| How Does Chinese Purchase of Hummer Jibe With China's Green Rise? |
| Tuesday, 13 October 2009 | Justin Pot | Blog Entry |
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This Chinese contradiction, as Americans see it, also extends to the environmental movement; while China's economy happily embraces new green technologies, its rapid economic development is leading to anti-ecological practices, as well. We've discussed this duality previously. This week, American government-run propaganda machine Voice of America (VOA) highlights the support of green energy technologies by China, though in typical VOA fashion, it's pointed out before the end of the article that “China's not the good guys.” By VOA’s logic, China's increasing CO2 output more than cancels out its green intentions. This may be so, but the article still notes that 40% of China's stimulus package went to green technologies, compared to just 12% here in America. The article also reports that China will soon be the world's biggest producer of wind turbines. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman goes much further than VOA is willing to, saying China's decision to go green is as historically significant as Russia's launch of Sputnik and will one day be seen as one of the most important decisions of the 21st century. Contrast this green view of China with news that broke over the weekend: Chinese firm Sichuan Tengzhong bought the Hummer brand from General Motors. That's right, the ultimate symbol of American capitalist overconsumption will soon be a wholly owned subsidy of a firm based in the People's Republic. Naturally, China's media struggled with this seeming contradiction. English newspaper China Daily said the purchase will allow Chinese ingenuity to help green the brand—a statement that American readers will understandably take with a grain of salt. We are, after all, talking about a vehicle more akin to a tank than a car. So it remains to be seen whether China—the global leader of both CO2 output and wind turbines—is the future of the green movement or a continuation of the problem. And it may take the rest of the century for a definitive answer.
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China's economic vigor is something well documented in the American media, albeit it’s not necessarily viewed through rose-colored glasses. The press in this country sees China's rise in contrasting terms: on one hand, more and more Chinese are rising out of poverty; on the other, freedom and democracy aren't exactly flourishing. Additionally, many journalists worry that American leadership is being undermined by the Dragon's empowerment. 
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