China's 60th: What has changed?
What the People's Republic's anniversary parades say about how China has and hasn't changed
People's Republic of China celebrates its 60th anniversary.
(Reuters/Corbis/Jason Lee)
China wants to show the world how it has changed, said Peter Ford in The Christian Science Monitor, by parading modern weaponry and "floats celebrating China’s achievements" through the streets to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic. But the tanks, missiles, and "phalanxes of goose-stepping soldiers" made it a "thoroughly traditional affair," complete with "tired old slogans" —"Listen to the Party's Orders," "Socialism Is Good," "Love the People"—that "would have been familiar to audiences 50 years ago."
"There are a thousand reasons for the Chinese to be proud, and to celebrate," how much the People's Republic has changed, said China Daily in an editorial. Our "once semi-feudal, semi-colonial" country was "on the brink of bankruptcy 60 years ago," but, with a booming economy, "the 'Sick Man of Asia' is now the envy of the world." And outsiders should be happy, too—"with China getting prosperous, stable, and keen on befriending the world, everybody will ultimately benefit."
So it's curious that ordinary Chinese people won't be marching in the parades, said Gordon G. Chang in The Wall Street Journal. That's because the Chinese state, despite the image of strength it's trying to project with its "goose-stepping soldiers," is afraid of and out of touch with its subjects, who are changing faster than their government. Prosperity has "made people aware, assertive, and, unlike their leaders, confident," uncorking a demand for freedom and social change the party can no longer stop.
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9 Comments
Posted by gokusays, Thursday, October 1, 2009, 11:42 am I quite disagree with your article. I think you are a bit out of touch with your view of modern China. The government has raised the living standards of over 300 million people . Having enough to eat was once a constant worry. Today, China produces enough to feed its own people. Also compare the governments' reaction to natural disasters. In the US, you have Katrina. In China you have the Sichuan earthquake. Do a thorough study of the two cases and you may find out who is really out of touch and incapable of governing.
Posted by GD, Thursday, October 1, 2009, 12:33 pm Go Ku, I lived in China for 18 months. Thru these Western eyes, I saw a government that profits horribly off the backs of the governed. The limits on freedom like where you can live, what religion you can practice and what you can read seem to lead toward trouble, not harmony. Tibet, Xin Jiang, student riots in Guanzhou ... Can you really say all is moving positively in modern China?
Posted by CD, Thursday, October 1, 2009, 1:25 pm GD: Well, you have your own opinion and other people have theirs. I am a Chinese living in the US and have traveled to China. I see Chinese people's lives getting better and in my personal opinion, China is a more open society in some ways than the West. You are free to disagree but I suspect you are just worried that China will surpass the West so that is why you try to focus on negatives and spread misinformation.
Posted by DougDelivers, Thursday, October 1, 2009, 1:41 pm The Chinese government is a totalitarian, repressive regime period. This grim reality vastly overhadows any economic accomplishments and if you don't recognize that as a selfevident truth, goku, then there is no point arguing with you. Might as well talk to a telephone poll. And CD ...your assertion that China which brutally represses freedom of expression on multiple fronts is somehow more open than Western democracies is preposterous. Your sense of reason has been driven into a deep coma by communist propaganda. WAKE UP!!!!!
Posted by Thin, Thursday, October 1, 2009, 4:29 pm DougDelivers,China is a logistical nightmare. Considering the fact that China was almost completely wiped off the face of this planet just 60 years ago, I think they're doing a great job of restoring acceptable living standards to its 1.3 BILLION people, not to mention the fact that it has become one of the most competitive and economically viable countries in the world. No democracy will appear overnight, but with the advent of free market capitalism and the gradual adoption of Western principles, China's successful future is guaranteed.
Posted by Tomas, Thursday, October 1, 2009, 5:24 pm WHAT HAS CHANGED? They have blossomed into an international super financial super power that holds most of our debt. If they come acalling, the USA is wiped out. Now, if they just paid more attention to standards in their manufacturing process. Lead paint is not good. Poison in foods, not good.
Posted by Suzieeq01, Sunday, October 4, 2009, 1:01 pm Until you visit China, you don't really understand the enormity of the changes that have taken place in the past 60 years. What you see is beauty, efficiency, order, creativity, humor a lot of it on their tv shows, everywhere people want to be entrepreneurs, pride in their country and a beleif that if you get a good education and work hard, you can succeed.Sure, there are problems. Don't underestimate the incredible of the Cjinese people. They are amazing.
Posted by Suzieeq01, Sunday, October 4, 2009, 1:03 pm Sorry for the spelling errors My last comment was not to underestimate the incredible spirit of the Chinese people.
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