Posted on 10/17/2003 5:55:10 PM PDT by maui_hawaii
Muted celebration speaks of practical leaders who would not squander money and resources on grandiose ceremonies
Daily life came to a standstill as tens of thousands of jubilant Chinese in every city across the country streamed onto the streets, setting off firecrackers, beating drums and gongs, and chanting: 'Long live Chairman Mao!'
They were celebrating, belatedly, the successful launch of China's first satellite, Dongfanghong 1, which took place a day earlier but was not announced publicly until that day.
Fast forward to Oct 15, 2003.
There was no live telecast, but news of the successful launch of China's first astronaut into space came within minutes of the lift-off.
The first images of Shenzhou V disappearing into the sky appeared on state TV less than 20 minutes later. The Internet was also abuzz with congratulatory messages.
But on the streets of capital Beijing and most other Chinese cities, normal life rumbled on as workers rushed to their offices and students went on with their lessons.
Even after astronaut Yang Liwei returned safely to Earth on Thursday morning, there were few signs of the over-the-top celebrations - parades, waving crowds, red banners with gold letters - that used to mark such historic moments for China, like the successful testing of its atomic and hydrogen bombs.
Aside from some small ceremonies in Beijing to mark the fulfilment of the long-cherished dream to send a Chinese into space, there was no sign that the Chinese government would mount a major nationwide celebration.
Neither was there the kind of spontaneous celebration that broke out when Beijing won the bid to host the Olympics in 2001.
For most people, this week's achievement was savoured with quiet pride in the privacy of their homes and in conversations with friends and family, according to ordinary Chinese and analysts who spoke to The Straits Times.
It's perfectly normal, they said, adding that they would not want it any other way.
And tellingly, it's a sentiment that seems to cut across different age groups and social backgrounds.
'We don't have to politicise everything, those days are over,' said marketing executive Wei Wei, 30.
Retired engineer Wang Chunchan, 63, added: 'We are all very proud and there's reason to celebrate, but I don't think there's a need to overdo it. After all, we are not the first country to send a man into space...It would be odd if we had overemphasised the success of Shenzhou V.'
Top Chinese leaders like President Hu Jintao predictably used the event to drum up nationalistic sentiments with remarks like how the mission marked 'a historic step for the Chinese people'.
But Dr Yuan Yue, director of market and social research firm Horizon, reckoned that the new Chinese leaders are a practical lot who would not waste money and resources on a major celebration.
The pervasive sense of pragmatism in China these days means that ordinary folks are more concerned with their jobs while the Chinese leaders seem to have a sobering awareness of the magnitude of the nation's problems.
The official China Daily wrote yesterday: 'Nothing should blind us from the reality that dozens of millions of our fellow countrymen are still struggling to make ends meet below an already very low subsistence line.
'We have yet to get rid of such problems as mass lay-offs, a clumsy state sector and a fragile financial industry, as well as largely underdeveloped rural communities.
'No matter how far our spacecraft can reach, it cannot escape the heavy drag of poverty and regional imbalances.' -- Additional reportingby Wang Zheng
It's perfectly normal, they said, adding that they would not want it any other way.
And tellingly, it's a sentiment that seems to cut across different age groups and social backgrounds.
'We don't have to politicise everything, those days are over,' said marketing executive Wei Wei, 30.
Retired engineer Wang Chunchan, 63, added: 'We are all very proud and there's reason to celebrate, but I don't think there's a need to overdo it. After all, we are not the first country to send a man into space...It would be odd if we had overemphasised the success of Shenzhou V.'
Very responsible. Its fine to be happy, but overdoing it could easily turn into something negative, or seen as being negative.
Of course they do, there is nothing wrong with a country that cares about its citizens having good jobs. China, unlike the United States, wants it people fully employed, with manufacturing capabilities, and with high tech capabilies. They are not interested in depending on other countries for these things.
They might not want to, but they are...Its uncomfortable, but thats the way it is.
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