When South Korean President Lee Myung- bak visited the Shanghai World Expo during the opening ceremony, a reported asked him what he saw.
He nonchalantly replied: “The Chinese people are lining up.” That day was 30 degrees Celsius, and the people were enduring the 3-to-4-hour wait just to enter the China Pavilion.
President Lee said he was “a little shocked”, because he had a different impression of the Chinese people. He has seen the Chinese who do not like to line up and with no sense of order at all. Observing the shopping malls, cinemas, and basically the chaos in the streets, he said, “China still has a long way to go.” But the World Expo shattered his notions.
Being able to line up in an orderly fashion is like the yardstick of how a country’s people follow its rules and regulations. At this point, the Chinese people lining up really emphasizes the influence of the World Expo. China’s hard power is known all over the world. Also, China has the world’s largest foreign reserves. Their military capacity is even bordering on the excessive. However there are sides that believe China is still a weakling with regards to the spiritual and cultural aspects. And especially in the area of orderliness–China is really one big failure.
The Chinese government plans to correct this imbalance through the World Expo.
The China Pavilion showcases exhibits of each ethnic group so that other cultures can easily compare it with theirs. It is hoped that when the Chinese visitors enter the pavilion, there is a sense of awe and nationalism; and at the same time they would develop the consciousness to be orderly. If one puts it that way, the Expo can be seen like a training ground for China’s soft power.
Well, that’s one big and expensive training ground.
Given the white elephants that grace Beijing… I am not holding my breath about Shanghai. As for the question of “power”… one only has to look at the white elephants in Athens to see that the only power that matters is power that comes from a balanced check book.
Regarding the white elephants, it’s too early to say. As of now, I want to just wait and see. But I’m sure Shanghai has learned its lesson from Beijing now. Hmmm…interesting to go back to this topic once the Expo is over.
Unless Shanghai managed to bulldoze a criminal section away, improved the overall infrastructure to the city, and/or has a solid plan of replacement once the event is over – I will still call “White Elephant” on this Expo. Seriously, after the Asian Games in Guangzhou this year – I really do not see the provincal or federal government spending on events like this anyone. The economic agony that has been befallen Europe from the money pits of Athens, Madrid, and London make for the powers to be in Beijing realize that temporary “national pride” is nothing in the face of long term national fury.
I read an article that says something along that line. Like why does China need to look/sound good anyway? What’s your take on that?
My take? This is going to sound nasty, but… Overall, the powers to be in Beijing are acting like a bunch of wannabes on the world stage – both in attempts to “gain” hard and soft power.
http://www.answers.com/topic/wannabee
Trouble is, most of the attempts are coming off as nothing more than shangzhai, and not helping the powers to be to be identified more than just “distant Emperors” to the citizens within P.R. China.
That is a pretty strong reaction to it. Wannabees, huh. Like they’re trying too hard? So what do you suggest they do? (Though of course we can’t really do anything about it except comment and criticize for the sake of discussion.) I think you have something going on there–a different perspective that I’m not seeing.
Abou them being wannabees in the hard power, I think it just comes off naturally though.
Baoru – we have both have experienced the good graces of the P.R. Chinese goverment, which I believe we want to continue to be in. So bear with me when I talk in ‘colour metaphors’ and strong, but not ‘disharmous’ language.
However… when it comes to the international stage, and it’s harsh spotlights and an audience that will not hestitate to throw rotten tomatoes – regardless of what ‘local reviews’ given.
“Colour metaphors” are not a problem with me, Matthew. Feel free to express your opinions whatsoever.
If you remember the Marcos years – then you understand when I say, “the walls have ears”.
Yes, of course. I understand that. Though just a small tip, I’m not really that old. ;-).
Age is irrelevant when discussing history – I do believe you have meet many of your countrymen/women that are ‘blissifully’ unaware of the history around them, yes?
Well, yeah. You have a point there.
Fascinating post. I love how the line, “The Chinese are lining up.” means so much yet means so little. But I agree with the last line, ONE big training ground!
Hi Magnus,
Thanks for your comment! The line sounds kind of sarcastic (in a way), don’t you think so?
“The Chinese government plans to correct this imbalance through the World Expo.”
Man oh man, that is *one* tall order! You didn’t actually mean to pen it that way, did you Baoru? Come on, girlfriend, tell me you didn’t!
But I do like the line about how queuing up is actually one of the best qualitative barometers for how to gauge the progress of domestic society.
Still I find it humorous how the other 55 ethnic groups in China receive as lavish a section in the China Pavilion as, say, the Han themselves. If that alone isn’t spin-doctoring and posterior-kissing writ large, I don’t know what is…pucker up!
I’m content to wait until the beginning of October to catch all the Expo action — wait until all the kinks are worked out…then…well, then maybe things will have settled down by then. You?
I’d love to write a North Korea piece as a guest post here…not sayin’ anything, though…but it would be nice. Elliott?
Adam – she means well, along with C. Custer, Ken Kai, Adam Minter, Fauna, Elloit Ng, Roland Soong, and a legion of others that cover P.R. Chinese people and events. For those in and out of P.R. China there seems to be a sense of something happening. Whether it is to be like the quote from the book/movie 2010 by Arthur C. Clarke – or more like the book/movie Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury – remains to be seen by all, but visioned by a few.
Sorry if my examples come from the Science Fiction realm – but I find that for the sake public discussion – they serve well.
Thanks, Matthew!
Interesting you said “there seems to be a sense of something happening”. So what do you think of the World Expo in the part of the world where you’re at? What’s the treatment to it? Like, “Oh hey, they said there’s a World Expo in China right now; but I don’t really think much about it?”
Haha. No, I think that’s a perfect analogy. Something remains to be seen by all but visioned by a few. I like it. It sounds…”elite”. What’s a better word? Haha. Cheers!
More in the general sense that is all of P.R. China – the event in Shanghai is merely a part of a larger whole. No, what I refer to something harder to exactly define, but yet can be felt like a gentle, cold, ripple on the skin, or the length of the spine.
Hmmm…I’m trying to understand what you mean by that hard-to-define part. I lost you on the “length of the spine”. Anyway…
Sorry – that should have read – “Cold Chill Running Down from the nape of the neck to the bottom of the spine.”
Ahhh…that I get now. Thanks for clarifying, Matthew!
It may be a tall order, but I think there’s nothing wrong in trying to. (Though I do have “weird” English”. So ok, maybe that’s a factor too!)
The focus is not just the ethnic groups–the approach is more of per-province. Puckering up? Ah, well, there are some signs in there that are pretty much noticeable in how they word it (if you know what I mean). Tibet, I think. It’s pretty neat, actually. Considering how they’re very strict with the content in the Expo. Even with just the physical entering and removing of stuff.
Me? Well, I was able to get an overall feel of the Expo. I will definitely go back again. I was thinking before–maybe the hype would have died down by the later months. Or maybe since people are talking about it now, the people who decided to “boycott” might just decide to show up. [And there are a lot of them!]
Guest posting for us–I think that’s really cool! Let me get back to you. :-)
Hm… less puckering up, and more like ‘window dressing’ – with only a mid 70′s Coke and smile commerical to complete the display.
You could put it that way. Are you planning to check out the Expo?
Nope – at best this year, my family goes to see the grandparents in GuangDong – and that’s about it. I can drive my family down to Florida to the Epcot Center and pretty much see the same thing (in terms of the bigger pavilions).
And I have a funny feeling that… outside of the expat community – that P.R. China is not going to see a whole lot of foreign tourism generated from the Expo.
Oh! That’s great about your family seeing the grandparents in Guangdong. :-)
And funny you should mention your last point. Someone was just telling me that if you’re a well-travelled person you won’t really be amazed with the Expo.
Not so much well travelled, and more of not having a deep well of cash to shell out to visit – given the current economy.
True, true. That’s a factor too.