Defend China with Sensible Patriotism
Aby September 2nd, 2008
Amidst the violent outburst of anti-China sentiments among some of the people in the West, China feels wronged, Chinese people get outraged, followed by an unprecedented explosion of patriotism which later ushered in an irresistible wave of xenophobia among innocent Chinese citizens, and finally giving rise to a pathetic, yet understandable overflow of nationalism. The Torch-Relay Protest in Paris in the run-up to Beijing’s hosting of Olympic is the preface of the story. Unexpected, the sporting event revived with the ideals of promoting peace, harmony and international cultural exchange has eventually been turned to a violent political farce.
Farce it is.
The fact is that most of the people who vehemently protest against China’s “brutal” human rights record are those who have never been to China. For those who have been to China and known something about China, it is, more often than not, a different story. One of my friends studying in France told me, she had seen people being paid up for joining in the torch-relay protest. But when asked “where is Tibet?”, some of those guys had completely no clue, let alone know something about its history.
A term often talked about in China is SEEK TRUTH FROM FACT. I really hope those who are either born hating China, or taught to hate China, or paid up to hate China, or hate China due to its aloofness, whatsoever, pay a visit to China to verify themselves how “brutal” today’s Chinese government is towards its people, and how intensely today’s Chinese people have been “suffering” under the “ruthless” Communist rule.
To those who hate China merely because of its status as a socialist, I have to say, you are not correct yet I may help to correct you. Today’s China is on the road of pursuing, what we term it, Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. “Chinese Characteristics” means we are working on a unique way of administering, which to my understanding, means we are combining the best of the proven good experiences from other countries, including that of the Western countries, with the cream of the time-honored socialism. Today’s China is a great departure from what it was 20 years ago. I do not think it’s wise to always associate what has happened 20 years ago with today’s China or Chinese government. Actually, it seems to me that the mentioning of “Tiananmen Student Movement”, or some of you may call it “massacre”, has become a good fashion among a significant number of people to hide their outdated knowledge about today’s world, and boast of their being democratic. If so, why not talk about the bloody history of American Indians several hundred years ago whenever the topic concerns the United States? Time is progressing, so does China.
To those who hate Chinese people merely because of our status as Chinese, I have to say, you are beyond correction. Your hatred will always be our source of power driving us to excel. Yet, fault or even deficiencies can always be found as to the Chinese government or the Chinese system of governing, which is a fact nobody could deny. However, more inspiring is that the Chinese leadership has been constantly aware of this and always takes immediate actions to correct itself into the right path, which are always proven effective, which can be broadly reflected by Chinese government’s response to the recent earthquake relief, China’s gradual loosing control of media freedom, and more important, Chinese government’s persistent efforts in lifting millions of people out of poverty.
Criticism of all kind to China and its people is really embraced so long as it is based on unbiased perspectives, supported by factual knowledges and intended to help, but not virulent abuses or senseless pretest as mentioned above.
World can not do without China, so does China.
Forest Jheng,
Shanghai University
NB: This article is a guest post and as such, guest posts do not necessarily reflect the popular or personal views of this site owner/authors.- Aby
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