From: Brian D Williams (talon57@well.com)
Date: Thu Apr 19 2001 - 15:06:56 MDT
>From: "Bill Douglass" <douglassbill@hotmail.com>
>I've been to mainland China around eight times myself, and have
>had candid discussions with numerous individuals, on politics,
>economics and other subjects. Not once has anyone even hinted at
>a wish for foreigners to stop buying Chinese products as a way of
>pressuring their government to treat its people better. On the
>contrary, Chinese people I've spoken with are quite pleased with
>the progress their country has made over the past two decades,
>and they're well aware that the main spur for this progress has
>been their government's economic reforms, first implemented by
>Deng Xiaoping.
I am not buying Chinese products to express the outrage I feel at
the way Americans were treated.
>If enough Americans were to decide to stop buying Chinese goods,
>the effect would be the same as if a protectionist like Pat
>Buchanan were to become President, and equally tragic: it would
>cut off the flow of oxygen to China's economy.
I'd suggest they start taking deep breaths....
>However, in times of economic stagnation or crisis with the West
>(such as the aftermath of the embassy bombing in Belgrade, for
>example, not to mention the current problems in Hainan Province)
>the anti-progress Communist hardliners in government tend to gain
>ground, and criticism of the liberals becomes louder.
The government can lie to it's own people all it want's, the
message that people feel wronged will get through.
>It's always hard to predict the future, but as far as I can tell,
>the effects of a large-scale boycott of Chinese-made goods would
>have the primary effect of slowing or even reversing the liberal,
>pro-freedom trend in China (there would be other negative effects,
>but again, I'm keeping this relevant to the thread).
Or the people responsible for this incident will pay the price.
>I buy Chinese-made goods all the time and have absolutely no
>qualms about doing so.
Bill, that's your own choice. As for me, I'm reminded of Frank
Herbert's Bene Gesserit and the message they used to send to those
who had "annoyed" them.
You (China) will pay.
Brian
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