This thread hasn’t been infected by the ChiCom trolls (as yet) but I’m sure one of the numerous trolls here will “educate” us that the dead here are PLAN soldiers after all /sarc
Virginia Ridgerunner or I will send out a ChiCom troll alert if the usual culprits show up.
Such as puget sound soldier?
Wal-Mart's Marriage to China as Strong as Ever Posted by PugetSoundSoldier to steve86 On News/Activism 02/25/2008 12:58:47 PM PST · 31 of 77
So as long as you label the transactions "capitalist", any kind of trade activity that benefits a Communist enemy is A-OK? Been to China recently? Because it's about as communist as Germany, Italy, or the UK. The "Chicoms" lost - they've seen the results of communism (USSR), and are running full-speed AWAY from that. Rather than just declare "we're done now!" like Russia, and experience the massive failures that happened because of that, they're managing the transition.
China is a LOT more economically open than the US. It's 10X easier to do business there. You get ahead by working for it, and it's pretty simple to keep what you make. Don't want to work? Well, those that DO work don't have to support you - social net is tiny. Taxation is simple, direct, and rare; for example, property is taxed once, at sale. You don't have an annual property tax.
Speech? Free and open; you'll read opinion columns and letters criticizing the government. In fact, many of those same columns are posted here on FR! Being critical of the government does not gain you a bullet in the head - China's opening up.
Religion? I'm a regular attender of the Hengshan Community Church in Shanghai, when I'm in China. Openly evangelical, Biblically sound (I'm a Free Methodist here in the US - a very conservative branch of Methodism), and unflinchingly honest about God, man, and society. And considering the number of open and active Buddhist temples (and mosques, and other churches), religion has a STRONG position inside China.
Politics? The CCP is still the 800 pound gorilla, but other parties exist and are slowly gaining more and more seats and power. Including the Jiu San Party whose main plank is independence for Taiwan!
China's not the communist country you think it is; I see it much more along the lines of Poland, Chech Republic, and other emerging Western states. China's going about their change at a deliberate pace in what they believe is best for China. They know that communism will fail, and that capitalism and democracy are the only solutions. But they'll take their carefully picked path to get there. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies
ping back to bump the thread