chinese PR

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I am in awe of the Chinese government right now. Only a few weeks ago, everyone was up in arms about China and Tibet. It was the hot topic. There were talks of beaten monks, boycotting the Olympics, and generally the deplorable way in which the Chinese government handled the situation.

Then there was the Burma cyclone** and the ensuing uproar about the military junta who won't let aid in to help its victims. Not only are they insecure enough to not let foreign aid and the UN help them, the Burmese government hasn't mobilized to help its own.

Then, yet another natural disaster! A 7.9 earthquake rocked China. Immediately, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao mobilized and flew in to lead rescue efforts. Millions of soldiers have been disbatched to the area to help victims of the quake. The whole of China has gotten involved.

And the reason we know all of this, is because the Chinese government has, for the first time, let foreign journalists cover a "negative" aspect in China. And, even more amazingly, the Chinese govt has told its OWN citizens about this disaster. This is a totally new approach. Normally the govt tries to cover up and hide the evidence of weakness, both political and natural weakness.

But by opening up, being honest with its citizens and the world, and allowing foreign and domestic media coverage of the quake, the government is learning how the world works, and how the media can be used to their ADVANTAGE.

Because right now, China is unified. Their nationalism knows no bounds. They are presenting a strong, dignified, front to the outside world, and to themselves. Tibet is all but forgotten. Compared to Burma , China looks like a saint. A hard working, concerned, patriotic saint.

But I have to admit, politically, this quake couldn't have had better timing.

This in no way diminishes the real disaster that the quake continues to cause, or the pain and anguish of parents who lost their "one child" amid school rubble. The pain is real. The nationalism is real. I really am in awe of the way the government and the Chinese citizens are mobilizing with their disaster relief efforts.

By the same token, I am astounded by the world's change of heart regarding the Chinese communist government.

Okay, enough. I'm talking in cirlces....


**FYI: The Burma cyclone is the same thing as a hurricaine. "Depending on their location and strength, tropical cyclones are referred to by other names, such as hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm, cyclonic storm, tropical depression and simply cyclone." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_cyclone

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