The Editor’s Desk

Comment: My wife and I enjoyed this issue with great interest. Your reference to being in the embassy after the bombing brought back memories of our lives in Beijing. We were teachers at the International School of Beijing at the time and our daughter's passport (she was 6 weeks old at this time) was being processed during the protesting. We were concerned (as you mentioned) about the shredding that was taking place which could limit our ability to leave to return to the US in four weeks. We traveled down to the embassy and talked to some of the student protesters. They would get off the bus at one end of the street with appropriate throwing material (not to large or damaging) and be picked back up at the other end to return to the university. Thanks again for your personal comments and the special issue on China. I agree that most of us know many things about China, but it's the special things that are included in your articles that brought back memories for us. I can't wait to see the tree-lined streets (trees brought in for special events) and lack of traffic or pollution (closing the roads outside of Beijing or shutting down plants for 3 months prior) during the televised events. We loved our three years in Beijing, but it's the stories like your staff write about that bring to life a better understanding of China.

When did the USelevated itself to "hyperpower". The US "greatness" is just a facade to hide its so many weaknesses. The bombing of the Chinese embassy and forcing China to rectify the imbalance (in China's favour) trade are tests by US to evaluate the Chinese reaction. Realizing that China is not a weak foe the US decided to befriend it. However the US will take the slightest opportunity available to destablise China and to take control of the country or sway it to its(US) favour.

The US is also giving all the praises to China hoping that China will be caught off guard. Everyone kinows that China still has a lot of internal problems and the seemingly economics successes are just within a few zones and are still not enough to cater for the 2billion population. China has a very long way to go. The US has been proven to embark on lies, sabotage, manipulation, arm twisting and many despicable acts to accomplish its ambition. Remember the Bay of Pigs as one example!