Meet China – Part One – Land and The Olympics and Politics

Yesterday some of you were introduced to my friend “Land” who lives in China. I am excited about “Land” and his friends connecting with me (and you). It would be wonderful if this Blog could be used to connect the people of many different places.

As some of you know I have traveled to China a number of times in earlier years. I was able to visit a small portion of the south of China. While I was living in Hong Kong this was one of my greatest joys to discover China and travel to some of their cities – and most of all to discover some of their culture. That was way back on 1981 – 1985. It was almost 27 years ago that I my first visit into China.

Today China has changed in so many ways – yet there is a part that never will change. It is complicated for me to explain that statement in a short few words.

I have discovered some amazing, up-to-date facts about China from the National Geographic Magazine Web Site. It is shown below. In its Geopedia section it has collected a series of short articles under the banner of “China by the Numbers”.

The opening statement that Mary McPeak makes is….
“Everything about China is big. Its population, 1.3 billion, is the largest in the world. Its area--3,705,405 square miles (9,596,960 square kilometers)--is the fourth largest, after that of Russia, Canada, and the U.S. And its labor force, with 803,300,000 workers, is the world's largest.”

A few statements that describe the country well today are as follows:

• China’s one-child policy created a generation of only children(only child) that numbers 90 million.
• 119 baby boys are born for every 100 girls.
• The number of unmarried young men – called bare branches – is predicted to be 30 million in 2020.
• 45 percent of Chinese women surveyed say that they do not want to give up their careers to get married.
• Three in ten Chinese families have grandparents living in the same household.
• Beijing enforces a one-dog policy that prohibits pets more than 14 inches high.
• China is expected to overtake the USA as the world’s largest economy in ten years.
• China has the world’s highest number of deaths triggered by air pollution.
• Urban Chinese earn more than three times as much as those in rural areas, the highest income gap since the start of reforms in 1978.
• Public protests rose by 50% last year.
• One in four residents in Beijing is a migrant from the country.
• 67 percent of millionaires surveyed say that they are sacrificing health for money. (source: National Geographic Magazine – may 2008 edition)

Do these figures move you? For “Land” they do. He lives in the middle of it all. He is one of the 1.3 Billion and he lives on a small portion of the 3,705,405 square miles… or to put it another way there are 350 people for every square mile of the country – and much of the country is not the kind you can live on… forests, water, mountains and rivers are all part of the total land mass.
China is crowded.

Personal Pride…
A month ago our family became even more interested in China and particularly Beijing in the month of August 2008. It is during that time that my nephew, Zack Bell, will compete in the Olympics representing Canada. You have to know that I am VERY PROUD of Zack as he represents Canada. I know that he has competed all over the world and that HE IS THE BEST! Now the world will discover how great he really is.

Zach is a cyclist that will be taking part in the unique race in the Velodrome – track cycling event.

Go Zach Bell Go!

Politics…
Now I pause for a minute and ponder the problems that China now faces. Problems of ‘protest’ are difficult for anyone. In leadership I know the feeling. You try hard but no one will listen – they are right and you are wrong.

Lest I have this Blog ‘flamed’ by protestors – I am very careful what I say about Tibet and China. I will say that I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE PROTESTORS AGAINST CHINA! They are going about this whole adventure of trying to expose ‘their ideas of bad practices by China’ – in a wrong way. That is my opinion at least. I protest the protestors and their methods for sure.

In China, long ago, one of their writers and wise men made a powerful statement about China and its culture. He said, “the grass bends as the wind blows”. The meaning is fairly evident I think. A north wind will bend the grass stalk to the south and the south wind will bend it north. The grass is very flexible and continues to bend left, right, front and back all summer and never breaks.

Under the mighty Emperors long before the Chinese people ever heard of Communism, the people were bent and bruised millions of times. Under the communist government there has been a blowing and bending as well. When you read of the oppression of the Emperor’s regimes – the communist era is seen in an entirely different way.

I make a very political statement at this point. I doubt that Democracy will ever improve the conditions of China if it had its way. And I know that Capitalism will do no better.

China’s basic problems of geography, population, vast regions and developing the huge resources will be the same no matter who takes leadership. The challenges dictate the leadership – not the leadership dictating anything.

And the number one problem that China faces is trying to feed the lust of the USA and Canada(and the western world) for “stuff”. Check it out next time you are shopping. Pick up 20 items and see where they all were made. My guess is that at least 85% will be “Made in China”. Now take away everything that is Made in China and see just how bare the shelves would be!

I want the whole world know… China I believe in “You” as a Country and that there is one man in Canada that is praying for your success – his name is “Murray Lincoln”.

~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
Zach Bell’s Uncle and Supporter!

Resources:

National Geographic Magazine - China by the Numbers..
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/geopedia/China

Zach Bell
http://whitehorsestar.com/archive/story/olympic-hopeful-confident-about-chances-of-qualifying/
http://www.velonorth.ca/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2624&theme=Printer
http://zerailleur.com/blog/archives/134

http://www.topix.com/cycling/zach-bell