Unit 2: Lesson 4

Old meets New in Chinese Rock and Roll

In the interview with Alex, his hopes were for achieving a "meaningful job" in China. His desire to take back his knowledge of computer science is admirable. I'm not sure "rock and roller" fits into the concept of 'meaningful jobs', but it does by the standards of the following two artist. Each has a different generation of young followers.

Cui Jian, "godfather of Chinese Rock and Roll", musical career began as a trumpeter for the Beijing Symphony Orchestra. He has been deemed "China's most prominent musicians" in the article "Cui Jian: China's Rock Rebel". He arrived on the rock scene during the volatile 80's. His song "Nothing to my Name" became the theme song of the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident.

A self described "troublemaker", Cui explains, "That doesn't mean making trouble, it means discovering a new way to solve problems. The biggest problem is that nobody is telling the truth - but rock musicians do."

Cui vows that his music is not politically based, however, his concerts have been cancelled due to "direct expression of political dissent" (Blum/Jenson 294)

With this philosophy, Cui has loudly voiced his dislike of lip syncing. Fans hope that Cui will perform at the 2008 Olympics. Critics say this is unlikely largely due to the fact that the performances are expected to be lip-synced.

In contrast a new band, named 20088, has emerged on the rock scene. It is composed of four seven-year olds. They aspire to play at the opening of the Beijing Olympics.


"Our band's biggest dram is to perform on the Olympic stage and cheer for China," said bass player Li Bochen in the article "Eight-year-old rockers aim for Olympic glory".

Instead of studying for the college exams, these kids pratice their music for four to five hours a day. They began playing at age three.

Both Cui and 20088 are rockers by trade. However, they differ in approach. It seems Cui was more interested in the message of his music. 20088 seems to be interested in self recognition. This seems to reflect the generation divide and the followings they have.


Works Cited in addition to article/books noted:

"Return of the Godfather"
"Rock band 20088 ready for Olympics"

One big "Oops"

The US Defense Department admitted a mistake...a big one by mistake standards. Instead of shipping helicopter batteries to Taiwan, ballistic missiles were sent instead.

The "mistake" happened in 2006 as stated in the article " U.S. says missile parts mistakenly sent to Taiwan"

This raises so many questions: Was it a truly a mistake knowing that the US supports Taiwan and its attempts at a democracy? How can you confuse a missile for a battery? Why did it take so long for the mistake to be admitted? Why didn't the Taiwanese question what they had (surely they didn't try to use it as a battery)? Have the missiles been returned (the article didn't address this issue)?

Thank goodness this information came out after the Taiwanese elections this past weekend!

Chinese Buzz Words

In the papers in China there is a section for buzz words. The following are a few my husband noted:

"bangmangpai” refers to unfair competition where small company names their products close to famous brand name products to mislead customers

“sanpai gongcheng” stands for three-pat project, referring to a project launched with little feasibility study and often ending in disaster.

“Three-pat” stands for people patting their head to make a decision; patting their chest to make an empty promise; and then patting the dust off their bottoms as they leave the disastrous project behind them.

“baikaishui nusheng” means “plain water girl” and refers to young women who are shy in front of strangers – likens them to plain water.

I really thought he was kidding when he first sent these to me, but I confirmed with him they are real.

Husband in Hong Kong

The following is a combination of emails from my husband who is currently in China.

Alan heads up one of our factories. He is from Beijing originally, but went to college in Wisconsin and worked in Office Depot Global Sourcing in Boca Raton. He returned to China and setup a furniture factory with a friend named Simon Chan who has a wealthy uncle. The company is actually a Hong Kong company - -but factories are on mainland China (Shenzen area).

Alan told us yesterday that 7,000 factories in southern China went out of business in 4th Quarter 2007 because of the currency change (dollar vs. China’s RMB). They anticipate even more bankruptcies in 2008. This will continue. Prices to US companies (and any country) will continue to rise throughout the year.

Understand the changes in currency exchange rate took place over a couple months and eliminated about 10% of the factories’ profits. Government instituted several more programs that are hurting factories:

- eliminated 4% of export holdback return in 2007…effectively a 4% tax on all export business

- forcing companies to pay/fund social security like program…good program, but costly

- new laws requiring overtime pay, weekend pay….costing factories more money

At the same time, raw material prices are escalating like crazy worldwide. Anything petroleum-based (plastics, synthetics such as foam and fabric) are way up due to oil prices up. Steel prices have gone through the roof everywhere. I heard a report on CNN saying that if you want something made of steel buy it now, don’t wait, in 6-8 months because the price will be way up then.

Additionally, China is consuming so many raw materials that the demand is very high. Shrewd material suppliers know they can increase Chinese companies prices and since the demand is so high, the companies will have to pay it. That, in turn, is going to drive up prices around the world (all countries) on anything produced in China. We call that ‘inflation’. And that is a dirty word.

Taiwan Tensions

US Carriers have been sent to the Taiwan Straits for "training exercises" this week. This ironically coincides with the Taiwanese elections to be held this weekend.

The USS Kitty Hawk is no stranger to this area. It has been sent to this area before during elections to discourage any Chinese military retaliations. The ship is actually on its way home for decommissioning.

A defense official was quoted in the article "US Carriers sent toward Taiwan before Election" as saying "We feel we are responsibly positioned at this time". He went on to say that the ships could "respond if there's a provocative situation".

With both candidates up for election promising better ties with China, let's hope no action is required.

Unit 2: Lesson 3

Whether the world likes it or agrees with the fact, China has a major role on the world stage.

A recent survey conducted by the Gallup and TNS Emnid in 2006 focused on the “World Powers in the 21st Century” found that 70% of Chinese respondents felt China would a world power by 2020. Forty-four percent of the respondents feel China is already a world power.

Of the total respondents from Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, 45% feel China has already achieved world power status. The surveys also showed the most important characteristics of a world power are considered “economic power” and “potential for growth”. This easily describes China.

A third of both the US and Chinese respondents listed “military power” as a key ingredient of the world power mix. The two countries have recently “connected” so to speak with a military hotline reminiscent of the Cold War.

“The Chinese military is developing impressive capabilities. We are watching carefully,” Admiral Timothy Keating, Commander of the US forces in the Pacific was quoted in the article “US Hopes for Transparency with China’s Military”.

Keating was recently “escorted” around China by China’s top military officials. This allowed Keating to meet with Chinese generals

As discussed in the article, “China’s ‘Peaceful Rise’ to Great-Power Status”, China has achieved amazing economic numbers since the Open Door Policy. Its annual GDP has average 9.4% since 1978. This remarkable economic growth has also developed a huge gap between the rich and the poor.

“Despite widespread fears about China’s growing economic clout and political stature, Beijing remains committed to a ‘peaceful rise’; brining its people out of poverty by embracing economic globalization and improving relations with the rest of the world”, summarizes author Zheng Bijian.

I personally have mixed feeling with whether China deserves world power status. Although they are a formidable economic power outside of China, internally the divide has the making of civil unrest. This combined with environmental and human rights issues need to be politically addressed. China needs to fix the internal problems before their focus can turn to the bigger stage and earn then the title of world power.

More Emails from the East

My husband is currently in China on business. He had been warned that his gmail account may not work due to the fact that the Chinese government "held up transmissions" because the Google website had shown pictures of the recent Chinese military action in Tibet.

However, once he got to his hotel he was able to login after a long delay. You have to wonder how much is heresay and/or mind games.

Timely Topics

"Windhorse" will be shown on March 19th at 6:30pm in the Multicultural Resource Center of EUC on the UNCG campus. This film shows the struggle of three young Tibetans at the hands of the Chinese government.

This will be followed by a presentation (held March 20th at 3:30pm in the Kirkland Room of EUC) by Dr. Alexandra Schultheis on her research project, "Songs and Sentences of the Drapchi 14". It focuses on the fate of the fourteen Tibetan Buddhist nuns imprisoned for taping songs that support Tibetan independence.

For more information see UNCG University News.

Revisiting the Past

In a scene that seems reminiscent of the past secret police of Taiwan, Chinese police are reportedly going door to to door in search of people of 
Tibet who have participated in recent protest.  The protesters are seeking 
autonomy from China.

Tibetan exile government reports 80 deaths as a result of the protesters conflict with the Chinese militia.  China reports only 10 deaths during the violence.

The exiled leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, has labeled the conflict "cultural genocide".

For more information see "Dalai Lama: China causing 'cultural genocide'"

Ancient Chinese Remedy - Toad Venom

Western doctor's are researching an interesting alternative accepted by Chinese medicine for years. Dr. Lorenzo Cohen, using a US back grant, has traveled to Shanghai to study the affects of toad venom on cancer patients through a clinical trial.

A cancer patient featured during the ABC Nightly News on March 10th has seen a 15% reduction in his cancer tumor with the toad venom treatment.

Final results will not be available for several years. Cohen states, "I think it is very important that the world, as a whole, is starting to expand and look at indigenous medicine".

(AP photo shown)

Movie for Spring Break

FYI - MALS 610! Manufactured Landscapes will be shown on March 13 at 6:30pm in the Weatherspoon Art Gallery of UNCG. The documentary focuses on the environmental affect of China's pollution.

It is free and open to the public.

(For more information see UNCG Sustainability)

Cyber Warfare

CNN announced that a group of Chinese cyber hackers gained access to the Pentagon. This report is unconfirmed. However, the Pentagon did report "computer networks" in the US and other countries were compromised last year.

The Chinese hackers claim to be secretly on the Beijing payroll for their services. Beijing emphatically denies this claim.

James Mulvenon with the Center for Intelligence Research and Analysis labeled the hackers "useful idiots for the Beijing regime". He stated they are allowed to continue cyber attacks as long as they are on other countries and not China.

(For more information see "Chinese Hackers: No Site is Safe")

Conflict of Interests

I have noted two conflicting articles from CNN about China. The first article came out last week entitled "Chinese whispers turn hot and heavy". It was about "no-tell motels". These motels are strategically located near the Beijing university districts. Due to the fact dorm rooms may house six or more students, these motels offer privacy for couples. This has helped contribute to an increase in pre-marital sex by 15% since 1989.

The other article, "China to keep one-child policy" came out a week later. The law prohibiting urban citizens from having more than one child will be extended ten years. The law is more flexible for members of the rural communities. It is estimated over the past thirty years this has resulted in the "prevention" of 400 million births.

Olympic Target

China announced today they uncovered a terrorist plot targeting the Summer Olympics. The government officals cited "three evil forces" comprised of terrorists, separatists and extremists in the article "Report: China thwarts terrorist attacks"

China cited a separtist group in northwest China, who are against the government of Beijing, as one of the domestic terrorist plotting an attack. This just re-emphasizes my fear of the Olympics being used as a platform to make a point to the world.

Sticker Shock

It seems the Chinese can't get past the sticker shock of the price tags on hybrid cars. This is partly due to the tariffs implemented on parts for such versions at the Prius.

Gas prices in China have risen by 9% (but are still 18% less than the US). And through our readings we know that China has the ranking of worst air and water quality. It seems that these factors should increase an interest in hybrids.

Attempts are still being made by China. GM will produce a hybrid in China. Hybrid taxis will be used for the Beijing Olympics.

As a Prius owner, you have to look past the original cost and look to a future of lower emissions and less use of gas.

(See the BusinessWeek article "Rough Road for Hybrids in China" for more information)