Dear Friend,
I am back from China--for the moment. I understand your words and agree
with them fully. I was/am very aware of how ignorant I am of the many
realities, dimension and conditions of China--past and rpesent and how
little I saw in my short time in China. But I was also outside of
Beijing and am someone who has lived and traveled extensively in the
so-called "Third World" (in six languages other than English) and am
therefore perhaps more aware than some outside of China how limited my
knowledge is. The paper I presented
(http://www.marxmail.org/CravenChina.htm) was received and passed around
fully and my discussions were extended, candid and full with scholars
who know China far beyond Beijing. Also, in order to protect confidences
of those with whom I met, I did not write all that I could have written;
I too must practice "shen chang bu lu."
Thank you,
Jim
-----Original Message-----
From: a-list-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:a-list-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Xenon Zi-Neng
Yuan
Sent: Saturday, September 18, 2004 10:42 AM
To: The A-List
Subject: Re: [A-List] Conference in China
It warms my heart to see some first-hand reporting from China that
strays
from the usual formula of alleging how universally "miserable" the
situation is over there. I do commend comrade Craven for daring to see
beyond the anti-China media filter which so poisons the discussion here
in
the "West". Assuming you are still in China, I wish you well and in
full
confidence that the experience will continue to shatter the many
inadvertent misconceptions implanted in your mind by the western media
and
intelligentsia, as it was with me.
That being said, I do hope that you would consider spending some
extended
time beyond a "model" city like Beijing. In some ways (and I say this
with
all due respect), your report reminded me a little bit of Huey Newton's
remembrances of his visit to the PRC in the 70's, in that a more
skeptical
person may think you're just getting a sanctioned tour of the "pretty
side
of town".
More comments below...
The first thing I should note is that I was asked to provide on an
abstract of my paper not the whole paper. It was on my own initiative
and
out of respect for those who had invited me that I sent a copy of the
whole paper before leaving for China. This was because I did not want,
due
to my own ignorance or misinformation, to say things that were
incorrect
and/or might cause any problems for those who had invited me. My
concerns
were unfounded as no one tried to censor me in any way and all were
prepared for a free full and no-holds-barred discussion of any and all
issues related to China (including those issues raised in the Monthly
Review issue on China).
I had similar preconceived notions to yours on my first visit several
years
ago, ignorantly assuming that truly open discussion and debate would be
hard to come by, especially in more publicized settings. It is amazing
how
inundated we in the imperial centers become with images of China being
some
sort of Orwellian police state, with tapped phones and thought police
around every corner.
I got a cut on my foot and my foot and leg became infected. The last
time
this happened, when I was in India, I got staph infection throughout my
left leg and damn near lost it. This time it was my right foot and leg.
I
got to experience the Chinese health care system which I would
recommend
to anyone; they are far advanced of the U.S. and Canada in many ways;
and
they are also very aware that health care is not evenly distributed
throughout China and are very intent on dealing with it as a priority
issue. The first thing that impressed me tremendously, is that I had to
wait in line and no effort was given to give me "special treatment" as
a
visitor; I really appreciated that. Secondly, the doctors were thorough
and took the issue of my own immune system not being adapted to China
very
seriously. Thirdly they did regular follow-up (again, each time I
waited
my turn in line) and gave me antibiotics simply not available in the
West
(including a bottle, prescribed for me by the doctor to take home to
continue my treatment).
Was this in the Beijing metropolitan area? Again, while I have no
disagreements that a foreigner should have no qualms about getting
public
health care in the city, the uneven distribution of these services in
the
countryside does make it harder to come to the same conclusion for other
areas of China. Granted, I myself have simply been fortunate not to
have
gotten sick or injured when in the countryside, and do not have my own
first-hand experience. But I do get mixed reports from friends and
peers
who have - which at least is better than the daily multiple horror
stories
which saturate the headlines and inner pages of the bourgeois press
(especially the overseas Chinese language press, such as the World
Journal/Shijie Ribao).
As a former taxi driver myself--full-time--I of course knew well the
pressures and realities of the taxi drivers all over the world (wait in
long lines for a short trip and having to pay the daily lease or "nut"
on
the vehicle, all sorts of freaks giving you trouble etc) but the taxi
drivers in Beijing will not take tips as they believe that this might
involve "looking down" on them or pity. Despite their low pay and
difficult conditions of work, they had a certain pride and dignity
about
them that reflected socialist consciousness is alive and well among the
taxi drivers in China.
tipping/gratuity is indeed a practice that was generally eradicated
prior
to the market "reforms". However, it has made a comeback since then,
particularly in some of the fancier restaurants/hotels and other service
related jobs (such as the more expensive taxis and limos) catering to
the
wealthy (both domestic and foreign) or even middle class. I don't
disagree
that some level of "socialist consciousness" persists amongst the common
workers, but in my own conversations with many of them, I'd regretfully
have to say that this is far from universally true. A great many of
them
are caught up in "money-making" fever and recite, like mantras, the
precepts of "getting rich is glorious" capitalism...
I hooked-up with some friends of a friend and they took me to a
restaurant
called Xiang Yang Tun (Face the Sun) which features artifacts from
traditional villages, traditional village recipes, posters and
newspapers
from the Cultural Revolution,
large posters of Chairman Mao and acrobat/comedy troupes from
northeastern
China. That was truly memorable.
Again, unfortunately, places like that are "novelty" destinations. In
mainstream urban China, I'd say that the Cultural Revolution is not
popular. This is different in the countryside, of course. Respect for
Mao
on the other hand, is becoming universal again I think (though
grudgingly
for some), particularly when the issue of China's sovereignty comes up.
On CCTV-9 the English channel in Beijing, the programming was very
thoughtful and informative, >From discussions of life and history
during
the Tang Dynasty, to national policies to protect the survival and
existence of the 55 non-Han national groups in China (e.g Dai People in
Yunnan), to long programs about China's and global energy requirements
and
trends, to programs on industrial pollution and ecological damage and
ongoing demonstrations in the U.S. against Bush. It was such a relief
to
see programming that did not focus on and celebrate narcissism,
competition, social darwinism, humiliation, intrigue, careerism,
ultra-individualism, sexism, racism, national chauvinism,
machiavellianism, etc etc.
CCTV programming is often as you describe, though with some exceptions,
especially the non-English stations. In addition, most people in the
cities can get other channels; local channels and Taiwan/HK-affiliated
networks will more often than not contain many of the more unsavory
elements you list above.
In Chinese language and culture, there is the concept of "shen chang
bu
lu" (keeping ones words and intentions modest and moderate and not
letting
out all one is thinking). Perhaps that is what I was experiencing while
in
China, or, perhaps, the same concept should be considered in any
possibly
precipitous judgments about the extent of restoration of capitalism
allegedly going on in China. The Chinese I met did not run from a full
debate of the question and were/are prepared to debate the issue in the
future of what they are doing in China and why.
Agreed. Rash judgements and proclamations from those of us in the
imperial
center about the processes in China are to be avoided. Like Melvin has
stated numerous times both here and elsewhere, on such matters it is
better
to err on the side of caution, lest we find ourselves trumpeting the
call
of the most reactionary elements of our imperialist bourgeoisie.
xzy