Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[wushaoru]

:D As we know that China and America had hostility for a long years .Even now we still have some controversy .But we also know China and America have lots of interest togather . Even that ,Chinese and American people are all goodness and amity.To improve the friendship between the two countris' people . Give your ideas please !

[Diana]

How are they friends, Wushaora? You are from China, and in your last post you just told me to ask myself why everyone hates America. It seems to me that you sympathized more with the terrorists who killed 3000 innocent people in the World Trade Center. Do China also hate Americans?

It was Ilyia who stood on Japan's side and condemned the United States for bombing Japan during World War II. You are from China, and Japan had invaded your country during World War II. It seems to me that you approve of what Japan did in China during World War II.

Well, guess what! Japan also invaded my island during World War II, and that's why I stood against Ilyia. So, before you tell me to examine myself, I suggest you read Ilyia's entire comments and mine.

[Thom]

Try scaling back the generalisations guys. There are what, 1.3bn people in China? 250m in the US? Dont presume to think that you can speak for all of them.

You said the 'Chinese people dont hate anyone'. Rubbish. I lived in China until recently and there are some Chinese there who expressed pleasure at the WTC attacks and far more who would turn their backs if they saw Japanese people in the street. Similarly, I met more than a few Americans in S.E. Asia who would complain about 'f***ing raghead terrorists' and make ill-informed criticisms of cultures they did not understand.

But anyway, I dont thinkit's acurate to describe China and the US as friends. I remember that CCTV news was endless going on about how great Sino-US relations were but they're hardley a trustworthy source of news. Big business in the US is on good terms with the PRC and that is usually what drives government policy but this case is different.

The US government clearly sees the PRC as a possible competitor for global dominance as shown by Bush's description of the PRC as a 'Strategic competitor' (Clinton called the PRC a 'strategic partner'). The US continues to supply arms to China's regional rivals (India and Taiwan) and recently blocked an Israeli attempt to sell weapons systems to the PRC. On top of this, Bush's top advisor on China is well known for considering the PRC a threat to the US and I believe he wrote quite a hysterical book about the subject.

On the other side, the vast majority of Chinese people that I met considered the PRC to be the world's natural superpower and attributed their subordinate status to colonialism/civil war/communism. They all believed that China would soon overtake the US and looked forward to that day. They were in fact the most nationalistic people I have ever met and I can only assume that this nationalsim is relected at government level.

As long as the two nations are competitors, they will never be 'friends'.
_________________
To those who do not know that our world is in flames, I have nothing to say.

[Diana]

You are right, Thom. We should scale back from the generalization. I know that there are some Americans who don't even like Blacks or African Americans; however, I think it is safe to say that there are MANY Americans who don't hate other people. In fact, I was just reading an article yesterday about the Somali refugees who came to America. Many of them were accepted by their neighbors in America. There were only a few in North Carolina who expressed concern about the refugees because they came from Somalia - a country known to harbor terrorists. I enjoyed reading the article. The Somalians were not at all familiar with American appliances and had to be taught how to use a stove, microwave oven, electric lights, airconditioning, dishwasher, etc. The refugees found American technology both wonderful and confusing. But most important, they felt safe for the first time after leaving their country. They were able to sleep without hearing any bullets or bombs. Instead of bombs and bullets, the Somalian parents were able to hear their children's laughter for the first time since leaving their country. Unfortunately, all the refugees had a lot of sad stories to tell, and many of them lost their loved ones.

I have some American friends whom I write to in the US mainland, and they constantly complain about the climate - how cold it is or how hot it is. After reading the refugee's stories about life in Somalia, I think many Americans should consider themselves fortunate if all they have to complain about is the weather.