China / Edition 12

China Articles

1. The Mao Industry, Michael Dutton, Current History, September 2004

Mao Zedong has been transformed from China’s Great Helmsman into a pop icon and, now, a marketing tool. Attaching the name of Mao to a product (museum, restaurants, watches, songs, etc.) is a good way to sell it.

2. Let Us Speak!, Chris Richards, New Internationalist, September 2004

In China today, there is more freedom to communicate dissent than ever before, but there are still strictly forbidden areas of discussion. China’s hundreds of thousands of associations, travel abroad, and a market economy are helping to open up China.

3. Home Alone, Catherine Bennett, The Guardian, November 9, 2004

China’s generation of one-child families have nurtured materialistic, selfish, and often obese ‘little emperors’. They are also hard-working, competitive, creative, and self-sufficient.

4. Probably One: A Generation Comes of Age Under China’s One-Child Policy, Claudia Meulenberg, World Watch, September/October 2004

China’s one-child policy is widely accepted throughout China, especially in the cities. The focus is now moving away from population control to emphasizing the quality of care for children. Concerns about too few children to support a growing number of elderly parents and grandparents, and too few girls is leading to policy changes.

5. Where the Broom Does Not Reach, The Dust Will Not Vanish, Chris Richards, New Internationalist, September 2004

Rural migrants who leave the countryside to work in factories face appalling labor conditions; but China needs to keep its costs of production low so that the economy can continue to grow and absorb these migrant laborers.

6. Discontent in China Boils Into Public Protest, David J. Lynch, USA Today, September 14, 2004

Angry at being dispossessed of their land without adequate compensation by local officials undertaking massive urban development in the countryside, China is awash in tens of thousands of mass protests. Violent repression of protests is becoming increasingly common.

7. Beijing’s Ambivalent Reformers, Bruce J. Dickson, Current History, September 2004

The composition of the leadership has changed to reflect the new issues and concerns facing China. “Red Capitalists” are a growing percentage of the party membership, although it is less valuable than it used to be for them. For those who do not challenge the party, it is far less intrusive and less pervasive.

8. Letter from Beijing: China’s New Left, Jehangir S. Pocha, The Nation, May 9, 2005

China’s “new left” intellectuals, mostly moderates, criticize the export-led growth strategy and ineffective governance for polarizing society into rich and poor. China’s leadership agrees with their critique of China’s unjust society and is accordingly, trying to change policies.

9. Chinese Nationalism: Challenging the State?, Peter Hays Gries, Current History, September 2005

The “second wave” of Chinese nationalism, focusing on Japan, tends to be Internet-based. The growing importance of the Internet as a tool for popular nationalism means that nationalism has become as much a bottom-up as a top-down affair, and the state is not necessarily able to control its expression.

10. China’s Conservative Middle Class, Jonathan Unger, Far Eastern Economic Review, April 2006

China’s well-educated urban middle class is growing rapidly. But it is elitist and status quo-oriented, with more interest in becoming more prosperous than in leading a revolution against rule by the party-state in the name of democracy.

11. Finding China’s Missing Farmers, William MacNamara, Far Eastern Economic Review, November 2005

Although the government has recently abolished agricultural taxes, farmers are still unable to make a good living and continue to abandon their farms for the cities.

12. Corruption, Growth, and Reform, Yan Sun, Current History, September 2005

Economic liberalization has actually led to greater corruption in China. Yet China has sustained remarkable growth because it has avoided the most destructive kinds of corruption: it is a widespread and “competitive” corruption.

13. Managing China’s Rise, Benjamin Schwarz, The Atlantic Monthly, June 2005

China will not become a “peer competitor” to the US in the near future. Hardliners tend to exaggerate China’s power and underestimate or ignore its weaknesses. China is modernizing its military to redress East Asia’s imbalance of power in US favor.

14. China’s ‘Peaceful Rise’ to Great-Power Status, Zheng Bijian, Foreign Affairs, September/October 2005

A senior-level Chinese advisor to the government on reform argues that China’s rise will be peaceful. China’s priorities, such as economic growth, controlling pollution, and constructing a harmonious socialist society, all depend on peace.

15. Cultural Revolution, Joshua Kurlantzick, The New Republic, June 27, 2005

It is not China’s military modernization, but the appeal of its non-aggressive foreign policy that threatens U.S. power. States welcome doing business with the Chinese because they respect their sovereignty and make few demands in return for investment and aid.

16. The Ambiguous Arsenal, Jeffrey Lewis, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, May/June 2005

China’s nuclear arsenal is small compared to that of the U.S. and Russia. It relies on its minimal deterrent capability rather than engaging in an arms race it could not win. But the U.S. continues to use China’s efforts to modernize as a rationale for increasing its own force structure in Asia.

17. Fueling the Dragon, Michael T. Klare, Current History, April 2006

China’s energy dilemma results from the need for ever-growing amounts of energy, but with the result of pushing energy prices up, and polluting the environment. Trying to secure energy supplies from unsavory regimes is causing problems with the U.S.

18. China’s Changing Landscape, Naomi Lubick, Geotimes, October 2005

Environmental degradation has accompanied China’s rapid growth. The government is fully aware of the social and environmental costs and is taking action to address environmental issues. Yet the need to keep developing hinders real progress on controlling pollution.

19. Will China Go to War Over Oil?, Wu Lei and Shen Qinyu, Far Eastern Economic Review, April 2006

In pursuit of energy security, China often finds itself in a conflict with U.S. interests, especially over Iran, Sudan, and oil-producing Latin American countries. Fear of the U.S. cutting off its sea lanes and its possible support of Taiwan in a war with China drives much of its military modernization.

20. China Goes Global, Harry Harding et al, The National Interest, September/October 2006

Several scholars and businessmen discuss the impact for the U.S. of China becoming more globally integrated. China and the U.S. are both benefiting immensely from the rules of the new global order. China need not be seen as a threat.

21. China as No. 1, Clyde Prestowitz, The American Prospect, March 5, 2005

China has gained leverage over the U.S. by exporting more than it imports, keeping its currency cheap, and becoming the second largest lender to the U.S. The result is that China challenges the economic leadership of the U.S.

22. New Ripples and Responses to China’s Water Woes, Jennifer L. Turner, China Brief, December 19, 2006

The government realizes that increased pollutants and a decreasing supply of water may lead to an environmental, health, and developmental crisis; but their efforts are thwarted by local governments that protect their polluting industries from being subject to the law, and from a weak State Environmental Protection Agency.

23. Perpetual Challenges to China’s Education Reform, Willy Lam, China Brief, December 6, 2006

China’s leaders have severely criticized the educational system’s inability to produce creative minds or even practical results, and as falling short of international standards. Part of the problem is funding, but professors now would also rather make money by consulting than teach and do research; and plagiarism is rampant.

24. The Development of Environmental NGOs in China, Namju Lee, China Brief, November 22, 2006

Environmental NGOs have met with success in a number of cases. The rapid growth of environmental NGOs has spurred on the development of civil society. The state is more willing than in the past to tolerate these organizations because they help the state promote social progress and purposefully do not directly challenge the state.

25. The ‘Latin Americanization’ of China’s Domestic Politics, Willy Lam, China Brief, October 25, 2006

China’s government realizes it must close the gaps between the rich and poor, and deliver social justice. Yet China’s elite is itself often involved in the commercial and business groups that have become the new exploiters in China. New policies, combined with an anti-corruption campaign, reflect efforts to bring “social harmony” to China.

26. U.S.-China: Quest for Peace: Part 10: Taiwan a Deal-Breaker for U.S., Henry C K Liu, Asian Times, February 12, 2004

This article summarizes the basic positions of the United States, China, and Taiwan, which have led to an impasse in the triangular relationship. It looks at issues of U.S. moral imperialism, whether Taiwan would really ever fight for independence, and Beijing’s view of keeping the status quo. Available at: http://atimes01.atimes.com/atimes/China/FB12Ad05.html.

27. They Can’t Handle the Truth, Mark Magnier, LA Times, February 28, 2005

Taiwan’s media go all out for a story, even if the facts aren’t there. Reformers don’t have much clout in a culture that’s so freewheeling.

28. Preventing a War Over Taiwan, Kenneth Lieberthal, Foreign Affairs, March/April 2005

Incorrect assumptions, confused messages, misunderstood actions, and untested threats make for a dangerous situation, in which China and the U.S. might find themselves in a war over Taiwan that neither side wants.

29. Taiwan: The Tail That Wags Dogs, Michael McDevitt, Asia Policy, January 2006

The article addresses the question of how a small island off the coast of China has been able to seize the political initiative and thwart the preferences of the U.S., China, and Japan for resolution of the “one-China” question.

30. Taiwan Examines Its Policies of Diplomacy, I-chung Lai, China Brief, October 4, 2006

Taiwan’s use of ‘checkbook diplomacy’ has failed to achieve its goal of diplomatic recognition. Widely criticized for it, Taiwan is switching to international assistance programs that allow it greater participation in Asian affairs.

31. Taiwan’s Economy, Terry Cooke, China Brief, October 4, 2006

Taiwan’s economy is becoming steadily more dependent on, and integrated with, the China mainland economy. But, the beleaguered government lacks the ability to reposition itself, and is struggling to avoid further bilateral and regional marginalization.

32. A Big Awakening for Chinese Rivals: Hong Kong and Shanghai Look Afar, Kai-Yin Lo, International Herald Tribune, January 20, 2005

The rivalry between Hong Kong and Shanghai extends far beyond business, to the arts and design, tourism, and life style. Shanghai is investing heavily in culture and convention business, but Hong Kong is still more attractive to businesses because of its business culture.

33. Hong Kong: “One Country, Two Systems” in Troubled Waters, Craig N. Canning, Current History, September 2004

Beijing’s concern that if Hong Kong were allowed to have a referendum on democratization, Taiwan would insist on a referendum on independence, is the “Taiwan factor” in China’s refusal to allow direct elections in 2007–08 in Hong Kong.