What are the editors doing? If the author wants to use information to support his article (or opinion) he should really cite references and sources. He doesn't even have a link to information any about himself. It's like the Liberal Government. You can't believe anything they say or do because it all comes down to the almighty dollar. That is their world view. If it becomes acceptable for both men and women to work, despite 20 years down the track the average family no better off than when only one head was working, I ask how are they benefiting. I would say an economy with double the output! Should I just accept what the author says without condition?

Those were part of my objections to this writer's last article. There with things in inverted comma's with nothing to show whether they had been said by credible sources or Spotty the Talking Dog. There were no references whatsoever and no provenance given for any of the information.

If, indeed the CCP is so stringent in its crackdowns, if the truth is hidden, if internet lines are monitored then where on earth is he getting his formidable and all-encompassing information from? Is there some vast spy network smuggling out forbidden data at the risk of their lives to one elderly retired gentleman at his computer in suburban/rural Australia?

Perhaps that sounds harsh - but if the writer continues his China polemics without any references, he leaves himself wide open to just these sorts of comments. Its in his own interest - and proves the superiority of Western propaganda - to supply sources for these swathes of very impressive inside facts.

Perhaps the two previous posters have not heard of the old adage that "Truth is stranger than fiction". No doubt all those people who go to China for the Olympic games will come home with impressive stories of how lovely it was in Beijing, but I wonder how many will be allowed to avail themselves of the opportunity to go out into the hinterland, unaccompanied by minders, to see what is really happening to the peasantry.

Even 13 years ago, before the industrial giant awakened and the bicycle was still the main mode of transport, air pollution in Beijing was there for all to see. I shudder to think what it is like now. It might be somewhat better for the games, but that won't last long.

I suggest you read :-
http://www.voanews.com/uspolicy/archive/2005-07/2005-07-21-voa6.cfm
http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2007/August/200708081551151xeneerg0.963421.html
and particularly
http://www.cecc.gov/pages/virtualAcad/exp/
and
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-03/26/content_318058.htm
another very credible source
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/1621

You see, where there is a will, there is a way, and all this information about conditions in China do get out, some of it very well attributed.

David

If a population of nearly 1.5 billion cannot or will not free itself from the yoke of Communism, there is not much the rest of us can do.

More importantly, there is no way that we can understand the Chinese and why they do what they do; their mindset and attitudes to human life are totally beyond our ken.

Our dealings with China will always be of the ‘walk softly and carry a big stick’ variety. Fretting about Tibet, people tossed out of their homes to make way for the Olympics, and the horrid form of government in China won’t help anyone.

We have surrended our industry to China, and our new Prime Minister has shown that he intends suck up to them for all he is worth. The US is not prepared to take them on. China will be able to get away with anything it wants to into the foreseeable future

China Mr.Right is going to do an outward march and not even the mighty (at the moment) USA is going to stop them....Revelation 9:16 and 16:12. I think they will come here as well.

VK3AUU,

You wonder how many people will be able to go out into the rural areas unaccompanied by "minders"?

Wot the..? Short answer is ..every one.

Just what kind of strange ideas do you have of China? I go out into the rural areas and see the "peasantry" (who would object strongly to such a label, by the way) whenever I get sick of the city. Rural China is a mecca for backpackers, holidaying overseas workers, any of us who want to get away for a while. Do you have some idea that it is a huge fenced off area patrolled by dogs and soldiers or something?

And who or what are these "minders" of whom you speak?There are thousands and thousands of foreign people living in China - are we all supposed to have our own individual "minder": will one be allocated to each of the millions of visitors expected this year? Or are we all fitted perhaps with microchips or anklets like criminals?

I did look up the sites you provided: you do realise how old they are, don't you? One was ten years old, for goodness sake. But anyway, thats exactly my objection to so much of the misinformation people print about China - its a mish-mash of second-hand, dated, bits and pieces picked up randomly from popular propaganda.

If this writer is privy to up to date, on going information from sources within China then, in order to gain any credibility he must a) name his sources, b) provide evidence that he either lives in, visits regularly, or has some personal and current knowledge of the country he is writing about c) speak Chinese fluently enough to be able to examine ALL the sources.

Without any of the above his comments are just second hand opinions selectively chosen and contain as much authority as persons who believe that people in China have "minders". I'm not knocking you there VK, just illustrating that, as it stands, this writer is no more an authority to be believed than any other person in the street.