China, A Ten Thousand Pound Gorilla
China is a developing problem. First of all it is an aggressive and competitive nation. China, with its industrious people, and over 45% of its people live in poverty by international standards.
That is a huge number, about 700,000,000 poor Chinese, willing to work hard, and do almost anything to feed their families. That huge labor pool makes China hard to compete with in the business arena.
Take a look at some of the sample numbers of worker wages per hour in nations of the world.
- Germany: $17 per hour
- France: $15 per hour
- Greece: $ 7 per hour
- U.S.A.: $18 per hour
- Mexico: $ 4 per hour
- Canada: $12 per hour
- Australia: $ 9 per hour
- India: $ .40 cents per hour
- China: $ .25 cents per hour
But China is everywhere, even culturally. We now see Chinese exhibits in Chicago, Chinese musicals on TV., Chinese entertainment groups, and Chinese programs throughout the world. China is on the move.
Tourism experts note that within 5 years that over 75,000,000 Chinese people will be traveling as tourists. The Chinese government is reducing restrictions, and travel is soon to be a giant industry in that nation. This is apt to revolutionize the travel industry and the world.
Militarily, China has the largest army in the world, in absolute numbers. But also, China has high technology and nuclear weapons.
Consider China’s neighbors and their relations with China.
India: They don’t trust China because of past invasions, but are trying to do business with the world’s largest nation. India will be the world’s main competitor to China in the next generation, in both economic and political power for the region. But India does not have that power now.
Nepal: Intimidated by China, they keep a low profile, but always worry that the Maoist problem in Nepal may be funded from China.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan: They all are somewhat uncomfortable about their giant neighborhood powerhouse.
Taiwan: Politicians seem willing to fight for independence, while business leaders have already been co-opted into dealing with China.
Mongolia: Leaders fear China will close the rail roads, and airways from the east, and walk a tight line hoping that support from the USA will provide some leverage. Therefore, the Communists treat the Chinese like “old friends”, but always with a wary eye for their financial and economic security.
Korea: Always nervous. Recently, China’s state-controlled news agency called the Kingdom of Koguryo a “subordinate state that fell under the jurisdiction of the Chinese”. China has been trying to bolster ancient claims from 1,300 years ago, that Korea is actually a part of China. (The same argument they used to claim Tibet years ago). It is no wonder that Koreans are demonstrating and protesting against China.
To put it bluntly, China is a 10,000 pound gorilla, with an ideological inconsistency, leaders who confuse ideology with good governance, and unpredictable leadership. China is a split personality. China is bi-polar, with one part business minded and good at it. And one part socialistic and communistic with government controls to a fault. Both parts suffer from corruption and inconsistencies. The Chinese propaganda control of the press is a disgrace. Chinese newspaper "freedom" is a joke, and if some of their propaganda articles weren't so dangerous they would be funny. On a recent visit to China, I read an article in the China Daily that spoke of the nation of Tibet as never having existed and the Tibetan problem as being non existent and that China had never persecuted the people of Tibet. The 1,300,000 Tibetans who have died or disappeared since China's take over of that region must have turned over in their graves.
China…the people are hard working, loving and family oriented. But the nation of China, its governing leaders, this is a problem that will before the global community for the next 30 years.