|
This Sunday Heidi Chang |
Old world embraces
the new in a journey
to land of ancestorsI didn't know what to expect on my first trip to China and Hong Kong. What I discovered opened my mind to some amazing changes. Traveling with a group of journalists, we met with government and business leaders to gain a better understanding of China's rule under "one country, two systems." Mainland China is socialist, with a market economy; Hong Kong, which is promised a high degree of autonomy and freedom, is capitalist.
Beijing is a vibrant city -- the center of culture and politics. Waves of people pour in on bicycles and in cars, creating huge traffic jams. The city is undergoing a transformation, determined to clean up pollution in time for the 2008 Olympics and be a showcase for the world. Construction cranes loom everywhere. But with the push for modernization, some residents lament parts of old Beijing are disappearing -- such as the hutongs or alleys and traditional courtyard houses that lend a special grace and charm.
There's a feeling of relief that SARS has not recurred. In spite of the epidemic, officials say China's economy grew more than 8 percent during the first half of 2003, and remains the world's fastest growing economy. With 1.3 billion people, it's the most populous nation on Earth. That's a lot of cheap labor, but also many mouths to feed -- and many poor. "We have to take care of the peasants in the rural areas," says Li Ruogu, deputy chairman of the People's Bank of China.
We visited three booming cities that have benefited from China's economic reforms during the past 25 years. Shenzhen, Dongguan and Guangzhou are part of what has become known as "the world's factory" in the Pearl River Delta Region of Guangdong province.
The mayor of Dongguan, Li Guikang, whose parent's were rice farmers, recalled some of the changes he's witnessed. "During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), I didn't have many opportunities to get an education." But he persevered and returned to his birthplace to plant rice. Eventually, he earned a post-graduate degree. Hi-tech communities are now sprouting up in the countryside, dotted with banana and lychee trees.
In Guangzhou (Canton), we watched new Honda Accords roll off assembly lines. In a joint venture with the Japanese auto maker, China is manufacturing Hondas for its domestic market.
When it comes to learning English, the Chinese are also on a roll. While folks in the United States may not be rushing out to learn Mandarin, that is starting to change. "Over the past five years, I've seen more people studying Mandarin and pursuing a China-focused MBA," says Yen Chun, who manages the China Business Program at the Japan-America Institute of Management Science in Honolulu. "They realize their future lies in China," she explains.
Politically, a yearning for democracy still resonates among many in Hong Kong, after more than half a million people turned out last July to protest a restrictive security bill. Many also rallied to express their frustration over Hong Kong's struggling economy and governance. At a meeting with Hong Kong's leader, Tung Chee Hwa, he reflected on the soul-searching he went through that prompted him to shelve the security bill -- for now.
On National Day (Oct. 1), thousands turned out to mark the 54th founding of the People's Republic of China. I caught some jazz at The Peninsula Hotel and a dazzling fireworks display over Victoria Harbour. I felt grateful for the new friends I had met. I also wondered what path China would take in the future.
It's been several generations since my ancestors sailed from China to Hawaii. I never thought I'd come close to my ancestral village, but I did. Some local residents even smiled and said, "Welcome home." Along the journey, I retraced the footsteps of my grandfather, Chang Chau, a sworn brother and aide to Dr. Sun Yat-sen, who founded the Republic of China in 1911. They met in Hawaii, where Dr. Sun first conceived his ideas of liberty and democracy.
While I hope this journey will help me begin to better understand future relations with China, it's already turned out to be a precious bridge to understanding the past.
Heidi Chang is a 2003 Hong Kong Journalism Fellow. The fellowship is co-sponsored by the East-West Center and The Better Hong Kong Foundation.
