this post was submitted on 09 Sep 2025
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MeanwhileOnGrad

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Full thread (archived): https://archive.ph/TA3k4

ROFL this thread is hillarious. OP sure picked the wrong instance to ask their question.

(For fuck sakes: Please do not ask questions (expecially questions that may involve politics) in TankieLiteEdition.ml, aka: lemmy.ml)

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[–] goat@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Personally, I think the status quo on China isn’t too bad.

except for those under the threat of imperialism

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -1 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] goat@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Those victims of the Belt and Road Initiative, Mongolia, Tibet, Hong Kong, Uyghurs, and probably Taiwan later

and that's just modern imperialism

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Victims of the belt and road initiative? Mongolia also was granted independence ages ago.

The other ones you listed are regions that are part of China.

Suppression of some local cultures, sure, but that's not really "imperialism"

[–] goat@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

it's nice that you're so selective about the suppression of local culture and foreign governments.

I assume that means you also don't think the US is imperialist?

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -2 points 2 days ago (2 children)

US can be more imperialist than China as it has a lot of military bases across the world and actively tries to influence the culture of foreign nations. China is largely self interested.

Although I don't know to what extent is imperialism bad. I would prefer full on European imperialism than half-hearted selfish imperialism. Like building infrastructure in and supporting your colonies that cannot support themselves.

[–] goat@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Is building infrastructure and supporting your colonies not imperialism?

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 0 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yeah. I don't see much wrong with that aspect. Treating them cruelly is the issue.

Imperialism isn't necessarily bad, it's just how you go about it.

Some of the issues with the British empire is that they left some places too early.

[–] goat@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The Chinese treated Tibet, Mongolia and the Uyghurs cruelly, to name a few from modern history.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

I don't really know who to believe anymore, after the amount of western propoganda going around tbh.

For example, I went to China. Specifically a state-run Church there. And it was normal. The media back here and people kept saying it was purely a propoganda front and "the real believers are underground".

Some said I'd be arrested immediately upon entering (???). I was greeted quite warmly and friendily by all of the officials. Police were lovely, as well as soldiers

My guess is the stuff we read about are isolated incidents. Some are apparently later dealt with. But by the time said isolated incidents make it to western media, the narrative makes it seem like it's a nationwide policy.

The chinese banknotes even have Uyghur and Tibetan languages on it. I also met a Uyghur Muslim who was studying in the UK, so she was clearly allowed to leave the country. They can't hate them that much. Although China does become really paranoid with stuff as well. So I'm not too sure what to believe. Not like I can change anything anyway.

P.S. I also found out a bunch of media I was previously consuming about China was all linked to Li Hongzi, who is an absolute nutcase.

[–] goat@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

You visited as a tourist, not as an advocate; of course, you're going to see what you want to see. Next time, you should ask about Tiananmen Square or question police powers, and see what happens

The chinese banknotes even have Uyghur and Tibetan languages on it. I also met a Uyghur Muslim who was studying in the UK, so she was clearly allowed to leave the country. They can’t hate them that much. Although China does become really paranoid with stuff as well. So I’m not too sure what to believe. Not like I can change anything anyway.

And Australia has Aboriginals on their notes too. What an asinine point.

This sounds exactly like someone defending Israel. Oh, I visited Israel, and there are arabs and Palestinians, and everyone is very happy and friendly. They even have Arabic on their banknotes!

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Why should I ask? It's not really any of my business. I don't think you'll have a good time anywhere if you question police powers.

And Australia has Aboriginals on their notes too. What an asinine point.

And Australia celebrates it's aboriginals?

[–] goat@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Because you're acting like an authority, saying you've been to China and didn't see any of this.

And yes, Australia celebrates its Aboriginals now, but that isn't my point. My point is that it doesn't magically remove the imperialism that minorities face.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'm not an authority. I'm just giving my own personal experience. I don't think the idea people get from the media is accurate. Every country has it's pros and it's cons. China is no different. It's not North Korea.

[–] goat@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

long as you admit china is imperialist with human rights abuses we coo

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

So is the USA, so is the UK, so is Israel, so is Russia, so is Hamas (well not really imperialist).....

[–] goat@sh.itjust.works 2 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

pretty much. i think you can argue every country on earth has had human rights abuses at some point in its history.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 1 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

I am not gonna be like "China is ultimate utopia", but I don't see it as a lesser country to the USA or the UK

[–] goat@sh.itjust.works 2 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

To the US I can understand, but why the UK? Surely free healthcare more rights makes the UK overall better?

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 1 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Infrastructure there is better in some aspects and development is faster. I don't really want to leave the UK though anyway. Like the UK has problems and I don't see them going away anytime soon. While China appears to actually try and aim to fix problems with infrastructure, etc. Some people I knew went to China 10+ years ago, and they had issues with the likes of smog, people's manners and public toilets which were not the case by the time I went. (Except the public toilets there are still not very nice)

[–] goat@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Do you think it's possible that you're only seeing the shit because you know the UK better than China?

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 1 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

What do you mean? The shit about what? China or the UK

[–] Honytawk@feddit.nl 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The halved birthrates for the Uyghurs in the last couple of years is a clear sign, they can't suppress that.

Sounds to me like you got the North Korean Tourist treatment.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 0 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Everyone's birth rates are rapidly declining.

I don't think I got a north korean tourist treatment. The water went off several times in one day. The Chinese family I stayed with also got the same treatment.

That being said, I'm not making any claims. I just don't trust everything the media says about China anymore.

[–] DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If PRC was given a military as powerful as the US, they'd be doing the same thing. Its not "X country is evil", its ANY country being given that power WILL become evil.

The only way to avoid it is to NOT have ANY county becoming superpowers.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 0 points 2 days ago

I think in comparison to the USA and per capita or spending or whatever, the PRC spends a lot less on the PLA.