Huawei hosts Asia Pacific Media Tour and Roundtable
Leading Chinese technology conglomerate Huawei last Thursday held the “Huawei Asia Pacific Media Tour and Roundtable” with a live video event, which was broadcast globally from the Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2021 Exhibition. During the event, a live conversation with Huawei Asia Pacific vice president, Jay Chen and chief digital officer, Michael Macdonald was held to discuss how digital technology can help achieve shared societal values. Huawei’s Technologies Cambodia also introduced to Post’s management and Digital Information Technology department’s staff the tech giant’s cloud computing solutions and artificial intelligence (AI) powered systems.
AUDIENCES are cramming into Chinese cinemas to watch a sentimental comedy that has rapidly become one of the most popular films of all time in the country and marks a triumphant debut for its female director.
Since its release a fortnight ago, Jia Ling’s Hi, Mom has become the fourth best-selling film ever in China with ticket sales of at least 4.3 billion yuan ($670 million), according to box-office tracker Maoyan.
If it continues its monumental success, Hi, Mom could become the highestgrossing movie ever by a female director.
Jia also plays the lead role as the daughter who travels back to 1981, before she was born, and tries to give her mother a better life than the one she had the first time around.
The film is partly biographical and an ode to Jia’s mother, who died in an accident when Jia was 19.
“Mum, don’t go, don’t leave me,” Jia says in the film – dissolving many in cinema audiences into tears, even though it is for the most part a comedy.
Chinese cinemas are largely back to normal after the country wrestled down coronavirus infections to a comparative trickle, and the film has given many a renewed appreciation of their mothers.
“I have never thought before that my mum was also a young girl in the past,” said college student Yu Yanting after seeing the film in Shanghai.
Thirteen-year-old Vittoria and younger sister Valeria, 11, were inconsolable after watching it with their mother.
“I hope they will appreciate mummy more now,” said their mother Elaine, holding her two daughters close.
Overcoming her tears after a few minutes, a red-eyed Vittoria said behind her face mask: “All my friends are crying to this film, but maybe not as much as me.”
Mother’s love like air
Jia, who prior to this was best-known as a comedian in the male-dominated world of Chinese comedy, said that she was “tormented” when her mother died suddenly.
But she hopes that rather than thinking of it as a sad film, audiences will appreciate her mother’s spirit and optimism.
“Our mum’s love for us is like air – it is there since we were born, so we often ignore it,” Jia told state television.
“But when we lose it, we experience a sense of suffocation and helplessness.”
Film critic Jing Runcheng said that Hi, Mom has become an outlet for Chinese people to let their pent-up emotions flow, and knowing it is based on a true story gives it an extra impact.
“Chinese people are really introverted and not good at expressing their feelings,” said Jing.
“You never imagine Chinese people will suddenly, after watching a movie or reading something, run to their mothers and tell them they love them.
“But after watching this film, it helps give you that opportunity.”
Hi, Mom has been trending on Twitter-like Weibo, with one hashtag relating to the film drawing more than 1.5 billion views.
Many people have taken to Weibo to celebrate their mothers, posting pictures of themselves together or snaps of their mums when they were young.
The film has also sparked discussion online about what people would tell their mothers if they could go back in time, like in the film.
Many said they would tell their mothers not to marry their fathers or have children.
Marriage breakups have surged over the last two decades in China as divorce laws were liberalised and women became more financially independent.
MANCHESTER City’s centre-backs Ruben Dias and John Stones both struck as the Premier League leaders beat West Ham 2-1 on February 27, while West Brom enlivened the battle to beat the drop with a controversial 1-0 win over Brighton in which the Seagulls missed two penalties.
Pep Guardiola’s men are now 13 points clear thanks to a 20-game winning run in all competitions that has seen them close in on an unprecedented quadruple of trophies.
For the first time in recent weeks, City showed signs of fatigue, though, and needed the dominant centre-back pairing that has been a huge part of their success defensively this season to also make their mark at the other end.
“After 10 or 15 minutes today we realised we were not going to paint anything beautiful,” said Guardiola.
“When you play a lot of games – in the league and then the Champions League – this is normal. We were lucky to get all three points.”
Kevin De Bruyne made just his second start since returning from a hamstring injury and the Belgian’s teasing cross was powered home by Dias for his first City goal since joining from Benfica in September.
City had kept eight clean sheets in their previous 10 league games, but West Ham showed why they are fourth and pushing to edge out the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
“I’m really disappointed we didn’t
get a point,” said West Ham boss David Moyes. It was a terrific performance. We came here and tried to match a top side – and for long periods we did.”
Michail Antonio had already threatened an equaliser by hitting the post before he did level by tapping home Jesse Lingard’s mishit shot just before half-time.
But City’s determination to keep winning shone through in the second-half as Stones smashed home
Riyad Mahrez’s pass for the winner on 68 minutes.
Blunder costs Brighton
West Brom kept their hopes of avoiding the drop alive with just a second win in 13 games under Sam Allardyce in a match overshadowed by a surreal moment of refereeing by Lee Mason that cost Brighton an equaliser.
Kyle Bartley’s early header gave West Brom the lead before Pascal Gross and Danny Welbeck both hit the woodwork either side of half-time from the penalty spot for the visitors.
Brighton did have the ball in the net when Lewis Dunk’s quickly taken free-kick, after Mason had whistled for it to be taken, caught Sam Johnstone napping.
Mason initially did not award the goal before reversing his decision. However, after reviewing the incident on VAR, the goal was ruled out as the referee changed his mind for a second time.
“It’s embarrassing, it’s just a horrendous decision,” said Dunk. “I said to the ref ‘can I take it’, he blew his whistle and I took it. I don’t think he knew what he was doing.”
In a statement, the Premier League said: “Referee Lee Mason has overturned the goal because the whistle had been blown a second time before the ball had crossed the line.”
Victory for the Baggies hauls Allardyce’s men to within eight points of safety, while Brighton remain just four points clear of the drop zone in 16th.
Newcastle are also now four points clear of the bottom three despite blowing the lead to draw 1-1 at home to Wolves.
Jamaal Lascelles’s towering header put the Magpies in front before Ruben Neves equalised for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, who remain in 12th.
Aston Villa coped without the injured Jack Grealish and kept their bid for the top four alive with a 1-0 win at Leeds.
Anwar El Ghazi’s early strike moved eighth-placed Villa to within six points of West Ham with two games in hand to come.