Bengt

My good friend Bengt came back from Sweden for a couple of weeks to lead a tour of Swedes around Beijing. We had a chance to have lunch and see some sites together while he was here and we had a great time. He also gave me a high quality football (soccer) jersey of the best team in Stockholm, Djurgarden!
We went through the backstreets of Beijing, partially for our own interest, partially to help him prepare for guiding his tour group. We ate at some small restaurants. Sometimes the small restaurants have better food and cheaper prices than the big expensive ones. Fortunately we got lucky and made some new discoveries and ate to our hearts content.
Just yesterday though, a new idea popped into my head. What do Americans and Chinese really know about each other? I was at a restaurant having lunch by myself, and I could overhear a loud conversation at the table nearby. My Chinese listening ability is not perfect by any means, but I could overhear the general idea of the conversation. Several men were talking about America and China and the extent of development in each country. Then it occured to me, when most people in China talk about America, they will talk about it in terms of development. Chinese will often say America is a developed country and China is a developing country.
I have to agree that on some levels, the US is more developed. For me the biggest example is the financial markets. In the US, financing and raising money to start a business, issuance of stocks and bonds, the diversity, breadth, volume, and credit of the financial products, the general quality of accounting standards and reporting (with some notable exceptions of course) are very reliable and rank the best in the world. But it did irritate me that people often view the US on a monetary basis, or how rich the rich people are. What is there for Chinese to admire about the US besides how much money Americans have? I think there is alot to admire about the US, but its not so obvious on the surface. Now I can understand how it might be offensive or irritating for Chinese, who see western companies and businessmen as simply looking at China as a giant market to sell goods, or useful to set up a factory and take advantage of cheap labor, and may care nothing at all for Chinese people and culture. I sometimes get the feeling that Chinese look to America as a great big pot of gold, and everyone's trying to get their hand in it as quickly as possible. The Chinese might get the feeling that Westerners are looking at China almost the same way.
So I will make a short list of the things I admire about China.

Things I admire about China

1. I admire the hard work and diligence of Chinese students. I have never seen people study so hard in all my life. I have see kids wake up at 6 o'clock in the morning to go outside and read English text aloud to improve their spoken English.
2. National Pride. I love my country, and I respect the Chinese for the pride they show in standing up for their country no matter the circumstances. As long as pride does not become arrogance I think its ok.
3. Family comes first. Chinese are famous for their family togetherness. Every year like clockwork, a billion Chinese go home for the Spring Festival. No matter the cost or inconvenience, being with your family at that time is a priority. People often live with their family until they get married. Putting your family's wishes ahead of your own are common. Children usually take care of their parents when they get old. Its not like we don't do that in the US, but Chinese really relish in that. I really respect the importance they place on their family.
4. Chinese Food. The Chinese can really cook. Its a big part of life and culture. The diversity and quality of Chinese food is really something to admire. In general, its pretty healthy too. Much better than throwing a meal in to a microwave.
5. Fitness for life. Its really something to see large groups of old people doing Tai-chi exercises in the park or ballroom dancing in empty parking lots. I am not sure why, but have I rarely have seen an obese Chinese person.
Those are my first five. I will add to the list later.