64 Thousand Yuan question: Is China safe?
Yes. Period.
Yes! It’s the safest, most humane, reasonable and decent country I’ve ever had the good fortune to live in. I’ve spent time in Guangxi, Guilin, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhangjiajie, Changsha, Zhengzhou, Nanning, Hainan, Haikou, Haitang Bay, Sanya,Hohhot, Nei Menggu, (Inner Mongolia) Shanghai.. etc, and I have friends all over China in Kunming, Dali, Shanghai, Beijing, Tibet, Sichuan and Xinjiang – So I’ve got quite a broad perspective and many trusted opinions to enquire of.. going back six years..That was six years ago.
If you’re planning a visit to China, or are concerned in any way about the human rights record – Let me set a record straight and put your mind at rest – In six years of living in China I haven’t seen one single instance of infringements on human rights. anywhere. (ok, tell you the truth, I did see a woman smack her husband on the nose a few weeks back in Hainan.)
Now.. umm.. where was I? Ah yes.. ‘Human Rights’, ‘Authoritarianism’..
I remember arriving in Guilin, getting a taxi from the airport and just sitting in downtown Guilin to catch my breath.
I rolled a cigarette and got a coffee easy enough, and I just sat, and watched:
“Ok China – Let’s have a look at you!”.. First thing I saw; Dad, (baba) on a motor scooter, son, in front of dad, stood, and holding the rear-view mirrors (and making a lego spaceship) daughter, behind baba (dad), mama (mom) behind daughter, holding the baby, and they’re all either eating, using a phone, (or making a plastic lego spaceship) and the family dog’s on the bike too..and they’re going the wrong way up the street, at night, with no lights on..and I’m like: “Wow.. man.. that’s freedom!” ;> : ) I fell in love with China instanty, and in over six years I’ve never felt ‘the hand of authoritarianism – not once, nor have I seen it, anywhere. I’d go as far as to say that the UK and US, for example, are way more oppressive and authoritarian than China – and yes, I’ve lived and worked in both. (I’ll back this up in other articles)
Oh yeah.. I’ve spent time in Guangxi, Guilin, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhangjiajie, Changsha, Zhengzhou, Nanning, Hainan, Haikou, Haitang Bay, Sanya,Hohhot, Nei Menggu, (Inner Mongolia) and I have friends all over China in Kunming, Dali, Shanghai, Beijing,Tibet, Sichuan and Xinjiang – So I’ve got quite a broad perspective and many trusted opinions to enquire of.