Society “The economic boom in China is affecting people’s living standards dramatically. I visited China last summer, and together with my previous visit in 1993, there are many impressive things in my memory.”

Dr. Zhongrui Wang City: Wujiang Province: Jiangsu Birth: Dec. 12, 1946

“During the 1993 visit, I noticed that people were wearing much more colorful and fashionable clothing than before. There are many new commercial department stores and large flea markets full of daily-use products. Although bicycles are still the main transportation for working people, taxis were lining up at airports and railroad stations, and buses were passing by, one after another.”

“I still remember, in the bi-level train from Hangzhou to Shanghai, other passengers were laughing at me because I was the only one with in a short-sleeved shirt and sneezing several times, since I did not know the trains had air conditioning. In fact, several of my relatives and friends asked me, ‘Which brand of home air conditioning do you think is better?’ Many families already have or are planning to purchase air conditioners for their homes. Air conditioning did not used to be very popular before because the price was relatively high and there was not enough electricity supply for every family to have it. In addition, not very many products were available on the market. It seems that after 1990, air conditioning is getting more popular.”

“Also, a telephone installation for university employees, who have been waiting a long time because the telephone company was too busy, was about ready. I also smelled Kentucky Fried Chicken and saw a big sign for California Beef Noodles on the street.”

“After two years, I returned to China again to see my father who was in the hospital, and this time, I only spent four days in a small city. However, something new caught my attention: With a magnetic card that could be purchased in airports or hotels, you could easily use the touch-tone pay phones without having to use coins. You could use the card until the money, which you put on the card, ran out. It was very exciting when I talked to my old friend in Beijing.”

“I also noticed it took much less time to drive from Shanghai to my hometown this time, since the national highway has been completed. I was told that there are rental car services in some big cities. I looked at the yellow reflector lights in the middle of the road at night, and it was as if I were on the paved freeway to Washington, D.C.”

“Of course, China is still a developing country. Together with the modernization process, there has been an increase in criminal activity, psychological problems, drug use, etc. For further development, China needs more international business contacts and educational exchanges. However, Chinese people are learning, thinking, and acting, and will keep pace with other countries of the world in the near future.”