In the wake of the devastating Typhoon Haiyan, international aid is flowing to the Philippines. The United Nations released $25 million from an emergency fund and the United States pledged $20 million in immediate relief. But, for the moment at least, precious little assistance is coming from the region's behemoth. The Chinese authorities announced a paltry $100,000 in humanitarian aid (along with another $100,000 via the Red Cross Society of China).

A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry has entered the “kill everyone in China” row instigated by a late-night network television skit in the U.S. last month – asking for a more “sincere” apology than those already issued by ABC and show host Jimmy Kimmel. The controversial remark, made by a 6-year-old boy during an unscripted segment meant to satirize the U.S. government shutdown, has sparked protests from the Chinese-American community and calls for the comedian’s resignation.

When Matteo Ricci walked the streets of Beijing more than 400 years ago, he was a celebrity. The Jesuit was the first Westerner to enter the gates of the Forbidden City. He impressed the emperor by predicting solar eclipses. He created an enormous map that gave Ming dynasty Chinese a sense of the rest of the world for the first time. He spoke and read Chinese well enough to translate Euclid.

Sweden and Switzerland have launched a joint campaign to help Chinese tourists tell the two countries apart. While the mix-up isn't solely a problem for the Chinese, it has become a particular issue for those from the Asian nation because both countries' names are written similarly in Mandarin — Ruidian (Sweden) and Ruishi (Switzerland) — and begin with the same symbol.

The United States and China will hold their fourth Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE) in Washington, DC on November 21, 2013. CPE is a gathering of high-level officials and members of civil society to bolster both diplomacy and soft power in an effort to strengthen U.S.-China relations. At the 2010 inaugural session, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "[The U.S.-China relationship] must extend beyond the halls of governments to our homes, businesses, and schools.

The U.S. has promised $20 million in aid for victims of Supertyphoon Haiyan in the Philippines and has mobilized an aircraft carrier for the relief effort. Britain is also sending a warship and has pledged $16 million. The Vatican is dispatching $4 million, Japan $10 million and New Zealand $1.7 million. And China, the world’s most populous nation and second largest economy? It’s handing over $100,000.

Jimmy Kimmel's China problem just won't go away. After two public apologies from ABC over a satirical skit aired on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Oct. 16 -- in which a child suggested the U.S. "kill everyone in China" to resolve the national debt – China's Foreign Ministry has demanded further contrition from the broadcaster.

I've written many times over the years, and still believe, that the news out of China is more good than bad. (For details: here, here, and here by me, plus this nice photo feature yesterday from Matt Schiavenza.) But the bad news is real, and needs to be reported -- and shakiness on this point is what has gotten the Bloomberg organization into what appears to be big trouble.