Go listen. A great reporter, Fallows explains why China invests and saves the way it does, how the global financial crisis is rocking China more than many had predicted, and why China cannot “save the world” from the crisis. He also discusses our good friend, China’s Net Nanny, and why the CCP bothers blocking and monitoring Web sites, which he calls “subtle repression” that’s worked better than many of us realize. On CCP propaganda, he quips, “It’s like a whole country run by Fox News.” Not that far off. Strongly suggest you listen to it all.
January 7, 2009
The Discussion: 6 Comments
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1
By W.D.Box
Richard,
Thanks. I haven’t visited the NPR site for sometime now, this piece got past me.
I like Mr. Fallows.
If I could choose one westerner to articulate my thoughts about China, to put West vs. East into an understandable perspective, it would he.
Both feet on the ground, straightforward, and with an insight into the Chinese that the overwhelming majority of ‘laowai’s’ will never grasp. Further, more often than not, a friend to our friends.
January 7, 2009 @ 6:26 pm | Comment
2
By Richard
He’s only been here two years, and his insights are razor-sharp. I’ve always been a big fan of his, long before he came here.
January 7, 2009 @ 6:40 pm | Comment
3
By ecodelta
Quite interesting.
One part of the interview, about censorship, was pretty accurate IMHO.
Specially funny was the statement comparing information control. Keeping the distance, he compared CH media environment as a country run by Fox News.
January 7, 2009 @ 8:03 pm | Comment
4
By ecodelta
Extremely subtle too, that censorship. Control or make it bothersome enough for most CH people so the will remain all/most time within CH controlled internet environment.
Foreign visitors, expats, business, CH minority willing the take the bother (and enough knowledge of foreign language) they do not care much about them… Unless they become to nosy/noisy.
January 7, 2009 @ 8:07 pm | Comment
5
By yourfriend
“It’s like a whole country run by Fox News.
Sounds like America.
January 12, 2009 @ 1:40 pm | Comment
6
By mor
@yourfriend/Ferin
If you only watch Fox News, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any other TV News channels available in your beloved home country.
January 12, 2009 @ 6:07 pm | Comment