China Revisited Part Two

Before I last visited China twenty years ago, I spent some time with a friend of mine who taught Chinese. With his help, I learned a few key phrases such as Ni Hao which means hello, Xie Xie which means thank you, and Zai Jian which means good bye. I probably learned two or three more phrases but I can't recall them at this time. In China at that time, the use of English was extremely limited and consequently my use of Chinese helped slightly.

For this visit, my knowledge of Chinese has not increased. I have Chinese business cards but no additional sophistication in conducting even a minimal conversation in Chinese unless that conversation is literally a hello/good bye conversation. But over these years China has changed dramatically in its English language ability and its bilingualism. Especially the age 25 or under generation together with many university faculty and administrators have solid English skills. It was easy to have many fruitful conversations during this trip but my foreign language skills were not a contributing factor.

Many of us feel that English is the most important language on the planet and there is no question that English is critical. But this is a changing world. China is an economic super power and a one way, one language relationship just won't work long term.

Chinese schools teach English starting in kindergarten. The Chinese college students - both undergraduate and graduate - that I spoke with, had strong English language skills and conversed in complex conversations with ease. So did the faculty and administrators. Many even had significant study abroad experience in the United States and had first hand knowledge of our society.

We need to change. There needs to be a greater priority on languages, especially those languages that are most important in today's world and for many years to come. Such language skills will prepare our students for 21st century job opportunities. Chinese is not an easy language to learn but that is no excuse. Language beginning in elementary school is critical. And if we agree with President Obama on the importance of the US China relationship, study of the Chinese language will be an important part of such a program nationwide.

If the United States is to maintain its leadership position, more sophisticated foreign language skills are an important part of making that happen.

China Revisited Part One

This is my first visit back to China in 20 years. The last visit was a vacation with my wife and her parents. This visit focuses on establishing exchange programs with first tier Chinese universities. Two of the cities that I visited during this trip are the same cities that I visited twenty years ago. Some things have stayed the same. More importantly, many things have changed dramatically.

Twenty years ago, among the cities we visited were Xi'an and Beijing. Xi'an is famous for its terra cotta soldiers, and I am pleased to report they are still spectacular the second time you see them. And there are even more soldiers visible today together with reconstructed chariots, acrobats, an administrative bunker and many of the trappings an emperor would want for eternal life.

Beijing, a city of 20 million, of course houses the Great Wall courtesy of the same emperor who ordered the building of the terra cotta army. Also totally spectacular. Both cities have many more important historical places and artifacts. Even though I didn't have the time on this trip to revisit most of them, they vividly demonstrate the long term important history of China, a country that is not only a great power today but also has a history of greatness.

Twenty years ago, the China I visited was clearly a still developing nation struggling to move forward. The China I visited now is an economic super power with cities that have been transformed with massive and still ongoing construction. Xi'an even more than Beijing has been totally transformed. A really dull city with important artifacts and an important history has become a vibrant fashionable youth oriented city that exudes energy.

But not every change is positive. Traffic, especially in Beijing, is a tremendous challenge. Roads are clogged with cars where twenty years ago bicycles were still dominant. Fashionable stores are plentiful now and shopping malls are readily available. But many of the brands are the same brands I see every day in New York. Globalization has also led to homogenization. Teens look exactly as they look almost all over (except for the umbrellas carried by young women to protect them from the sun). And cars are also now virtually identical as auto manufacturers create cars for a world market. iPhones are also visible all over and I enjoyed going to Häagen-Dazs when I was in the mood for ice cream. I know this homogenization is more efficient economically, and as an economist, I recognize the importance of this efficiency but I don't necessarily like.

I loved being in China twenty years ago and I am glad to be back cultivating exchange programs. And now when I say that I am right at home in China, it isn't only that I am comfortable; many things are exactly the same as they are at home and I for one miss some of the differences.