What's the one thing that you're most curious about China? And I'll try to answer :)

Why do they smoke so much?

Why do they speak Chinese so much?

How much can the average Chinese access on the internet? How widespread is internet access?

Do many Chinese people have friends or family that have been arrested, tortured, etc. for their beliefs? Are the typical Chinese citizens afraid of being arrested, tortured and put in labor camps for their beliefs?

How do the people put up with so much pollution?

What is the legacy of the Cultural Revolution in China today?
What do people think of Mao Tse Tung?
What do Chinese people think of Western visitors to China (be honest)

How do they put up with so much population?

Do they really encourage aborting girl babies?

How do Chinese people stereotype Americans?

What do people think about the goverment?

Do what they teach you at school the same as what you find out by yourself through other mean?

What do Chinese people think of foreigners? especially Vietnamese :p

Are the made in China stickers actually made in China or are they outsourced?

There seems to be problems with contamination both in products made in China to come to the United States as well as with those sold domestically. Is this due to a lack of government oversight, bribery, a low estimation of the value of a human life or a combinationof these factors and others?

How do Chinese teenagers know if another teenager has a crush on them?

@ibstubro Actually I just read a research yesterday saying that about 55% of Chinese residents have access to internet. It’s a little poor number

@jca sorry I’m not so sure what do you mean by “belief”, but I don’t think it’s like what you said. From what I know, people only get arrested because they break the law, and not ONE single person I know in real life has ever been in prison.. Maybe if one does something that seriously threaten the safety of the country or the government he would be put into jail, too. But I never heard a single person be put into prison because his “belief”, including religious belief and political belief.

@zenvelo I’m from Tangshan in northern China which had a serious earthquake in 1976. Anyway, my hometown is one of the top 10 polluted city in China..
I know science says that how serious air/water/industry pollution is, but personally speaking, I never had cough, lung disease or other typical sickness caused by pollution, nor do people I’m familiar with..
We always joke that we Chinese are strongest people on the planet because we’ve already ‘get used to’ the terrible environment…lol, so sad.
But I also think (just personally) that every country would process this pollution phase in their history of development. Measures need to be taken to minimize the damage to the environment, though.

It’s true. Many nations as they industrialized had pollution problems. People in those cities did suffer more pollution related illnesses, but it isn’t that everyone who lived there fell I’ll to them. The worst affected are usually the people who actually work in industries that have bad chemicals and pollution.

@flutherother I’m not sure I’m capable of answering the first question objectively and comprehensively, so I’m gonna try the 2nd and the 3rd:
In history book nowadays, they comments Mao like this: he was a brilliant leader and did a lot of contribution in the process of the war from 1937–1945 against japan and 1945–1949 against Kuomintang, but he also made a lot of mistakes with ignorance in The Great Leap Forward and the Great Cultural Revolution.
The fact is, most people who’s over 60 may be still loving him crazily. I disagree but think it’s reasonable, after all, before PRC was build up, people lived a really miserable life.
But most people at mid-age or younger think he made great success and horrible mistakes at the same time. We can’t just say he’s all bad or all good.
Hope that I said it clear:)

@flutherother About foreign visitors, some mid-age people and many old people who suffered the war against Japan, some of whom even witnessed Japanese soldier raped and killed all the other people in their village, still hate people from Japan. Given the political situation that Japanese Prime Minister refuse to admit what they’ve done in the war.
Many young people like foreign visitors a lot, also some of them don’t care.

@Dutchess_III I hate the discrimination upon women SO MUCH. No matter where in the world it happens.
As to girl baby abortion, well many of my classmates who come from rural area say that their parents may want to keep having babies until they get a boy;
I’m 21 and I don’t know much about this, but I would assume that most people at my age, especially well educated ones, would treasure a baby girl as much as a baby boy, or even more.

And next..

@JLeslie Powerful, more developed, higher quality of life, cleaner, good education, but perhaps some of us are a little more proud of the relationships between parents and children here :D

@Mimishu1995 It varies, some people like it, some people hate it, but most people support it, I think

@rojo Sometimes we know, sometimes we don’t; sometimes we express, sometimes we don’t. It’s a little complicated.
I think maybe Chinese people (or many Asian people) express their emotions in a more veiled way.
We have our own language, I guess, and it depends so it’s a little hard for me to give a general answer.

@cruiser I haven’t realized before but your words remind me.. It’s weird
I don’t know the answer, either, but many smokers I know say that smoking help them take the pressure off a little.

@wsxwh111 how about the other two questions? :p

Great Q and great answers! My mom and dad visited China a few years ago and my mom was very affected by how the Japanese were horrible to the Chinese in history. I guess they learned some of the history while on their trip. They loved China. My grandmother loved it there too. She was only able to visit twice.

My parents said a lot of the children would talk to them. Practicing their English.

My dad wears a red jacket and a few Chinese people commented on it. I guess maybe they don’t see a lot of Americans wearing red?

Uhh @Mimishu1995 sorry :p
If it’s about professional knowledge I think most part is the same. We occasionally find something new and better by ourselves.
If it’s about the political thing I don’t know.. I think all contents on our history and political textbook is about how great the party is. lol
And when it comes to information, China now has a very strict policy about logging on foreign websites and bringing in TV shows from other countries. Facebook, twitter, tumblr and so on are forbidden here.
But if you really want it you can manage it anyway..haha

I’ve answered above about the foreigners, and about vietnam.. I’d like to say that Chinese people have to handle really lots of pressure in finance and daily life. People with the same income can afford a house maybe in 10 years in USA but 40 years here. Besides, China is really not a very international country. I’m in Shanghai, it’s a little better here, but in most parts of mainlands it’s very common that people don’t care that much about foreign countries or the global politics. I guess many people even don’t have a detailed impression on Vietnam. :(

Why do the Chinese have such an onerous reputation for cheating foreign visitors?

@wsxwh111 oh. I thought that Chinese people knew a lot about Vietnam. Well something told me that the goverment tried to make bad impression of Vietnam to the citizens. Something like Vietnam tried to invade China and China had to defense themselves. Have yoy ever heard anything like that? I don’t think your goverment like Vietnam though.

I love this question!

How many foreign visitors do you come across? Do you try to help them?
What percentage of people you know speak English?

@Mimishu1995 should have this question about Vietnam.

This turned into a cool thread.

@ibstubro What’s wrong with clearing up how the Chinese think of the Vietnamese? Let the OP decide what to answer.

No, @JLeslie, I was saying that I like the question and that @Mimishu1995, being from Vietnam, could ask the same.
As could other members from non-US based countries.
I think the US bias is pretty evident on Fluther, so asking it as a life-long US citizen would probably be redundant for me.
One of the things I like best about the internet is the diversity. The ability to chat with people literally a ‘world away’.

Oh. Sounds good to me. I misinterpreted your statement.

@wsxwh111 thanks for taking the time to answer. I know the reasons for the distrust of Japanese and I am in complete sympathy. I wondered what Chinese people thought of visitors from the west like the USA or Europe.

@ibstubro you asked for it :)

@wsxwh111, you need to head to @Mimishu1995‘s link.

As soon as you have answered all our questions, it goes without saying!

Are your great with English, trialing a translator, or using a standard translator?

@ibstubro Aha, thanks, I’m flattered XD
And soo happy to see other questions coming up :)

@stanleybmanly I’m not gonna lie, despite most people wouldn’t do that, some shopkeepers do raise prices to foreign visitors..
I would say China is a really big country and people here vary, too. Some of them are just.. not that nice. :(

@Mimishu1995 Oh I didn’t know that..
As far as I know, the main statement is China has a well enough relationship with Vietnam :b

@ibstubro There are about 5000 international students in my college, and I do have some foreign friends :b
Of course I’ll help them, all they have to do is to ask. I like to make friends and I can imagine a little bit how hard is to live in a totally unfamiliar place
And I think most people under 30 can handle daily communication in English, maybe, but older people may be less.(My dad can’t even spell from Sunday to Saturday)

@flutherother Thanks for your understanding :)
As for foreign visitors from other countries, it really depends. Some people really love foreign friends, while some others don’t care that much, but most people are friendly, I would assume

Good morning,
I have a friend who used to import low cost items manufactured for him in your country and about 5 years ago due to rising labor costs he was no longer competitive in the US marketplace and had to close his 3 importing companies. Have you seen a shift in the manufacturing in your country due to your rising labor and health care costs? I was told a lot of manufacturing has shifted to other countries like Vietnam and Indonesia and am curious if you can articulate the changes or impact this has or is having in China.

Yeah I’ve heard about it just a little bit, including the shifting of manufacturing. I’m just a nobody and is really not that good in economics so I just feel happy that lots of workers can get a fairly higher wages and health ensurance, because honestly speaking, there’re still a considerable number of people in China who’s personal financial situation is pretty poor, some of them even have a hrad time struggling to cover their basic needs such as food and health, so

I heard that China is changing from a socialized health care system “free” provided by the government, to a more privatized system. Is that true?

Partly, maybe. Now as a university student, I can get 90% off on my medical expense, 50% maybe for common workers, but I believe there’re still many people who failed to get the health care. The cost to go to hospital and get treatment may be a little less than in the US but the incomes here are less, too.
I personally think everyone should have equal rights to get medical treatment and the cost better be more reasonable. Anyway, the government has made a good progress and we’re all expecting a better circumstance in the future, I guess XD

Are your national politicians well regarded in China?
Are you able to answer that freely and honestly?

How about lawyers? Are they well thought of, generally, and does it seem you have too few, too many, or just about the right amount?

@ibstubro Yes, I am, so does anyone. But I don’t know if there’re a lot of people out there who can see most of what I see.
Chinese politics is kinda “ancient”. I believe in America, the one who’s actually in charge of countrywide political decisions are the very rich people, politicians are just people who speak for the rich. But in China, politicians ARE rich.
In other words, becoming a politician MAKES them rich,
And almost every single Chinese know that. What they don’t know is what’s like in other countries. Maybe it’s because they’re too busy dealing with the “politicians” in their life or trying to become one.
Lawyers aren’t as respected as they are in the US, I think. I mean it’s not a job or field which is regarded as good as it is there.
In China suing somebody is kinda a big deal. We usually don’t do that unless it’s hugel because it costs.

@wsxwh111 Hmm… the situation is pretty similar to Vietnam. Politicians here are very rich too. But I don’t know whether they become politicians and get rich or they are rich before they become politicians. Lawyers aren’t respected here too, mainly because there isn’t a proper training system for lawyers, and there isn’t many lawyers here too.

@Mimishu1995 ya, and maybe it’s also because not that many people would sue some others here.

I think suing happens more in countries with democracy and capitalism. You can’t really sue the government easily, so in communist countries there is not as much room for law suits. I do think it also is cultural whether people in a society feel ok about suing someone. Here in America we see children sue parents, and siblings sue each other, and all sorts of things that other cultures would never consider. Those examples are not very commonplace, but they happen.

@JLeslie and some people here even use that “family members sue each other” fact you just said to make an excuse for why lawyers are so few. I don’t think we don’t sue much, we do sue a lot, but not as frequently as the US that’s just my opinion.

The US is out of control with suing. I think part of the reason is because the system and many people in it lack integrity. It’s a big snowball that once it starts to grow it gets bigger exponentially. At the same time, the ability to sue is important.

@JLeslie Can’t agree more. Chinese people take suing someone as a huge deal, we think (or the culture tells us) that suing someone means you hate someone so much, even as much as possible, literally :(. So few people sue family menbers, and not that much people sue their friends. I’m not that aware of what it’s like in the US but I think feeling ok about suing someone is good, which shows people’s respect to rules and laws.

Our American leaders on the national level are some of the richest people in the nation, @wsxwh111. If you can get elected on a lower level, that can lead to more wealth and, often, higher office and greater wealth. You cannot get elected to any position but the most local without political connections or a huge amount of money.

We have the opposite problem: lawyers are usually not highly regarded here because there are too many of them, and they are too highly trained to…‘game the system’. Corporations can delay trials years or decades. Money buys you a lawyer that knows all the trickery. On the other had, lawyers will file frivolous lawsuits against corporations just hoping for an out of court settlement. It’s mostly gotten out of the hands of the common man.

Those emails and ads I get hit with that implore me to get a wife from China, how can they make the claim when there are more guys than gals in China (because of their preference for male children), and why would a communist nation allow their citizen to flee to the West via marriage?

@ibstubro Yeah..I do heard of some sayings like situation like that makes rich people who can pay for more professional lawyers challenge laws more.

@Hypocrisy_Central Actually it’s true that there are more guys here but I think that logic is stupid. More guys means it’s easier to find a husband.
I don’t think communism has anything to do with this situation. If 2 people are in love, I think it’s right to allow one of them to join in the other’s country.
But things like you said, which some of us call it fake marriage, is actually a loophole of our laws. I heard some countries will send men to check if the couple is “true” or “pretended to be true”, but actually it’s hard to tell.

@wsxwh111 I think it’s right to allow one of them to join in the other’s country
With a one child per family policy if you stick with only boys (eliminating the girls before birth), how will China haver more Chinese? Allowing their women (where more Chinese will come from) to leave, is kind of counterproductive for that.

More guys means it’s easier to find a husband.
Any woman having the pick of 5 or more suitors why choose a foreign man and not any of the Chinese men they can choose like fruit from the market because there are so few women for them (ther men) to choose from?

I heard some countries will send men to check if the couple is “true” or “pretended to be true”, but actually it’s hard to tell.
If it were not real I would say it would be more on the part of the Chinese woman, because the man, I am sure would not jump through all the hoops and hurdles I am sure he would have to go through to bring his Chinese bride to the US, not to mention the cost.

What is the average size of classes (head count) in school under sophomore level in China?

@Hypocrisy Central
Allowing their women (where more Chinese will come from) to leave, is kind of counterproductive for that.
Oh I believe these are just a little bit of the whole population.
Any woman having the pick of 5 or more suitors why choose a foreign man and not any of the Chinese men they can choose like fruit from the market because there are so few women for them (ther men) to choose from?
Darn you. First and last warning. I don’t care but you keep talking like that, I’ll ignore your question.
You are stupid enough to mix “personal choices” with “everyone of the country,”
Not that much women in china like foreigners, Don’t feel too good about yourselves, dumb.
If it were not real I would say it would be more on the part of the Chinese woman, because the man, I am sure would not jump through all the hoops and hurdles I am sure he would have to go through to bring his Chinese bride to the US, not to mention the cost.
If the two people are truly fall in love with each other, then it’s not a fake marriage.
I think by that I actually mean green card marriage. In which both of them are aware that it’s just a deal.

.

@wsxwh111 You are stupid enough to mix “personal choices” with “everyone of the country,”
Did I say everyone? Do not assume, you know what they say of that. I was speaking only of the women who enter in to such agencies, or the posture of the government that allow it because it appears off the top, to be counterproductive to the health of the nation overall. I know not all women would choose that option. You can insult this comment if it makes you feel better) ~~

Not that much women in china like foreigners, Don’t feel too good about yourselves, dumb.
What I feel is irrelevant, those women must have decided to enter a union with a foreign man, and that is why they are members, clients, or whatever of those agencies. I merely wondered about it.

I think by that I actually mean green card marriage. In which both of them are aware that it’s just a deal.
Hopefully it is not like getting a bride from the Philippines. The neighbor of one of my Brethren went to the Islands three different times to find a wife; which he did. However, once they (the Filipinas) reached US soil, they changed, and once they got the green card, they filed for divorce. This man actually thought he was getting a woman that loved him, but sadly, they just used him as a ticket out of the Philippines.

I would have asked another question I was curious about, but you may take it the wrong way, I will try to Google it first

Because I am a Family Historian ( amateur) I was wondering If you have your Family History completed as i heard that in China most or all have had their histories completed much further back in time then most other countries (centuries).
How far back in time do you have pictures , drawings perhaps of Ancestors?
I find it fascinating to be able to be a part of Family History and it is fantastic of from where and how our Ancestors struggled to make our present as it is.