For Chinese, a Shift in Mood, From Hospitable to Hostile

Just weeks ago, most Chinese were welcoming foreigners as Olympic guests and partners in the country's meteoric economic development. But as the country enters the final 100 days before the Olympic Games in Beijing, the mood has changed. Many Chinese have begun to regard foreigners as adversaries interfering in domestic affairs or, at worst, bigots unwilling to accept China's emergence as a great power.

[sidney_Z]

why could not the world be quiet for a while?

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

Looks like most of the violence and protesting is coming from Chinese students. Maybe they should be quiet for awhile.

[Jesse]

I really hate Chinese nationalists, Chinese politicians (most of the ones I meet anyway), and Chinese racists. I think most Chinese web-posters are focusing on a made-up past rather than focus on the future.

YET, when I see articles like this, I think “gee…the Western media really is stupid and biased…all these Chinese whiners…they are right!” I’m so angry about this article.

My god is this a load of crap! OK…where to start? The article shows several examples of behavior that are supposed to show a shift in attitudes…although these examples would seem like everyday occurrences to us foreigners who have lived here for a while.

Airport security guard in a small airport in the North East (where, its probably fair to say, Chinese don’t know customer service at all) is rude to foreigner…almost as rude as American homeland security dickheads at the airport. And this is supposed to mean that Chinese are no longer friendly to foreigners?

A farmer who’s land was confiscated won’t talk to a Western reporter…because he is patriotic…uh…not because that is a sure way to get in trouble with the bastards higher up? BTW, my friend’s girlfriend’s father – a peasant farmer – was arrested recently because he wrote a letter NOT to the media, but to the government, on on behalf of his village, protesting land seizures.

A Westerner gets beat up at a demonstration…at an area where there is a mob…and that means that the greater population of China has now begun to dislike foreigners?

Police start looking at foreigners IDs. Even though police have always regularly check Chinese IDs. BTW, not only do police not check my IDs…they only started to ask me to put my bags in the X-Ray machine when I go into the train station in Shanghai about 5 months ago. I guess someone figured its generally good to treat local Chinese people and foreigners the same in certain areas.

The police ALWAYS visit the homes of foreigners…AND ALL CHINESE people once per year. They check to see that you have the proper “hukou” or documentation saying that you are a legal resident. Usually I say I lost my papers and they go away, not wanting to deal with it (I’m technically not allowed to live where I am because me company and permanent address is registered in another city…but they never make a big deal of this). BTW, if you have a baby here, hospital and health officials will also visit your home whether you want them to or not.

More difficult to get multiple re-entry visas? OMFG it is so difficult to get a regular travel visa to the US, even for Chinese people who are married, have steady employment with US company, a pressing business need, and a previous record travel to the US. And US visa officials will ask Chinese women openly offensive questions like “are you planning to find a US husband while you are there?” I am not making this shit up… they asked a friend of mine this question. BTW do any of you have any idea how much money the US economy loses each year because of this?

[Jesse]

“Carrefour received special criticism because Chinese bloggers spread reports that its owners had donated money to India-based Tibetan exile groups run by the Dalai Lama. The firm's headquarters in Paris denied that was true, but the bloggers paid no heed.”

…Yes there are a lot of rumor mongering bitches out there. So what? People don’t get obsessed with rumors elsewhere?

“The circle-the-wagons approach found a ready audience in China. A recent survey by a Beijing polling group found that more than 80 percent of those questioned believed Western news media were conveying a biased image of China abroad.”
In Beijing, you feel the presence of the CCP. They force more rules on foreigners and Chinese people. They are more patriotic. IMHO, they are more blinded. They are also more straightforward, more likely to engage in interesting conversations, more loyal as friends, and more “well-rounded”(meaning not only interested in making money) The attitudes of Beijing people…and especially Beijing netzeins and student protestors…do not reflect attitudes in China as a whole.

The title of this articles suggests that attitudes towards Foreigners have changed:
“But as the country enters the final 100 days before the Olympic Games in Beijing, the mood has changed. Many Chinese have begun to regard foreigners as adversaries interfering in domestic affairs or, at worst, bigots unwilling to accept China's emergence as a great power.”

Yet all the examples here were incorrect, or describe occurrences that have been going on for a long time, or extrapolate results from limited information.

“The party's official newspaper, People's Daily, ran an editorial Wednesday suggesting Chinese should be confident enough in their own greatness to rise above the criticism.”

I 100% agree with this.

[Boy Boy Leno]

This will surely blow up in the Chinese faces. They are proving that they are not yet ready to take a seat at the table of super powers. Why would they be so paranoid? China must jail the troubled students so as not to be embarrased on the world stage.

[Boy Boy Leno]

http://www.banterist.com/archivefiles/000348....

STONE AGE!!!

[tom selleck]

Boy Boy Leno, man that was brilliant! I never laughed so hard.
I've often thought that I should be in line for receiving some purple valour rising phoenix of honour award since I've wobbly mastered squat deposit depots.

I thought, after reflection, that's a bit "oh woe is me, cry baby." Decided to change my outlook. Noticed in the summer time at least, Chinese women have generally quite good legs. Is there a correlation between habitual use of squats and women without cottage cheese patterned hamstrings?

Maybe the squat has it's benefits...

[MyView]

Tom selleck (and leno),

You are wasting oxygen by laughing hard. Now you are out of words for your lame attacks as you have been completely exposed as an $%$.

West has done that for long time, they have no intention of pointing the finger at themselves. Most Amercian students in high school know less math than a chinese student in elementary school.

A country like that is destined to fall, it is fault by themself. I feel so sorry about that, as we cant help.

[Sam Wise]

To MyView,

Well my friend if we fall so will you, since we account for over fify percent of your exports. So its in your interest that we maintain a high standard of living.

[MyView]

Sam Wise wrote:

To MyView,
Well my friend if we fall so will you, since we account for over fify percent of your exports. So its in your interest that we maintain a high standard of living.

You must be offended by my words, and I can see that you agree what I said. As Thomas jefferson said : "knowledge is the power" ( or similar quote, I dont remember the exact quote.) When people of a country want to learn and respect knowledge, the country will get stronger and stronger; when most people of a country put luxury life ahead of studying, the country will get weaker and weaker.

That is what we learn from our history : in the 18 century, we didnt embrace the advanced technology from west, that led to 200 years of humiliation; Japan, on the other hand, embraced the advanced technology from west and became a super power in Asia.

So dont blame me for my harsh words, it is a simple fact. If you american want to keep your country as a superpower in the future, DO SOMETHING WITHIN YOUR SYSTEM. Making troubles for other countries wont make your country strong.

[Sam Wise]

I agree, we can't maintain our position as the world's policeman. I think our government needs to accept that the world is moving towards a more unipolar system. Look at history, a country has never maintained a position of extreme power for very long. Great Britain, its no longer the power it once was... Ottoman empire... Russia's Golden Age... American imperialism. It does sadden me that most Americans aren't ready for this nor do they accept it. All I was saying in response to your post is that your gonna hurt like hell if we fall hard. Hopefully it will be a subtle transition in the next fifty years.

[A Rural New Yorker]

MyView, the expression is "Knowledge is Power". It comes from Sir Francis Bacon, not Thomas Jefferson. Sir Francis Bacon is suspected by some to be the true author of Shakespeare's plays.

[MyView]

A Rural New Yorker wrote:

MyView, the expression is "Knowledge is Power". It comes from Sir Francis Bacon, not Thomas Jefferson. Sir Francis Bacon is suspected by some to be the true author of Shakespeare's plays.

I went to Jefferson Memorial, I remember he had some quotes about "knowledge".(in the TV show in the basement of memorial)

Here is what he said :

Knowledge is power.

Knowledge is wealth.

Knowledge is happiness.

correct me if I am wrong.

[traveller]

MyView wrote:

Tom selleck (and leno),
You are wasting oxygen by laughing hard. Now you are out of words for your lame attacks as you have been completely exposed as an $%$.
West has done that for long time, they have no intention of pointing the finger at themselves. Most Amercian students in high school know less math than a chinese student in elementary school.
A country like that is destined to fall, it is fault by themself. I feel so sorry about that, as we cant help.

Let me guess. The reason you live in US is to make enough $ or steal whatever you can before the country falls apart? Very smart!

Speaking of math, I agree that Chinese kids seem to have strong math skills. But you know what, creativity is even more important.

[lct]

Sam Wise wrote:

To MyView,
Well my friend if we fall so will you, since we account for over fify percent of your exports. So its in your interest that we maintain a high standard of living.

Hi, Last year, US accounts 17.5% of Chinese export market. US is the third Chinese export market after EU, Japan.

[MyView]

traveller wrote:

<quoted text>
Let me guess. The reason you live in US is to make enough $ or steal whatever you can before the country falls apart? Very smart!
Speaking of math, I agree that Chinese kids seem to have strong math skills. But you know what, creativity is even more important.

I said before.

Most American are among the best people I know.

I also said before.

If China and USA can work together, they will rule the world in the future.

Any question ?

[MyView]

CIA director: China is not an 'inevitable enemy'

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/30/cia.director...

Although the rapid growth of the Chinese military could pose a threat to the United States and Taiwan, Hayden said, he believes that the nation's aim of military modernization is about "projecting strength" and demonstrating that it has "great-power status."

Hayden did warn that China is focusing too narrowly on its own objectives.

He warned "against viewing the world exclusively through an American prism," saying that "while we cherish and live our own values, we must know and appreciate those of others."

[wzchester]

Some westerners don't know Chinese way of thinking or their history or traditions. They always treat China as the old country about 30 or 50 years ago. In fact, in some places, China is more like a capatilist country. Communism/Socialism is only a noun for idealism. No one cares about the social system. They only care about how much they can earn. What's more, some so-called democratic countries (such as India or Anfrian countries) behave worse than China both economically and policically, but no western medias blame them. Why? Just because Chian is a so-called solialist country, different with the west. But don't forget, the socialism comes from the west too. It is only an economic system by a large degree. So why do you westerners hate it so much?

Since the reform and opening up from 1970s, China has become more open and self-confident to the west world. Chinese are patriotic of course, especially these young people. Chinese are eager to know the outside world. English courses are taught from the elementary school age and leading western brands such as Cococola, Volkswagen, Toyota are everywhere in big cities or not so big cities. So why western media do not see this? They only see China as a country with different ideas and social system. But do not forget that in this world, more than 3/4 population hold different opinions from the west and they have their own life style or social system.

So please consult opinions form other countries to see what they think about China, not from only the western media.