"Fresh air" controversy caused by Chinese student at U of Maryland

TL/DR: Chinese student Yang Shuping praises the US for its “fresh air” first literally then figuratively (free speech etc.). Other Chinese students react.

Here’s the full speech. TL/DW: I was going to die from the pollution in China and had no idea how awesome the US is because you can talk about the Rodney King beating openly.

Here’s one part of the reaction. TL/DW: China has awesome air quality and more importantly delicious food, it’s not true that Chinese live in apartments, we all have houses with gardens, use your critical thinking, and don’t be racist against Chinese!

And here’s a cute little parody of Yang’s speech. TL/DW: I was going to die in the US from gun violence, so I moved to China.

But where’s the parody of the reaction? Where’s the don’t be racist against Americans and all that? :ponder:

To be fair, Kunming is one of the cleanest cities in China, air quality wise. (Still, that’s not saying much.)

Also, one of the contributors to the reaction video suggests looking at things from Yang’s perspective. But my favorite has to be the “critical thinking” guy. :smiley:

Being China’s cleanest city is like being the world’s tallest midget.

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The 50 Cent Brigade pulling overtime I see.

Doesn’t need the 50 cent brigade, most Chinese care about face so much that they can’t think straight.

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poor girl, hope she doesn’t plan on going back to china. she is a rare breed. an un-brainwashed chinese person. maybe she is just very naive and didn’t forsee the backlash she would receive.

A few months ago, wasn’t there some protest or something at a university and it had to do with the Chinese? I can’t remember, but the university caved as it needed the students and if the university did not play ball, then their degrees would not be recognized in China or something.

On, maybe Off topic…but I think it fits…

I remember long ago, 1996 when TW was having its first elections, the TWese students at my university were happy and wanted to hold an event to commemorate it. The Chinese students objected. Hard. They protested the word “Taiwan”, they protested the flag being shown at the university (all flags from students home countries were flown), they just basically protested.
It got so bad the consulate from Chicago sent a rep. They lost, the Taiwanese got their celebration.

But things changed. Ten years later as I was working on my masters, the Chinese students wanted to put on a Mid-Autumn thing. No flags were allowed, and no national association could be made. It was all about Zhonghua Ren.

It’s not like mainlanders don’t know and talk about how bad the air is. They are perfectly aware for most educated people there. The CCP just don’t like to be embarrassed.

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Face man.

FACE.

It’s not just the grubbyment but the entire butthurt population.

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Wait, was the reaction video originally put on YouTube? A website china doesn’t even allow?
Part of me is really happy china doesn’t allow Facebook. Anytime someone says something critical of China they come rushing in defending china. It’s almost ridiculous doing that on a site your government doesn’t even give you access to.

Delicious food? Might be delicious going in, most of my time in China wasn’t even about if the food tasted good. It weather I can eat it without being stuck to the toilet for the next 2-3 days.

Chinese people, and I mean ethnic Chinese, which includes people in Taiwan, should really care less about what others said.

That 22-year-old graduate has her own opinion, and if you don’t like what you’re hearing, don’t agree with her, that’s it.

It’s the same for people in Taiwan who are always defensive and reactive to what others said. Stop being reactive.

Sometimes, I admire the muslims who don’t give a heck about what the rest of the world think of them, and hold on to their own values and standards.

Guess it was not very wise to take a moment like that and to use it to bash your own country. I don’t think that kind of online Lynch mob outrage is a peculiarly Chinese thing though https://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magazine/how-one-stupid-tweet-ruined-justine-saccos-life.html

This is a cool video about how to get offended: https://youtu.be/F-mju_gW3c8

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Inferior complex and Western fever is the problem for modern ethnic Chinese people.
When can people realize that China, Taiwan, or any other countries don’t necessarily have to be like another US or Canada?
No one has to be identical to another.
Never seen Saudi Arabia or UAE have similar problems.

I’d agree with what you say there. But keep in mind that some Muslim countries do the lynch mob thing too. Never heard of a fatwa? You can get whipped or executed for saying the wrong thing in Saudi.

I’ve never heard of anyone try to be like Canada. What’s popular culture there? Drake and maple syrup? And their president is cool and lots of trees.

But in all seriousness, I guess that’s what happens when mainlanders tried to erase their own culture for like half a century and decided they are now going to embrace the CCP version of “Chinese” culture

Great. Now I have to spend 15 minutes being offended that you don’t know he’s a prime minister. :no_no:

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What’s a prime minister? Like he’s a priest?

That’s just silly.

And where are these defensive Taiwanese people? I must have luckily avoided them all.

A priest who tells the Pope what to do, if you believe the latest reports. :smile:

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LOL wut. They have ridiculously thin skin about their culture and religion. Remember what happened when that Danish newspaper ran a comic of Muhammed? Muslims rioted. Remember Charlie Hebdo?

Chinese people will complain to high heaven, but at least they won’t kill you for criticizing their country (not sure about in China, though).

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