Can China Avoid the Soviet Union's Fate? | Asian American Issues

CAN CHINA AVOID THE SOVIET UNION'S FATE?

he People's Republic of China likes to compare itself with the United States. Both governments were forged to throw off the imperial yoke. Both are amalgams of many races and nationalities. Both are great continental powers capable of harnessing immense resources to promote national agendas around the world.
     Beijing's bosses cite these parallels to justify China's ambition of returning Taiwan to the fold -- forcibly if necessary -- and violently suppressing movements for Tibetan independence, Moslem separatism and religious tolerance. The party line: "In a few decades we will be as prosperous, unified and democratic as you Americans."
     Unfortunately, some observers see closer parallels to the former Soviet Union.
     Founded in 1910 to free Russian peasants from oppressive landowners and a weak imperial government, the Soviet government quickly and ruthlessly expanded into a superpower that rivaled the United States in military might and reach. On top of nearly 300 million citizens of several dozen captive nationalities, the Soviet Union became the puppetmasters of virtually every Eastern European government. By 1989 it was buckling under the burden of superpower competition. In 1991 the communists lost power to the reformist Yeltsin. The Soviet Union broke apart into Russia and a dozen independent republics. Today Russia is a nation of 150 million struggling to build a capitalist economy from the rubble of the communist meltdown.
     Among the Soviets' earliest converts were Mao Tsetung, Zhou Enlai and other young Chinese intellectuals who saw in communism salvation for the Chinese people from western imperialism and internal corruption. Mao's long struggle against Chiang Kaishek and the Kuomingtang would have ended disasterously without the support of dozens of ethnic minorities in northwestern China who believed his promise of ultimate political autonomy. Their help proved more valuable to Mao than the billions in American aid and direct military assistance to Chiang. By 1949 the Kuomingtang had fled to Taiwan and the PRC ruled the mainland.
     Beijing's bosses have been as ruthless as the Soviets in consolidating territory and suppressing separatist movements. But they have been far more successful in creating a functioning economy. They began capitalist reforms in 1979. By 2001 China's economy had become free enough to enter the World Trade Organization. For the past two decades it has grown at an average annual rate of 9%. Few of China's 1.25 billion go hungry and about 125 million enjoy living standards comparable to Malaysia and the Philippines. By some measure China has just surpassed Japan in GDP and will surpass the U.S. by 2025.
     But China's future as a united nation is far from assured.
     Even assuming peaceful reunification with Taiwan and victory over Tibetan separatists, Beijing's leaders face some big hurdles. They must integrate a billion subsistence-level farmers and workers into the consumer economy of the east coast or face ethnic discontent on a scale that would dwarf America's racial strife of the 1960s. Yet burdening the developed regions could breed separatist sentiment in Guangdong, Fujien, Manchuria and other regions. Over 100 languages and dialects are spoken in China. Long-suppressed religious minorities are becoming better organized thanks to the internet and other communications technology.
     Are China's prospects for staying united more like those of the U.S. or of the former Soviet Union?

(Updated )

to shrewd fujinese

how are tang chinese losers or cowards or lack ambition if they came to america first back in 1850's. Your type were still in the rice fields in china. Why do you hate cantonese people you white washed punk.
chinese american
Tuesday, December 04, 2001 at 15:35:43 (PST)

To Shrewd Fujianese

Are you inbred with manchu blood you dork chop. Go back to your own country if you are so filthy rich. All chinese of all types are all chinese except Shrewd Fujinese. When was the last time you been to Hong Kong that place looks better than mainland china you punk.
keep it real
Tuesday, December 04, 2001 at 15:22:24 (PST)

from cantonese old school

IF it was'nt for the old school catonese there wound'nt be chinese people living in america. We had the balls first to get out of china not like your self who is to much a cock to know chinese american history. Remember the past you new school FOB.

from 16 x7 SSR schumacher

I hate it when chinese people talk shit about chinese people like shrewd fujianese. The cantonese chinese and japanese did alot for this country because we came here first. You are living off us. We opened all the doors for all asians but you seem to think you know all the shit. Remember that railroad we help build. Of course you don't because your family was still in china kissing his royal ass. One more thing not all mandarin people are rich you think you are but no. I got a mandarin family that lives across the street and he drives a piece of shit 1990 toyota camry with a missing rear bumper and three missing hubcaps.

Great! Oh, so I guess we Asian and Chinese people as a whole need to owe much to the White people and the Jews for building up this country, because many of us wouldn't be here in the 1st place if it wasn't for the caucasians. Listen!!! New immigrants displaced the older ones! That's the beauty of America, without them, this country would be stagnant as a dead ditch. Just imagine this country with no one except your rednecks and Toisan Chinese. Wouldn't America be a sh*tty place? Think about it.

Shrewd Fujianese
Tuesday, December 04, 2001 at 10:39:12 (PST)

How does Teo-Chew stand in relation to Cantonese and Fujianese with respect to language and as peoples (if that makes sense)?

Curious Chinese
Tuesday, December 04, 2001 at 07:38:10 (PST)

Tyler Wadsworth, mind your own business. You have no clue about China. 99% of Cantonese are very proud to be Chinese. So, go focus on your own problems.

General Zuo, Tibet is also critical to China and has been part of China since the Yuan Dynasty. It already has many Han Chinese living there, and will forever be a part of China. So, please, shut your mouth.
Realist
Monday, December 03, 2001 at 20:52:54 (PST)

to shrewd fujianese

IF it was'nt for the old school catonese there wound'nt be chinese people living in america. We had the balls first to get out of china not like your self who is to much a cock to know chinese american history. Remember the past you new school FOB.
cantonese old school
Monday, December 03, 2001 at 14:41:37 (PST)

Guangdong is one of the most overtaxed provinces in China due to its wealth. If it is separated from the rest of China, I think it can do well quick and reach parity.
Hong Kong native
Monday, December 03, 2001 at 11:54:08 (PST)

Although I don't like to see China breakup, I must say that the chauvinism of the Mandarin speakers should be cautioned. I graduated from a university in China and I am a Guangdong (Cantonese) native speaker. My Mandarin is not smooth. My best buddy in uni. was a member of Xinjiang Uigur minority. What united us was that we were often made fun of by those fat headed, bad hair cut, glasses wearing, small eyed northerners. Guangdong and Xinjiang people just need some respect from other Chinese, not separatism.
Jie
Monday, December 03, 2001 at 11:45:45 (PST)

Tyler Wadsworth,

You are watching too many HK movies.

'Fan Ching Fu Ming' - revolutionary statements only exist in the movies now a days.

Hell the people who speak Cantonese don't even have a nice 4 word chinese adage for revolution against the communist yet.
AC dropout
Monday, December 03, 2001 at 07:54:38 (PST)

Let the Cantonese and adjacent Guangxi province break away and form their own republic of "Tang guo" (Country of the Tang Dynasty) since many of its people even in the streets of Chinatowns in the USA and abroad refer to themselves as "Tang yun" (People of the Tang Dynasty).

they may refer themselves as tang yun but theyre all chinese and china is made of many dialect speakers.They consider themselves Han coz Han covers all chinese, minus the Muslim and ethnic minorities (including tang people.) Its absolutely silly for suggesting a breakaway republic of "tang guo', just like suggesting arab americans to fight and form a breakway Muslim republic in America or Hispanics and blacks should get a piece of america since they dont consider themselves or relate themselves to white americans!!

Human30
Sunday, December 02, 2001 at 21:21:57 (PST)

Tyler,

Tang Chinese are losers and cowards, they lack the ambition and courage to do the big things. Bottom line is that Cantonese and the other Southern Chinese of the Guangdong province are too damn conservative. They only care about themselves and their families, so don't even talk about establishing a STUPID REPUBLIC. You want a republic for the "Tang Yun", the British already gave you one, and that's HONG KONG.

In the USA, most of the wealthy and filthy rich Chinese happen to be Mandarin speaking Northerners and Taiwanese, not your goofy "Tang Yun".

Currently, the Fujianese immigrants in the Americas are beginning to be the cutthroat and innovative merchants, displacing the Cantonese in the New World. Cantonese are now regarded as the "old school Chinese". They're becoming obsolete and being replaced!

Shrewd Fujianese
Sunday, December 02, 2001 at 18:34:55 (PST)

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