday night.
Mike responds:
Posted: July 2nd, 2008 at 9:38 am →
It seems a very on and off again affair. You need to stock up while the shops are open because I think you can be sure they will all be shut during the Olympics, but then again the police are going to be busy with other stuff.