To feel I've been lied to about China

It’s good to know they can criticise their government openly.

When it’s election time they’ll be able to vote against them too….. oh, wait…..

Fair point but I doubt that was done purposely as it didn't benefit them and we've started illegal wars that destabilised the entire middle east and allowed our financial institutions to cause the massive crash of 2008 that also had devastating global consequences so we're hardly in a position to act all high and mighty.

I did say they're far from perfect but I think we do make things sound much worse their than what they are

This reads like planted party political propaganda from the Chinese Communist party.

I have and my view of living their has thrown me as it's not what I expected to find. People go to Dubai to live where's there's very shaky rights for women and minorities along with a lot of the atrocious practices including slavery but that's ok I guess in some folks minds and it's clearly ok for use to supply countries we know have very little regard from human life with weapons because we're 'protecting the world as we see it China would likey respond saying they are protecting their country.

None of its right and I doubt we have a clue at some of the stuff our country has gotten up to even in our lifetimes and will be regularly reported in China for similar reasons our governments are eager to hight it the opposite the way around.

I'm going to stop replying to the more political stuff and just read it as it's helpful but also makes me feel a little targeted that due having the admittedly now stupid idea of mentioning China I'm no immediately meant to justify their nearly 3000-5000 years of history. This is like asking and English person to justify everything our country has done past or present. You lot know I can't justify the things your saying so please point out the critiques I need to see them but don't point at me as it I'm now a representative of their government

Apologies for the edit wine is making it hard to my typos so it's likely time for bed soon

I follow a few content creators who show life in China and of course they control what they show, but it’s been eye opening.

I won't argue with your points on China but it's a little bit disingenuous to talk about slavery then call our cites vibrant and historical when a lot of that architecture was built on the money from exploitation and slavery.

That's NOT an excuse for any of the things you listed just something to think about as we can't pretend we're some sort of pinnacle of virtue and both York and London are the products of Roman invasion and occupation

What I can't get over is the fact all my friends seem to be indoctrinated into thinking China is this 1984 style hell hole where you can't criticise the government or do anything without being in constant fear.

In Xinjiang that is absolutely the case. If you're a Uighur, simply existing is enough to be in constant fear. Look at a han soldier or official funny (or have one claim that you did) and you'll be detained in the camps.

I can only assume that you're teaching in a large city in the east of the country. Because you sound stunningly naive about the country. Yes Shanghai and Beijing etc are modern metropolises where life can almost seem Western. But the bulk of the country (and particularly any non-Han regions) are very very different.

I couldn't agree more @Sulettamercury. I lived there for 3 years and now regard it as my 2nd home. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

The western propaganda we get about China is unrecognisable from the reality. China is 10 years ahead of the West in many ways. But also has rock solid family values and focus on education.

My betting is that the vast majority of people with firm anti China sentiment have never been there.

Do you have a link to where I can get it as I would be interested in reading that

I'm torn between you being a stunningly naive 23 year old, or a Chinese bot.

Well London is a vibrant city and York, both historical and rural. The stark difference isn't execution, slave labour and cutting the legs of live dogs/cats and cooking and eating them in the street. Are we forgetting Chinese people taking their pets to the top of buildings and throwing them off during Covid? Or children locked in apartments with grandparents and when they were opened up, many of the grandparents had been dead for days? It's only 9 years ago that the one child policy was stopped. Baby girls were left to die of exposure/starvation. I made the mistake of watching, 'the dying rooms' 1995, while heavily pregnant. It's fantastic if things are improving, but as said, there's a lot of legal abuses that happens.

Interesting topic.
I tend to skip all the posts from people who have never been to China.
But the posts from people who have lived there and are living there are very interesting.

I know a few Chinese parents in my kid's primary school. They are a mixed bag. Some/most are very very wealthy. Their kids went from primary to expensive boarding schools and private schools. They drive brand new cars. Money is no object. E.g. one bought a BMW during his lunchbreak.
Another is not well off. Very strict with her son. Too strict as her son rebels and is badly behaved. Parents seemingly value education and push the boy to do extra curriculum maths, language and art classes but never sport. Then when the child was offered a place in a very good school, they turned it down because the other school was more convenient. I never understood it.

I follow a few content creators who show life in China and of course they control what they show, but it’s been eye opening.

I'm well aware the country is far from perfect but no where is and I've just come back for the summer after spending 2 years there working as a teacher I'm going back in a few weeks.

What I can't get over is the fact all my friends seem to be indoctrinated into thinking China is this 1984 style hell hole where you can't criticise the government or do anything without being in constant fear.

I have to say living there really opened my eyes and I was shocked when in my first months of teaching one of the Chinese workers (now a good friend) started openly moaning about government policy and I'll admit I was nervous at the time but soon realised nothing would happen and that despite what I was told no one came after her and she didn't disappear and that every one was moaning about government policy if it didn't suit them with no consequences.

The infrastructure is also wonderful and far from the cheap rubbish you're told it is and housing isn't all on the verge of collapse or at least no worse than some of the rubbish I've seen here in the UK

Again it's definitely not perfect but AIBU to say I I feel like we're lied to in the west about how bad China really is and that some of the things we accuse them of we either do ourselves or we blow out of proportion?

I wouldn’t get too het up about this one. 🧐