Yes, China fought with US in Korea and Vietnam. It's stupid. It's Mao's decision. Mao is an barbarian and crazy dictator. I don't think there are any young people in China who like him nowadays. However, Mao's era is history. Could you please take a second look at today's China? Yes, there is still a dictatorship there. But right now the government is busy taking care of its people rather than trying to obtain world hegemony. And to me, hegemony is no good, be it America's or China's. And talking about ICBMs, America has about 7,000 of them and China has only about 20. Su-27s? China has only less than 100 of them and America has the most advanced aircrafts in the world and is still spending billions to upgrade them and America's military budget dwarf China's. I really can't see how America is being threatened by China.
"stealing our software..." software piracy is a problem for many countries, not just China. And it's not a matter of being communist or not. As far as I know, Russia, India and Taiwan also have high piracy rates. I strongly support any crackdowns on piracy by the Chinese government. Actually, they are trying to. Last month I just read an report about the Chinese police raided a underground CD pirating factory.
"Threatening our stragetic partners in Asia..." So you are talking about Japan and Taiwan. Japan has far more sophicated weapons than China does, and its military expense ranks #2 in the world, and has world-class navy. I am not sure who is threatening whom? As for Taiwan, it's historically part of China, so I see nothing wrong if China wants to avoid its separation, just like Lincoln used force against the southern states to prevent the separation of the Federation.
"Violating the immigration law..."I don't think the Chinese government does intentionally. Those waves of illegal immigrants are actually manipulated by the Chinese Mafia. I have read on the Chinese newpaper that the government is setting up special task force to handle that.
"corrupting our political process..."It's very bad. Total stupidity. That kind of things should not be allowed to happend again.
"exporting weapons of mass destruction to rouge nations (Iran, N. Korea)..." Don't forget: US is the NO.1 arms export country in the world. And a lot of those arms also go to many dictatorships around the world, not just democratic countries. And Irag also got its artillery and Phantom Fighters from Germany and France. How come it's OK for US (many other countries) to sell as many weapons as it likes, but it's an evil for China to do so?
"stealing our national security secrets..." First, even Israel is spying on US. Espionage from China should not be of surprise to you. I think there is no country in the world that doesn't spy on US, the tecnological leader in the world. So again, why single out China? AND, don't play the victim here, you think CIA is sitting on their hands about China? New York times ran a long article in September saying that US is gaining more intelligence from the military exchange with China than China is gaining from US.
Finally, all those bad things can be done by any other countries around the globe. The reason you single out China is because it's NOT *"one of us"*. Currently, China is kind of like an astray child trying to find its position in the world. Whether it will become an threat or a blessing depends on how well it evolve from its dead communist shell. I would very much like to see America offer its help in this respect, as a leader of the world should do. Help with setting a free enterprise system in China and a thorough legal system and a democratic political system will be much appreciated. BUT, those help should not come in form of threat or coercion, which will never never never work.
You are right. Some areas of China is aweful. China is ABSOLUTELY not paradise. But it's not hell, either. I just ask for a balanced view of China. It's simply an ordinary country, not a monolithic evil empire eager to spread its evil around the world.
I remember when I was still an undergrad in China, some American students from University of Wisconsin came to my college. One of them showed me the pictures he took in China. They looked like things taken from inside a prison, with walls topped with pointed glass splinters and the like. At that moment, I started to understand what is bias. So I asked him what did he think if I went to Ameirca and took some pictures of the getto in Harlem, and then show them to my friends and told them this was America. Look how American people were being exploited by those greedy Capitalists. What a miserable lives they live. Funny, right? It's even funnier if my friends believe me.
Anyway, the best way to learn about China is to go there and see it for yourself. One thing I can assure you is that you will find lots of friendly Chinese once you get there.
China isn't great in many respects, but also not as bad as you have portrayed. So is America. It's much better than China in many areas, but also has its weakness. All the countries in this world have their own sets of problems. My point is: Let China have its own way! Don't try to force your idea on China or any other countries. It's funny that how people talk about democracy and, at the same time, trying to force others to confirm to their own set of values. Whether China blows itself off or not, it's its own business. Why waste energy on that?
I am just sick of this China bashing. Atrocities are happening every day at the every corner of the world, even in America. Talking about that two Texas young men tied a black guy to their pickup and dragged him to death...Uuug. Why single out China?
Talking about China being America's #1 enemy. It's sad that you see things this way. As far as I know, none of my friends in China view America as an enemy. However, if the hotility towards China grows in America, soon or later China will become a real enemy. As the Time journalist said, "China is not an enemy unless we help it to" And China will be every bit as dangerous as Russia as an enemy. It will be really a sad thing. Another cold war is of no good to both sides of Pacific, unless you work for Martin Lockeed.
Since I am living in America and holds permenant residentship and am educated in an American university, I think my observation about China *must* not be viewed as *propaganda*, for I am not under threat or coercion of any kind. I had been living in China for 20 years and raised in middle class family, was like most Chinese kids and went to Chinese college and then came to America to get my graduate education in computer science. I guess my view reflects more or less what the educated Chinese think about Chinese government and America.
The communist government in China committed a number of atrocities in the past, which people in China accepted as facts, just like the American government systemetically exploited the African slaves in 18 century. Now all those people who used to inflict pain on Chinese people are dead and all my friends in China throw those stuff into garbage bin. They care more about how the current government runs the country. True. It's an totalitarian government. And there is little (but not "NO") democracy. But all my friends know that. However, contrary to the missionary-like preaching of American government and media, most Chinese, including educated ones, don't want democracy at this moment. Most of them spend more time wondering about how can he or she buy a new car, a new house or a new computer than about how to have an American-style general election. No, thank you, China has been doing fine for 5000 years without the preaching of Americans. It certainly knows how to handle its own business. And look at Russia. See how it is like after listening to America's advice. Sure, it has a congress and all the other bells and whistles of a modern democracy, but its people are starved. Fortunately, the collapse of USSR taught the Chinese a lesson. If that is the democracy America has been preaching about, I firmly believe 99.9% of Chinese will say, "No, thank you. we would rather have new houses and cars and TVs and air conditioners and computers and don't have democracy, than have all the democracy we could imagine and yet don't have the money to buy the next dinner." One of my friend participated the protest in Tiananmen Square in 1989.In retrospect, he admitted that it's a wise thing for government to crack down the protest. Otherwise, China will be Russia #2. However, Chinese don't want democracy now doesn't mean that they don't want it in the future. 20 years later, Chinese will want to have democratic government. Right now, all the conditions are simply not right. And things are much much much better than what used to be 20 years ago. And things will continue to improve.
One thing amazes and also amuses me(this view is shared by all my Chinese friends in America)how out of touch some Americans are with current China. Even though they have never set feet on China, they always have tons of opinions about China. They always view China in a "red, communist, barbarian, etc, light" I got an American friend asking me if my family had a TV. Gee, my family has 3 TVs, not that my family is particularly rich or something. Most of my friends have more than one TV. The truth is: almost 9.8 out 10 people genuinely like Ameica and American people. They drink Coke, eat McDonald, watch Bruce Willis movie, listen to Doors and Bob Dylan, play Quake and Starcraft...The list could go on and on. They have no hard feelings about America at all. On the contrary, some Americans seem to have this innate fear of China, especially communist China, without knowing anything about it at all. The funny thing is that only after I have extensive access to American media did I realize how much the stereotype and fear is ingrained in American collective mind and thus all my idea of the so-called "objectivity" of American media is smashed. It seems to me that to some people the only "right" or "real" or "objective" comments about China should be only those that are negative. I just don't understand these people. And I guess all the Chinese students coming to America share my experience.
All in all, most Chinese want to be friends rather than enemies of Americans. But they want to be equal friends without being critized every day. All my Chinese friends, especially the educated ones, are sick and tired of the human right craps. They just want to live their lives unbothered. Could America take good care of its own problems(racial discrimination, drug, guns, crime...)before it preaches others? Personally, I would like to see Americans advocate Linux as fiercely as they advocate democracy.:=)
The internet users in China doubled from 2 million to 4 million in only half a year(1/1999-6/1999), according to CNNIC(Chinese NIC). The largest computer company Legend Group(Mind you, not IBM, though a distant NO. 2)shipped about 1.4 million PCs and Servers and Notebooks. And yet here people are talking about 100,000 users of computers... People in America are really out of touch with MODERN CHINA.
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"stealing our software..." software piracy is a problem for many countries, not just China. And it's not a matter of being communist or not. As far as I know, Russia, India and Taiwan also have high piracy rates. I strongly support any crackdowns on piracy by the Chinese government. Actually, they are trying to. Last month I just read an report about the Chinese police raided a underground CD pirating factory.
"Threatening our stragetic partners in Asia..." So you are talking about Japan and Taiwan. Japan has far more sophicated weapons than China does, and its military expense ranks #2 in the world, and has world-class navy. I am not sure who is threatening whom? As for Taiwan, it's historically part of China, so I see nothing wrong if China wants to avoid its separation, just like Lincoln used force against the southern states to prevent the separation of the Federation.
"Violating the immigration law..."I don't think the Chinese government does intentionally. Those waves of illegal immigrants are actually manipulated by the Chinese Mafia. I have read on the Chinese newpaper that the government is setting up special task force to handle that.
"corrupting our political process..."It's very bad. Total stupidity. That kind of things should not be allowed to happend again.
"exporting weapons of mass destruction to rouge nations (Iran, N. Korea)..." Don't forget: US is the NO.1 arms export country in the world. And a lot of those arms also go to many dictatorships around the world, not just democratic countries. And Irag also got its artillery and Phantom Fighters from Germany and France. How come it's OK for US (many other countries) to sell as many weapons as it likes, but it's an evil for China to do so?
"stealing our national security secrets..." First, even Israel is spying on US. Espionage from China should not be of surprise to you. I think there is no country in the world that doesn't spy on US, the tecnological leader in the world. So again, why single out China? AND, don't play the victim here, you think CIA is sitting on their hands about China? New York times ran a long article in September saying that US is gaining more intelligence from the military exchange with China than China is gaining from US.
Finally, all those bad things can be done by any other countries around the globe. The reason you single out China is because it's NOT *"one of us"*. Currently, China is kind of like an astray child trying to find its position in the world. Whether it will become an threat or a blessing depends on how well it evolve from its dead communist shell. I would very much like to see America offer its help in this respect, as a leader of the world should do. Help with setting a free enterprise system in China and a thorough legal system and a democratic political system will be much appreciated. BUT, those help should not come in form of threat or coercion, which will never never never work.
Crack? I am lost... I think most of the drugs come from Colombia and Burma, Thailand, Laos Triangle. Feed me more on this.
You are absolutely about this. I bet most of those illegal immigrants have no idea what democracy is.
I remember when I was still an undergrad in China, some American students from University of Wisconsin came to my college. One of them showed me the pictures he took in China. They looked like things taken from inside a prison, with walls topped with pointed glass splinters and the like. At that moment, I started to understand what is bias. So I asked him what did he think if I went to Ameirca and took some pictures of the getto in Harlem, and then show them to my friends and told them this was America. Look how American people were being exploited by those greedy Capitalists. What a miserable lives they live. Funny, right? It's even funnier if my friends believe me.
Anyway, the best way to learn about China is to go there and see it for yourself. One thing I can assure you is that you will find lots of friendly Chinese once you get there.
I am just sick of this China bashing. Atrocities are happening every day at the every corner of the world, even in America. Talking about that two Texas young men tied a black guy to their pickup and dragged him to death...Uuug. Why single out China?
Talking about China being America's #1 enemy. It's sad that you see things this way. As far as I know, none of my friends in China view America as an enemy. However, if the hotility towards China grows in America, soon or later China will become a real enemy. As the Time journalist said, "China is not an enemy unless we help it to" And China will be every bit as dangerous as Russia as an enemy. It will be really a sad thing. Another cold war is of no good to both sides of Pacific, unless you work for Martin Lockeed.
The communist government in China committed a number of atrocities in the past, which people in China accepted as facts, just like the American government systemetically exploited the African slaves in 18 century. Now all those people who used to inflict pain on Chinese people are dead and all my friends in China throw those stuff into garbage bin. They care more about how the current government runs the country. True. It's an totalitarian government. And there is little (but not "NO") democracy. But all my friends know that. However, contrary to the missionary-like preaching of American government and media, most Chinese, including educated ones, don't want democracy at this moment. Most of them spend more time wondering about how can he or she buy a new car, a new house or a new computer than about how to have an American-style general election. No, thank you, China has been doing fine for 5000 years without the preaching of Americans. It certainly knows how to handle its own business. And look at Russia. See how it is like after listening to America's advice. Sure, it has a congress and all the other bells and whistles of a modern democracy, but its people are starved. Fortunately, the collapse of USSR taught the Chinese a lesson. If that is the democracy America has been preaching about, I firmly believe 99.9% of Chinese will say, "No, thank you. we would rather have new houses and cars and TVs and air conditioners and computers and don't have democracy, than have all the democracy we could imagine and yet don't have the money to buy the next dinner." One of my friend participated the protest in Tiananmen Square in 1989.In retrospect, he admitted that it's a wise thing for government to crack down the protest. Otherwise, China will be Russia #2. However, Chinese don't want democracy now doesn't mean that they don't want it in the future. 20 years later, Chinese will want to have democratic government. Right now, all the conditions are simply not right. And things are much much much better than what used to be 20 years ago. And things will continue to improve.
One thing amazes and also amuses me(this view is shared by all my Chinese friends in America)how out of touch some Americans are with current China. Even though they have never set feet on China, they always have tons of opinions about China. They always view China in a "red, communist, barbarian, etc, light" I got an American friend asking me if my family had a TV. Gee, my family has 3 TVs, not that my family is particularly rich or something. Most of my friends have more than one TV. The truth is: almost 9.8 out 10 people genuinely like Ameica and American people. They drink Coke, eat McDonald, watch Bruce Willis movie, listen to Doors and Bob Dylan, play Quake and Starcraft...The list could go on and on. They have no hard feelings about America at all. On the contrary, some Americans seem to have this innate fear of China, especially communist China, without knowing anything about it at all. The funny thing is that only after I have extensive access to American media did I realize how much the stereotype and fear is ingrained in American collective mind and thus all my idea of the so-called "objectivity" of American media is smashed. It seems to me that to some people the only "right" or "real" or "objective" comments about China should be only those that are negative. I just don't understand these people. And I guess all the Chinese students coming to America share my experience.
All in all, most Chinese want to be friends rather than enemies of Americans. But they want to be equal friends without being critized every day. All my Chinese friends, especially the educated ones, are sick and tired of the human right craps. They just want to live their lives unbothered. Could America take good care of its own problems(racial discrimination, drug, guns, crime...)before it preaches others? Personally, I would like to see Americans advocate Linux as fiercely as they advocate democracy. :=)
The internet users in China doubled from 2 million to 4 million in only half a year(1/1999-6/1999), according to CNNIC(Chinese NIC). The largest computer company Legend Group(Mind you, not IBM, though a distant NO. 2)shipped about 1.4 million PCs and Servers and Notebooks. And yet here people are talking about 100,000 users of computers... People in America are really out of touch with MODERN CHINA.