Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
interesting in that the Chinese despise the Japanese be-
cause of their atrocities in World War II. The Chinese
word for “devil” now means “a Japanese person.” The first
contract given to a vehicle manufacturer was not given to
the Japanese but rather to V olkswagen. Nevertheless,
Japan is a huge investor in China, making an array of
products such as automobiles and electric machinery .
Sony , T Toshiba, and Panasonic have opened plants that
manufacture electronics. China promotes the idea of
“Chinese-Japanese friendship” but it is well understood (at
least by the Chinese) that this denotes Chinese superiority .
Chinese text messages come in a variety of col-
ors: yellow , gray , black, and now , with official en-
dorsement, red. Y ellow refers to the smutty type,
and grey or black to spam messages, many of which
offer products or services of dubious legality . T of
steer public thinking, the government is encourag-
ing the sending of politically correct “red texts.”
China has the world' s largest number of Internet
users—220 million. However, there is no such thing
as free speech. For example, complaining about the
authorities on a blog can result in your being ar-
rested. China employs around 35,000 cyber police
to monitor the Internet and help with censorship.
Google admits that it censored itself in China where
its corporate motto was, “Don't be evil.” However, as
of March 2010, Google opted not to censor its mate-
rial. The Chinese government stepped in to prevent
the free flow of information under the rubric: “If you
leave the door open, flies will come in.” Officials do
not want the people to acquire any information that
might reflect negatively on them. For instance,
knowing about repression in Xinjiang or Tibet might
be detrimental to China's cohesion, let alone its im-
age. Google is in the process of moving its site to
Hong Kong, where there is more freedom.
As of 2010, in order to set up a personal Web
site, one has to apply in person with proof of identity
and a photograph to regulators. Applications are
then submitted to the Ministry of Industry and Infor-
mation T Technology for review . The Chinese govern-
ment claims that this is to stop pornography . Users
say it is to discourage anti-government commentary .
Cars, Cell Phones, and the Web
China now has the same number of cars per capita
that the United States did in 1915. But production
and sales are burgeoning. In fact, China surpassed
the United States as the world' s biggest auto market
in 2009. Sales are expected to top 10 million in 2010.
The government began encouraging private car
ownership in 1994. Now there are 11.5 million pri-
vately owned cars in China. China expects to have
more cars than the United States by 2025. Many peo-
ple who have cars didn't know how to drive three
years ago and they remain poor drivers. Deaths from
auto accidents are 4.5 times those in the United States.
The hottest car in China today is the Rolls Royce.
Both foreign and Chinese brands are sold in the
domestic market. Most global auto manufacturers
have plants in China. These include such compa-
nies as V olkswagen, Honda, General Motors, and
Ford. However, the Chinese are making their own
cheaper cars. There is a spate of companies with
such names as Chery , Great Wall Motors, Brilliance
China, and Polarsun.
Many Chinese have adopted American car cul-
ture. For example, there are car clubs, self-drive va-
cations, and drive-through restaurants. The down
side includes eye-stinging smog, traffic jams, and
high accident rates.
Cell phones have grown from 87 million in
2000 to some 450 million today . Local brands such
as Bird and Panda until recently have outsold
Nokia, Motorola, and other global brands. How-
ever, by making phones more interesting with
clever gadgetry and Chinese writing, foreign phone
desirability has increased. For example, gem-
studded phones are very popular among the elite.
Initially , foreign investment was concentrated in the
south but ultimately spread northward when the 14
cities were opened in 1984. A second spatial pattern
emerged with the infusion of investment in interior
cities, especially along the Yangzi and Huang He. Devel-
opments in Wuhan and Chongqing have given a new
name to the Yangzi valley: “China' s Soaring Dragon.”
Most of the foreign capital has come from Asian sources,
directed into places with Chinese family ties. Most West-
ern investment pours into large cities such as Shanghai,
Beijing, and Tianjin.
A quarter century of open-door policy has paved the
way for China to embrace globalization and become a
powerful trading economy . China is now the largest trad-
ing nation in the world, with total trade (the sum of
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