Beginning your consideration of the ever-increasing Chinese influence in the world market place by claiming that, “The Chinese are notorious (and famous) for being very shrewd businesspeople with a tremendous thirst for work and business,� I had the impression that you might be interested in describing both aspects of Chinese culture. However, while you seem to correctly suggest that human rights violations are responsible for the ‘notorious’ aspect of their reputation, “The so-called ‘code of honour’ and strong work ethic are very much a part of Chinese life, society and consequently, business� is the best you do in representing what is ‘famous’. Further, use of the term ‘so-called’ in this sentence seems to effectively imply that even the Chinese code of honour and work ethic don’t actually exist.
It may be worthwhile to consider the philosphical underpinnings of this culture in an effort to get a more realistic sense for what the Chinese are famous. Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism and even Legalism are as deeply entrenched in the modern Chinese psyche as are Platonism and Aristotelianism in the mind of the west. As I’m certain a person as obviously highly eduacted as yourself knows, there are amazing fundamental similarities between these philosophies; this is enough so, so that it is not a huge leap to guess that the average Chinese person is not ecstatic about the status quo.
What I am intending to communicate here is that it does not seem to be the Chinese per se who are guiltly of these human rights violations, but rather, that handful of adminstrators who happen to be currently in control. So then, rather than spreading fear regarding the impending “wave of red�, would it pehaps be more responsible to ask why countries like the US and England, for instance, have not demostrated the same level of testosterone in the case of China as they have in Iraq? I would not be so bold as to come right out and accuse these countries of ‘cowardice’, however it seems worth noting that Iraq is just a little country, while China is not.

Hello Anon,
I agree we have a great deal to learn from Chinese culture . I was once told by a spiritualist that my ‘spirit guide’ was Chinese.
I think it’s true that all generalisations are dangerousc(even this one!) but I like articles that gently provoke people into responding. I do that myself with the articles I write for the Weekly Letter. It’s an old language teacher’s trick. (No jokes about me being ‘an old language teacher’.) Just look at what an eloquent and excellent piece of English it has coaxed from you! And that is why we make the Weekly Letters, so people can practice their English.
It must be very difficult for Chinese people who believe in democracy to tolerate a system so ruthlessly totalitarian. The French philosopher Joseph de Maistre said that every country has the government it deserves. The man was a fool in my opinion but could that be true?
We talk about American imperialism in sweeping terms too and I know quite a few Americans who do not see themselves as part of it. The economic potential of China is worrying for some Europeans because they don’t want to lose their jobs. And they will if they have to compete with unfair practices.
How do you see the future of China? Will it open up? Will there be a flowering of democracy?

Hello Paul,
I completely agree with the opinions given so far.
On the other hand the situation in China nowadays is not easy: since the mid 20th century the goverment has done a lot of reforms towards a single and united China and it is using almost any mean (i.m.o. here is where the human rights come in).
China is manufacturing most of the goods we consume because they offer cheap and flexible labour, they have high tech factories and are great at copying.
Even though it may sound contadictory, this “cheap labour” situation will help China go to a new paradigm: factories move to China -> money comes in -> more business is held -> development happens -> life quality increases -> wages go up -> factories start moving somewhere else.
Regarding the ideology and culture, of course they have had 2000 years of unchanged society based on respect to the past, the rituals and so on. Chinese writing carries this culture and ideas, that is also one of the reasons for the current goverment to try to introduce chinese simplied writing in schools.
Regards,
Cristina

Hello Paul,
More and more Chinese nowadays are able to communicate with Chinese Mandarin, says a survey (2004) that indicates that 53 per cent of the population can communicate with the language known as putonghua. So there is a large Mandarin illiterate chinese population.
On the other hand the goverment is trying to unify the language and make everyone talk Mandarin: One country, ione language. They also want to give a sense of modernization and let’s remeber that ancient chinese culture is also carried in their current writting system.
A good solution for all these problems is to use simplified chinese writting, it consists of simplified symbols that really don’t have that much to do with the former symbol.
I don’t know anything about the cost.
Regards,
Cristina

Hello Paul,
I really liked this week’s article, but in my opinion it simplifies all that is going on inside China and that we hardly find out over here.
All we are worried about is China “stealing” our jobs, or decreasing the prices of products. We see China as a threadt and as an opportunity, but just based on our Western economic models.
Aren’t we exploting China also, or we are just helping…
It’s a really tough question.
Thanks for the article!!!!
Cristina