What is China ACTUALLY like - is it really dangerous/evil?

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That's a fair point, I understand that the violence in Tibet ebbs and flows and of course its not dangerous all of the time. Is it fair to say there is an underlying feeling of unease though? I mean the Tibetan people themselves are not favourable of the Chinese occupation so I imagine it doesn't take long for incidents to flare up.

Anyway I bow to your superior knowledge on the matter, without having being there myself I'm no master on the topic! :wink:

Reply 41

A Mysterious Lord

It's like North Korea, it's all blown out of proportion by Western media to suit their agenda. While I don't doubt these regimes are backward and repressive, they're not THAT bad.

Reply 42

1337camper

not as bad as the evil american capitalist regime

Reply 43

JamalAhmed

Original post by Casshern1456

Why don't you go to China and look for yourself

Maybe one day! But I will have to go back home (Bangladesh) first, then Turkey, then maybe one other country before China.

PS: And I live in London and have never ever went to a tourist in London site yet (I think that shows I am a true Londoner :biggrin:

Reply 44

JamalAhmed

Original post by A Mysterious Lord

It's like North Korea, it's all blown out of proportion by Western media to suit their agenda. While I don't doubt these regimes are backward and repressive, they're not THAT bad.

Yeah. You only have to see real documentaries on YouTube to see how life is for the average Chinese.

Reply 45

EssexDan86

I think it's fair to say that human rights in China have improved enormously over the last 30 years.

Yes there are still restrictions, but it's a MILLION times better for the ordinary Chinese now than under Chairman Mao, when you had to stay in the job you were assigned to for life, there were spies in every neighbourhood, workplace and school ready to denounce you, you weren't allowed to start a business and everyone was desperately poor.

The economic freedoms that have been initiated in China, along with certain actions of the Party, have actually succeeded in lifting tens of millions out of poverty, and economic openness has led to a lot more freedom for the average citizen, provided they don't criticise the goverbnment too much. That might not sound great in Western eyes, but compared to how China has traditionally been, it's a huge step forward.

If you look at China's violent past over the last 200 years, you can see how fragile it is, with frequent rebellions, invasions etc resulting in the deaths of millions of people. For the Communist party to be holding together such an enormous and diverse population is quite an achievement. Who knows - maybe in a generation or so, the leaders will have clamped down on the corruption that is frequently cited as a major grievance amongst the people, and increased prosperity will mean they feel comfortable enough to give people more political freedoms. I don't think China could become a democracy overnight.

Reply 46

cod2012

Original post by Bellissima

ok so I'm sure most people have heard the "if chinese athletes don't win they are slaughtered/sent to labour camps/beaten up/exiled/hated by the nation" etc. there are so many people saying this. then also about how evil the government is and that they aren't free and they are really opressive and kill and torture their citizens.

i know there is censorship in China and the government is quite controlling, but to what degree? how much of this anti-chinese government feeling has been stirred up as propaganda by press/USA/other governments?

Most Chinese carry on their lives without worrying too much about the censorship. It is more like "The Emperor's New Clothes" in action. Many can go around the censorship. Read this article -http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/03/-ldquo-the-connection-has-been-reset-rdquo/6650/.

A country of over 1.3 billion people can find plenty of fans of the government. The urban life and rural life is vastly different. Communist party still have base among peasants. But they are losing this ground due to local corruption and widening income gaps. Urban middle class is benefiting most from modern China. Most participate in the race of a extreme version of capitalism. It is a strange scene in a communist country. As long as the communist party is in power, you can carry on however you like it.

Athletes won't be sent to jail. Things are done more subtly comparing to highly repressive years. Athletes are afraid to fail because that is what they live for. Your training is funded by the state. Gold for your country means instant stardom and wealth. Few well-off families will send their kids to do Olympic sports. Would you take the chance if this is the way out of your village and poverty?

China is not outright scary, but it is complex and often strange. It is communism on its way to something nobody knows. It is fascinating and draining at the same time.
No media is value neutral. China does not have independent media. That sucks.

Reply 47

Diane.

Original post by Lunch_Box

Western media is so misleading.

On this particular issue,yes.its completely nonsense that those who don't win a medal in olympics get slaughtered/sent to camps.it'll be more fair to say Chinese just don't want to miss a chance to impress the rest of world...in their own way

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Reply 48

Trollolollol

it's actually pretty easy life in big cities.

Pretty much like any city in the world.

I'm interning in shanghai before Oxford there and it's exactly the same.

With far less teenage problems and chavs and ****

Reply 49

Trollolollol

i think the easiest way for westerners to see China is to go there.

Loads of people have no idea what China is actually like.

Reply 50

Diane.

Original post by Trollolollol

i think the easiest way for westerners to see China is to go there.

Loads of people have no idea what China is actually like.

True indeed,I had been working in xujiahui for a while

Now im in nanjing which is another capital city but so different from shanghai

Not quite as westernised as shanghai and life is slightly less convenient for sure

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