A recent public opinion poll in China shows that a majority of Chinese blame the United States for tensions on the Korean peninsula. This is not surprising. A surprising result would be if a majority of the Chinese people did not blame the United States.
The poll was taken by the state-run newspaper Global Times from Nov. 26 to 28—mere days after North Korea had, without provocation, shelled a South Korean island on Nov. 23. Individuals over 18 were surveyed in seven major cities. Of those surveyed, 56 percent are said to agree that “the United States is the main cause behind the repeated crises on the Korean peninsula.”
Dr. Cai Jianguo, director of the Asia-Pacific Research Center at Tongji University in Shanghai, said of the survey results that Chinese citizens in general are very calm and objective; they have a very clear understanding of the issue on the Korean peninsula, and the world should value their opinions.
Whether the numbers reported by Global Times, which is a propaganda outlet, are based on actual polling, or if so, whether the numbers are accurately reported, is anyone’s guess. In a country where scientific results can be falsified and GDP numbers are changed at will, an opinion poll can report whatever the state wants it to report.
Even if we assume the validity of the survey results, however, they are most likely not the “calm, objective” views of Chinese citizens. Rather, the survey would reveal the effects on the Chinese people of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) prolonged anti-American propaganda.
In all the history textbooks in mainland China, the United States is said to have been the invader during the Korean War. Moreover, Chinese textbooks say that the purpose of the United States in joining the war was to invade China.
Aside from the official textbooks, the Chinese people hear anti-American news, watch anti-American movies, and listen to anti-American songs from the state-run media. Theme songs from Korean War films such as “Sanggamyong” and “Battle on Unknown Hill” are popular in mainland China even today.
Games for children contain the theme of China versus the United States. The Chinese media even went so far as to report that the SARS virus was a plot by the Americans.
Growing up in this environment, anyone who was not anti-American would be abnormal.
When the CCP says America tries to restrict China, many Chinese citizens still believe it, even if they oppose the Party. The conflicts between officials and the general public in China are widespread and intense, but the public still holds onto what it has been taught by the regime’s propaganda. Many Chinese in mainland China are both anti-Communist Party and anti-American.
Living outside China doesn’t necessarily make Chinese more pro-American. In fact, many Chinese living outside China are both pro-Chinese Communist Party and anti-American.
Since I came to the United States, Chinese have often talked with me about the Korean War and the situation in the Asia-Pacific region. Many people are actually proud of sacrifice by the Chinese people during the Korea war. They think that this is a symbol indicating that the Chinese people “stood up.”
When they talk about the CCP currently expanding the military, they are very excited and think that this is a basis for national pride.
Many Chinese immigrants have never understood the basic values of America and have never truly assimilated into American society.
Of course, the language barrier is significant. Some Chinese immigrants have lived in the United States for decades, but they have never lived outside of the Chinese community or gained a real international view.
Their way of life has left a loophole for the CCP’s official media. Due to the immigrants’ longing for their home nation, they mistake the CCP for China and treat it as family.
There are historical reasons behind the CCP’s anti-American policies. During the civil war in China, the United States supported the Nationalist Party while the CCP relied on the Soviet Union.
The United States promotes universal values and sets an example with its democratic society, which directly threatens the personal interests of Chinese officials. They really do not want to give up the power they gained through enslaving the more than 1 billion Chinese people.
Dr. Sun Yanjun was an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the Capital Normal University in Beijing. In 2009, he publicly renounced the Chinese Communist Party and now lives in the United States.
The poll was taken by the state-run newspaper Global Times from Nov. 26 to 28—mere days after North Korea had, without provocation, shelled a South Korean island on Nov. 23. Individuals over 18 were surveyed in seven major cities. Of those surveyed, 56 percent are said to agree that “the United States is the main cause behind the repeated crises on the Korean peninsula.”
Dr. Cai Jianguo, director of the Asia-Pacific Research Center at Tongji University in Shanghai, said of the survey results that Chinese citizens in general are very calm and objective; they have a very clear understanding of the issue on the Korean peninsula, and the world should value their opinions.
Whether the numbers reported by Global Times, which is a propaganda outlet, are based on actual polling, or if so, whether the numbers are accurately reported, is anyone’s guess. In a country where scientific results can be falsified and GDP numbers are changed at will, an opinion poll can report whatever the state wants it to report.
Even if we assume the validity of the survey results, however, they are most likely not the “calm, objective” views of Chinese citizens. Rather, the survey would reveal the effects on the Chinese people of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) prolonged anti-American propaganda.
In all the history textbooks in mainland China, the United States is said to have been the invader during the Korean War. Moreover, Chinese textbooks say that the purpose of the United States in joining the war was to invade China.
Aside from the official textbooks, the Chinese people hear anti-American news, watch anti-American movies, and listen to anti-American songs from the state-run media. Theme songs from Korean War films such as “Sanggamyong” and “Battle on Unknown Hill” are popular in mainland China even today.
Games for children contain the theme of China versus the United States. The Chinese media even went so far as to report that the SARS virus was a plot by the Americans.
Growing up in this environment, anyone who was not anti-American would be abnormal.
When the CCP says America tries to restrict China, many Chinese citizens still believe it, even if they oppose the Party. The conflicts between officials and the general public in China are widespread and intense, but the public still holds onto what it has been taught by the regime’s propaganda. Many Chinese in mainland China are both anti-Communist Party and anti-American.
Living outside China doesn’t necessarily make Chinese more pro-American. In fact, many Chinese living outside China are both pro-Chinese Communist Party and anti-American.
Since I came to the United States, Chinese have often talked with me about the Korean War and the situation in the Asia-Pacific region. Many people are actually proud of sacrifice by the Chinese people during the Korea war. They think that this is a symbol indicating that the Chinese people “stood up.”
When they talk about the CCP currently expanding the military, they are very excited and think that this is a basis for national pride.
Many Chinese immigrants have never understood the basic values of America and have never truly assimilated into American society.
Of course, the language barrier is significant. Some Chinese immigrants have lived in the United States for decades, but they have never lived outside of the Chinese community or gained a real international view.
Their way of life has left a loophole for the CCP’s official media. Due to the immigrants’ longing for their home nation, they mistake the CCP for China and treat it as family.
There are historical reasons behind the CCP’s anti-American policies. During the civil war in China, the United States supported the Nationalist Party while the CCP relied on the Soviet Union.
The United States promotes universal values and sets an example with its democratic society, which directly threatens the personal interests of Chinese officials. They really do not want to give up the power they gained through enslaving the more than 1 billion Chinese people.
Dr. Sun Yanjun was an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the Capital Normal University in Beijing. In 2009, he publicly renounced the Chinese Communist Party and now lives in the United States.
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