Part 1. China
I watched "Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry" yesterday. A movie produced by an American film-maker in 2012 and telling the life story of a Chinese artist widely known for his dissident actions that led the Chinese government to some appropriate decisions. Wiki states that Mr.Weiwei inprisonment for those political reasons even resulted in a firm ultimatum from the USA demanding to release him (btw, was realesed in 2 days afterwards, I'm not trying to tie those 2 events together but anyways). Every democratically thinking person should determine the idea of the movie as showing a vivid example of a state dictatorship and confrontation with it. Just a typical horror having place on the boundaries of the World of Real Democracy, or even behind them. But I suddenly felt the situation with China is not that simple and typical.
First of all, situations are never that simple. They are just never simple at all. I haven't succeeded in learning much from my life but what I've still learned is: in any case, the number of truthful points of view is greater than 1. There's no truth for everyone. There's no China to be loved by everyone.
I've no particular love for that mysterious state, especially to it's monstrous Communist period and subsequent transformation to a kind of communist-capitalist-whatever-crazy-mix. After breaking off with China yet under Khrushchev and even a tiny warfare on the Far-Eastern border that had no consequences the general attitude to it in our land was always "they are so strange that seem not to wise up". Though we, like possibly no one else realize that it's not necessary to wise up if you can always crush'em all by your number. Normal neighbor relations, in short. What I need to stress: some country had similar monstrous history, that's why they can know or feel something about China that other countries normally don't. Not a brilliant skill to add to one's CV but... Well, then China grew up, wised up, and flooded us with their goods. While everyone was dying from laughing at the poor quality of those goods China grew up even more and raised the quality. Where necessary. It's not always necessay, economic-wise, to demonstrate top quality. Today,our guys go to China to make their living from the margin between buying in China and selling in the post-Soviet area, and also from that Chinese approach to quality segmentation. And my friends from China who came to Ukraine in 20xx to study at the Universities with lower fees and better teaching background are now all back home. And, unfortunately, those beautiful small Chinese restaurants in Kiev are all closed for a long time (maybe wrestled away by all possible methods by our local healthy business climate, not sure). Who's wiser in the end, devil knows.
Based on what is reported and told intimately, China is not a state of prosperity. Nothing to compare with well-developed Western countries. Appartments are expensive enough, though you can have a diner for a couple of US dollars, and it's perceived as natural. Actually, I really think this must be natural because otherwise we'd be forced to invent a logic behind average restaurant bills of $50 for two in countries with average salary of $600. Either China is simply a friend to logic in this particular case - or it's beacause of ancient local traditions of eating much and with taste. But let's put a second of applause here, anyways.
For those who live in countries with average salary of $600 it's typical to have cellphones of $300 (partly or entirely assembled in Chine, good quality) to $800 (various iGoods, partly or completely requiring jailbreaking). Don't ask me where they take money to buy one. Sure, combine harvester operators in agricultural areas prefer other brands but in big cities it's a standard. China provide the internal (and external, of course) market with devices having a price of Ukrainian restaurant's dinner. They contain compromises, we know. But they operate, have nice wide screens and offer a convenient means to post into your blogs right from your WC. Wouldn't it be enough to satisfy the demand? (I have a Taiwanese "Gsmart", btw. Perfect pricing compromise and a very decent quality, don't take it as an ad. Those guys from Taiwan are even smarter).
They produce own cars, you know. With all the ensuing consequences. Well, they're already a bit more expensive than dinners and smartphones. But they should be available to their people this way. Ukraine also produces cars. Though many people say it would be better for it to stop making that shit. Shit or not, it takes about 20 average salaries to buy a brand-new national automobile under non-friendly credit conditions, and from the point of view of its kit the imported Chinese one often look more attractive on the national market. I should go deeper into the automobile theme someday...
Hm, what else. They executed state corruptioners several years ago, cool. I have a feeling that finally they decided it had been too uneconomic. Today, it's said that the situation has came to the accustomed grooves: if you stole much you need to pay much (or even more) to escape the punishment. They finally behave like normal people. To finalize, an incident that has given me an immense pleasure recently. A friend of mine, the best one, quite a rational person who would struggle, I believe, to clean Ukraine of all those thieves with sholder straps and Minister's chairs if an occasion to struggle happens, returned for several months from China where he normally lives and works. Between the sessions of "kitchen political talks" and damnations to those who take tons of bribes while their country dwells in dirt, after a discussion switch, he suddenly mentioned a visit to the police in China helping his Ukrainian friend to get rid of the punishment after driving drunk there. The matter was kept quiet. "One always can find the right entrance" concluded Alex modestly, with satisfaction from his negotiation talents, "just like in Ukraine, like anywhere". Having heard the story I tried to explain my embarrassment in polite words. So, you're full of impotent hatred when your country is rotten with corruption. Then, another day, you need to protect some of your actions against legislation - and suddenly, what a relief to find an official who will help you with this.
That's oriental life, guys. Hard to explain sometimes.
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