America Vs. China

as of now China is oly the world 3rd largest economy. It recently surpassed Germany but Americas economy is over 6 tiomes that of China's.I am 17 years old making $7.65 and hour in a small southern town. however my friend in China is 19 making about $1 ab hour in a much bigger city. I have heard for my whole life the USA is falling we are loossing everything etc. yet thats is not the case and yes for about 50 years everyone has been saying China will be number 1 soon so exactly when is this suppose to happen? I'm not saying America is perfect we have problemsbut so does China. Such as pollution poverty unemployment and i suspect soon they will have alot more boys than girl.

man2toe,

中国人说‘井底之蛙‘。美国是由五十独立的州组成的，中国也有四家，欧洲有二十七家，都一样。http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal).

哈哈。 我们再赢一次！

tangmoo,

好像把歐洲算在內是有一點不公平. 為什麼呢? 是因為歐洲包含了好幾個國家. 中國等於一個國家,美國也算只有一個.

I just deleted what I was going to say.. let's all talk about language again!

为什么我们说中国比美国什么东西，所有的人知道欧洲有最大的国内生产总值！哈哈 我们赢了！

rjlee818 Says: "China is perhaps going to be characterized as in the 'middle' , just like the zhong in it's name."

the middle vs. the middle-man

Is there perhaps a little bit of irony here?

Everything has a bell curve. It's if there are opportunities to break from that bell curve as a single individual. America has those opportunities! No for everyone, but for more people than you think.

Tangoo,

You live in London. Maybe you have heard of the Marshall Plan after WWII. This "US Brand" pretty much helped England and most of Europe rebuild. The US may not be the perfect brand, but your description that it's just marketing ignores the real strength of any brand...a consistent long-term product.

Nothing wrong with a little politics in Chinesepod. Most of the people studying Mandarin here are world citizens interested in China. And the future of China will have an unmeasurable effect in the next century on the world both politically and economically. China is perhaps going to be characterized as in the "middle", just like the zhong in it's name. China can be the key to solving many of the problems with the East and West in turns of Muslims and Christians. China may be the world's "middleman" in global politics in the coming years.

And this thing about the US brand. No brand can last if there is no real product. People are not that stupid. The worlds most successful brand build long term relationships between the brand and the customer. I believe the "US brand" is a long-term and outstanding brand.

Yes, Man2Toe, AZERDocMom, I am right with you.

Just like any family gathering or social get-together, politics and religion have the potential to induce, um, shall we say, highly vigorous discussions that ruin the spirit of the event. I, like man2toe, like the fact the CPod generally steers away from discussing these topics in depth. After all, this is a language podcast. Discussion of these loaded topics is appropriate in so far as their relation to attaining proficiency in Mandarin. There are plenty of political blogs out there for those interested.

wildyaks

When I had the chance to travel through western China, not once did I see a yak as smart as you:)

Let's differentiate this thread from all of Cpod. Cpod is not becoming political due to one thread's touching on world politics. Right? In general I enjoy how the Cpod community tends to veer away for the mess of politics.

As to the question I asked; it's a tough situation but I don't see it as being loaded like this America vs China idea. Radical Islam and it's ideology doesn't leave room for non-believers of Islam to peacefully live on this earth. Even moderate Muslims suffer from it's effects. I only asked the question to hear a few opinions on the thought.

Take today's news as an example, Russia got in bed with Iran. Is China to follow? IMO, if so, the original idea of this thread could frightfully be in the future:(

British-Cuisine? hey, isn't that another word for boiling your food to death? in contrast to American-cuisine which is another word for cheese plus a light seasoning of food to go with the cheese... What i find interesting is the Chinese prespective on foods such as eating a big juicy slab of steak... Yes, but, how can you eat this with chopsticks?

After years of receiving a drubbing, british cuisine has at last become awesome, helped by a guy called Alan Yao OBE and numerous (including chinese) tv chefs. So for authentic chinese food we do okay in London, given that it's mainly Malay / Indo / SG / HK Chinese who live here.

Secondly, I also find it incredibly interesting how various groups of middle-country folk seem to head off to different places, UK seems to be having an influx of NE and fujian chinesers which suits me fine as I love dongbei food. We also got a korea town recently which suits anyone who lived near the NK border or likes ChaoXianZu food(jilin/heilongjiang). We should really have more lessons about food.. i love food.. oh and drink too. ;-)

yes...does seem increasingly that way in Canada and the UK... at least from what i've seen in Vancouver and London... Haven't really noticed to the same extent in the States probably because of tighter immigration policies... seems like the Asian population is mostly Korean and Vietnamese in the DC metro area...there's a Chinatown here, but its been so commercialized that I wonder where the Chinese restaurants are located verses the array of chain restaurants like outback steak house, fridays, mcdonalds, or starbucks with signs in Chinese characters saying me too...me too...

Isn't it one already? haha

Interestingly, The wealthier China becomes, the more they want to live and goto school in the United States, Canada, UK, etc..

So does that mean, the US becomes like a resort filled with wealthy Chinese millionaires?

It's all about the social mobility (surprisingly very low in usa) and percieved spread of wealth among the masses (typical bell curve) dependent on the type of society you live in (socialist, etc).

So over and above countries hygeine thresholds ( do you have enough money to buy food to feed your family?) we have entered into the realm of the 'national brand'.

USA has a phenominal marketing engine (Hollywood, CNN, Fox) and this allows the country to push out it's image as a place where everyone can get rich quick, although statistically this makes little or no sense (bell curve distribution) and it simply gets people into the country to increase the amount of economic participation.. strengthening the economy and making the rich richer and social mobility less likely.

Most countries just haven't figured out 'national branding' and 'national brand values' yet.

etc etc.. blah blah ... snore snore..

Yep, Man2Toe, agree with the first part.

Then you ask another loaded question. Cpod is becoming political.... Do you really want to start this discussion? Has not China at times used the war against terrorism (racial Islam) as an excuse to suppress voices and movements in Xinjiang?

I dislike the China VS America idea. Why not China with the world, or China with America? Why not try this. We don't need another Cold War, nonsense like the Soviet Union and America. China and America have peacefully coexisted for over 200 yrs, why can't that continue? America even helped China in WWII.

Then I ask, will China stand up against racial Islam?

I also don't want to see the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.

I pray a HUGE middle-class in China. If that doesn't happen, there may be civil war and a new revolution. It looks like China is on the right path, but more help needs to be given to the Western rural areas. Most of us only see the economic vitality of the Eastern and Southern cities. More than 1/3 of the population is living without much. I think a large Chinese middle class is the only way to help these people. A large middle class is the only way to create jobs that can help these people.

Sorry for going on and on about this. Perhaps this touch a nerve in me. I'll keep quiet for awhile.

One more thing. Why Malibu and why BMW?

Perhaps the guy in the crack house can get a nice room in a shelter, and the guy riding a bike can get a small motorcycle. It's happening everywhere you look in China. People are moving up. Not everybody, but many many and many.

And I don't blame the poor for being poor, I blame the one's that are poor who don't take the opportunities before them. Help those with no opportunity, but don't blame the rich for every poor person that doesn't take an opportunity before them.

I'm glad I immigrated to America in the late 60's. My parents did laborer jobs, but in one generation all the kids in my family were able to do very well, reaching the upper middle class with the opportunities that America gave us.

I was given thousands of dollars during college for free as a grant by the US government, so I could go to college. The money was given to me by the great people of America. Thanks!

I'm tired of the US bashing in the world. America is really a great land of opportunity like not other place in the world.

Sure, there are problems, but I truly believe, even with all the mistakes that the US has done in foreign policy, that a world without America today, would not be as nice and stable (comparatively) as it is today.

German and Japanese may be the Ipod language of choice right now. Perhaps those government would have changed in the last 50 years after a German and Japanese victory in WWII, but I would not bet on it.

That's what I wish for China, also a great land of opportunity for as many people as possible.

Like it or night, there's is definitely unfairness in the world. And as individuals we need to help those that need it if we can. The world is not equal!

But having said that, I believe an open society, with a fair playing field, is still the best way to bring forward benefits for the most people.

Again, life is not fair...but let's not "throw out the baby with the bath water", an economically open society, with laws to help with a fair playing field, is the best way forward for the most people.

Sure theirs poor people. But China's middle class is the future of China. The larger the middle class, the more stable is the way forward for China. The larger the middle class, the more able China will be for China's middle class to help rural China.

Confucius thinking is everyone can become a sage.... is that at all similar? It is nice to at least think everyone has an equal opportunity to move up in life, if it not always the case with people stepping on each other to get up to the top, where no one is happy anyway. We do, as Wildyak said, have our social responsibility, and part of that is helping others get where we are today, so I feel.

To second wildyaks here:

I would certainly agree that the "everybody can become rich" is part of the US brand. But I doubt that the comparison "than any other country in the world" still holds true. Today you have that in most developed countries with a market based economy.

You even see Chinese who climb or fall fast and radically. That makes for a good part of the dynamic in China's current boom.

"I am heartened to know that in an economically open society, the guy in the crack house has a chance to one day live in the Malibu Estate, and the guy riding around on his bike picking up trash has a chance to become the guy with the BMW. This is what America has offered to more people than any other country in the world. That's why so many immigrants want to go to America."

rjlee818, I am thoroughly disheartened by the fact that only a very few lucky ones get the Malibu estate or the BMW (if that's what they aspire for) - even if they work very, very hard. And even more so by the fact that the rich stand by and think the poor are poor because of their own doing... Since in an open economy everybody has equal chances... If only it were like this...

40 years??? LOL. Its going to be a hell of alot faster than that... Might as well get on board or get out of the way

http://bigcharts.marketwatch.com/markets/screener.asp?exchange=13&screen=3&x=36&y=25

We will never know... Just many, many more people would have died, that's for sure...

No, we'd be speaking German. =)

I meant, "Without" America as a superpower in WWII, we could be trying to learn Japanese right now.

"I am as disheartened by seeing a crack house in the U.S. in contrast to the 29 million dollar Malibu estate, as I am by the Xinjiang guy riding around on his bike picking up trash versus the Shanghai guy in this year's BMW."

I am heartened to know that in an economically open society, the guy in the crack house has a chance to one day live in the Malibu Estate, and the guy riding around on his bike picking up trash has a chance to become the guy with the BMW. This is what America has offered to more people than any other country in the world. That's why so many immigrants want to go to America.

Forced redistribution of wealth does not create equality, but extinguish opportunity and encourage stagnation. I'm for a fair playing field, not equality through redistribution of wealth.

After all, "To be rich is glorious." As long as you bring as many people along as possible. For every billionaire, there are hundreds of thousands of people who benefit by having great jobs and a good future. Just look at Microsoft's Bill Gates. Great billionaires help many people!

With America as a superpower in WWII, we could be trying to learn Japanese right now.

They have been saying that China is the next superpower for 20 years or more. By question is: WHEN? Is Kyle right? I suspect so.

"A man's (or woman's) greatness is measured by his (or her) contribution to society."

Someone famous said that. Forgot where I read it though...

Yes, Lantian, totally the wrong question. Wish we could do without a super power...

How about instead of answering such loaded questions, or discussing the inequalities in this world, we take seriously our social responsibility?

Oi oi, Lantian.

FAIR PLAY - I think it's the wrong question. Will the world be a more equal place in the next 40 years? Will the inequalities in life be less and the opportunities to thrive greater. Whoever gets us closer to that, is who I will support.

I am as disheartened by seeing a crack house in the U.S. in contrast to the 29 million dollar Malibu estate, as I am by the Xinjiang guy riding around on his bike picking up trash versus the Shanghai guy in this year's BMW.

The U.S. has the most military power, but it cannot stop a 14 year old kid from placing a bomb on the street.

It's the wrong question.

China won't catch up to America economically for AT LEAST another 40 years.

Hades ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hades

Lets hope and/or pray that the two get along and are responsible to themselves and others.

Other than that, I am going to shy way from this loaded question.

PEACE

Liechtenstein?

China's power is growing and quickly overpassing America and its economy. Soon America will be considered 2nd best and China 1st. This may already be the case. Learn Mandarin now if you want to be part of the best...