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Get Ready For “Teaming Masses”
By Paul Midler | April 12, 2008
One of the more popular videos on YouTube these days shows a group of Duke University students waving Chinese flags, chanting their support of the motherland (link here). That Chinese are able to protest in the U.S. is ironic, but even more interesting is the idea that average Chinese may be learning through these protests how political activism works.
Jack Perkowski wrote an interesting article for Huffington Post, in which he argues that protests have the opposite intended effect on China. Jack says that Steven Spielberg made a mistake by pulling out of the Olympics, that he could have done more if he had stayed involved. That’s funny. I thought it was pretty clear Spielberg’s resignation made a direct impact. The sacrifice set off a media storm, and China soon thereafter announced some major changes on Darfur. Had Spielberg gone to work for the Chinese, offering the excuse that he could ‘do more from the inside,’ recent protesters might have been more focused on Darfur (I don’t recall seeing any signs for Darfur, the issue was almost exclusively about Tibet). The fact is that Chinese leaders are influenced by activists abroad, even if they insist that they are not.
I believe that worldwide protests against China will over the long-run continue to have an impact, and there is even a chance that we will see China announce further human rights concessions in the run up to the Olympics. Such a move would be made to appease critics so that the likelihood of conflict at the Games might be minimized. While such moves may not be sincere, we should acknowledge that protests have the potential to influence China at least to some extent.
The unintended consequence of global protests is that many Chinese will feel more emboldened to display extreme national pride. While China was inclined to hide its jingoistic nature so that it could play host, protests have struck a nerve and the world may have unwittingly triggered a we’ll-show-them-attitude. If Chinese college kids are feeling comfortable waving the Communist flag in America, imagine what’s in store for us this summer in China. Get ready, is all I’m saying…
Topics: China |
April 12th, 2008 at 8:53 am
I certainly don’t mind leaving China alone to develop at her own pace, as long as China treats the minority with dignity and consideration, give them human rights and protect their human rights. We could have let Germany to develop at it’s own pace and leave Germany alone too in 1939, and why didn’t we ? Is Germany less worthy than China ?
April 12th, 2008 at 9:00 am
You raise a good point, Larry.
Is it a progress to have one’s chains lengthened?
What if the United States had not ended slavery but had merely granted more freedom to slaves over a period of one hundred years. Would that move have been acceptable?
China has made of point of suggesting that it has come rather far, but moving toward freedom is not the same thing as freedom itself.
April 12th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Well, I’m not really sure the “Chinese” flag is quite the same thing as the “communist” flag. They are nationalistic, not ideological. Big difference. Waving a Chinese flag is not exactly “provocative” in the United States, Tibet/Darfur controversy or not, and especially given the context of supporting the Olympics in the face of media-tastic protest against the Olympics.
If the Chinese government were to announce any more “human rights” concessions to “appease” foreigners, it would be just that: “appeasement.” Unfortunately, “appeasement” isn’t exactly foreign to the Chinese, a culture where saying “yes” but meaning “no” is fairly common in the interests of avoiding problems. Getting the Chinese government to do this isn’t some victory of influence for forigners, just par for the course. I do think the world CAN influence China, but getting the Chinese to pay lip service doesn’t amount to much.
April 12th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Larry, your words remind me a usual opinion among the western people.
When media and politician mentioned China, two words could follow, RED, COMMUNIST, which most of time, are related to the image of the Germany around 1940. The problem is, is the China’s government really that bad to their people? to their neighbors?
Recent Chinese activities in various countries for supporting their motherland are not a coincidence. Medias outside China kept on posting negative or we say insulting “news”. Especially while Dalai Lama is advocating human-right, non-violence, his followers are doing killing and burning in Tibet. Though you may say this info. is from the Chinese gov’s mouth, people have special and powerful human_search among their network. Photos, personal website (include blog, IM) . Evidences are enough to tell what is really happening in Tibet.
I was in Duke’s campus that night, the human_right organization carried the posters with Dalai Lama on it, and said they were standing with the peace. This is the critical point arose the anger and protest from Chinese.
April 12th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Kai - “The” was not meant to mean “the only”. Their flag represents Chinese communism, and in this way it is different from the flag of the R.O.C.. Waving a foreign flag is not in and of itself provocative, but the case with China is different given a number of factors.
April 12th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Washington Post printed an article by Joan Chen, which talks to this point about how China should be forgiven because it has already come far.
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/17563459.html
“A state-controlled economy has morphed into a market economy, greatly raising people’s standard of living. It’s clear that the majority of the Chinese people enjoy much fuller, more-abundant lives today than 30 years ago. Though much remains to be done, the Chinese government has made rapid progress in opening up and trying to be part of the international community.”
April 13th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Perhaps the threat though is better than the reality. In litigation, our clients often tell us that we should go to the press to expose what the other side is doing. We tell them that if we do that, we lose all the leverage we have of their being afraid we will do that. Seems to me the threat of a boycott is better than the reality.
April 13th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Yes,freedom and democracy,those are the fancy words.But even you seriously want them tonight,you don’t get them the next morning.As a Chinese,I know how far have we gone.It is still far more than perfect.I can see it is moving forward.Sometime the reality upset me,I did feel desperate,but that is still my country,my root.I should do something for the country and the people.
Also as an internation student in the UK,I read BBC news and newspaper such as Times regularly.Any news related to China would rarely has a positive side.But it is ok,I didn’t expect that.However,this time is different,they are not just only humiliate the CCP which we don’t really care but also the entire Chinese people.Thanks to western media,It is a good lesson to learn.
Tibet can possibly be a independent state undering the willing of several million tibetans who live in that land(not those nobles from Tibet in exile),but not until the day China has approved all freedoms for all her citizens.
Violence and pressure from the west will do nothing on this issue.We will see.
April 13th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Must be nice having access to information from all sides in the comfort of the UK rather than being spoon fed filtered garbage by Xinhua in
China, eh? Cracks me up how the “patriotic” Chinese diaspora are all so eager to secure a passport from ANY country other than China to the point of even settling for “citizenship” in nations like Nauru, Palau and Honduras without realizing that, yes, you’ll STILL need to apply for a visa to get into your ultimate destination: Canada, USA, UK, France or Australia!
I love those flag waving Chinese in free countries that take utmost advantage of their newfound rights (even though their alleged constitution guarantees the same “rights”) to back up a repressive regime in the motherland and get into yelling matches/fistfights with those that might be waving a Nation of Taiwan flag nearby.
The recent (post 1980) Chinese immigrants will never be “citizens” of ANY nation because they are not even good citizens in their own homeland.
April 14th, 2008 at 1:01 am
Hunxuer，you are simply a joke to me.
It is really easy to get a UK visa as long as you provide all the information they need,it only took me two days.And my tuition is three time higher than Eu students,they called it “industry”,I didn’t beg for the education I want,I paid for it.
immigrants?It was,is not and never will be a option for me.I can lead a so much better life in my own country rather than here in the UK,As soon as I complete my degree I will leave in no time.
A year ago I have met a student in the uni accommodation,her family was from Sri lanka and she grew up in the UK.one day during a discussion she point to her arm,saying:see?it is too dark.I was really sadden.I told myself I would never let this happen to my children.I will live in a place where they are proud of what they are,not being a second class citizen.
And please don’t try to fool anyone here,living in 21st century everyone is able to access the information and has their own judgement.You only make me laugh.
I have to admit I’ve met some nice people,I have some respect for the country,but overall I don’t like it.Many of them are still live in the dream of The-Sun-Never-Set Empire.Are you living in a dream as well?
April 14th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
xiaolei: I told myself I would never let this happen to my children.I will live in a place where they are proud of what they are,not being a second class citizen.
Does that mean you swear on your mother’s virtue that you will return to China when you graduate? Spare me. If I had a dollar for every Chinese student who promised to return to the ancestral land after graduation, I’d be a millionaire.
April 15th, 2008 at 2:53 am
Man, you really wanna know what’s sad? Back 15-20 years or more ago, after Deng recognized the Soviet way wasn’t the way he wanted China to continue, Chinese academics (usually the cream of the crop) would go abroad to study, research or have exchanges with their peers in places like Oxford, Boston, Singapore, Kyoto or Paris.
After returning from these trips, they’d immediately recognize the chasm of differences with China not just in the academic world, but in such daily things like the public spitting, lack of orderly lines to get on a bus, or the apathy of Chinese towards their countrymen in situations where someone might be injured in a bike fall or the such. Some of the returning academics would try their part to educate their countrymen and try to bring a little civility to their campus or housing block. Most realized it was a lost cause after some time and just happily remember their experiences in the places they went.
Now we have the new breed, hot tempered, “Ultra Chinese” generation that are feeling their entitlement due and want to collect. They study abroad for years but don’t soak up the experience due to their clustering with others of their ilk since it’s so admittedly easy now to go overseas. It’s no longer a privilege and these “students” are not academics…rather, they’re usually those that tested so poorly they couldn’t get into Bei Da or Fudan U. and hence their maturity levels are lower than those that went as post grads in the ’70s and ’80s.
This new breed is savvy at publicly “outing” their “countrymen” or even foreigners that post online opinions that differ from the Chinese PC mindset (which is: Hyper Nationalism blended with Victim Mentality). They try to organize boycotts of products of the colonial oppressor du jour (see current Carrefour situation), and they bring back nothing of value to share with peers or to even educate the generation even younger than they.
Once back, they act as though they are a step above those that didn’t “study” abroad and expect exhorbitant salaries at MNCs despite their total lack of experience, crap language skills and still village-like mentalities.
All rather sad, actually but then those that have an inkling of Chinese history know that they are their own worst enemies…
April 29th, 2008 at 4:23 am
This is my last comment on this page.
To Zhang Fei :Seriously I really don’t wanna waste my time on people like you
To Hunxueer:
What you are trying to say those who can not enter Beida or Fudan are losers.
“It’s no longer a privilege and these “students” are not academics”
I should bother with you,but here we go
My giril friend who is from Zhengzhou,Henan Province,is one of those who don’t stand a chance to enter Beida or Fudan.
After 2 years A-level study,she just got an offer from Oxford,so She must be a loser as well.Could you tell how successful you are?
“Once back, they act as though they are a step above those that didn’t “study” abroad ”
One thing I learn from the west is that people should respect each other regardless their backgrounds,basing on this one thing people should never do is judging other people without any solid evidence.
May 8th, 2008 at 1:43 am
I have never seen the point of entering into political discussions with Chinese people under the age of 60. What is it that people expect? Really great political discussions can be had with pensioners here who actually know a bit about China, and well-educated CCP members of any age, especially those who have attended the cadre school in Beijing. Why? Because they both have experience of and/or an interest in modern Chinese politics and the history and development of the CCP. Talking to some kid born in the late 70s early 80s is not going to be much fun. Try them with Lei Feng’s Death as a Metaphor for Struggle in late 1960s China, or a discussion of how far we have come since Deng Xiaoping’s speech on The State and the Party in 1980. Huh? What? Dunno? You foreigners just don’t understand Chinese culture. A good response to that old chestnut is an exploration of the Chinese disglossia through the eyes of Hu Shi or Lu Xun (pick your favourite) as a follow-on to Self-Strengthening and coterminant of the May the Fourth Movement, and how relvant it is now. You can talk for hours with the oldies about this shit - it’s great!