My point is that most people (in the West) are in two camps about China -> those that have bought U.S. anti-China propaganda, and those that have bought Chinese pro-China propaganda. And that is the problem - this black-and-white thinking. There is a decided lack of nuance and objective thinking when it comes to analyzing geopolitics.
In terms of what you say about "traveling to China" -> it is one thing/experience to travel and visit the many places I mentioned, but it is quite another to actually live your whole life in many of those provinces. Western audiences rarely get to experience (or hear about) these other regions in China and how challenging (and different) life has been for many there (in comparison to life in the largest cities of China and Southern China).
China is a vast country with a huge range of different geographical (and cultural) conditions and people. It is not as homogeneous as many in the West imagine.
Absolutely. I have relatives who have lived (happily!) in China for many years. They are based in Liaoning so I know that area the best, but I've visited Beijing, Sichuan, Guangzhong and Hainan too. They are distinct in terms of culture and lifestyle from my experience and all very far from the western perception of state oppression and uniformity. Chinese communism is much more free market in the modern era with many industrialists and innovative companies that aren't state controlled while in the US we're constantly told it's the beacon of freedom and free markets while free speech is being repressed, the military is used to protect corporate assets overseas making them wards of the state in effect, and now the state is setting up protectionist economic policies (so not a free market at all), while discussing imprisoning citizens overseas for holding the wrong opinions about government policies. The polarity has reversed!!
I agree on EVERYTHING you say about the U.S.
My point is that most people (in the West) are in two camps about China -> those that have bought U.S. anti-China propaganda, and those that have bought Chinese pro-China propaganda. And that is the problem - this black-and-white thinking. There is a decided lack of nuance and objective thinking when it comes to analyzing geopolitics.
In terms of what you say about "traveling to China" -> it is one thing/experience to travel and visit the many places I mentioned, but it is quite another to actually live your whole life in many of those provinces. Western audiences rarely get to experience (or hear about) these other regions in China and how challenging (and different) life has been for many there (in comparison to life in the largest cities of China and Southern China).
China is a vast country with a huge range of different geographical (and cultural) conditions and people. It is not as homogeneous as many in the West imagine.
Absolutely. I have relatives who have lived (happily!) in China for many years. They are based in Liaoning so I know that area the best, but I've visited Beijing, Sichuan, Guangzhong and Hainan too. They are distinct in terms of culture and lifestyle from my experience and all very far from the western perception of state oppression and uniformity. Chinese communism is much more free market in the modern era with many industrialists and innovative companies that aren't state controlled while in the US we're constantly told it's the beacon of freedom and free markets while free speech is being repressed, the military is used to protect corporate assets overseas making them wards of the state in effect, and now the state is setting up protectionist economic policies (so not a free market at all), while discussing imprisoning citizens overseas for holding the wrong opinions about government policies. The polarity has reversed!!