Yiwu, if money bought gratitude, the "Old European" countries like France and Germany would be showering us with kindness and sympathy. I can appreciate your closer links to Taiwan and China, however, what I've discovered over the years is freedom speaks a language understandable to all.
Taiwan and China don't have to love America, or individual Americans to love free speech, democracy, habeas corpus, spiritual tolerance or intellectual openness.
I have a story.. recently a good friend of mine returned from China. She was teaching a masters course in Human Resource Management. During the course, she asked an innocent question to the class, "what is your unemployment rate"? (in the city she was teaching). The class become totally silent. During the next break, her government liaison official explained that in China we don't ask questions like that. In other words, some of the best and brightest of China's young people are afraid of talking openly about many things which go against government policy. It is assumed that one of the students works for the government, and watches other students, then reports those who don't toe-the-party-line.
A government which is fearful of its citizens asking a simple question like "what is our unemployment rate"? Is not an enlightened place of intellectual enquiry.
Having the unique experiences you've had, should allow you to realize the deep changes China needs to make in order to become all she can be. |
