Session #3 - February 18

[Amir Osterweil]

Cover from Bloomberg Business

 

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[Alison Douglas]

It's interesting how the government put certain practices in place to allow for such impressive economic growth.  For example, how farmers were allowed work hard to meet their quota then go and work someplace else to earn more money. That led to other problems which I find very sad.  The children that are left behind to take care of themselves is devasting.  Especially those poor kids that lost their lives in the dumpster to stay warm.  

It seems the government just gives an inch to keep people from retailiating, but gradually the people want more.  I'm curious to see what happens as a result.  So many changes happen within such a short period of time.  It's interesting how the government allows certain religions and practices until too many people are involved. Will the people always want more of social media and freedoms?  The governement tries hard to keep the people in line with their cyber reminders (Jingjing/Chacha), but will it be enough?  I like that you say Wham!  I"ve always been a fan of George Michael. 🙂

 

 

[Billie Johnson]

I thought that for a country that is pretty strict, how are these people just going around shooting in the air? 

[Billie Johnson]

The displacement of people all tie into the lack of democracy and ability for citizens to safely resist this government.  The Chinese government also knows that there really isn't anything that other nations are going to do in terms of interfering with how they treat their people so anything goes. There so much that is being lost on the road to modernization and competing on the global stage...seems like the government is trying to have one foot in the past and one in the present.

[Billie Johnson]

Hi Amir,

Thank you for sharing this cover. I think it pretty much summarizes the impact the Coronavirus is having not only on the health of people but in every sector of the economy.  I recently completed a lesson on Coronavirus with my students and we watched videos of how businesses are being impacted and deserted streets...it was shocking. It appears the news is only getting worse: https://news.yahoo.com/chinas-xi-says-epidemic-grim-151814311.html

[Billie Johnson]

Hi Kelly,

I so appreciate the news articles about the middle age dancers in China!  Very interesting to learn how the CCP now sends 'dance teachers' to lead groups throughout the country. 

I thought this was really cool and enjoyed reading about your experiences participating.  With the latest events unfolding in China, I wonder how the quarantine and lack of movement is affecting the elderly community.  As we know, movement is important as we age and with dancing being a vital outlet for this particular community I wonder how they are doing.  It just seems like such a sweet community building experience that I would love to see and participate in.

[Gail Shaw-Hawkins]

The reduction of US visa policies and an ongoing trade war between the US and China has cut down the number of Chinese students coming to the US to study. Many universities in the US have gotten insurance to protect against losing the large chunk of tuition revenue that comes from Chinese students. Also, the constant news of gun violence and mass shootings and the skyrocketing cost of a U.S. college education has a lot to do with the decline. 

 

 When Trump administration rolled back an Obama-era policy on issuing five-year visas to Chinese students in June of 2018, it also limited the length of stay for those in high-tech fields such as robotics, aviation and high-tech manufacturing to one year. This comes with the constant anti-immigrant language from the Trump administration. Now that the U.K. has a more open view when it comes to international students, many find it easier to enroll in universities in Europe.

[Alison Douglas]

I agree, It seems that as soon as a religion starts to become too big the government has a way of minimizing it.  The government gives the appearance of giving people a choice, but not much of one.  They very much want to control every aspect of life.

[Aleida Rojas]

Hi Lynne,

First of all I was very surprised to learn about the fact that China actually allows people to be part of the Catholic or other major christian churches. As I continues reading, I realized that the only reason why the government allows Chinese citizes to be christians is to exert control over them. The government gets to regulate religion and they also get stop cults from taking over the masses. 

[Aleida Rojas]

Diana,

I have learned so much about China. Before taking this class, I honestly thought that most Chinese students would want to stay in the U.S. But they go back to China just to find it very difficult to find jobs. Can you help me understand why they go back?

[Aleida Rojas]

Hi Robert,

Those are the same questions that I had when I was doing the reading. Why would Chinese officials encourage this awful system that will in turn affect the nation's economy. It was very disturbing to find out that most countryside people lacke the education or the trainninf to enbrace China's new economic policy. What are they going to do to face those social-economic problems?

[Aleida Rojas]

Hi Ben,

Before the chinese revolution, farmers were seen as the backbone of the Chinese economy. Mostly in part because of the belief of Cofucianism, and his idea about about respecting all members of societ. The Hokou system changed all of that. It practically divide societ and unfortunately, it led to discrimination and the rejection of countryside values. 

[Aleida Rojas]

Hi Kevin,

I think that it is devastating that China has allowed the loss of so many cultural traits. In their effort of urbanization, they have destroyed so many temples and so many villages that used to carry those cultural values for future generations. The good news is that the government is now encouraging more people to embrase those cultural values by providing some econmic assisstance. I just hope that it is not too late.

[Aleida Rojas]

Hi Alison,

All those kids that were left behind in the countryside just so their parents can move to the city and make money! At what point do these parents just stop caring for their children? How are they okay with this? Now, China has to major generations whoi are not being provided for. We have the children and the elderly completely abandoned by a society that has lost its path. I hope that they go back to the Confucious ideals and rebuild their family strcuture before is too late. The only way I see this happeneing is by the govenrment implementing Filial Piety or make the change to a more socialistic system in which the government takes care of the children and the aging population.

[Billie Johnson]

HI Aleida,

Another interesting point is when the Chinese were constructing the Transcontinental Railroad andthey were having their information recorded, they did not want to be referred to as farmers. Many listed their specialties and different talenets as their occupations.  I think this was pretty cool.

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