China-bashing sells in America. So, most, if not all, of American news stories about China are negative. Many are pure lies (The Real Reason Western Media Lies about China).
Misconception 1: China is a communist country
China is no longer a communist country, per se! Although it was indeed a purely communist country from 1949 to 1976, over the past few decades, China has peacefully transformed itself from communism to state capitalism.
China has a one-party political system. The ruling party is named the “Communist Party of China” (CPC). This inconvenient name has given the American MPC (Media-Political Complex) a good excuse to keep referring to China as “communist China.” But it is purposefully done to mislead Americans while demonizing China. The image below highlights the difference between American propaganda and reality.
Misconception 2: Xi is bad
The image below offers another example of American propaganda vs. reality.
Misconception 3: China is a threat to America
China is neither a threat nor an enemy to America.
Economically and ideologically, China is a competitor.
China has never been a threat to America militarily. For example, in 2023, China’s military budget was $224 billion (China to increase defense spending 7.2%), while America’s was $820 billion (How much does the US spend on the military?).
Read The U.S. Spends More on Its Military Than the Next 10 Countries Combined. Note: America is the only country that has been spending like that for decades. As a result, America has been a major source of instability around the world over the past few decades, from the Middle East to Ukraine.
Bottom line: How many military bases does China have overseas? One! How many does America have? About 750!
For more, read America’s evil MIC.
Misconception 4: China steals America’s jobs
Capitalism is, by definition, global, from the resources (e.g., oil and natural gas) to the markets. So, compete or get out of the way! Two facts:
- Over the past three decades, America has lost more jobs to automation than to outsourcing (Most US manufacturing jobs lost to technology, not trade).
- The primary reason behind America’s outsourcing is that America’s cost structure was, and still is, too high. The jobs that America “lost to China” would have gone to other places, such as India, had China not developed over the past few decades.
Misconception 5: China steals America’s Intellectual Property
Many countries have succeeded by first copying and then using their success for innovation. This applies to America 200 years ago (The Spies Who Launched America’s Industrial Revolution), as well as to China today.
Now, let me seek an “understanding” as follows: China invented many things (e.g., paper-making and gunpowder). What if the Chinese had set up a patent system 2,000 years ago that required that, for the next 5,000 years, every foreigner pay China 1% for every piece of paper and every bullet?
A personal perspective: Japan copied a lot from China for thousands of years, from the language to the culture. I knew that before moving to Japan in 1982. However, it was not until I started writing my first academic paper in English that I realized the depth of Japan’s “copy culture.” As I was struggling with English (and Japanese), my Japanese professor advised me to “借文,” which literally means “to copy text in the name of borrowing.” 借文 are two Chinese characters in Japanese, but they are not Chinese.
Bottom line: Copying is a means of advancing human civilization. People look up to successful people by “copying” them. Mimicking is the sincerest form of flattery.
Note: As China leaps forward in 5G, AI, and quantum computing, America may soon have to copy from China!
Misconception 6: China has issues with “human rights”
“Human rights” is a good idea, but the American version is a lie.
For more, read American “human rights” is a lie.
Misconception 7: China has no “free press”
“Free press” is a good idea, but the American version is a lie. Two informative readings:
Misconception 8: China is repressive at home
The Chinese government is truly for the people, while the American government is for the rich, as highlighted by the image below.
An informative reading: What if Karl Marx was correct, mostly?
Misconception 9: China has a serious demographic issue
This is true, but not as many Americans understand it.
China took incredible pains to slow down its population explosion with the one-child policy, hoping to gain prosperity while eliminating poverty. Now, China has eliminated poverty and achieved moderate prosperity and must deal with the consequences of the one-child policy.
China’s population will soon decline. Hopefully, China can meet the challenge, limiting it to one generation only. With effective governance, China surely will.
Misconception 10: China is rising but not coming back from anywhere!
China was the world’s #1 economy for the first 1,800 years of our 2-millennium-old calendar. Now, China is merely reclaiming its rightful place in history over the past 2,000 years, with the century of humiliation being just an aberration.
For more, read History 2.0 – China’s comeback vs. America’s decline.
