Daily commentary about China by TIME correspondents.

Obama's China-based Brother: Most Likely to be Harrassed

Here's a Youtube grab that's floating around from a Shenzhen TV station about one resident of their city, Mark Ndesandjo. He is Obama's half brother,  has married a Chinese from Henan province and spent the last six years in China. The report states that when his brother won the election Mark texted some of his Chinese friends: "新美国来了!" or "The new America has come!" The program features shots of Mark teaching piano at a Shenzhen municipal orphanage, where he has been volunteering for years. It also shows him practicising calligraphy and remarks he can pretty much be considered an old China hand. It's a rather a touching little clip. Obviously, the philanthropic gene runs strong in the family. A bunch more detail on Mark can be found at Thomas Crampton's blog, here. Poor fellow. Mark Ndesandjo that is. I imagine he'll have lots of unwanted attention in the next few months.

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  • 1

    "I imagine he'll have lots of unwanted attention in the next few months." But, in China, that's only after he has been despised for being black, before they realize who he is.

  • 2

    [...] Obama - ANOTHER relative - China based brother uncovered [...]

  • 3

    Yes, what John Smith said was right. Because most black people are from Africa in that region, especially in Guangzhou. They buy a great deal of second-hand and low-quality cheap products there and then sell them in Africa. They are doing nothing except such business.

  • 4

    Yes, what John Smith said was right. Because most black people are from Africa in that region, especially in Guangzhou. They buy a great deal of second-hand and low-quality cheap products there and then sell them in Africa.They are doing nothing except such business.

  • 5

    Season of love.

    Over a dreamland
    there's the sound
    of a delicate
    sadness, and over
    the way there's
    a light that
    invites you to
    discover the sun.

    Francesco Sinibaldi

  • 6

    It is just a shame that the half brother of a US president has to work for a living. This really high light the superiority of the Chinese system. Xinhua said: 超过1亿元以上的有3220人。超过1亿元以上者,有2932人是高干子女,他们拥有资产20450余亿元. That means the Communists are much better business people than most, and make a lot more money than the brother of a US president.

    Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2006-10/20/content_5227379.htm

  • 7

    Hey, John! He's a volunteer, and he's not working for a living. And the reality is if you are not rich or not a successful businessman, how can you easily join in politics? Chinese busnessmen have to be communists to use the power to benefit their business. When you are successful on business, the local officials will sometimes "force" you to join the Party and be a Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee member or NPC member or something else.

  • 8

    Chinese busnessmen have to be communists to use the power to benefit their business.

    True. Either they are former government staff or have deep relations in the government. It's sad how they are all tangled together.

    When you are successful on business, the local officials will sometimes "force" you to join the Party and be a Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee member or NPC member or something else.

    It's weird how people in China are kinda forced to join the CPC. I'm a CPC member, and I don't give a crap about communism or socialism. I was forced to join in university by my parents cuz that will benefit you more when you have a job. And that would be the most obvious and compelling reason to join CPC.

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