A 34 year old photographer from Indonesia has been making a fortune by using his likeness to pose as Barack Obama. Yier Hamu (Chinese translation of his name) looks and sounds just like the US President.  Obama is popular in Indonesia, as he spent some of his formative years in the country.  Source

Chinese netizens react after film star Gong Li turns her back on China and takes out her Singaporean citizenship.  Many now wonder, is she still a Chinese?

Nearly 200 people froze in place on Beijing Road in downtown Guangzhou on Sunday afternoon.  The event was organized by GZFreeze in response to similar events around the world.  You can read more on the history of the "freeze movement" here.

The sixth edition of New Sounds of China looks at Beijing electronic music.

Featuring a wide range of bands including Sulumi, Dead J, Me:Mo, Wang Lei, FM3, Supermarket and Feng Jiangzhou, and interviews with Dead J and FM3, hosts Paul Kendall and Wang Weilin ask questions such as “who was the first electronic band in Beijing?” and “is it really important?”

Carsick Cars...in a parking lot

The second episode of the New Sounds of China series concentrates on Beijing club D-22 and its Maybe Mars record label. Expect music from Snapline, Joyside, PK14, Carsick Cars and SMZB. Presenter Wang Weilin went on tour with Carsick Cars and has plenty to tell you about; there will also be the usual informed commentary from Paul Kendall.

Second-Hand Rose in Beijing

Featuring Second-Hand Rose, Re-TROS, Ans-Jump, Hopscotch, Wang Wen, New Pants and Cosmic Shenggy, in this week’s show hosts Paul Kendall and Wang Weilin look at Chinese bands going abroad, a relatively new phenomenon, but a trend set to grow as they make their presence felt on the world stage…

Top Floor Circus in Kunming

This week’s episode is focused on the city of Shanghai, which has a completely different kind of music scene to that of Beijing. Presenters Paul Kendall and Wang Weilin discuss the bands and music of Shanghai, listening to bands such as Thirty Three Islands, Top Floor Cirus, Cold Fairyland, B6, Banana Monkey, and SRC.

New Sounds of China presents a special "Earthquake Editon" dedicated to the overlooked but substantial fundraising effort by Chinese rock bands.

"Woodhands is dirty electronic music. We are interested in emotional, sweaty dance floors. We want to make you cry while you're having sex. And it'll be the best damn sex of your life. And you'll be dancing.

Woodhands started in a basement in Montreal, moved to Europe, and is now making love to Toronto and its environs."

Watch out Beijing...

The place to be over the next couple of nights is Star Live for Transmit China, a music showcase that brings some of Canada's most energetic sounds to Beijing.