What is the Chinese Dream?
I read the article "China's Workers Are Fighting Back as Economic Dream Fades" from WSJ (http://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-workers-are-fighting-back-as-economic-dream-fades-1450145329). Combined with what I saw with my recent two trips to China, I thought I'd write something.
First of all, what is "The Chinese Dream"? From some googling, it says "The "Chinese dream," put forth by Chinese President Xi Jinping, is to build a moderately prosperous society and realize national rejuvenation". Vague. A little bit more digging. I saw this being played on TV while I was in the airport - "人民对美好生活的向往，就是我们的奋斗目标" ("People yearning for a better life, and that is our goal"). This actually talks to me and somehow I felt motivated by this.
My impression of China was very positive apart from its air quality. People are very motivated, fast moving and smart. They know where opportunities are (better yet they create their own pportunities) and they work RELENTLESSLY for it. That is the spirit!
In the WSJ article, it talked about this worker Li who worked at a electronic technology factory got laid off and the unrest of workers protesting will get worse in the next few years due to China slowdown. However, I think slowing down is inevitable. China has already condensed industrial revolution to 10 years and it is now paying the price on damaged environment. The dream is fading, and now it's high time to change industry composition of the economy. Labour is not cheap anymore and some manufacturing has already been relocated to other less developed Asian countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam. So what are these laid-off labours going to do? The government should have a training program to provide higher skill training. The era when most people will get a job as long as you have two hands and willing to work hard have passed. China needs to prepared its labour for better education to support the next era - the innovation era.
The article makes me reflect on myself. Those laid off workers they don't have choices. They come from the village and they have a family back home to support! For me, I really have no one to compromise for at this stage. It is such a luxury. Sometime I think about my risk tolerance, to what extend am I willing to try new things. When I think about it, there is really no compromise that I need to make at this stage of life. And THAT is a luxury. American Dream, Chinese Dream? Why not make your own dream.
First of all, what is "The Chinese Dream"? From some googling, it says "The "Chinese dream," put forth by Chinese President Xi Jinping, is to build a moderately prosperous society and realize national rejuvenation". Vague. A little bit more digging. I saw this being played on TV while I was in the airport - "人民对美好生活的向往，就是我们的奋斗目标" ("People yearning for a better life, and that is our goal"). This actually talks to me and somehow I felt motivated by this.
My impression of China was very positive apart from its air quality. People are very motivated, fast moving and smart. They know where opportunities are (better yet they create their own pportunities) and they work RELENTLESSLY for it. That is the spirit!
In the WSJ article, it talked about this worker Li who worked at a electronic technology factory got laid off and the unrest of workers protesting will get worse in the next few years due to China slowdown. However, I think slowing down is inevitable. China has already condensed industrial revolution to 10 years and it is now paying the price on damaged environment. The dream is fading, and now it's high time to change industry composition of the economy. Labour is not cheap anymore and some manufacturing has already been relocated to other less developed Asian countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam. So what are these laid-off labours going to do? The government should have a training program to provide higher skill training. The era when most people will get a job as long as you have two hands and willing to work hard have passed. China needs to prepared its labour for better education to support the next era - the innovation era.
The article makes me reflect on myself. Those laid off workers they don't have choices. They come from the village and they have a family back home to support! For me, I really have no one to compromise for at this stage. It is such a luxury. Sometime I think about my risk tolerance, to what extend am I willing to try new things. When I think about it, there is really no compromise that I need to make at this stage of life. And THAT is a luxury. American Dream, Chinese Dream? Why not make your own dream.
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