Comedian John Oliver once described China as “the manufacturer of everything except for that [expletive] clay jar you got for Mother’s Day.” Though that might be an exaggeration, lives here in the US would be much different if China did not exist. China is now the largest economy in the world and United States’ biggest trade partner. However, many don’t know a lot about this country. Here’s a list of things that you may not know about China.
No, everything is not free in China
Politically, China is one of the last five remaining Communist countries in the world (the others are North Korea, Cuba, Laos and Vietnam). However, the Chinese economy runs more like the one here in the US: a huge portion of Chinese companies are privately owned and operated. Opening a small business is also extremely easy. While there is social insurance in China, in which the poor receive help from the government in the form of cheaper housing or monetary support, it is not uncommon to see homeless people in larger cities. China also has a universal health care system that covers a portion of everyone’s health care bills. Though it bears some resemblance to capitalism, China still considers itself a Communist country with a Socialist economy.
Communist?
On the other hand, the Chinese government operates dramatically different from the ones in the US. The Communist party is the only recognized political party in China and it controls all of the Chinese government. The National People’s Congress (NPC) has the power to oversee government’s operations and elect officials. They meet every Spring for 14-16 days. Being a unicameral parliament, it does not have a full checks and balances system like the one in the US. China does not have the equivalent of the 22nd Amendment, therefore the president can be re-elected for an unlimited amount of terms.
What about YouTube and Snapchat?
The Chinese internet is strictly monitored and censored. Contrary to many beliefs, most internet users in China are aware of this and some have opted to use VPN to bypass the firewall. Another fact that many in the US do not realize is that there are unblocked counterparts of many major websites. WeChat is a popular app made by a private company (Tencent). It has the main functions of WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and even Tinder. WeChat also has a mobile payment feature, WePay, that has become the most popular payment system in China. One can use WePay for essentially everything from supermarkets to vending machines and even that lost bet with your friend (similar to apps like Venmo). There are video sharing sites like TuDou as a replacement for YouTube and Twitch.
Here’s part of why we are good at math
Schools in China, like the ones in most Asian countries, are best described as brutal. Most students spend 3-4 hours on homework daily in middle school (year 7-8). High schools in China are mostly boarding. While most US high schoolers are complaining about sleep deprivation because school starts at 8:10 a.m., a day of a Chinese high schooler starts at 5:30 a.m. and does not end until 11:30 p.m. This completely eliminates time for any extracurricular activities. It is also important to note that there are six and a half school days per week, not five. This is mainly because the Chinese culture historically values education very highly. It is believed that most of the times a good grade is the only way for one to be successful.
