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"Thai Deputy Defense Minister Condemns Cambodia Over Landmine Incident Injuring Thai Soldiers; Keo Remy, however, warned, 'Please do not walk like a crab.'" | BREAKING: Tensions Escalate: Thai Troops Prepare to Launch Unauthorized Attack on Cambodian Territory Amid Internal Political Strife | Cambodia Rebuts Thailand’s Baseless Landmine Allegations and Urges Diplomacy to Maintain Regional Peace | Cambodia Accuses Thailand of Using Landmine Incidents as a Political Tool and Violating Ceasefire Agreements | Breaking: Kandal Provincial Police Arrest Notorious Lotion Manufacturer Love Riya | Cambodia Clarifies Misleading Claims About Ottawa Convention Meeting in Bangkok | Cambodia, China, and Thailand Discuss Regional Cooperation and Border Disputes at Mekong-Lancang Meeting | Smile Asia Philanthropic Visionary Award” Presented to Dr. Pich Chanmony Hun Manet | Cambodia & Thailand Call for Restraint and Adherence to International Agreements | International Observer Team Conducts Monitoring Visit Following Cambodia–Thailand Ceasefire Agreement | Cambodia, Vietnam Strengthen Ties in High‑Level Video Conference; Aim for $20B Trade |

Figure skating-Chinese Americans Chen, Zhou soak up 'second hometown' Beijing

  • Posted Feb 4, 2022 15:08 by Anthony Ellis
  • 2018
  Aa |   aA

INTERNATIONAL: All athletes savour the chance to shine on the Olympic stage but the Beijing Winter Games will be especially meaningful for American figure skaters Nathan Chen and Vincent Zhou, who have strong family roots in the Chinese capital.

Chen grew up in Salt Lake City and moved to California to train but has been on a trip down memory lane in Beijing, where his mother's family hails from. Chen and medal hopeful Zhou are both first generation Americans whose parents migrated from China to settle in the United States. "I was here when I was 10-years old-ish," the 22-year-old told reporters.

"I remember going to the Beijing Zoo. So, like every time when we're driving from the (Olympic) Village here, I see the Beijing Zoo and am like, ‘Oh, I was here when I was 10.’ "So, it's kind of cool to be able to see that. Also, just hear stories from my mom growing up in Beijing and being like, ‘Wow, you know, I'm here’. Teenage skater Alysa Liu, who will compete in the women's singles for Team USA, also has Chinese heritage through her Sichuan-born father Arthur.

Obviously we still love the country of China, even after my dad left because of the government," 16-year-old Californian Alysa Liu told NBC's "Today" show in the leadup to Beijing.

"This is still his homeland, and he's very happy that I get to go to China again ... Just going back to China will make me feel good."

Arthur Liu fled China after participating in pro-democracy demonstrations in the country at the time of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing. Both Chen and Zhou have imbued their skating with Chinese themes.

Both Chen and Zhou have fans in China but also critics. They drew flak on Chinese social media for backing American ice dancer Evan Bates after he criticised China for its human rights record during a media summit last October. Zhou said at the summit he supported Bates' comments but wanted to focus on success in Beijing. "Having concerns about things going on in the political climate or elsewhere is important but not productive towards our primary goal," he said.


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