8 September 2017 Two days ago I have emailed to the Royal Museums Greenwich, London, UK to inform them that the globe put on sale in their shop contains the U line and the two archipelagoes Paracel and Spratly are written in China's way. The Musuems replied that they take our concern very seriously and the globe in question will not be reordered and the buying team of the Museums have been briefed on the issue so that the globe will be suitable in the future. You can see below the exchanges. I have been inspired by Pham Quang Tuan who has written letter to Google and academic journal on the same issue. Thank you Royal Museums Greenwich! Please share and apply as much as you can, for a better world with peace and justice. *************** Dear Trung-Tinh Le, Thank you for writing to us regarding your experience of our shop at the Royal Observatory. We take formal complaints very seriously so will be making the necessary arrangements in response to your...See more8 September 2017
Two days ago I have emailed to the Royal Museums Greenwich, London, UK to inform them that the globe put on sale in their shop contains the U line and the two archipelagoes Paracel and Spratly are written in China's way.
The Musuems replied that they take our concern very seriously and the globe in question will not be reordered and the buying team of the Museums have been briefed on the issue so that the globe will be suitable in the future.
You can see below the exchanges. I have been inspired by Pham Quang Tuan who has written letter to Google and academic journal on the same issue.
Thank you Royal Museums Greenwich!
Please share and apply as much as you can, for a better world with peace and justice.

***************

Dear Trung-Tinh Le,

Thank you for writing to us regarding your experience of our shop at the Royal Observatory. We take formal complaints very seriously so will be making the necessary arrangements in response to your feedback. The globe in question will not be re-ordered going forward, and the buying team have been briefed with your feedback to ensure any replacement globes are suitable for sale in the future.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you again for contacting us.

With kind regards,

Rachel Kennedy

Buying and Merchandising Manager

Direct phone: XXXYYYZZZ

Greenwich, London SE10 9NF

Royal Museums Greenwich

National Maritime Museum | Cutty Sark

Royal Observatory | The Queen's House

+44 (0)208 858 4422

For the latest exhibition information, events, news and transport information visit rmg.co.uk

Sign up for our e-newsletter | This email and its content are subject to our disclaimer

****************

From: Le Trung Tinh [mailto:letrungtinh@gmail.com]

Sent: 06 September 2017 11:29

To: Royal Museums Greenwich Enquiries

Subject: Clarification about an item on sale in the Gift Shop of Peter Harrison Planetarium

Dear Madame or Sir,

We, a family of four, are subscribers and keen visitors of the Royal Museums Greenwich. We appreciate the site for its precious historic values as well as the excellent quality of its exhibitions that help us understand the past and live better the present.

We have visited the National Maritime Museum on the weekend of Sunday 23 July 2017, seen the Solar Superstorms show in the Peter Harrison Planetarium. Our visit should have been perfect had we not discovered some information as presented on the globe that was put for sale in the Gift Shop of the Planetarium. Please find attached some photos of the globe and the shop.

I would like to raise your attention on the information provided on the globe in the area of the South China Sea (next to the Philippines and Vietnam):

1. Xisha Qndao, Nansha Qndao as presented on the globe are names in Chinese of features whose sovereignty are under dispute among neighbouring countries: between China, Taiwan and Vietnam for the first and between Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam for the second. Their international names are respectively Paracel and Spratly islands. The third party’s presentation of disputed territories using the names given by one side of the claimants could favour the position of this side. I would think this is not the purpose of the Royal Museums Greenwich, neither of its shops.

2. More importantly, the globe presents the controversial U-shaped line comprising of 10 dashes that cover nearly all of the South China Sea. Despite having not made any official definition of this line, China has used it to exert their sovereignty rights in the area encompassed by the line, which causes many conflicts and tensions in the region. On 12 July 2016, an arbitral tribunal in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China has no legal basis to claim "historic rights" within its U shaped line in a case brought by the Philippines. The tribunal judged that there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or resources within the line. The ruling was however rejected by the Chinese government who continued to print this line in all their maps. You can see the full verdict here https://pcacases.com/web/view/7

I understand that the Royal Museums Greenwich could not have all the necessary resources to verify the neutrality and exactness of all the products put for sale in their shops. Hence by this letter I would like to raise your awareness on the issue and gently hope that you could deal with it in a timely manner. One of the actions that we would hope for is that you could stop selling the product and verify its correctness for the next time.

I am very impressed by the phrase on the website of the Royal Museums Greenwich: “We combine a proud heritage of preserving history with a commitment to advancing understanding.” I hope that children and adults using the globe bought at Royal Museums Greenwich gain the best understanding of history and the world, as stated in the cited commitment.

For your information I have already filled and submitted via your web page the comment form the week after the visit but found no feedback from you. Could you please keep us informed on your action this time. I am happy to discuss furthermore on the issue should you need any more information.

Thank you very much.

Yours faithfully

Trung-Tinh Le

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15 September 2017 Tuần trước Bảo tàng Hoàng gia Greenwich gửi thư cho tôi hứa sẽ ngưng đặt mua địa cầu có U line và ghi tên hai quần đảo HSTS theo kiểu Tàu. Tôi mail cảm ơn và nhẹ nhàng lưu ý họ có thể ngưng bán ngay loại địa cầu này. Họ vừa trả lời như bên dưới rằng việc ngưng ngay như vậy sẽ ảnh hưởng lớn đến thu nhập của Bảo tàng. Họ đã ngưng bán loại địa cầu này trên mạng và đảm bảo là chỉ còn ít địa cầu như vậy trong thời gian ngắn ở 1 shop. Có vẻ bà Rachel Kennedy đã kiểm tra các kho nên chờ vài ngày mới trả lời thư. Cảm ơn tinh thần trách nhiệm của bà Rachel Kennedy và Bảo tàng Hoàng gia Greenwich. Thank you Ms Rachel Kennedy and the Royal Museums Greenwich. ********** Dear Trung-Tinh Le, I am pleased that you are satisfied with our response so far regarding the information you...See more15 September 2017
Tuần trước Bảo tàng Hoàng gia Greenwich gửi thư cho tôi hứa sẽ ngưng đặt mua địa cầu có U line và ghi tên hai quần đảo HSTS theo kiểu Tàu.
Tôi mail cảm ơn và nhẹ nhàng lưu ý họ có thể ngưng bán ngay loại địa cầu này. Họ vừa trả lời như bên dưới rằng việc ngưng ngay như vậy sẽ ảnh hưởng lớn đến thu nhập của Bảo tàng. Họ đã ngưng bán loại địa cầu này trên mạng và đảm bảo là chỉ còn ít địa cầu như vậy trong thời gian ngắn ở 1 shop. Có vẻ bà Rachel Kennedy đã kiểm tra các kho nên chờ vài ngày mới trả lời thư.
Cảm ơn tinh thần trách nhiệm của bà Rachel Kennedy và Bảo tàng Hoàng gia Greenwich. Thank you Ms Rachel Kennedy and the Royal Museums Greenwich.

**********
Dear Trung-Tinh Le,

I am pleased that you are satisfied with our response so far regarding the information you supplied. While we are very sensitive to your concerns, writing off the current stock we have on this product would mean a considerable loss for us both in terms of cost of stock, and potential revenue, which is relied upon as a key revenue stream for the museum as a whole. We anticipate that there will be no further stock remaining on this line following a couple of months, and have removed the line from our online shop and are only stocking in 1 shop to limit exposure.

I hope you find these measures suitable, and as mentioned we anticipate it will be a short period of time before this product is no longer available.

With kind regards,

Rachel Kennedy
Buying and Merchandising Manager
Direct phone: XXXYYYZZZ
Royal Museums Greenwich
National Maritime Museum | Cutty Sark
Royal Observatory | The Queen's House
44 (0)208 858 4422

************

From: Le Trung Tinh [mailto:letrungtinh@gmail.com]
Sent: 12 September 2017 06:15
To: Rachel Kennedy
Subject: Re: Clarification about an item on sale in the Gift Shop of Peter Harrison Planetarium

Dear Rachel Kennedy,

Thank you very much for your reply and action. We appreciate your decision not to reorder that globe and your brief carried out with the buying team to ensure that in the future the globes sold at the Museums will present the world as correct as it is.

We feel more strengthened our trust in the Royal Museums Greenwich.

I understand that it could be a tough decision but may I suggest that the Museums stop selling the globe in question if there still is. Please take it as an advice rather than a request because to some extent your actions have assured that we will not have this kind of information on the globes in the future.

However, I dare suggest simply because we should believe that the Royal Museums Greenwich provide only correct and well-thought-out information about history and the world, under all circumstance.

Your reply is very much appreciated.
Thank you.

Kind regards
Trung-Tinh Le

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5 October 2017 John Lewis replied that their Buying office is disappointed that the globes are not correct (containing U line and Spratly and Paracel written in China`s way) as we have informed. They are working with their supplier in Hong Kong to make appropriate amends. We are approaching the source of the problem. Thank you John Lewis! Below is the latest email from John Lewis and here is my previous exchanges with John Lewis: https://www.livenguide.com/status/12511-no-to-china-s-u-line-and-expansion.html#status-12511 ************************ yourenquiry@johnlewis.co.uk to me Dear Trung-Tinh Le, Thank you once again for your patience, our Buying office have confirmed that it's our intention to ensure that all our products are factually correct, so they are disappointed to hear of your findings. Please be assured our team are visiting our supplier in Hong Kong at the beginning of October. They will liaise with them to ensure they make the appropriate amends to...See more5 October 2017
John Lewis replied that their Buying office is disappointed that the globes are not correct (containing U line and Spratly and Paracel written in China`s way) as we have informed. They are working with their supplier in Hong Kong to make appropriate amends. We are approaching the source of the problem. Thank you John Lewis!
Below is the latest email from John Lewis and here is my previous exchanges with John Lewis:
https://www.livenguide.com/status/12511-no-to-china-s-u-line-and-expansion.html#status-12511
************************
yourenquiry@johnlewis.co.uk
to me
Dear Trung-Tinh Le,
Thank you once again for your patience, our Buying office have confirmed that it's our intention to ensure that all our products are factually correct, so they are disappointed to hear of your findings.
Please be assured our team are visiting our supplier in Hong Kong at the beginning of October. They will liaise with them to ensure they make the appropriate amends to next seasons product.
Kind regards.
Yours sincerely,
Shona Leishman
Customer Relations Case Manager
John Lewis
John Lewis plc
Registered in England 233462
Registered office 171 Victoria Street London SW1E 5NN
Websites: https://www.johnlewis.com
http://www.waitrose.com
https://www.johnlewisfinance.com
http://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk

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29 September 2017 I emailed to John Lewis, a big department store chain in the UK informing them about the globe they put on sale containing the U line and that Spratly and Paracel islands being written in China's way. They replied 8 days ago that they would work with their Buying Office on the issue. I reminded them recently and they replied that they are now working with their suppliers. I will keep you updated. It is hard but we will go to the bottom of it. **************************************************************** From Le Trung Tinh Attachments18 Sep (9 days ago) To Head_of_Customer_Service@johnlewis.co.uk Dear Madame or Sir, We, a family of four, are frequent visitors of the John Lewis department stores. We appreciate shopping at the stores for the quality of the products and services. We have also occasionally taken our friends coming from abroad to do shopping at John Lewis. We have recently shopped at John Lewis department store in Oxford Street,...See more 29 September 2017
I emailed to John Lewis, a big department store chain in the UK informing them about the globe they put on sale containing the U line and that Spratly and Paracel islands being written in China's way. They replied 8 days ago that they would work with their Buying Office on the issue. I reminded them recently and they replied that they are now working with their suppliers.
I will keep you updated. It is hard but we will go to the bottom of it.
****************************************************************
From Le Trung Tinh
Attachments18 Sep (9 days ago)
To Head_of_Customer_Service@johnlewis.co.uk
Dear Madame or Sir,
We, a family of four, are frequent visitors of the John Lewis department stores. We appreciate shopping at the stores for the quality of the products and services. We have also occasionally taken our friends coming from abroad to do shopping at John Lewis.
We have recently shopped at John Lewis department store in Oxford Street, London on Sunday 20th August 2017. Our experience with the store should have been perfect had we not discovered some information as presented on the globe that was put for sale in the children section. Please find attached some photos of the globe and the section.
I would like to raise your attention on the information provided on the globe in the area of the South China Sea (next to the Philippines and Vietnam):
1. Xisha Qndao, Nansha Qndao as presented on the globe are names as called by China of features whose sovereignty are under dispute among neighbouring countries: between China, Taiwan and Vietnam for the first and between Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam for the second. Their international names are respectively Paracel and Spratly islands. The third party’s presentation of disputed territories using the names given by one side of the claimants could favour the position of this side. I would think this is not the purpose of any international organizations or premises, including the John Lewis department stores, which are prestigious for the quality of the provided products.
2. More importantly, the globe presents the controversial U-shaped line comprising of 10 dashes that cover nearly all of the South China Sea. Despite having not made any official definition of this line, China has used it to exert their sovereignty rights in the area encompassed by the line, which causes many conflicts and tensions in the region. On 12 July 2016, an arbitral tribunal in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China has no legal basis to claim "historic rights" within its U shaped line in a case brought by the Philippines. The tribunal judged that there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or resources within the line. The ruling was however rejected by the Chinese government who continued to print this line in all their maps. You can see the full verdict here https://pcacases.com/web/view/7
By this letter I would like to raise your awareness on the issue and gently hope that you could deal with it in a timely manner. Some of the actions that we would hope for is that you could stop selling the product and verify its correctness for the next time. It would also very appreciated if you could revise correspondingly your buying or fabrication specifications for this kind of product.
I am very impressed by your commitment as published on the website of John Lewis: “Bringing quality to life through the communities we touch, whether it’s the one just outside the shops, or one of our suppliers on another continent.” I hope that children and adults using the globes bought at John Lewis enjoy the best quality of the products, gain the best understanding of this world, and thus can make it a happier and better place to share.
Could you please keep us informed on your action. I am happy to discuss furthermore on the issue should you need any more information.
Thank you very much.
Yours faithfully
Trung-Tinh Le
****************************************************************
From yourenquiry
19 Sep (8 days ago)
To me
Dear Trung-Tinh Le,
Thank you for your email and pointing out your observation with our Globe having incorrect information.
I have highlighted your concerns to our Buying Office and I’ll be back in touch with their findings.
It’s fantastic to hear you’re a frequent visitor and also for taking your visiting friends along to our stores.
Thank you for patience in allowing to fully address your concerns.
Kind regards.
Yours sincerely,
Shona Leishman
Customer Relations Case Manager
John Lewis
****************************************************************
From Le Trung Tinh
14:51 (3 hours ago)
To yourenquiry
Dear Shona Leishman,
I have written to John Lewis (Head_of_Customer_Service@johnlewis.co.uk) 9 days ago informing the incorrect information on the globe on sale at John Lewis store. As informed by you, I am still awaiting for the reply of John Lewis.
Could you please advise us the response and action of John Lewis on this issue.
Thank you
Kind regards
Trung- Tinh Le
****************************************************************
From yourenquiry
16:35 (2 hours ago)
to me
Dear Trung-Tinh Le,
Thank you for your email and I'm sorry for the delay in responding to your concerns.
Please be assured that I'm waiting for an update, this may be taking longer than anticipated, as we shall be liaising with our supplier.
Once again, sorry for the delay and I'll be back in touch as soon as I receive feedback.
Kind regards,
Shona Leishman
Customer Relations Case Manager
John Lewis

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If you see in any shop, museum, journal map or globe containing the U line or islands (Paracel, Spratly, Scarborough shoal...) written in China's way (Xisha, Nansha, Huangyan...), please take PHOTOS and share here.

You can also WRITE to owners of the globes/maps to inform them about these incorrect information and ask them to remove these products. Customer service of shops, curator of museums, editor of journals will listen to you and follow your advice. We have many cases of this type and many letter models in this group.

Let's act and SHARE your experiences so that we have peace and justice in Southease Asian Sea.

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"...Cũng giống như bao cặp đôi khuyết tật khác, nhìn vào đôi chân co quắp, anh Kiên và chị Thủy chỉ dám nghĩ về giấc mơ có được một bộ ảnh cưới. Nhưng đối với anh chị, đây là một điều vô cùng xa xỉ. Và niềm vui, niềm hạnh phúc đã mỉm cười với đôi vợ chồng trẻ này khi họ biết đến Thiện Tâm Charity thông qua những người bạn. Buổi chụp hình bắt đầu lúc 9 giờ 30 sáng, nhưng vợ chồng anh Kiên và cả đội ekip chụp ảnh Thiện Tâm đã có mặt tại phim trường Blue Garden từ rất sớm. Trang điểm, trang phục cưới, hoa, nhiếp ảnh với hơn 10 tình nguyện viên của nhóm… tất cả đều đã chuẩn bị sẵn sàng. Nhìn vào đôi mắt rạng rỡ trong niềm vui về một ước mơ tưởng chừng như không bao thực hiện được, anh Kiên không kiềm được cảm xúc: “Anh sống bằng...See more"...Cũng giống như bao cặp đôi khuyết tật khác, nhìn vào đôi chân co quắp, anh Kiên và chị Thủy chỉ dám nghĩ về giấc mơ có được một bộ ảnh cưới. Nhưng đối với anh chị, đây là một điều vô cùng xa xỉ. Và niềm vui, niềm hạnh phúc đã mỉm cười với đôi vợ chồng trẻ này khi họ biết đến Thiện Tâm Charity thông qua những người bạn.

Buổi chụp hình bắt đầu lúc 9 giờ 30 sáng, nhưng vợ chồng anh Kiên và cả đội ekip chụp ảnh Thiện Tâm đã có mặt tại phim trường Blue Garden từ rất sớm. Trang điểm, trang phục cưới, hoa, nhiếp ảnh với hơn 10 tình nguyện viên của nhóm… tất cả đều đã chuẩn bị sẵn sàng.

Nhìn vào đôi mắt rạng rỡ trong niềm vui về một ước mơ tưởng chừng như không bao thực hiện được, anh Kiên không kiềm được cảm xúc: “Anh sống bằng nghề sửa xe đạp, chị thì đan, móc len. Cuộc sống thiếu trước hụt sau nên mình phải cố gắng vượt lên trên số phận. Khi nhóm Thiện Tâm Charity nhận lời chụp ảnh cho vợ chồng, anh mừng lắm. Hôm nay thấy vợ mình mặc bộ váy cưới, bản thân cảm thấy vô cùng hạnh phúc. Niềm hạnh phúc này thật sự không biết phải diễn tả như thế nào, chỉ biết rằng cả đêm trước ngày chụp, anh không tài nào chợp mắt, mong trời mau sáng để chạy xe lên phim trường.”..."

Nguồn:https://hoanhap.vn/bai-viet/nhom-chup-hinh-thien-tam-charity--trao-hanh-phuc-qua-tung-buc-anh-27599

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