US Ambassador's coffee run sparks China debate

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14578252

Apparently a lot of Chinese people are surprised that the US ambassador to Chinaorders his own coffee and carries his own backpack. They're also surprised that VP Biden ate at a family restaurant. I'm actually a little surprised that in a Communist countrylike China there is such an acceptance of cl@ss disparities.

China debate over US envoy's coffee run

After being photographed at the airport in Seattle ordering coffee with his young daughter, the new ambassador arrived in Beijing at the weekend.

His family carried their own bags from the airport and were then driven away in a minivan.

Chen Weihua, writing in the China Daily, said that while to most Americans this would not be out of the ordinary, to Chinese people "the scene was so unusual it almost defied belief".

"In China even a township chief, which is not really that high up in the hierarchy, will have a chauffeur and a secretary to carry his bag," he said in an editorial headlined "Backpack makes a good impression".

American officials are to serve the people, but Chinese officials are served by the people, that's the difference," said one commentator on Sina.com, in a representative post.

US Vice-President Joe Biden ate noodles at a Beijing restaurant after high-level talks

After being photographed at the airport in Seattle ordering coffee with his young daughter, the new ambassador (Ambassador Locke) arrived in Beijing at the weekend.

His family carried their own bags from the airport and were then driven away in a minivan.

Chen Weihua, writing in the China Daily, said that while to most Americans this would not be out of the ordinary, to Chinese people "the scene was so unusual it almost defied belief".

"In China even a township chief, which is not really that high up in the hierarchy, will have a chauffeur and a secretary to carry his bag," he said in an editorial headlined "Backpack makes a good impression".

"Even the head of a Chinese village would travel in more ****than Locke," another comment on the same site read, adding, in a sarcastic reference to an old government policy: "I advise him to go to the Chinese countryside for two years to learn from officials there."

The debate continued when Mr Biden, who is paying a five-day official visit to China, ate noodles and dumplings at a family-run restaurant after his talks with Vice-President Xi Jinping.

Netizens reported that his bill came to $13 , and compared it with the more lavish meals enjoyed by top leaders.

backwards class system

Weren't Americans shocked when Bill Clinton ate at a McDonalds?

Actually there is a major disparity of wealth growing in China.

We may have a poor distribution of wealth (not as bad as China's though), but outside of the ultra-rich and powerful, most Americans do things themselves.

I call this setting an example. He probably knew what he was doing, too.

I think in recent decades China has basically jettisoned Communism and only pays lip service to it, while maintaining authoritarian political control. They have allowed more capitalism and thus China's economy has improved in general.

I think in recent decades China has basically jettisoned Communism and only pays lip service to it, while maintaining authoritarian political control. They have allowed more capitalism and thus China's economy has improved in general.

whipassmt

Average salary is 8k a year. Their income differences between rich and poor makes ours look tiny.

The only thing they are good for now is being exploited. The government doesn't care about its workforce.

saw this story a while ago.

pretty neat really.

[QUOTE="whipassmt"]

I think in recent decades China has basically jettisoned Communism and only pays lip service to it, while maintaining authoritarian political control. They have allowed more capitalism and thus China's economy has improved in general.

Wasdie

Average salary is 8k a year. Their income differences between rich and poor makes ours look tiny.

The only thing they are good for now is being exploited. The government doesn't care about its workforce.

[QUOTE="Wasdie"]

[QUOTE="whipassmt"]

I think in recent decades China has basically jettisoned Communism and only pays lip service to it, while maintaining authoritarian political control. They have allowed more capitalism and thus China's economy has improved in general.

whipassmt

Average salary is 8k a year. Their income differences between rich and poor makes ours look tiny.

The only thing they are good for now is being exploited. The government doesn't care about its workforce.

[QUOTE="whipassmt"]

[QUOTE="Wasdie"]

Average salary is 8k a year. Their income differences between rich and poor makes ours look tiny.

The only thing they are good for now is being exploited. The government doesn't care about its workforce.

weezyfb

Polarization between classes in China is growing and is only getting worse, and can become really bad if their real-estate sector collapses (which it could, as China is currently in a housing bubble). The lower class exploitation can only go on so far in the mainland before things change. Besides, most businesses in China are starting to realize how ineffieiently they are producing their items.

[QUOTE="Wasdie"]

[QUOTE="whipassmt"]

I think in recent decades China has basically jettisoned Communism and only pays lip service to it, while maintaining authoritarian political control. They have allowed more capitalism and thus China's economy has improved in general.

whipassmt

Average salary is 8k a year. Their income differences between rich and poor makes ours look tiny.

The only thing they are good for now is being exploited. The government doesn't care about its workforce.

A punch to the gut is better than a punch to the face,

but that doesn't make either a good thing