CHINA, MY CHINA

IN ANSWER TO THOSE FEW PEOPLE who have mailed me asking why I did not include China in my last essay as one of those countries which have turned their military on their own citizens, I would like to state something which, although seeming obvious to me, needs clarification for some: to my knowledge China has never been cruel to its people. It is a haven of happiness and personal fulfilment, as can be proven by the speeches made by the members of its Communist Party at the conferences they organise on a regular basis and which are pictured above in an image of felicity unbounded. Any information to the contrary is right-wing propaganda and hoo-hah.

CHINESE LEADERS, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, have worked miracles in bringing about individual economic success to a population that was formerly scraping a meagre existence in rice fields, eating days’ old, re-heated scraps of food and living in hovels. Now many of them are as rich as any Westerner, are confident in their status in the world and have the freedom of movement to fart anywhere.