The problem is that some of those impressions you got about China are manufactured as part of the politics. Things can't be so torn, can they? Now it's your job to figure out which ones are manufactured and which ones are not.

I truly believe that the majority of Chinese civilians are well treated under their current government.

I also think the treatment of the Uyghurs is scary. That the control of media flowing into China is so controlled that the people are not free. The lack of democracy means there are not enough checks and balances to keep the people free. The way the one child policy has been enforced is not humane. The oppression of religion means people are not free.

I am not staying any country is perfect only that I would not like to live under that control. I also fear in my part of the world we could end up under their control in my lifetime.

If you're in the Americas, Europe, or Australia that will never happen in your lifetime. Think about how plausible the US annexing China and controlling it would be. Now flip that around and double the difficulty.

If you're in southeast asia the calculus changes. But the cost benefit analysis really leans against annexing hostile locals these days unless it's some nationalist mythology like China and Taiwan. And if you're in southeast asia I'd say future heat waves and climate disasters means you'll be more likely heading north into China than them heading south.

If it's a soft ideological takeover you're envisioning then that's really the responsibility of the democratic society you live in. Democracy falls when people no longer believe in its ideas or that it is an effective way of governance.

I'm in New Zealand and have family in Vietnam. It's a soft ideological take over I'm worried about with both. Vietnam being far more likely than New Zealand but we get a lot of economic benefit from China and they are buying up agriculture in New Zealand.

Vietnam I wouldn't be worried about. China's burned it's hand in those jungles before, I doubt they're keen to do it again. As for those island disputes all I can say is good luck and at least they're not heavily populated. Unfortunately Asia still has a lot of uncleaned messes left over from the 1940s what with the constant tug of war between China and the US ever since China went communist. Vietnam isn't exactly democratic though, but I guess that's why you're in New Zealand.

As for new Zealand, remember that you always have massive leverage over China in the form of nationalizing their purchases. Don't let wealth from China be a crutch. Enjoy it but know how to live life without it if the price of wealth is too great.

> heading north

Meanwhile latest census shows that the Northeastern China peoples are shifting to the South.

Revisit that in 50 years.

Meanwhile, Congress is trying to slow down SpaceX https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/05/congress-fires-warni...

I'm not American so I don't really have a horse in that race. But you are comparing how civilians treat each other to how the government treats civilians. To me this is apples and oranges.

I don’t think the Uigyurs would agree with that statement. Particularly the ones that are being raped and re-educated in camps.

Well I indeed know people who are through the reeducation camp, they are certainly changed, for a better mental and economical status. They were practicing some weirdass Sharia laws to their families and friends.

As for the Xinjiang reeducation news, they were originated from Adrian Zenz and a small group of reporters from Australia, who both have never put feet on Xinjiang. How much the whole Xinjiang incident is propaganda, and how much reality, I don't know.

Chinas reeducation camps are the greatest blessing on earth. Unfortunately, it seems several professors and celebrities remain intransigent inspite of years of reeducation. They fail to properly absorb Xi Jinping thought, like so many CEOs have done. They must not be allowed to graduate from the camp unless they are properly reeducated.

>How much the whole Xinjiang incident is propaganda, and how much reality, I don't know.

Such a shame.

That's blatant slander. Think about the detergent presented as 'evidence of weapon of mass destruction' that led to the invasion of Iraq.

Breaking the site guidelines this egregiously will get you banned here. Please read https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and stick to the rules from now on.

Edit: it unfortunately looks like you've posted flamewar comments repeatedly as well. Would you please not? We're trying for a different quality of conversation here, as you'll see if you read the link I just mentioned.

Because right now the US politicians feel challenged, and they are panicking to paint their competitor as a threat for everyone. This kind of political trick happens all the time.

Why does every post about China ends up about them abusing human rights, stealing etc. etc.

"Whataboutism" balances a hypocrisy when one POS is trying to tell the other POS how to behave and when confronted with facts ends up telling that we are not as bad POS as the other POS.

I do not see whataboutism as mistake/pitfalls. Considering the western media always shot/criticizing first.