| Hi, Thanks for bring up this interesting and touchy subject. I just love visiting your site because I never know what to expect in the journals that you post. My personal experience in Shanghai the few times I visited is similar to what you described, which is most people don't have much different behavior towards foreigners. They are certainly curious. When I visited Shanghai back in March, the taxi drivers always asked about my opinion about the Iraqi war. It's nice to know that people are trying to be informed about the current events. But speaking on that topic, I do feel a certain level of anti-American sentiment in China. It's definitely not a strong one, like the one against Japanese, but it's there nonetheless. It's hard for me to say whether that sentiment is warranted, because the news I get is different from the news people in China gets, so depending on which side of the Pacific you're on, will determine which version of the same story you'll hear. In a recent article in NYT (free regstration required), http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/20/opinion/20KRIS.html , the columnist writes his personal view of the nationalistic views within China. I've read many of his articles in the past, including many about China, and I think he tries to represent his personal views based on what he sees and learns. I'm not endorsing his views or anything, but I found them thought provoking, if you're interested in the topic. |
Discrimination Against Foreigners in Shanghai?