23
Dec

Friday Art: Lu Hao

By Rachel Burger|Chinese Art|1 Comment

Lu Hao is well known for his models of Beijing, his playfulness with architecture and geographical images in rapidly evolving modern China. He is also known for his crystal palaces, his elaborate installations and his use of plastics to recreate stone and steel objects. He studied at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and now lives and works in Beijing (Source).

Lu Hao blended traditional design elements with Ferrari’s innovative styling to create a truly unique vehicle using a ‘cracked’ glaze pattern which is elegantly colored, with clearly defined cracks etched at different depths.

More here.

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  1. Naturally, I love the ferrari.

    By: Michael Simpson Reply →
    January 2, 2012 at 11:00 PM

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  1. Awesome job! Keep up the good work Rachel!

    By: Michael Simpson Reply →
    December 20, 2011 at 1:20 PM

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10
Dec

The United States, China, and Human Rights

By Rachel Burger|Opinion|2 Comments

According to the United Nation, every living person in the world is entitled to “human rights.” Human rights include (but are not limited to):

  • The right to life
  • The right to water
  • The right to reproductive choice
  • The right to choose thought, conscience, and religion
  • The right to free speech
  • The right to a fair trial
  • Freedom from torture
  • Freedom from slavery

Human rights are irrelevant to US foreign policy; if human rights were a top concern within our government, we would have to invade Sierra Leone, Chad, Yemen, the Republic of Congo, Pakistan, China and 14 other countries just to address the world’s top-20 offenders. In reality, human rights shouldn’t guide foreign policy decisions, or else the United States would attempt to fulfill the role of the UN and certain IGOs and NGOs: world policing. Yet rhetoric surrounding the People’s Republic tends to center around China’s human rights—or lack thereof—policy.

Today, Gary Locke (the US ambassador to China) called on Beijing to improve its human rights record. He states:

“Our goal of building a cooperative partnership with China includes regular dialogue on human rights issues. U.S. support for a strong, prosperous and successful China reflects our belief that respect for the rule of law and protection of the universal freedoms of expression, belief and assembly are critical to securing the growth, prosperity, and long-term stability that China seeks and to realizing the full potential of its people.

While China has undoubtedly made great strides in developing its economy, the imprisonment of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo and restrictions on the freedoms of his spouse Liu Xia, the illegal “disappearing” of Gao Zhisheng, the unlawful detention of Chinese citizens such as lawyer Chen Guangcheng, and constraints on the religious freedom and practices of Tibetan, Uighur and Christian communities do not bring China closer to achieving its stated goals.” (Shanghaiist)

It is terribly ironic for Locke to criticize Chinese human rights without looking at the state of affairs in his own country. In America, the government can take the lives of its citizens (death penalty), employs racist policies (affirmative action), and is now entertaining the recently signed National Defense Authorization Act, which allows the government to arrest and detain its citizens for an undetermined amount of time. While Americans have more reproductive choice than China’s One Child Policy,  access to sex education and birth control remains a controlled commodity within the United States. While China imprisons and tortures activists—which, to them may be “radicals,”—the United States uses the Patriot Act to do the same to alleged terrorists. Neither country follow the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to the letter (though, admittedly China’s record is still far worse than America). Still, the United States has little moral high ground to criticize China’s human rights policy.

If you believe the US should take an active role in promoting human rights (as an extension of democracy, given freedom of speech) in China, why not in other countries? Why not get involved in Yemen, where children are forced into marriage? Or Cambodia, where migrant workers are forced into confinement in training centers, heavy debt burdens, and exploitative working conditions. Or Fiji, where journalists are repeatedly “disappeared” after they expose any human rights violations within their own country. Ultimately, these human rights violations are the same and/or similar to what is happening in China, but is happening in other countries. The US is not interested in helping these people. Why? Because there are no political gains for the United States for helping people in these developing countries. America sets its sights on Chinese human rights not because the United States hopes to liberate these people from their government, but because it’s a play for political power in the region. Advocating for human rights in China is the same thing as advocating for regime change; we should just call a spade a spade.

Frankly, tackling human rights internationally is a mammoth task that the United States should not be involved with period. Wouldn’t you prefer a government that first prioritizes its citizens, and then the citizenry of another country? Invading state sovereignty with Western ideals (the Chinese didn’t even have a word for human rights when Nixon went to China) before cleaning up house is immoral. Yes, I am suggesting the United States should stand idly by. There are other actors that allow the US’s indirect involvement, like the World Bank (which is basically an arm of the US anyway) and UNIFEM (which is making huge strides in China).

Attacking human rights in China is merely a rhetorical ploy to 1. rally international fury over the US’s biggest creditor, and 2. rally the American people against a common enemy, not unlike Soviet Russia in the Cold War, to blame for the domestic bad economy and global human suffering. Instead of villainizing and condemning China for their human rights record (seeing as the United States has little moral high ground on which to stand), the US should engage in more productive discussion. Amicable relations is the only way the two governments can build a mutually respective future for both nuclear superpowers. Human rights activism should be left to NGOs or even IGOs, and political relations should be left to the politicians.

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  1. I’m sorry but the two are not comparable. A woman just killed herself in a city not far from me because her land was taken from her by the government. Most young people today have a difficult time making a living unless their parents buy them a job. An australian of Chinese decent was recently put in prison in south China for illegitimate reasons in a case where a government run company overtook his company, netting the government run business millions of $$$. Not only that, but there is still religious prosecution going on for simple acts of students having a religious study of less than 10 people, in which case students were put in prison for 12 hours. Birth control is widely available in the USA. Oh and you forgot about the missing independent candidate for mayor in a certain city.

    By: justice Reply →
    December 10, 2011 at 2:09 PM

    • By no means am I trying to belittle the severity of China’s human rights atrocities, nor am I attempting to say that the US’s struggles are the same as China’s. However, I do argue that human rights should not be the center of Sino-American policy when neither country is or will ever abide by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The US has no business policing China’s domestic policies.

      As for birth control, not all Americans have full choice in reproductive rights, nor the education to do so.

      By: Rachel Burger Reply → Author
      December 10, 2011 at 3:40 PM

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04
Dec

A Response to Andy Stern’s, “China’s Superior Economic Model”

By Rachel Burger|Opinion|1 Comment

Chinese Monopoly

Andy Stern recently wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal about how China’s economic system may be the saving grace for America’s failing model. He commends the PRC’s efforts in job creation, shames “failing free market extremism,” and China’s economy’s astounding growth rate. While I can sympathize with Stern’s amelioration to China’s economy, a desperate solution to America’s recession-turning-depression, his claims are based more in blind hope than in implementation.

A majority of China’s policies do not improve the life of the poor. In fact, 16% of China still lives on less than $1.25 a day (World Bank). Even when adjusted for buying power, this income can not provide food, water, and shelter. Comparatively, .04% of Americans are in extreme poverty. Granted, in 1981, two years after China opened up, China’s extreme poverty rate was 85%. Though China has seen dramatic improvements, income disparity and inequality to access to education has grown exponentially. This is not an America I want to live in. Before abandoning the constitution in the hopes of saving our country, American litigators should, at minimum, base their model on a market that has proved successful in the contemporary global economy. As Dan Mitchell points out in his blog, “International Liberty,” the most prosperous economies are those with a free market.

If America adopted China’s economic model, the government would become involved in every single industry. This is a system ripe for abuse: think about allegations against China’s press censorship and the PRC’s ability to enforce a police state. While this system may work abroad, this model is so against American freedoms that, at the point of implementation, it would never be accepted. I would grieve for our country that once was a city on a hill.

Instead of using China as a model of perfection, America should attempt to free its economy. End any thoughts of a trade war with China. Cease all government subsidies. Allow for American job creation through off-shore drilling. China’s growth has been monumental, but it has a long way to go. There is no reason for the United States to model its economic policy after a nation with only a third of America’s GDP (Reuters).

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04
Nov

Friday Art: He Xiangyu

By Rachel Burger|Chinese Art|1 Comment

He Xiangyu’s sculptures recently rattled German viewers, as the artist made an effigy of a dead Ai Weiwei. As we all know, Ai Weiwei is still alive today.

Death of Marat

Jade Skeleton

Ivory Handcuffs

White Boxes

For more information, please visit He Xiangyu’s website.

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  1. Hello, I simply wanted to take time to make a comment and say I have really enjoyed reading your site.

    By: Neil Warren Reply →
    December 6, 2011 at 3:35 AM

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  1. A bit surpsried it seems to simple and yet useful.

    By: Tambrey Reply →
    January 29, 2012 at 1:04 PM

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03
Oct

Tariffs are Bad for America

By Rachel Burger|Opinion|1 Comment

The Smoot-Hawley Tariff fiasco may repeat itself if Congress passes the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act. The act aims to punish China for manipulating its currency, slapping painful tariffs on imported Chinese goods.

At first glance, the idea seems solid: the United States is in a recession, China is stealing American jobs, therefore making Chinese goods more expensive will bring jobs home to the United States. Unfortunately, in practice this would not be the case. Globalization is here to stay; if United States companies can’t import cheap goods from China, they will find other countries (like Laos or Vietnam) to fill China’s shoes. In addition, the effects of the tariffs will fall heavier on the consumer than on the corporations themselves. In a country where so many people rely on companies like Walmart to get the cheapest prices to feed their families, the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act will only hurt Americans.

The greater question is: is China’s manipulated currency a threat to the United States? When I studied at Peking University under Qingmin Zhang, he argued that while currency manipulation is a threat to the United States in the long run, there are far more pressing issues. I tend to agree with him; the United States should be focusing on cyber-security, North Korean-Chinese relations, and China’s increasing military might. As of now, currency manipulation should not be the United States’ top concern. Do not pass the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act.

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07
Sep

China’s Foreign Investment

By Rachel Burger|Just the Facts|1 Comment

China's investments go abroad

Recently, The Heritage Foundation released an interactive map that illustrates the PRC’s global investments in almost every industry. The $30.5 billion in the United States is dwarfed by the $376.7 billion invested internationally. Please note while looking at this data that this does not represent foreign debt.

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  1. I had no idea how to approach this before-now I’m locked and loaedd.

    By: Caden Reply →
    October 23, 2011 at 7:11 AM

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21
Aug

Why is China so Strange to Americans?

By Rachel Burger|Opinion|7 Comments

Selling children to play online games. Apple store knockoffs. Form-fitting black rubber wetsuits. These are the articles that continuously haunt my newsfeed on China, and I’m sick of them.

It seems as though America has a tabloid interest in Chinese culture. We consistently crave to hear about strange behavior from Chinese citizens or government officials, thus the creation of websites like Weirdchina and Weird Asian News. Few people outside of academia recognize names like Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao, and Xi Jinping, even though they are the superstars of America’s most important relationship.

I argue that the reason behind this is not solely because Americans are obsessed with villainizing the occult—look at our energetic relationship with Japan. Instead, our issue remains in the deeply engrained notion that communism is good for no one.

The press that we read does a number on the American way of thought on China. It creates a simple formula where the Chinese government is always the bad guy, Chinese citizens are always the victims, and that the American people always have it right. The stories that we hear coming out of China prove one thing: that the American way of life leads to success, and that the Chinese way of life leads to blind ignorance and failure.

Take the recent stories about infringement of copyright in fake Chinese Apple stores. A Chinese employee explains in his defense, “There is no Chinese law that says I can’t decorate my shop the way I want to decorate it.” A customer adds, “As long as their products are real it’s okay—after all, you enter a store not to look at anything except their products… If the products you buy are real why do you care whether the store is a copy?”

Outraged? This is a cultural difference between Americans and the Chinese. China is comparatively not strict about copyright law and patent infringement because the country believes in shared profit (especially in intellectual property). Americans, on the other hand, believe in allowing businesses and individuals to profit from their hard work. China is about the whole, America is about the one. Communism vs democracy. Are our differences really this simple? No, but its a beginning to understanding.

This does not explain away all strange behavior coming out of China, of course, but try to remember that Americans have their quirks too. Regardless of how interesting the “weird news” coming out of China is, their government still holds a large portion of our debt. For that reason alone, Americans should give the Communist country our respect regardless of their idiosyncrasies. Weird China news is little more than self-perpetuated propaganda against the Chinese government and Chinese way of life. Remember that when next reading about the strange happenings on the other side of the world.

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  1. Propaganda is obvious. Easy to see through. Less difficult is the subtle filtering of information.

    Sometimes I think the Cold War never really ended.

    By: Gina Reply →
    August 21, 2011 at 9:56 AM

    • I think that there will always be Cold War aspects to our relationship with China. Luckily, I think that most can agree that they’re not going to blow us out of the water. North Korea, on the other hand…

      By: rburger Reply → Author
      August 21, 2011 at 10:00 AM

  2. “China is comparatively not strict about copyright law and patent infringement because the country believes in shared profit (especially in intellectual property).”

    Funny because they only really seem to believe in sharing everyone else’s profits. Try and make a direct copy of renren (like it did with facebook) and see how long it lasts.

    “A customer adds, “As long as their products are real it’s okay—after all, you enter a store not to look at anything except their products… If the products you buy are real why do you care whether the store is a copy?””

    Because they are making a complete effort to copy a style to lie to their customers. That most of their customers obviously thought it was an Apple store shows it. It wasn’t a questions of decoration for most people, it was a question of blatantly lying to the people who were shopping there. Yeah the IP infringment is not a good thing and I’d say it’s pretty absurd to claim it has to do with them being communist as they aren’t in anyway communist but lying to your customers does tend to make them very upset.

    “Communism vs democracy. Are our differences really this simple? No, but its a beginning to understanding.”

    How long have you been in China? China is not in any way communist except the name. It’s like talking about democracy and then using North Korea or the Congo as your example..

    I agree the whole weird china news thing has gotten a bit out of control,that’s what happens when a website starts to make money at something new, a million copies pop up and they slowly disappear till only a handful remain. Hopefully everyone learns more about China in the west and Chinese learn more about what the west is really like but this article just seems a bit silly.

    By: Uberche Reply →
    August 21, 2011 at 12:45 PM

    • I attended PKU from January-May in 2010; I am currently in the States!

      Patent infringement is an interesting concept in China. For example, when I was in school, we could pay a known service on campus to photocopy our textbooks for under $10USD. Go to any market and you’ll find Playboy, Coach, and Adidas knock-offs. I’m not saying that this widespread practice is a good thing, and the PRC has come under some pretty serious fire in the international stage for this practice. The Apple store issue is nothing new, and I found the Chinese (both in buying and selling) response to be abnormal yet compelling. Yep, the owners of the faux Apple stores are liars, but this is a prevalent issue in China.

      As for whether or not China is Communist: the Chinese call themselves Communists (CCP), and I am certainly not going to disagree with them. The problem in the States is that when people think “Communism,” they think Soviet Russia and their control-market economy. Chinese communism has Chinese characteristics, which mainly have to do with State control over media and securing their population. As someone who also worked as a journalist while in Beijing, I can attest that this government is willing to go to extremes to exert their absolutist authority. That said, I don’t think Chinese communism is bad for China (another post perhaps. I am off-topic).

      The goal of this post was to address the issue of America’s continued Cold War ideology towards the PRC as demonstrated through the bizarre news articles that are so prevalently reported on. I didn’t mean for it to be silly, but short and light-hearted.

      Do you currently live in China? Did I accurately address your concerns? I really appreciate the long, well-thought out reply!

      By: Rachel Burger Reply → Author
      August 21, 2011 at 1:06 PM

  3. This is a great post! Rachel, you are a thinker. The funny thing about media is that they seem always to focus on the bad or the weird stuff happening in China. When they broadcast something negative, it’s easy for people to believe, of course, it’s China, it’s Communism. And I totally agree with you, here Communism always equals to something negative. To be honest, I don’t think it’s always that way. The way how you think and analyze the issues in China proved you have a bigger worldview than most people! It’s quite something. :)
    I wrote a paper about IPR issue in China, and you are absolutely right, piracy is not just a mere, simple act of stealing in the Chinese culture. It’s much complicated than that!

    Anyway, good post Rachel!

    By: Jing Reply →
    August 27, 2011 at 6:35 AM

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