The western media tends to over exaggerate Beijing’s
smog. You’ve probably seen it on
the news with photos and video of people wearing masks on their way to work,
but the truth is it rarely gets to that point. Before coming to Beijing, I thought I needed to wear a mask
every day to stay alive. Beijing
was sort of like a less hospitable version of Mars in my mind, filled with dust
storms and no breathable atmosphere to speak of. Some days are pretty bad, but those wearing masks are
definitely in the minority of the population. Most of autumn has been clear skies with occasional
showers. I think western media’s
relationship with Beijing’s smog is representative of Sino-American relations
in general. Alarmist journalists
in the United States love to chronicle the rise of the menacing dragon. Many in the United States view China as
this oppressive, amorphous entity bent on suffocating its way to global
dominance. I do believe the PRC
needs to change in open, particularly economically, if it
plans to continue its rise on the global stage. However, like the smog, this might be more of a gross over
exaggeration.
Beijing's sky on a smoggy day
A beautiful day in Beijing
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