It is a toilet. Insightful enough for you? The pollution is horrible, the hygiene is on par with the Dark Ages, the level of corruption is insane and the poverty stricken under class are packed together like rats. I make 2-3 buisness trip a year. Lucky to avoid bed bugs and some super virus. Compared to USA and Europe it is a festering boil on the ass.
I'm glad I'm skipping Shanghai, Beijing and Harbin on this trip but am worried the pollution won't be much better in Chengdu, Wuhan and Shenzhen. I am looking out a window in Hong Kong right now and it is foggy but thankfully it is greyish white and not yellow.
Shenzhen will be okay then since you're fine with HK. Wuhan, and especially Chengdu, are far worse in air quality. Nevertheless, for those planning to vist China for the first time, don't let these negative comments discourage you. My grandfather's perspective is relevant here. He traveled to China when Jiang Jieshi was in power. He was there again during the war between the Nationalists and Communists, and finally as the Cultural Revolution was winding down. Recently, he accompanied us on our trip there. He was astounded. The number of people that have a better standard of living, the improved infrastructure, the scale of manufacturing and money flowing through its economy, and the comparatively bright outlook of the people he conversed with... it bore little resemblance to the country he had seen 40-80 years ago. I have personally witnessed nearly two decades of this country's transformation across several trips. I can't relate to his shock at these changes since it must have been far greater. An American businessman who only describes this civilization in childish terms merely has an ant's perspective of the place; he has neither seen nor understood the struggles this place endured (and still does). China is not perfect or close to America's level yet for development, but it has come a long, long way. It possesses remarkable momentum which gives me confidence that the Chinese will mitigate their pollution problems.
I don't doubt it. Americans went through the same thing with the Industrial Revolution. I'm sure breathing coal dust wasn't any fun back then either. However, there is no reason for us to have endure it nowadays. So if I don't have to go to China (and I just did for a month in August) I'm going to stay away.
Well put. China has a lot of problems but it also has some very amazing places. I was in the mountains of Hubei province last May and some amazing scenery and very friendly people. That said China's environmental problems could potentially undue a lot of the progress it has made. I've been hearing a lot from many there that they are aware of it and are trying to address those problems but it is a monumental challenge. Just to add to the thread. http://living.msn.com/style-beauty/fashion/these-surgical-masks-are-not-a-fashion-statement These surgical masks are NOT a fashion statement. The truth is that these pictures, taken over the weekend in Nanjing, show models at a catwalk jewelry showcase wearing surgical masks because—wait for it—the pollution is so bad in parts of China that it’s hazardous to be breathing the air sans face mask. Mind-boggling, no? So it doesn’t matter how beautiful the clothes are or how sparkling the gold jewelry is—if you’re wearing it outdoors, you’ll also probably need to wear a face mask. To be honest, it’s hard to decide which accessory attracts more attention.
Good news. According to this article by Jay Busbee on Yahoo, China says it's a feature, not a bug. Cites health benefits. As long as it's making people funnier, I don't know how it can be a bad thing. Or something.
