A Chinese man writes, "Please be patient."
To read the blog and David Xi's comment in context please go to Pomfret's China.
David Xi's point is that today's Chinese people have it better than any previous generation in China.
He says more than this, but I believe this statement is glossed over or lost in much of the West's reporting and American thinking about China.
He also says to be patient for political change in China. I agree that some patience is needed. How much? Darned if I know, but I don't have to. It's up to the Chinese to know how patient they should be.
Also, I can say with certainty that people who have grown up under a dictatorship do not feel safe with sudden democracy. Living under democracy has to be learned. It is not a simple system of government. It involves the making choices and people have to be ready to take responsibility for their choices.
I quote David Xi below:
There's no argument that if both economical and political freedom can be achieved at the same time, then it is a better approach. However, give me an example where this has been done and achieved on a big country as complex as China. The closest that was tried was the reform of the former Soviet Repulics, we all know that has failed miserably.
I am a freedom loving Chinese, and I have seen the current government as one of the best government we've seen in centuries. We are not saying we don't want freedom, we are saying please be patient and give us time to put things in the right order.
What I am saying is, don't under estimate the wisdom of the Chinese people. They have chosen the current way, and are quite successful. Your way may not be the only way.
August 21, 2008 6:29 PMIt is easy to take the high moral standard, and accuse China of human rights violations. For NY Times and Washington Post, it is a sure way to grab headlines and generate support from general American viewers who don’t understand China.
It takes courage to recognize a government, who in the past 30 years (since 1978) guided China in its economic reform with close to 10% annual growth, and lifted more than 300 million people out of poverty. China was not close to an economic player on the world stage in 1978, now China ranked number one in world wide steel production, cement production, electronic and home appliances. China will soon take over the US as the number one in car production. The list goes on and on in every category.
So the message the western media is sending to the ordinary Chinese: You have a bad government, I want to change that so you can have free election tomorrow (and possible chaos). You think they will buy that?
China has made significant progress on political reform. If you ask any Chinese (not westerners), compare to the Mao era, they feel a big difference. It is true that political reform is not up to western standards. But is this the priority for ordinary Chinese? Ask any Chinese, would they trade the current course with a radical political reform that will give them free election tomorrow? They will ask you at what price? Is this the same advice given to the Russians in the early 90s? They will tell you they’ve seen it, it failed. They will prefer a stable country with fast economic progress. Political reform? It will come naturally, not a priority for now.
I have been waiting for stories of political oppression during the Olympics from western media (I know they are looking hard). If this story was what they come up, then I will congratulate the Chinese government for doing a good job in managing such a world wide stage successfully. Two old Chinese ladies sentenced to Labor Camp? Good headline which gives what the western viewers wanted to hear. However, it does not resonate and make sense if you are a Chinese, it’s not part of the culture. Is this the same government that have orchestrated a massive relief effort for the May earthquakes, and have organized a successful Olympics? Wake up western viewers, use your common sense. You are not dealing with the rigid Communist government that was 30 years ago. There are no labor camps in China now. The issue at dispute is economical, not political. What you saw on TV for the Olympics is true, you are dealing with a new China with a confident, effective and popular government that enjoys support of the Chinese people. August 21, 2008 5:03 PM |
I agree with you Reva. I think few Chinese people feel the need to protest the government when so much has improved for the majority. There are still so many people who suffer in China; in jail for sending an illegal email or homeless after being evicted from their homes so the Birds Nest could be presented to the world. I am hopeful that Americans are becoming more and more aware of the injustices that the Chinese people endure, especially their lack of freedom to speak out. We are fooling ourselves if we think the Olympics have changed the way the government does business, but some good is sure to come. My circle of friends and relatives reacted when they heard on Olympic television coverage that the Chinese women's gymnastics team may have had their passports altered illegally by the Chinese government so that all athletes would appear to be the required 16 years of age. We were all outraged! Could the Chinese government do this? Surely this would never happen in the US! Hopefully more freedom will come to the people of China. Thanks for keeping us informed, you have done great investigative research.
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