Opinion

From the Chinese press

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-01-21 08:10

Ads tell China's true story

The telecast of a new series of advertisements showcasing China has started on TV channels in the United States such as CNN. The ads show China's confidence and openness in communicating with the rest of the world, says an article on people.com.cn. Excerpts:

Some countries have for long had deep misgivings about China. But now China is using advertisements, the most common means of communication in modern society, to reach out to the rest of the world.

This is a positive step toward improving communication between China and the international community.

The new advertisements on China show the changes that have taken place (and are taking place) in the country.

Though there are some risks in such a method of communication, the advertisements will let the rest of the world see that China today is more concerned with individual values, because they will present a more comprehensive and objective picture of the country.

The appearance of people, celebrities as well as ordinary citizens, in the audio-visual ads can be seen, to some extent, as a human promise of spreading socialist democracy from China to the world.

The advertisements are meant to present the true image of China. Through such strategic efforts, the country can create a friendly international environment for made-in-China products as well as Chinese enterprises.

The audio-visual advertisements will help the rest of the world see the true picture of China and understand it better.

Novelist plays wrong card

The new book of Amy Chua, a professor at Yale University in the US, has drawn the attention of American society. It has sparked a heated debate, too, on whether Chinese- or Western-style education is better, says an article in Shanghai Morning Post. Excerpts:

The reason for Amy Chua's rise to fame is not the seemingly almighty Chinese-style education system but the "deep-rooted sense of crisis" of Americans. When some Americans feel less secure, they start casting doubts on other people's or countries' success.

Some recent educational competitions have seen American children perform worse than their Chinese counterparts. But that was no reason for Chua, who is of Chinese origin, to exaggerate the merits of one education system and belittle another.

A lot of netizens have criticized the extreme stance that Chua has taken in her novel. Many people even say that not all children growing up in such an atmosphere are "exam-passing machines lacking practical skills".

Chua, in fact, has used her talent and controversial opinion to sell her book.

These elements in her novel can make people who succeed in exam-oriented education systems the targets of many people across the world. Some people, for sure, will envy them, but others will criticize and despise them.

People should focus their debate - in real life as well as novels - on education systems, not on those who excel in them.

China Daily

(China Daily 01/21/2011 page10)