Dispatch from China, Part I

(Reader Linda S. points out that in the post below, the Wrongologist says that Max Baucus, Ambassador to China, was formerly a Republican Senator. In fact, Baucus is a Democrat. The Wrongologist regrets this jet-lag induced, but understandable error. Baucus was a Democrat in Name Only).

What’s
Wrong Today:

Today
is a travel day in China. Here are a few early impressions of Shenzhen, plus a
few short items from the Chinese media that are worth your attention. Google
has been inaccessible in China for the past few days, along with the New York
Times. Rumors are that it has to do with the 25th Anniversary (June
4) of the Tiananmen Square uprising. Otherwise, virtually every other URL that
the Wrongologist has tried to access is available, although we have not tried
to get to Facebook or other social sites.

Regarding Shenzhen, it is a big, modern city with
major avenues that are 6 lanes wide, with green space in the middle, similar to
Park Avenue in NYC. Huge office towers line these avenues and traffic is very
busy, mostly cars, smaller trucks and buses, unlike some cities in Asia were
motorbikes and scooters predominate.

Here is a city photo taken yesterday:

The main
boulevards make Shenzhen feel like any modern city anywhere in the world. When
you move two blocks beyond the main roads, Shenzhen begins to look more like a
typical Asian city, with mostly 3-story concrete buildings, combining first
floor storefronts and offices or apartments above.

The streets are packed with people, as you would
expect to see in a city of 10 million. It has the look and feel of a wealthy
city with many, many restaurants and shops. Most cars are foreign, with
Japanese and Korean models dominating.

While General Motors claims to be quite successful
in China, particularly with Buick, there was only one Buick, an older Regal
that was visible, parked on the street. Next is a photo of an apartment block across
from the hotel. Here you are beginning to get the look and feel of a city that
is similar to many in Asia:

Finally, here is a photo of a more upscale
apartment, again within walking distance of the hotel, which has a communal green
space built into the façade. Much like Hong Kong of 40 years ago, wash is hung
out to dry in any available space:

Of interest, Barack Obama’s half-brother
, Mark Okoth Obama Ndesandjo, lives in Shenzhen, and is married to a Chinese
woman. He speaks Chinese. The Obama boys had different mothers, did not grow up
together and are not close. Ndesandjo grew up in Kenya but moved to the US for
college, completing a bachelor’s degree in physics at Brown University and a
master’s in physics from Stanford University. Later, he got an MBA at Emory
University. He wrote a book
describing an abusive relationship with his father, one that is very different
from that which Barack Obama outlined in Dreams of My Father. Ndesandjo is a
minor celebrity in Shenzhen, occasionally being interviewed on local TV.

The English newspaper, China Daily had several interesting items showing the different
opinions on world events. First, an item about Internet
spying:

Foreign technology services providers such as Google
and Apple can become cyber security threats to Chinese users, security analysts
said, one week after China announced that it will put in place a security
review on imported technology equipment.

Now, this is old news, but the article points to an Op-Ed
on the same day that is more pointed, entitled World’s
Largest Internet Hacker:

All the evidence indicates that it is the US that is
the world’s largest Internet hacker and that the global cyber arms race
triggered by the US’ actions poses the largest threat to global cybersecurity

The
opinion piece concludes:

The US indictments of the Chinese military personnel
are not conducive to global efforts to maintain the stability and security of
cyberspace. The US, by taking advantage of its technological and military
dominance, has established a cyber-hegemony. It is hoped the US can lead the
global Internet sector to develop in a healthy direction, as it once
spearheaded the progress of Internet technologies for human progress.

Also
in the same paper was a description
of Max Baucus’ efforts as our new US Ambassador, to develop better economic ties
with China, wherein Baucus said:

America
really needs to repair its infrastructure…the roads, the bridges and airports
need repair, and need to be rebuilt, in many cases. Frankly, that means there
is a huge opportunity

To which Xu
Hongcai, with the China Center for International Economic Exchanges replied:

The
largest obstacle for Chinese investment in US infrastructure is the US’ deep-rooted
distrust toward the Chinese government and companies

The article
recalls that the US Congress and an agency that reviews foreign investment
denied a $2.2 billion Chinese takeover of 3Com in 2007, and a proposed $18.5
billion takeover of Unocal in 2005.

Is it only the Wrongologist who
thinks it is laughable that a REPUBLICAN former Senator now wants to rebuild
American infrastructure?
And, using Chinese money, labor and technology?

Finally,
another piece from yesterday’s paper:

China,
the world’s biggest emitter of climate-changing greenhouse gasses, will set an
absolute cap on its CO2 emissions from 2016

That isn’t
a relative cap that is tied to GDP, folks. It isn’t “cap and trade”. It is a
hard cap. The paper reported it was
announced in response to the US’ weak tea, an executive order restricting
carbon emissions from our coal-fired power plants.

Gee, a
government that admits climate change can be slowed by reducing carbon
emissions.

Bet you
thought that couldn’t happen.