Comments (23)

Mr Pomfret's wife runs a business called Wild China which is a tour company. It offers, as one example on their web site:

Research Expeditions
Example: Hosted a leading US museum on an intensive study tour of Chinese gardens. WildChina arranged for private access to exclusive private gardens, including Qian Long Gardens (Forbidden City) and Guo Gardens (West Lake, Hanzhou). Also organized interviews with leading garden expert Ye Fang and other preeminent scholars.

This association of the Pomfret family and this tourism business is a serious conflict of interest for a journalist.

Dear Franken20,

Yes, I am an American living in Asian for over 25 years. I don’t feel that I’m to be held responsible for the colonial acts of my ancestors any more than young Germans should be responsible for the acts of the Third Reich or the Dalai Lama can be held to account over the Feudal system of Tibet, which he inherited. The reference to Alaska is interesting, however. Check out the Native Claims Settlement Act as a model for possible actions of a government seeking to redress the wrongs done to an indigenous people. I spent 5 years there, working indirectly for the Native Corporations created to invest and manage the money on behalf of their Tribal groups. The problems they face are very similar to other nomadic or subsistence based people around the world. They seek to preserve their history, culture, language and beliefs. Despite the harsh conditions, many native Alaskans prefer life in the villages to life in the city; in fact it’s illegal to visit there without permission. It’s my own opinion that the government of China will never offer anything similar to the Tibetan people. I must express a bit of disappointment at the responses of this blog. You can accuse me of hypocrisy, but you fail to answer any of the specific issues I raise. In the discipline of rhetoric this logical fallacy is known as argumentum ad hominum: attacking the arguer rather than his argument. Would you mind commenting on the history or legal aspects of my comments rather than worrying about my national origin? Any comment from you, John?

Is Sima Qi an "American living in Asia" as he says? As an "American" he questions China's claim to tibet or any other part of China but if he is an American as he claims, he is an invader and an occupier of the lands that he and his parents have stolen. The same is true of Canada, Alaska, Australia, New zealand and most of the 5 continents. So what is his problem?

Dear Trilochana,

The definition of what constitutes a country is a legal issue as defined by international law. Other than that it's a game in semantics: for example my friends from Inner mongolia describe themselves as Mongols although they are Chinese citizens. I've heard 1st hand accounts about discrimination against them for the last 30 years, news of which has been suppressed by the Chinese press. So, was the Yuan Dynasty a Chinese Dynasty or a period in which "China" was conquered by non-chinese. It's a word game. The Qing Dynasty could be similarly described as an "occupation of "China". I believe that most Han Chinese of the time would have thought so. The origin of many of the Chinese Triads is rooted in the resistance to the "outsiders". In fact the map of China under the Manchus which China cites as evidence of their rights ot the Tibetian plateau also includes what is now North and South Korea. Does that mean that Koreans are an ethnic minority of China who simply have been held in ignorance of their true glory as part of the Chinese "motherland". As I said, it's a word game designed to cloak a modern colonialism. By the way, I did read the history and speak with Tibetians personally. Have you taken your own very good advice? Your comments don't seem to be founded in personal experience.

There is no Tibet to free, the Dali Lama, whatever he is, is NO Holy Man,He is a Political Despot, Just check History, or a Tibetan who reallly lives in Tibet,I'll gurantee they don't want their EX Slave Master back to rule their lives!

As an American living in Asia for over 25 years,In Taiwan, Singapore, malaysia and China, I have witnessed the duplicity of these governments and societies 1st hand. I'm bilingual, have a Taiwanese wife, and am an avid history buff. There are serious legal issues surrounding Chinas claim to all or part of Tibet, starting from the written documents surviving from the Tang Dynasty. Anyone who has not personally taken time to look at the documents in question from a legal point of view has right to voice an opinion. Would you expect a judge to rule on a contractual conflict without reading the documents? And yet both sides, (including yourself) spout a lot of simplistic hearsay about the historical basis for this claim, (the worst being the Chinese themselves, who don't seem to have realized that most of what their government tells them is political propaganda, just like the rest of the world.) In spite of the inherent interest of the legal issue, it's in reality just an excuse for colonialism, whether well intended or not. Frankly, I don't care for it whether it's the British, the Dutch or China, All the talk of making peoples lives better (again subject to much greater scrutiny than the Chinese government will allow) sounds suspiciously like every other colonizing power in the 19th and 29th century. What if this is partially about something that's potentially as important to China as Oil or Coal: Water. Anyway, everyone has an agenda, including the Chinese government you, me and the Dalai Lama, and they all stink.

Bill writes: Wednesday, April, 23, 2008 5:27 AM
Shortsighted Rabble

To the emotional rabble embarrassing a cause with their callous, ill-informed disruption of Olympic Torch events, evaluating China’s position on Tibet represents a stark moral contrast: “freedom” or “tyranny.” Social causes are never so simple.

Absent clarity, encouraging the central government to continue economic development of this impoverished area and to support integration of China’s minorities is more prudent. I’ve lived here for years. Business travel has taken me to 50+ cities in China. Without fail, leaders I meet are infused with energy, optimism and enthusiasm for the nation’s developmental trends. A sense of balance compels me to wonder:

- What was Tibet before the current government? I think Tibet was a theocracy. The religious establishment consumed an unconscionable proportion of GNP. Today’s zealots yearning for a return to those halcyon days should understand Tibet was never Shangri-la. For all their fervid mantras, the monks assured their yaks had more protections than the women, because yaks had greater economic value. Does our world need more theocracies? I think history sends a message: theocracies serve only the “elect,” non-believers are fair game. Does the world need more rulers governed by “faith” principles divined by religious leaders?
- The current Chinese regime has, arguably, raised the standard of living higher, faster, and for more people than any other in their history. Any responsible group desiring to destroy or impede the steady progress of a nation of 1.3 billion souls should probably have a proven alternative. Informed Chinese people I know convince me they understand their government’s acute fallibility, but favor development, not dismissal. Whatever else they are, the zealots aren’t too smart if they think they are driving a stake into the heart of China’s governors. Popular support for the national government grows exponentially with every new desecration of Olympic symbols.

Bill writes: Wednesday, April, 23, 2008 5:27 AM
Shortsighted Rabble

To the emotional rabble embarrassing a cause with their callous, ill-informed disruption of Olympic Torch events, evaluating China’s position on Tibet represents a stark moral contrast: “freedom” or “tyranny.” Social causes are never so simple.

Absent clarity, encouraging the central government to continue economic development of this impoverished area and to support integration of China’s minorities is more prudent. I’ve lived here for years. Business travel has taken me to 50+ cities in China. Without fail, leaders I meet are infused with energy, optimism and enthusiasm for the nation’s developmental trends. A sense of balance compels me to wonder:

- What was Tibet before the current government? I think Tibet was a theocracy. The religious establishment consumed an unconscionable proportion of GNP. Today’s zealots yearning for a return to those halcyon days should understand Tibet was never Shangri-la. For all their fervid mantras, the monks assured their yaks had more protections than the women, because yaks had greater economic value. Does our world need more theocracies? I think history sends a message: theocracies serve only the “elect,” non-believers are fair game. Does the world need more rulers governed by “faith” principles divined by religious leaders?
- The current Chinese regime has, arguably, raised the standard of living higher, faster, and for more people than any other in their history. Any responsible group desiring to destroy or impede the steady progress of a nation of 1.3 billion souls should probably have a proven alternative. Informed Chinese people I know convince me they understand their government’s acute fallibility, but favor development, not dismissal. Whatever else they are, the zealots aren’t too smart if they think they are driving a stake into the heart of China’s governors. Popular support for the national government grows exponentially with every new desecration of Olympic symbols.

Koo Yuen

On many occassions when I read articles written by westerners especially on developing countries, including China, I often sensed that these writers were biased and condescending in nature. Perhaps, they wrote the way they did just to satisfy their readers' expectation who were largely from the west. But, not in this case. John's illustration of zeitgeist or mood swing to bashing China is interesting to read. I do not sense any biasness. The issue: is there a mood swing? Or is it just the continuation of the covet agenda of the west to discredit and destabilize China who now seems to be able to pose more severe threat to supremacy of the west. Western politicians largely perceived China as enemy number one in terms of potential military threat. Thus, destabilizing China would help to minimize this threat, given that the break-up of former USSR has weakened Moscow. It was reported in the cyberspace that CIA through its National Endowment For Democracy fund as well as German state financed Friedrich Naumann Foundation have been planning and financing the anti-China Free Tibet protests as part of the ongoing agenda to humiliate and destabilize China. One may find it difficult to dismiss the possibility of this covet agenda to destabilize China, given that western powers, sometimes working in collusion, had deposed "unfriendly" governments such as those under President Salvador Allende of Chile, Prime Minister Mossadeq of Iran and more recently Saddam's regime.

Dear Mr. Pomfret,

I must comment that you have an unusal last name (a very tasty fish) and appreciate what you are trying to establish.

Nevertheless, I would like to contribute the following comments:
1. I am quite certain that you must be aware of this also since you departed China in 2004. Foreigners have long been addressed as “老外 (pally foreigners)” instead of “foreign deveils” as you have stated. It is similar to Afro-Americans are no longer called Negroes in USA. I think we ought to be impartial so as not to create any misunderstandings especially to those who have not had the opportunity to spend time in China as you had. We all live for the present and future, so let history be “history” that we can learned from instead of resort to for dramatic effect.
2. Everyone is well awared of The Crackdown at Tiananmen Square. The PRC government had demonstrated appallingly. However, the authorities were then ignorant of the resolves to handle the situation and they performed in the only way they knew how then. I do not condoned it and am most ashamed of the incidence, but again, that is history and PRC has suffered and learned to be wiser. Just like USA during the Anti-Vietnam demonstrations in 1969 & 1970, in spite of the fact that USA proclaimed a demoncratic country with all the individual human rights, one student at York University (if my memory is correct) was dead as a result of brutality by the authorities and deaths aslo occurred in Chicago during the crackdowns. I do not think Americans would like others to refer to such embarassing incidences either. Be fair to China and give her a chance. The western forms of liberty, freedom of speech, human rights etc. are relatively new and she is learning and will be getting there in spite of her flaws on her jouney there.
3. You had lived and travelled in China for 2 periods (1980 to 1981 and 1998 to 2004: beginning of economic reform of China and stage of mild economic achievement); I think it will be most enlightening if you will let your readers know your personal experience on the transformation of PRC during these periods. Have you notice that she (PRC) is moving away from “communism” to “socialism” ? Is such change occurring at an increasing pace?
4. China although a developing country at the present moment, will soon join the league of developed economic states and may some day be even a super economic power. However, I doubt that she will ever be aggressive militarily due to the Confuscious culture “各家自掃門前雪, 莫管他人瓦上霜” (put it bluntly, attend to your own business).
5. Finally, the recent Tibet and Daila lama incidence coupled with the Olympic torch relay had triggered off a great deal of animosity. It will be beneficial to the whole world for the Washington Post to commission research into the background history on Tibet-Daila lama-China; whether the series presented by CCTV of China protraiting the slavery under Daila lama rule is the cause of rift between Tibet and China (with her effort to liberate such slavery). Before 1956 when Daila exiled into India after the insurgence and its failure in Tibet, Tibet and China had coexisted peacefully with Tibet as part of China and Daila lama serving as “people representative” to the central Chinese governement for two sonsecutive sessions. This could be the initial steps to your Pulitzer.

Yours sincerely,
David F. Shiu

Hujia was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison. All the Western media are crying that China's governmen shows how bad it is when it came to human rights. As a Chinese, a history student, I see that China is making grreat progress from this case.

In early 70s, one guy just wrote a similar letter and sentenced to death -- shot immidiately and hundreds people attended to watch his execution. Late 70s, Wei Jingsheng, did something similar, was sentenced to prison for 20 years.

We cannot expect better from China than this. It has 1.3 billion people. Look at the African American's changing status in the US, American should rethink when they came to attack China's human records.

Hujia was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison. All the Western media are crying that China's governmen shows how bad it is when it came to human rights. As a Chinese, a history student, I see that China is making grreat progress from this case.

In early 70s, one guy just wrote a similar letter and sentenced to death -- shot immidiately and hundreds people attended to watch his execution. Late 70s, Wei Jingsheng, did something similar, was sentenced to prison for 20 years.

We cannot expect better from China than this. It has 1.3 billion people. Look at the African American's changing status in the US, American should rethink when they came to attack China's human records.

As a foreigner, you can know so much about China!I am so moved! Recently I just want to know something about the main evens in China, and your words just give lots of important information for me. Thank you!

I often post against corruption, puppet, malicious manipulate and other deeds and incident inside china. And lots of changes should have taken place in China. And “Rome isn’t built in a day”. And those changes can’t happen within a little time. All we know, whether it fast or slow, the conditions are getting better and better inside china.
Here even the slogan is only to criticize the government not people. But there is so more prejudice, so more anti-Chinese sentiment, so many malicious intentions to split Chinese unity. Welcome the Olympic not only the government but also people. And we know the Olympic game will benefit most of Chinese people.

I appreciate the following post, though a little prejudice..

It is quite absurd that whenever a subject about China was brought up it always focus on communism, human rights, etc. People fail to recognize that every country can take its own route to modernity. The Europeans took the route of colonialism and slave trade. The American took the route of slaughtering of the native Indians. China took a different route which is much more peaceful and non-destructive to other nations.
The current generation of European and American has conveniently forgot that as beneficiaries of their ancestor's crimes and human rights abuses, they also rightfully inherit the guilt of their ancestor's crimes until they fully repaid the damages to the people and nations still suffering from lasting effects of those crimes

It is quite absurd that whenever a subject about China was brought up it always focus on communism, human rights, etc. People fail to recognize that every country can take its own route to modernity. The Europeans took the route of colonialism and slave trade. The American took the route of slaughtering of the native Indians. China took a different route which is much more peaceful and non-destructive to other nations.

The current generation of European and American has conveniently forgot that as beneficiaries of their ancestor's crimes and human rights abuses, they also rightfully inherit the guilt of their ancestor's crimes until they fully repaid the damages to the people and nations still suffering from lasting effects of those crimes.

Before they clean them-self through good deeds they won't be qualified to play the role of human rights cops. Assuming that role before been guilty-free, makes them disingenuous.

Will there ever be a day without China in our lives? Living in California, I can't seem to get away from purchasing, using, something made in China! What happend to having stuff made in USA or Germany, or some other European country? The more we import from China, the more we support their nasty government. So trying to change China is a bit of a joke.

I hate those blogs that don't give full-text rss.

And the overseas Chinese in the Congo, Nigeria,
Peru, Chile, Singapore, Calcutta, Tahiti?
Mayor of Melbourne etc.

You are looking at the geopolitical view, but Chinese
faces are on banana minds soon enough when they
go abroad.

This will be interesting.
We will follow it often, but you may write daily,
but we poor mortals can only step in once a week
in our busy reading of other blogs and emphemera.

Yi lu, Ping An

The issue is really quite simple. There are some people in China who through simply believing that being a better person is the right thing to do (call it religion, call it personal cultivation, Christianity, Buddhism whatever)they are abused because their form of Communism demands loyalty only to the state.

Welcome to the blogosphere! I read your book and absolutely loved it so I am expecting great things from you on here.

Does this blog have a full-text RSS feed? (If it doesn't, I won't be reading it.)

The issue is really quite simple. There are some people in China who through simply believing that being a better person is the right thing to do (call it religion, call it personal cultivation, Christianity, Buddhism whatever)they are abused because their form of Communism demands loyalty only to the state.