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Location: Blogs Timothy Porter - PM in China
Posted by: Timothy Porter	5/22/2008
The past two weeks have been enlightening for me. Two rather obvious events reinforced my own thoughts on a couple of topics. I was in my office on the 12^th floor of an office building in Hangzhou when the earthquake in Sichuan happened. Sitting at my desk I began to feel queasy and considered that I was having a medical problem before I realized that the building was noticeably swaying. Having lived in Southern California for 10 years I wasn’t particularly distressed and quickly concluded what was going on. So did all of my co-workers since earthquakes are not that unusual in China. We evacuated but the swaying continued for a good 10 minutes. Now, we are about 1000 miles from where the earthquake was centered so it was for sure a big one. Since that time I have been amazed but not surprised by the tremendous sadness, concern, and generosity of the Chinese people in responding to the crisis. The stories about sacrifices in support of the people that suffered are legion and they are real. At the same time the government response seems to have received rightful praise – perhaps they went to school, so to speak, on Katrina but I’m not surprised by the government response either. The second event was the Olympic Torch Relay which came to Hangzhou this past weekend. The absolutely huge turnout just reinforced the sense that I have come to appreciate even more fully of national pride which all Chinese people have in the turnaround that has occurred in this country in the past 25+ years. Many hundreds of thousands of people lined the Westlake to try and catch a glimpse of the Torch. I’m sure that most of them never saw it but this wasn’t really the point after all. It was simply to participate in the national pride it represents. There’s China the icon and then there’s the real China, and the two are very different. I recently read an excellent editorial in Forbes by Lee Sands. You should check it out. (http://www.forbes.com/opinions/2008/05/21/games-china-image-oped-cx_lsa_0521games.html He says “American and Chinese views of China are radically different--though we often assume that they think just like us." He makes the point that if we, whether as individuals or businesses or as a nation for that matter, are to succeed in our relationship with China then we must work very hard to understand China. I am constantly reminded of that in daily interactions. “Trying to put yourself in the other guy’s shoes” is essential.

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Re: Putting yourself in the other guys shoes

By 591235 on 6/18/2008

"There's China the icon and then there's the real China, and the two are very different."

Indeed, Mr. Porter, very different. The airbrushed view of today's China in Sands' article belies gruesome reality of the Communist country. For example, how many families have you come across in your daily interactions that had more than two children? Did you ever wonder why? Because part of this centrally managed "sophisticated culture" is the mandatory one-child policy -- if the "common" mother has another child it is ripped from her womb before birth. Another example, here in Atlanta, Georgia there are many Christian churches; during the week you'll find evening Bible study groups meeting in homes. In you daily interactions and life in China, have you ever come across such a home meeting? Ever wonder why? Because in China's "democracy" where religious freedom is a human right, scientific materialism is the state's creed and thus religious expression is tightly managed. The Tibetian riots are the tip of the iceberg of the chilling effect the government's policies have on religious expression.

Here in American on February 7, Pastor Bob Fu, president of China Aid Association, was awarded the John Leland Religious Liberty Award at the Library of Congress. When accepting the award, Pastor Fu called on Christians to stand for believers in China who face harassment, detentions and sometimes death because of their faith. Pastor Fu said, “From my own experience of being arbitrarily detained in a Chinese jail, and from the hundreds of documented cases of harassment, arbitrary detentions, seizing of property, torture and even the death of some of my Christian friends and former coworkers in China, I cannot stay silent for those who share our same faith, but not all our basic freedoms.” After you have put yourself in the shoes of these gentle Chinese Christians and live a few months as they do I would like to hear your thoughts on what would happen if this nation becomes the new global superpower.

Re: Putting yourself in the other guys shoes	By Charles on 9/2/2008
Thank you ,Mr. Porter,for your appreciation of the real China.Wish you good staying in Hangzhou.

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