tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.comments2024-01-30T05:43:28.525-08:00the capital in the northJi Xianghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03406727999722525339noreply@blogger.comBlogger590125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-25317522250107786562024-01-30T05:43:28.525-08:002024-01-30T05:43:28.525-08:00Appreciate you blogging thisAppreciate you blogging thisThe Josh Langehttps://thejoshlange.tumblr.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-62353297185386965892023-10-25T10:57:17.631-07:002023-10-25T10:57:17.631-07:00Good reeadingGood reeadingBattle For Beautyhttps://ie9game.tumblr.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-42163174723346684852023-09-02T04:42:12.047-07:002023-09-02T04:42:12.047-07:00Excellent summary; I agree with your main points. ...Excellent summary; I agree with your main points. And an interesting parallel with the Great Leap Forward. <br />Covid was like an x-ray through the respective cultures of different countries: showing up their weaknesses and strengths. Fascinating to ponder what China's response tells us about where it is heading in the coming years.Bennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-34040322187473494062023-08-09T23:19:25.314-07:002023-08-09T23:19:25.314-07:00Love thisLove thisAtul Tiwarihttps://vtatultiwari.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-50040769701251316402023-05-26T02:31:27.315-07:002023-05-26T02:31:27.315-07:00@Richard
There is still room to grow, but the cur...@Richard<br /><br />There is still room to grow, but the current model of debt-fuelled investment and financial repression is no longer working. I suggest you follow Michael Pettis on Twitter for some intelligent, informed commentary on the Chinese economy. Ji Xianghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03406727999722525339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-78925417743907073432023-05-25T18:41:48.580-07:002023-05-25T18:41:48.580-07:00> It's easy now to see how the Spanish Flu ...> It's easy now to see how the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 disappeared from the popular consciousness.<br /><br />Great point!<br /><br />> The old growth model is now unsustainable<br /><br />How come? China's GDP per capita is about the level of Belarus, so I would have thought they had a lot of room to grow.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04543298441892402686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-57015441256060892282023-05-24T16:29:31.053-07:002023-05-24T16:29:31.053-07:00@FOARP
I think you're right that half-measure...@FOARP<br /><br />I think you're right that half-measures don't really cut it with Covid, especially Omicron. Even China's full measures only just managed to contain it. I think the real mess up was not ensuring that everyone, especially the elderly, was vaccinated, and that hospitals had enough beds and ventilators. They were too busy using all their resources to stop Covid from spreading, and thought they could go on forever.<br /><br />I think most Chinese are fine with "detachment from the outside world", unfortunately. They might have something to say when standards of living stop growing and society is still incredibly unequal. Actually it's already happened, more or less. Ji Xianghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03406727999722525339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-6678906921180598612023-05-24T09:44:56.476-07:002023-05-24T09:44:56.476-07:00Good piece. One thing I will quibble is that the C...Good piece. One thing I will quibble is that the COVID measures only made sense (in as much as they ever made sense) as a package of measures designed to keep spread down below a certain level. Half-keeping them rarely made sense anywhere (though I note that when I visited Berlin earlier this year they had only just stopped requiring masking on public transport). I was very sceptical about Boris Johnson’s “big bang” reopening in early 2022 but in retrospect it was the right step (after many false-steps particularly in 2020). The CCP may have made the same calculation in removing all the controls at once, regardless of what prompted them to do it.<br /><br />I agree that there is every possibility that the long-term impact of the failure of CCP COVID policy in 2022 on public trust in the government may not be so great. I remember hearing similar sentiments after SARS 2003 but it didn’t last. More impactful, as you say, is likely to be slowing economic growth and detachment from the outside world. The business opportunities people saw in China have mostly come to nothing, now it is about “de-risking”. China looks to be walking a similar road to Russia.FOARPhttp://foarp.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-48815712091467389472023-04-30T04:11:39.219-07:002023-04-30T04:11:39.219-07:00@Richard
Mi felicxas ke vi lernis multon de mia a...@Richard<br /><br />Mi felicxas ke vi lernis multon de mia artikolo. Jes, kvar tagoj ne suficxas por kompreni multon! Estis ege varme kiam mi estis tie, do bicikli al Angkor Wat eble estintus iom malkonforta. Krome, mi ne rimarkis ke oni povas viziti senpage post la 5a. Eble ili sxangxis tion.Ji Xianghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03406727999722525339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-59956525857570892882023-04-29T17:14:41.758-07:002023-04-29T17:14:41.758-07:00Mi vojaĝis tra Kambodio antaŭ dek jaroj tamen esti...Mi vojaĝis tra Kambodio antaŭ dek jaroj tamen estis en la ĉefurbo nur 2 tagoj kaj Siem Reap 2 tagoj - tro rapide. Mi lernis multe de via artikolo. La Ĉina influo estas interesa - mi ne remarkis tion kiam mi estis tie.<br /><br />Mi memoras en Siem Reap oni povas facile bicikli al Angkor Wat kaj post la ~5a ptm viziti la ruinoj estis senkostaj.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04543298441892402686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-60610951343058002092023-01-13T11:01:09.461-08:002023-01-13T11:01:09.461-08:00@Richard: Jes, tio estas senso-hava.@Richard: Jes, tio estas senso-hava.Ji Xianghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03406727999722525339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-69696897331422285012023-01-12T03:11:45.583-08:002023-01-12T03:11:45.583-08:00Bedaŭrinde :(
Ĉi tie en Tajvano mi sentis pli sek...Bedaŭrinde :(<br /><br />Ĉi tie en Tajvano mi sentis pli sekura kiam la Ĉina registaro malŝparis sian tempon kaj energion pri covid.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04543298441892402686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-23343341918423354432022-12-28T17:02:40.202-08:002022-12-28T17:02:40.202-08:00Tio estos la temo de mia venonta blogajxo! Sed lau...Tio estos la temo de mia venonta blogajxo! Sed laux mi estis pro la protestoj, la homoj ne plu eltenis.Ji Xianghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03406727999722525339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-51235272026364700662022-12-28T08:51:31.965-08:002022-12-28T08:51:31.965-08:00sed KIAL la regitaro tiel ebrupte ŝanĝis sian poli...sed KIAL la regitaro tiel ebrupte ŝanĝis sian politikon?renato corsettihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17925088214256377281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-88909250297464000102022-11-09T23:40:58.335-08:002022-11-09T23:40:58.335-08:00This is another excellent post. Thank you.
My ex...This is another excellent post. Thank you. <br /><br />My experience as a foreigner parallels yours, both in its frustration and its variety. As you note, often those hotels who accept foreigners are not necessarily top-ranked and one simply gets lucky or unlucky. When I have had trouble checking in--and I have to admit that I never make a reservation online--I have asked the hotel staff to call the local police station for me, to ask them about regulations. Sometimes that has worked, though on other occasions, I have had to go to the police station myself and inquire, sometimes before looking into lodging. Often the police are helpful, or when one is denied entrance, quite annoyed, even outraged at the fact that the hotel is acting in that manner and are only too happy to assist. I've never known when or if a hotel will agree to take me in, but I have found that the uneven and unpredictable aspect of lodging here means that just showing up can sometimes be better than thinking one has a confirmed location secured online and making plans accordingly.<br /><br />There does seem to be a level of laziness involved in some instances, but also larceny: in Beijing, it was common practice at some hotels to ask foreigners for an additional deposit, sometimes of over 1K RMB, and then when it is time to reimburse, the number shown on the signed receipt is lower (with the 1K figure not appearing). The expectation is that the foreigner has a plane to catch and the staff will get away with the act. It's not easy to know if this is local collusion or something else going on, but it's very disturbing. Imagine if a person of Chinese origin or descent encountered such treatment outside China (an argument I have used on some occasions). It would not be tolerated; while in China, taking advantage of foreigners is often applauded. Matters are not helped by media, social or otherwise, making fun of foreigners and their purported naiveté--naiveté that apparently doesn't exist in the schools and universities so many Chinese families want to send their children to attend. <br /><br />As you also mention, local attitudes seem to vary. In my experience, Beijing is the worst, and Shanghai not far behind (though hotels near universities can be accommodating, in both senses of the term). The further out one went in the pre-pandemic period, the more likely one could find somewhere to reside smoothly and safely. Now it seems the opposite, along with the possibility that someone has a relative who owns a hotel or guest house and, in cahoots with local officials, wants you to quarantine there for 7-10 days at your own expense. How much of that is due to the pandemic and genuine fear of foreigners or the rediscovered delight on the part of unethical types in screwing someone over who doesn't look like you is not entirely clear. But I agree that it has gotten worse in recent years.<br /><br />It's always a relief to visit a town in some out-of-the-way location and be welcomed warmly, find a clean room and a good restaurant and a hot thermos filled to the brim. Sadly, as with many aspects of Chinese life for foreigners, those times are becoming rarer.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-52369872934227656952022-10-17T03:43:54.120-07:002022-10-17T03:43:54.120-07:00You may well be right about the uptick in anti-Sem...You may well be right about the uptick in anti-Semitic statements. It would be good to see that reined in, but it's difficult to have much hope on that. <br /><br />CGTN and Global Times (in English) are, to be sure, 'Party media', but it might be worth restating that their role is quite different from other platforms. Their purpose is to promote China's image abroad, while news agencies are there to telegraph the Party leadership's line to Party officials and the Chinese public. <br /><br />Yang Rui is an interesting case in point where attitudes about Jews and foreigners generally are concerned. He was of course educated at a British university. During the period that he began to be especially outspoken about 'American hegemonism' and the need to only admit 'qualified foreigners' into China, his son was studying in the United States at a boarding school. Yang's hope, often expressed, was that his son, when old enough, would be admitted to Harvard. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-88524307448451219522022-10-06T17:17:54.858-07:002022-10-06T17:17:54.858-07:00@FOARP:
I think you might be right, in the sense ...@FOARP:<br /><br />I think you might be right, in the sense that during times when Chinese society as a whole is feeling more nationalistic and hostile towards "foreigners" and Western culture, benign curiosity about these ever so intelligent and successful Jews is likely to turn into something darker. After all, the Jews are very much part of the West, and many of them currently live in the US, China's arch-nemesis.<br /><br />@anonymous:<br /><br />I must say that I barely experienced antisemitism and antisemitic views in China until recently, but then my Jewish origins are not exactly obvious and I don't often bring up the topic with Chinese people. I'm sure that silly and conspiratorial views about Jews, and of course hatred of Israel as a US proxy, have never been entirely absent. <br /><br />Still, I think the spate of antisemitic rants that we've seen recently are indeed something unprecedented. I don't think it's "orchestrated", but I do think it's a reaction to a sudden shift in the tone of Chinese diplomacy and Chinese media towards the Middle East. By the way, CGTN and Global Times are very much "Party media". I agree that there are areas in which China and Israel have strong ties, and those ties won't be damaged by this nonsense.Ji Xianghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03406727999722525339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-49001411489826314072022-10-04T09:18:28.284-07:002022-10-04T09:18:28.284-07:00Agree with much said above - anti-Semitism isn'...Agree with much said above - anti-Semitism isn't something that just appeared in China and is often just an extension of general anti-foreigner sentiment. I'm thinking especially about Yang Rui's rant about foreign media being controlled by jews which just seemed to be of a piece with his view that foreigners in China were "snake heads" and spies.FOARPhttp://foarp.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-19818183717402159882022-09-08T20:09:00.789-07:002022-09-08T20:09:00.789-07:00There's also this recent news:
China, Israel...There's also this recent news: <br /><br />China, Israel free-trade deal, Beijing’s first in Middle East, in ‘last stages’ amid troubles with US<br />After discussions dating back to 2016, a breakthrough trade deal between China and Israel may be signed this year, showing that Beijing can ‘talk to both sides’<br /><br />Deal could potentially open the door to greater access to Middle Eastern agricultural technology as parts of China have been devastated by drought and heatwaves<br /><br />https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3191828/china-israel-free-trade-deal-beijings-first-middle-east-last Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-22969230616176871912022-08-25T20:46:16.227-07:002022-08-25T20:46:16.227-07:00Thankks for thisThankks for thisFurniture Movers Corvallishttps://www.move-furniture.com/us/furniture-delivery-oregon/furniture-movers-corvallis.shtmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-49428871684503210472022-06-28T21:59:12.956-07:002022-06-28T21:59:12.956-07:00These are interesting insights. I'm not sure t...These are interesting insights. I'm not sure that anti-Semitism is something that's just cropped up here in China. One experienced it in various places and forms in the early and mid-1990s, even at universities and institutes, and among students and scholars who should have known better. One experienced the same in the 2000s, often at the oddest moments, such as an academic conference or speaking with local Chinese officials. Some of that was expressly cultural, and only some of it then was tied to political or diplomatic circumstances. <br /><br />In that connection, what you might be seeing is not so much an orchestrated campaign or anything especially new, but a collection of views that correspond with each other because one is looking for evidence that they exist. There always seems to be dissident and disturbing voices out there in both official and social media, with the replicating effect when someone posts something or writes an essay with political cover to do so. Then there's a spate, until the conversation is reined in by more powerful forces who've been alerted to it and heard complaints, or perhaps see that the commentary is aimed at much at them as the purported target (i.e., a Chinese official or a region where there is cooperation with Tel Aviv at the expense of some Arab countries or companies). <br /><br />May I also add that ties between China and Israel are, just as you note, tense and unhappy in some areas, not the least of which you mention. But not all issues in the relationship are so fraught with animus. There are technological ties, agricultural cooperation initiatives, and sci-tech exchanges that remain robust. Those ties remain largely unaffected by the stupidity and calumny of a handful or so of widely or not so widely read commentators and analysts. In short, there's diversity in Chinese media, as you know. One can pick out pretty much anything at various moments outside of Party media and wonder if it is a tendency, a trend, or a resurfacing of something seen before.<br /><br />It will be interesting to see if any of these anti-Semitic views gain traction or the scholars and analysts espousing them suddenly go quiet for a while. As you note, it's worth calling attention to, expressing concern and contemplating. At this point at least, it sounds familiar and reprehensible at the same time. <br /><br />Thanks for posting your thoughts on your very interesting blog, and for allowing comments such as these. <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-70875020346658183852022-04-29T23:47:57.617-07:002022-04-29T23:47:57.617-07:00Thank you for the kind words!
Sorry for your daug...Thank you for the kind words!<br /><br />Sorry for your daughter, it's a real pity she can't even go back to China for a visit. I also think China can hold on for a good few years. The question though is at what point the economic pain for China really becomes unbearable, but it's already causing serious damage, and yet they aren't budging. Ji Xianghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03406727999722525339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-83220492407742119612022-04-29T04:30:14.756-07:002022-04-29T04:30:14.756-07:00As always Gabe, this is an excellent post. I'l...As always Gabe, this is an excellent post. I'll repost on my Facebook and Twitter. We've been having a household debate for two years. I've always thought that China will keep its borders closed for years and we won't be able to go back but my husband was more optimistic. It's been tough because my daughter really feels Chinese and had to leave all her friends behind and the culture she had grown up in with no immediate prospect of return. I think China can hold to zero Covid for a good few years. The only wild cards are the mutation of the virus. As you say, the impact of closing a country with a cosmopolitan elite to the world will be both fascinating and frightening to watch. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-53218551867943334512022-04-26T17:20:57.891-07:002022-04-26T17:20:57.891-07:00Thanks!
And no, clearly China can't completel...Thanks!<br /><br />And no, clearly China can't completely eliminate Omicron. Even if they could stamp it out internally, they would then have to completely cut off from the world, with no flights in or out at all, and no exchange of goods either by land or sea. They won't do that (I am assuming).<br /><br />Given how widespread the Omicron variant is in the rest of the world, as long as people can enter China from abroad the virus will find a way in somehow, no matter how careful they are with quarantines and other measures. <br /><br />The scary part is that in order to keep Omicron at a low level, they are going to have to keep locking down entire cities for weeks or more, restricting internal travel and almost completely suppressing international travel. Sad times. Ji Xianghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03406727999722525339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-17139491766144954812022-04-26T08:50:07.373-07:002022-04-26T08:50:07.373-07:00Very good piece.
I doubt, actually, that China re...Very good piece.<br /><br />I doubt, actually, that China really can do more than supress Omicron to a low level. The decline in infections is something that other countries achieved through lockdowns, but what they did not achieve was actual elimination, as there was always some reservoir of people left somewhere still infected. Once controls loosened, the spread began all over again.FOARPhttp://foarp.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com