Shortly before the beginning of the weeklong holiday to celebrate the founding of the PRC, former golden boy Bo Xilai was officially expelled from the Communist Party and formally charged with a variety of crimes, one of which was that he "maintained inappropriate sexual relationships with many women". While a public allegation such as this is likely to ruin any politician’s career, it’s a little bit different in China…
Bo Xilai isn’t the exception, he’s the rule. Edwards and Spitzer are amateurs compared to these guys. One doesn’t get to positions of importance in China without, among other things, having ladies on the side. Aside from the low-level purging that occasionally takes place it’s only the reckless and the stupid that get caught. While one could argue that the guys at the very top are a bit cleaner than the rest, they’ve all had their share of indiscretions over the years. That’s just how the game works.
Had his number two, Wang Lijun, not aired his dirty laundry at the U.S. consulate earlier this year, there was a good chance Bo would have been promoted to top 9-man committee that ultimately runs China.
So when the House intelligence committee picks a bone with the opaque operations of Chinese firms such as Huawei one just has to laugh because when even the top leaders in the country are off bribing and philandering, what do you think the guys over at the SOEs are doing, considering that they aren’t in the spotlight that the politicians are?
Because corruption is so deep in the Chinese system, does there come a point where we, on a moral ground, say enough is enough, that we actually would put follow through on our words and actually do something?
Hi OP, should I call you 'fenqing'? It seems you hate this country with a passion. It puzzles me...If this place is so corrupted, unethical, dirty... a living hell, why are you still there, making money? It never hurts to be back to the US and enjoy the 8% unemployment rate, RIGHT?
7.8%
^
In B4 shitstorm.
Bo Xilai's son, Bo Guagua, is a graduate of the world most famous school, Harvard (HKS). The elite communists-turned-industrialists from China and other places (Russia, Romania, etc.) like to send their kids to Harvard so they can easily bag a high-paying Consulting or IB job after College. Ultimately, they're groomed to succeed their parents empires.
Harvard preps up these creeps to keep up the shackles on their turfs back home.
Chinese-American living in Beijing here. Have to agree with the OP, this place is pretty corrupt and politicians get away with much more here than they do elsewhere. And this is from someone who has an 'advantage' here because I have a Chinese face.
To huanleshalemei, if you have an issue with outsiders criticizing China, then what the heck are you doing in the US? Get out of there and come back to China where you can enjoy the fruits of growing up in an idol-worshiping, officially atheist, communist society.
OH what, you don't like corruption and immorality? You don't like bribery and excessive nationalism? How dare you criticize those who speak the truth about what's happening in China.
Sorry, but you don't deserve to call yourself an American, if that's what you consider yourself to be.
Easy bro (or should I call you 'OP'?), it's nothing about nationalism. We get either a troller or a short-seller in da house, that's it~
Not the OP, not a troller, and don't know what a short-seller is.
Been on the inside for a bit in China. Know how the system works here and how people think. The people are fine (I love them), but the system has got to go to the next level. I don't see why people want to deny that.
To OP and radish, I don't like to discuss politics. But I know how you feel. Every guy I know in Beijing feels more or less discontented about PM 2.5, skyrocketing housing prices, sausage festival with little attendance, and of course the 'party', etc. But the point is, since you are stuck there, better to have some positive thinking. Believe or not, people will be more likely to benefit than lose if this country keeps in good shape.
Good luck!
@huanleshalemei: Obviously you haven't heard, but last Friday it was officially declared that Barry has singlehandedly fixed the economy. All is well now, so perhaps I should indeed head on home?
In all seriousness though, I do appreciate your comments. In my criticism of things in China, I’m not at all saying or implying that everything is rosy in the U.S. by comparison. The U.S. has its own, different set of problems. I made the choice to live here knowing full well what I was getting into. Of course I hope for the best, but that doesn’t mean I can’t complain or try to start an argument every now and then.
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