Books About China

Oriental Outlook
January 30

In 2013, a large number of books about China were published overseas. For instance, China Airborne: The Test of China's Future by James Fallows, a writer who works as a national correspondent for The Atlantic magazine and has reported in China for a long time. In the book, Fallows holds that China's thriving aviation industry is a miniature of the country's hyper-growth and hyper-urbanization, and will revolutionize China in ways analogous to the building of America's transcontinental railroad in the 19th century.

Others include: Lee Kuan Yew: The Grand Master's Insights on China, U.S. and the World, which was jointly written by three respected U.S. scholars—Ali Wyne, Graham T. Allison and Robert Blackwill; China Goes Global: The Partial Power by David Shambaugh, a U.S. professor and noted authority on China's foreign policy as well as military and security issues in East Asia; and Der China Schock: Wie Peking sich Die Welt Gefügig by noted German essayist Frank Sieren.

These books, written by foreign scholars, journalists and writers who have long researched China, are not only unique records of China, but also a series of enlightenments with equal value for both the West and China. The authors of these books have presented a cool-headed and balanced description of China's true strength, global influence and its challenges.

These authors also provide an opportunity for the Chinese people to think about issues such as how China can turn its potential into real strength; how the country can enhance its soft power and whether or not China can become a large country exercising soft and hard power like the United States.

Emigration Fuss

Global Times
February 18

The Canadian Government has recently suspended an immigrant investor program, triggering discussions on the emigration of the wealthy Chinese. Emigration has by no means been a "romantic" choice in Chinese history. Wars, deaths and vagrancy dominated various periods of emigration in the old days.

Today, the Chinese are able to emigrate legally, instead of through smuggling, all because of the country's rapid development. While many Chinese have been emigrating to other countries since the 1970s, China is also becoming a "magnet" for many Western job hunters, and is also one of the most attractive investment and tourism destinations for the rest of the world.

In today's global arena, developing countries are losing talent and wealth to developed countries, but ironically, this loss is criticized by developed countries as the result of the former's problematic systems.

Emigration does not necessarily mean that people are abandoning their motherland, and sometimes, these emigrants still do business here in China. Emigration is a way for modern citizens to get involved in economic globalization and it results in wealth being redistributed globally. What China should do now is to improve its environment, the education system, healthcare services and social justice, so that the country may become more attractive, and rich people may choose to stay and contribute more to their motherland.

Mass Charity

Qilu Evening News
February 18

Recently, a story about an entrepreneur donating to schools for many years but never letting himself be known to the public was revealed by the media. Similarly, in Weifang, Shandong Province, a couple saved 20,000 yuan ($3,175) from their wedding and then donated it to a local charity helping mothers with babies in poverty.

These examples show that charity is something everyone is able to do in their own ways. Many people think that charity is the "privilege" of the rich, and ordinary people do not have as many resources and so are unable to be charitable.

Charity does not mean you have to donate huge amounts of wealth. As long as you do something to help others, it is charity. The spirit of charity is better realized when ordinary people involve themselves in their work, because the line between providers and beneficiaries is not so distinct. Today, you can do some work for the elderly, and tomorrow, some others help you to carry heavy bags. These are also forms of charity. Everyone is able to do his or her part to contribute to promoting a sense of social morality.

Spring Festival Gala

China Newsweek
January 27

As an essential part of the entertainment for the Chinese, the Spring Festival Gala that airs on China Central Television (CCTV) has become a unique cultural event. Every year, many look forward to the gala before it airs but it faces with a wave of criticism after it finishes.

The criticisms are not surprising. This is an age when various aesthetic values are thriving and audiences differ greatly. People with different ages, backgrounds and from different areas of the country all have their own aesthetic expectations. The audiences now have more choices. People can watch bolder evening galas with even more variation that air on China's various local satellite televisions. They can also watch TV programs on the Internet.

The CCTV's gala is China's strictest evening party in terms of its technical execution. Every performance is rehearsed repeatedly in the lead up to the show, and perfection is sought in every detail. Preventing leaks about the content is also controlled in an extremely strict manner. This year's gala marked the 32nd consecutive annual celebration of the TV station, and it still enjoys the largest viewership among the Chinese people. It boasted its own unique elements. For instance, the humor of its new host, the famous actor Zhang Guoli, and the well-renowned movie director Feng Xiaogang. All these left a resounding impression on the audience.