To get things started:
*VIDEO – Yangzte Notebook: Part One

This report helped me summarize a few things that I’ve been trying to share for a while. Part 2 will be coming soon.

At the heels of another decade of record-breaking growth China continues to follow the philosophy of economic growth that emphasizes the sacrifice of people now for greater advances later. The argument also becomes clear that this is true of their use of the environment as well. Expand supply to meet demand, a style of command and control that doesn’t take into account the scarcity of resources. The basics of economics become lost on minds expecting to exploit now and recover later. As fields of groundwater pumps come up empty, old reservoirs are polluted, and nearby regions are experiencing water shortages as a result of water diversion around Beijing, China’s pampered capital, the new solution is to divert water from the Yangtze River made possible by the Three Gorges Dam project.

Thanks to the upcoming Olympics you will begin to see many stories that expose a bit more of the underbelly of China’s dealings. Charles Gibson started his introduction to these video segments (seen above) something like this, “We have done many segments about the colossal economic growth of China, this report will show us the other side…” The International Olympic Committee has requirements about press and expects China to comply.
(1) Where’s the IOC’s Voice on Press Freedom in China?
(2) China, IOC Flailing In Response To Protest

China’s economic growth is rooted in separation. To “ease” the country into capitalist growth they put all their marbles in one bucket called special economic zones (SEZ). Benefits provided by these areas included things like low taxes, subsidies for development, and longer government land lease agreements. These SEZs began on the coast and in the capital and moved slightly inland. Even with some recent evening out, the capitalist “bug” never caught on elsewhere in the country as incentives rooted investment in now already economically networked and viable city centers.

What is surprising? What would you like to learn more about?

Part One – A river of example
Part Two – A river of example – mismanaged
Part Three – A river of example -damned