Zhang Lijia

Celebrity author Zhang Lijia dives on her weblog into the argument between Chinese from Hong Kong and those on the mainland, who have been denouncing each other, calling the mainlanders ‘locusts’, while professor Kong Qingsheng from Peking University called the Hong Kongnese ‘running dogs’.

Zhang Lijia:

China’s fast-growing economy and its rising position in the world have made its people, the young people in particularly, assertive or even arrogant. They think now they run the world financially and therefore become over sensitive to any criticism. They demand the respect from the world. But I think you can’t not just summon respect. It has to be earned by your respectful behavior.

I am a mainlander. Much I am proud of what my country has achieved, I have to say that many of my fellow country men lack good manners. Professor Kong is just a colourful example. In fact, I think he violates the teaching of his ancestor because Confucius always emphasized the importance of ‘礼‘ courtesy. “The running dogs of the British”, does he think the HK people should feel ashamed of their colonial history?

Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997 but maintains a Special Administration Region under the ‘one country two system’.

For better or for worse, the colonial past has bred a different kind of Chinese. English is commonly spoken and Hong Kongers have better access to the outside world and they have been enjoying, overall, a higher living standard. A recent survey shows that they identify themselves as Hong Kongers instead of Chinese.

To that end, some Hong Kongers do have a sense of superiority over the mainlanders. This sentiment is common among the Chinese in Taiwan and Singapore.

I can understand why the residents in Hong Kong displeased that their resources being taken by mainlanders, they should also bear in mind and the mainlanders have been playing an important role in their economy. After the Asia’s financial crisis, the Hong Kong’s economy was flagging. It was the mainlanders who came over in large numbers and spent big therefore revived the economy. Fling insulting terms like “locust’ isn’t the best way to show how civilized they are.

I can understand why the residents in Hong Kong displeased that their resources being taken by mainlanders, they should also bear in mind and the mainlanders have been playing an important role in their economy. After the Asia’s financial crisis, the Hong Kong’s economy was flagging. It was the mainlanders who came over in large numbers and spent big therefore revived the economy. Fling insulting terms like “locust’ isn’t the best way to show how civilized they are.

More in Zhang Lijia’s weblog.

Zhang Lijia is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Zhang Lijia speaks at Storify on China’s moral crisis.

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