NationStates Jolt Archive

Why do people continue to view the PRC as an enemy of the United States, and more broadly, the West? Is this because it is percieved as a growing economic threat, or is it because people still view them as those dastardly reds that are surely going to overrun all of east Asia?

Why do people continue to view the PRC as an enemy of the United States, and more broadly, the West? Is this because it is percieved as a growing economic threat, or is it because people still view them as those dastardly reds that are surely going to overrun all of east Asia?

it's because they're not pink.

Beats me. They're one of the few countries that loves trade and making money as much as we do.

Frankly, I think they'll end up being an ally in a few years; our economies are just too interdependent for them to seriously be an enemy anymore. Neither of us have anything to gain from fighting one another.

it's because they're not pink.

beat me to it!

They (and their Korean allies) have already invaded the US anyway, in the form of thousands of Asian immigrants who are stealing our standardised test scores and jobs building railroads that no-one else wants to do!! Plus they speak some crazy language we don't understand that isn't even written in latin script! ZOMG!

Beats me. They're one of the few countries that loves trade and making money as much as we do.

Frankly, I think they'll end up being an ally in a few years; our economies are just too interdependent for them to seriously be an enemy anymore. Neither of us have anything to gain from fighting one another.

I watched a PBS documentary, Inside China. Really interesting stuff. They seem to be getting more freedom, though they're just inching along the line... No doubt their thirst for wealth is helping their social stance, though even still, they're not that high up on the human rights list.

Beats me. They're one of the few countries that loves trade and making money as much as we do.

Frankly, I think they'll end up being an ally in a few years; our economies are just too interdependent for them to seriously be an enemy anymore. Neither of us have anything to gain from fighting one another.

They're our ally in everything but name. It's only a matter of time before we make it official.

I watched a PBS documentary, Inside China. Really interesting stuff. They seem to be getting more freedom, though they're just inching along the line... No doubt their thirst for wealth is helping their social stance, though even still, they're not that high up on the human rights list.

It'll take time. For example, most European countries didn't develop democracy and human rights until after they had a middle class; you need that class of educated workers with the money and leisure time to create these kinds of social changes. Of course, another good sign is the fact that most of the Communist leadership coming to power in the next several years is going to be post-Cultural Revolution, which means they are more likely to be pro-reform than prior leadership.

They'll also need change from below in the form of independent labor unions; currently, Chinese workers are in the Communist Party's labor unions, which are really a joke that enables them to abuse the workers for cheap labor and keep them under control.

I watched a PBS documentary, Inside China. Really interesting stuff. They seem to be getting more freedom, though they're just inching along the line... No doubt their thirst for wealth is helping their social stance, though even still, they're not that high up on the human rights list.

I saw that actually, great stuff. Too bad the government isn't willing to take major steps to introduce real democracy and social freedoms. I'm sure it will happen eventually (I'd even say within the next 50 years), but at the moment they're stuck between third world, and first world status. The government subsidising the crumbling leftovers of Communist era industry certainly isn't helping things.

It'll take time. For example, most European countries didn't develop democracy and human rights until after they had a middle class; you need that class of educated workers with the money and leisure time to create these kinds of social changes.

They'll also need change from below in the form of independent labor unions; currently, Chinese workers are in the Communist Party's labor unions, which are really a joke that enables them to abuse the workers for cheap labor and keep them under control.

Yeah, and they still have women's labor camps in rural areas. They work all day long for a pittance under some rather poor conditions.

Why do people continue to view the PRC as an enemy of the United States, and more broadly, the West? Is this because it is percieved as a growing economic threat, or is it because people still view them as those dastardly reds that are surely going to overrun all of east Asia?

I don't know about the government, but I just hate China because the government is a bunch of assholes.

I saw that actually, great stuff. Too bad the government isn't willing to take major steps to introduce real democracy and social freedoms. I'm sure it will happen eventually (I'd even say within the next 50 years), but at the moment they're stuck between third world, and first world status. The government subsidising the crumbling leftovers of Communist era industry certainly isn't helping things.

Exactly, along with the fact that their form of parliament is nothing more than a crowd-pleasing diversion (the government itself has never overturned anything voted down by them!).

to be honest though the people of China hardly have a pleasant view of the west particularly as you get deeper into China, the grudge of the opium wars has been festering for a long time.

Plus allot of people have difficulty understanding China as its hardly running on anything recognisably western in particular is the fact that though China is racking in the cash its hardly going to the workers something which shatters hopes that democracy is spreading

I don't know about the government, but I just hate China because the government is a bunch of assholes.

...what?

...what?

We've obviously got Yogi Berra posting on NS.

Yeah, and they still have women's labor camps in rural areas. They work all day long for a pittance under some rather poor conditions.

Other big problems are corruption and stealing of land from rural farmers for development; I mean, there's a lot of abuse going on, especially in rural areas where poverty and unemployment are serious problems. It's easy to take advantage of people there because the rural areas lack However, there are signs that rural Chinese are getting fed up with the imbalances in the country, and that might be a sign of major changes especially given the rise in rural unrest in recent years.

However, the programs to eliminate rural poverty and to improve infrastructure might lead to changes, especially if they lead to changes in leadership and bigger efforts to fight corruption.

Other big problems are corruption and stealing of land from rural farmers for development; I mean, there's a lot of abuse going on, especially in rural areas where poverty and unemployment are serious problems. It's easy to take advantage of people there because the rural areas lack However, there are signs that rural Chinese are getting fed up with the imbalances in the country, and that might be a sign of major changes especially given the rise in rural unrest in recent years.

However, the programs to eliminate rural poverty and to improve infrastructure might lead to changes, especially if they lead to changes in leadership and bigger efforts to fight corruption.

1: Yeah, that's bad itself, but the factory workers might actually have it worse. Living in poverty with the possibility of having your land taken from you in a flash is one thing, but living in poverty and getting abused by your overseers, not to mention the possibility of getting even worse diseases (silicosis, asbestosis...), is even worse. And then, getting thrown in prison for refusing to do your slave work...

2: That would be nice, and it's a good possibility... Though it's going to take a lot of time and effort to really change things.

Other big problems are corruption and stealing of land from rural farmers for development; I mean, there's a lot of abuse going on, especially in rural areas where poverty and unemployment are serious problems. It's easy to take advantage of people there because the rural areas lack However, there are signs that rural Chinese are getting fed up with the imbalances in the country, and that might be a sign of major changes especially given the rise in rural unrest in recent years.

However, the programs to eliminate rural poverty and to improve infrastructure might lead to changes, especially if they lead to changes in leadership and bigger efforts to fight corruption.

People call China capitalistic, but it really isn't. They have a limited version of economic freedom, but no property rights (only if you're rich that is). The people really getting screwed by this are the already extremely poor farmers that have been continually fucked over by the government (Communist, and current). Like Call to power said, it's really difficult to look at China from a Western view because there is nothing to compare it too.

1: Yeah, that's bad itself, but the factory workers might actually have it worse. Living in poverty with the possibility of having your land taken from you in a flash is one thing, but living in poverty and getting abused by your overseers, not to mention the possibility of getting even worse diseases (silicosis, asbestosis...), is even worse. And then, getting thrown in prison for refusing to do your slave work...

Of course, the one advantage the industrial workers have is that they are more capable of changing things (however small it is) than rural workers, who are tied to their farms and are more vulnerable to exploitation. The cities are terrible for unskilled labor, but at least there are enough jobs to give the workers some leverage.

2: That would be nice, and it's a good possibility... Though it's going to take a lot of time and effort to really change things.

It will, but hopefully economic development will accelerate change so that it will take less time as the economy continues to mature.

I think some are suspicious of China because of some of their aggressive moves against Taiwan and the U.S. if it gets involved.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4688471.stm

As said in the article these are only the views of a general and not their government, but I still think it leads to suspicion by the U.S.

to be honest though the people of China hardly have a pleasant view of the west particularly as you get deeper into China, the grudge of the opium wars has been festering for a long time.

A friend of mine (white, dual UK/US citizenship) lives in Hong Kong and visits China quite regularly, and asserts that they like the US, find white people fascinating (probably because they're so unusual there, but not in a "look at the freak" way) and love to be able to practice their English on a native speaker.

I dunno. China seems to be coming around; less communist, less strict, more open. Still a ways to go but they're on the move.

I dunno... China, to me, seems to be developing the first form of State run Capitalism. Tiammenn Square is proof enough to me that they're not really caring about political liberalization or human rights (Tank Man, anyone?). This guy on another forum posted a link to a BBC site that had a translated radio broadcast of the PRC government's view of Taiwan and America, claiming that the last thing they were was friendly. Didn't work outside the UK, though, so I never got to hear it. Wonder how he did...

I say, "Pray for the best, prepare for the worst."