 Letters and Blogs
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-06 07:33 Accepting reality important I'm an American, and one thing that can be said about some of my fellow Americans is that they like to be Number One in everything. Whenever an important event occurs in another country, they try to discredit it, and try to create fictitious news. It does not matter if the news is malevolent and false. With the Beijing Olympics it is no different because of China's position on this world stage. Perhaps it is time for those proud Americans to learn that the world is changing and that good things can come from other countries besides its allies. Taino Quisqueya, from the US via e-mail Give preference to people's rights We cheered up as the Olympic flame made its way through Chengdu, the capital of China's quake-hit Sichuan province, and we believe that Sichuan will regain its reputation as the "land of abundance". In fact, Chengdu local authorities have been trying to revive the economy after the earthquake, which should be appreciated. However, the way to pull the economy back on track should be more scientific and sustainable. Currently, the local government is trying to sell its new luxurious administrative complex, exposing both how casually it spends taxpayers' money and how harshly it makes decisions. Furthermore, contrary to the central government's efforts to cool down the housing market, the local municipal government launched a campaign at its southern suburbs to turn "villages" and "townships" into "cities". The demolition office without any legal certificates is urging villagers to move out with little compensation to "contribute to" the city's face-lift. As the central government calls on all levels of government to address the people's rights, it is really surprising that the local officials turn a deaf ear to the central government's directives. If the local government really wants to help its people live a better life, it should fuel its economy with a Scientific Outlook and People-Oriented guiding principles instead of embarking on selling people's land to developers. We really hope the central government takes more steps to change the short-sighted local officials' profit-seeking attitude and urge officials to attach more importance to people's rights. Laoma via e-mail Use more talents Comment on "No need for more tightening - Official" (China Daily website, August 5) News reports say that China is trying to convert from being a producer of low-tech items like clothing, toys, kitchen tools and so on to becoming a producer of high-tech items like computer, microchips, aircraft and advanced autos, trucks and buses. China has an abundant labor force while the world is heading into a time of shortages. The US will continue to decline as a reliable customer as it pays for decades of an extravagant life style. Currently, China makes inefficient use of its labor force. Its huge work force keeps down wages. In fact, China enjoys a vast reservoir of talented scientists and engineers and its future is tied to how well these people can solve the problems of the world. Meanwhile, the government should continue to improve the lives of the poorest people in China. It could raise the tax rates on the wealthy and spread the wealth. A widening gap between the rich and the poor may lead to a dim future. Jim Doyle on China Daily website Readers' comments are welcome. Please send mail to Letters to the Editor, China Daily, 15 Huixin Dongjie, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029 China. Send faxes to (86-10) 6491-8377. Send e-mail to opinion@chinadaily.com.cn or letters@chinadaily.com.cn or to the individual columnists. China Daily reserves the right to edit all letters. Thank you. (China Daily 08/06/2008 page9) |
