China Redux

Maureen Fan of the Washington Post Foreign Service wrote a feature Sunday on the growing popularity of wine in China,  a story that doubled as a portrait of the emerging middle and middle-upper classes in China.  Although wine selection is limited and bottles are pricey, wine drinking is surging — imports gained by 91 percent in the first nine months of 2006.

Fan finds a fine phrase to describe the wine phenomenon in China: These days, she writes, “the cost is part of the charm.”

Apparently, China imports its bulk wine in 6,000 gallon bags from Australia, Chile and elsewhere to China, where it is combined with “local ingredients and sold as Chinese bottled wine, often with names such as Dynasty or Great Wall.”

Everyone quoted in the story seems to agree that wine-drinking in China is a reflection of changing social and economic pattern; food and drink as aesthetic evidence for sociological change.  What do you think?

Casino Royale, the newest James Bond movie, is being released in China for the first time (Reuters). The media and everyone else is thrilled that the film is being shown uncensored (”the fact that we got it through without any censor cuts at all seems to me to be some kind of achievement,” said director Martin Campbell).

And with censorship apparently not an issue (at leat not with Casino Royale), Bond star Daniel Craig, in Beijing for the 007 opening, has filled the void with an eloquent little speech on the perils of piracy:

“It hasn’t premiered here yet, but I think it’s been seen here,” Craig lamented. “Someone tried to sell me a copy last night,” he added. “I was wearing a hat and glasses so they didn’t recognize me.”

“I understand the reality of the situation and it saddens me, not just because of the effect it has on the movie industry but because going to the cinema is a great experience,” said Craig, referring to copyright piracy.

“You’re missing out by watching a bad copy of a DVD with no sound and bad picture quality. As far as I’m concerned cinema is a collective experience and you get 50 percent more by going to a cinema.”

I sympathize, but that’s an overstatement and a half. Piracy can be an unfortunate byproduct of globalization, and I understand Hollywood’s efforts to fight back. But really, Daniel Craig need not be made into spokesperson for the cause. It’s tacky and completely contrived.