[Billie Johnson]

While I think there are finding gaps in many places, misallocation of funding is something to also take into account. What has prevented the BRI from being realized and on that same note, why haven't we undertaken massive infrastructure projects in the US? There are too many high-powered mouths eating from the same plate.  If the projects are not prioritized then there is no point in throwing good money after bad...however, it would be great to see a focus on what is best for the people.

[Billie Johnson]

I shared this video with my students last year about the first artifical intelligence news anchor and they were shocked: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/video/2018/nov/09/worlds-first-ai-presenter-unveiled-in-china-video

 

[Billie Johnson]

I am curious about the lack of infrastucture in technology, too.  I would think that with all of the money that China has amassed in the last few years that they would not need to steal from the US.  It is my understanding that US hacking into Huawei was an accusation...I think I will look into whether or not there is proof. However, it is interesting how sometimes it is easier to believe that the foreign country is the invader when we may not be so innocent.

[Billie Johnson]

Starting off with a quick thought: We discussed last week how is some ways China is having a difficult time keeping up with itself in terms of how quickly the country is modernizing. How might this complicate things even more should China get rooted in Africa? Or is this just a money grab?  I did also find it interesting to read about the misunderstanding in regard to race relations.  I have always heard that the Chinese were not open to diversity. It was nice to read about this and essentially dispel that rumor. Is this aggressive move into Africa in reaction to the fear of dissent in the country? Perhaps the government knows that it will continue to lose its stronghold, but with a more stable and solidified base of financial opportunities it can afford to release its grip. A while back I saw a headline about China and Africa, which makes perfect sense. A friend of mine is an investor, trader, and financial advisor who is regularly featured on the TD Ameritrade Network and she frequently talks about the incredible financial opportunities in Africa. I look forward to asking her about this.  I am tired so forgive me for being brief here, but the main takeaway from this is that China is still trying to find balance with the many different moving parts.  I was intrigued the most by the personal stories in the WSJ roll and China's relations with Africa and the vast opportunities that may be presented to that end.  The tariffs and trade war between US and China appear to be cooling off but at this point it is hard to know who is winning this so-called war. I think with this virus the world has felt the impact of a slow down in the Chinese workforce.  Could President Xi use that as leverage in future trade talks?  Especially if Africa becomes the economic boon for China, the implications could be major and we can see a shift in the tug of war.

[Billie Johnson]

I wasn't sure which video I would review for this class and now I think we have a winner.  Thank you!

[Billie Johnson]

It seems appropriate that perhaps the youth are in a time of discovery.  I must have been hard for some to live up to certain standards with the "24 Filial Piety Exemplars" hanging over their heads.  

[Billie Johnson]

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/24/coronavirus-chinas-air-pollution-levels-smog-show-hit-to-the-economy.html

[Billie Johnson]

I had no idea about the plastic being returned to China. Not sure if I missed it, but is this because they are a huge producer?  This going to continue to create all kinds of problems. I can't imagine the scale and weight of pressure these governments are under now. Now that our nations have become more complex, we must come up with complex solutions to meet the needs and demands of changing societies.  

[Billie Johnson]

From the readings and videos this week what stands out to me the most is how much the youth of China must carry the weight of the directional shifts the country is taking. I was speaking with my students in my Comm. class and somehow China came up...about the one child policy and how that is posing challenges for parental caretaking and could pose serious challenges for the economy in the future.  I recalled from the reading the term DINK double income/no kids.  The hardships these only children had to face with their parents working to drive the economy and meet certain standards and coupling that with the 'me' needing to succeed ideology is leading to people not wanting to have children. Of course this is problematic, but after reading and watching the videos for this week it does not exist in a vacuum; this is frame of thinking is a consequence of many of the issues that youth are facing right here in America. The similarities between the Chinese youth and American youth are striking and somewhat sad at the same time...same thing with parenting.  There is this need to drive and capitalize on your education, to be the best, and to seek out success for self gratification...in many ways we lose when we win. Parents are essentially losing their children and the environment is losing as well. I was present at a teacher workshop for the Transcontinental Railroad this weekend and we discussed how the Chinese were in many ways excluded from the historical details in photographs and such, but thank goodness there were good anectodal records preserved. We see what can happen to people in the drive for industry and modernization...and in many ways these people can be forgotten. I thought about that when reading about elderly parents and their children leaving the nest to seek out their slice of success for themselves and not looking back. Were these parents sacrifices for nothing? How will the youth and young adults of China participate in the continuing transformation of their country? It is as if the climb outpaced technology or reason and the critical steps inbetween for the things that matter. With young women seeking intimacy because their own parents (emphasis on the mom) were unavailable because they were busy, some not wanting children, and the yearning for self-expression. It will be interesting to see how this juxtaposition between youth and the government grows together or apart. There is so much that needs to be done and it appears that it will be left to the youth to make the necessary steps to keep their country on the road to success. It is a curious thing for sure. You mentioned in your video how many Chinese are attending schools in America and how it would be great to see Americans attending schools in China I believe. Would you consider the adjustment period of an American student similar to that of a Chinese student attending school here? Where do you see the gaps in why this is not happening both ways?

[Billie Johnson]

I was surprised to read that the rice that is contaminated with cadmium is sold with their own country. Like another person wrote, this is extremely concerning. The consequences felt from being 'water poor' the polluted earth and deaths caused by the releasing of toxins into facilities built on top of this polluted soil is troublesome. It was hard to not linger on this topic and read about courtship, etc.

[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.

[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]

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]

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

[Billie Johnson]

After watching the videos, reading, and skimming the two longer articles that was question is what kept jumping out at me. I look at my students every day and see the impact that technology, most notably social media, is having on them. Watching the videos and reading the articles made me reflective. In a previous post I mentioned how I was excited to see where modernization took China and now I am not so sure. It appears as if 'progress' can slowly be tearing families apart and disrupting cultural norms. In the article 'In China, 'Once the Villages Are Gone, the Culture Is Gone' by Ian Johnson, I was struck by his remarks about urbanization. Johnson stated that "Rapid urbanization means village life, the bedrock of Chinese culture, is rapidly disappearing, and with it, traditions and history", which is incredibly sad to me and makes complete sense at the same time. I wonder if this race to modernize is clouding the judgement of so many in government. Look at the US for example...I only need to use my own family and my students to see the impacts of the rat race. It is hard to build community when everyone is so busy and so much is lost without time to bond. The children who are left behind for work in the city and their loss of relationship building with their parents and the learning that takes place between a parent and their child is another thing that stood out to me. The internet cafes or wangbas were another thing that has its bright and dark spots. Parents are concerned by the amount of time spent online and even with Jingjing/Chacha in force it is hard to regulate the amount of traffic online. I have heard about the concerns about internet addiction in China and was pleased to read that the wangba is on the decline, but am curious if the addiction is continuing at home. This addiction has to be a concern for the government because how are many of these people going to contribute to society without being useful. The question that looms heavily over me is, is this really progress? What is more important, culture or commerce?

So much of the information about Christianity was new to me. I found it interesting how the government subsidises bibles as a method to control the formation of cults. Also, linking back to what I wrote above the thought that Christianity is on the rise because 'materialism and lack of idealism or ethics in modern Chinese society' stands in stark contrast to what is being driven by the government. I can see why the government would be concerned because it appears that many people are missing a slower pace of life.

The article about dancing is one that I am going to look into more and hope to hear about during our discussion. I think it is really need that people are finding ways to stay connected in person and WeChat.  There were so many different testimonies about the health and social-emotional benefits of social dancing which did not necessarily align with the quality of life that other people have for themselves. 

 

  

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