12/10/2017

Voice of China – New meaning on freedom and human rights

I watched a few series of Voice of China where young artistes were given a chance to sing in front of a few hundred million viewers, on CCTV. There are similar programmes like Sing My Song, I Am a Singer, also offering opportunities for talented young people to showcase themselves, pitching their own talents and turning themselves into successful pop idols on their own. Three memorable individuals like Zhang Bi Chen, Su Yun Ying and Huo Jun were really impressive. Watching them performed gave rise to an unspeakable emotion within me, and my eyes welled up. It was so warmth and comforting to see young people carving out a new future of fame and fortune for themselves without having to depend on anyone else. The system allowed it, allowed freedom of expression and for a person to be his very own best, to be himself and accepted and appreciated. These rights were robbed from the Chinese people for almost 200 years, by the ex colonialists, notably the West.
 

Reflecting back, 50 years ago, 100 years ago, such things would not happen. Talented young individuals like these young men and girls would at best be begging for a few coins thrown at them on the roadside or in tea houses. And often, for a few coins, they would suffered the indignity of being embarrassed, harassed, abused or taken advantage of. They were at the mercy of corrupt officials, the rich and mighty and the bad. For nearly two centuries, the Chinese people suffered such humiliation for being weak and poor, for lacking opportunities, for living in a bankrupt political system made worst by foreign invasion, wars, bullying, looting, cheating and corruption. All the talented individuals did not have a chance to be what they could be, their talents treated with dismissive intolerance and wasted in a broken poverty stricken country. The result, the Chinese had no talent.
 

Many of our parents had no choice but to migrate to run away from such abject poverty when the simple right of survival is not even there. There was nothing, no pride, no dignity, no shame, just poverty. What human rights to talk about, what freedom of expression, what opportunity to excel in one’s pursuit in any field, in the arts and in the industries. That was what life was in a China that was not a country, insulted and branded as the Sick Man of Asia. The Chinese people were despised as a people, as a hopeless civilization where its people were like hapless flotsam in the ocean of life, weak, defenceless and taunted as useless and untalented and unskilled scum of civilization. Every country in Asia and SE Asia was even better off than China and the Chinese landing on their shores eking for a living, to do anything that their labour, blood, sweat and tear could exchange for. Being Chinese was a shame, a curse, to be less than a human bean. Where was the freedom, where was the human rights?
 

Today, China has rebuilt itself and is standing among the nations of the world as an equal among the equals. The Chinese people are now given the opportunity to be what they could be, to develop their talens and to excel in every field of pursuit, with pride and human dignity. Communism or whatever, China and the Chinese people are now able to live a normal and decent life, to live like human beans, to have a roof over their heads, to eat well and live well. They have security and a sense of well being.
 

Would democracy offer China and the Chinese people the life they are having today? Everyone one of them living in peace and security, and dreaming of making their dreams come true and with very real possibility of their dreams coming true, on their own merit, individual merit, without having to depend on anyone else. Freedom and human rights have returned to China.
 

There is a China Dream. The Chinese can dream of anything and making their dreams come true. This is the meaning of freedom and human rights, the Chinese way. The Chinese people have regained their confidence as a people, as a civilization, to have found a new pride to be Chinese. They are proud of their country and what they have achieved on their own, as individuals and as a country, a nation, on their own effort and hard work. Everything is now possible for the Chinese people. And they know it.

35 comments:

Virgo49 said...

China's dream of their people living in Dignity.

SINKIE Over Seas Chinese living in Poverty. The Rich Chinese Sinkies now like the Land Lords and Elites of Old China in collaboration with the Foreign Invaders victimising their own kind.

Only those who sucked to them bananas enjoying their sinful lives on the sufferings of their felow men who built the Nation for them.

When, when there be a Xi to rid of these parasites? ??

Anonymous said...

Everything is now bleak for Sinkies, but very rosy for the PAP elite and their cronies . . .

Rocket said...

I had a dream. That dream came about in the early 1960s, when Singapore ans were struggling for survival, and the leaders were fighting for independence. What was my dream?

My dream was to fulfill my father's and mother's dream. Yes, both of them had the same dream. Their dream was to return to live in their Motherland, China.

Alas, they died, working like cows and dogs for the meager amount of money to bring up a family of 12 children, before their dream could materialize.

So, my dream was to return to live in China on their behalf and bring back their ashes to China, so as to fulfill their last wish. Yes, they both had the same last wish: to have their ashes burried in China.

Today, I have fulfilled their wishes. I have realised my dream. I bought a piece of land in China. I brought back their ashes and burried in the piece of land that I have bought. And I also built three houses on the piece of land that I have bought - one for my paternal Uncle and his two chijldren, who have lived in China all the while; one for my family; one very huge multi-storey block for all my existing siblings.

My parents dream has been fulfilled because of China's growth, progress and prosperity. My dream has been fulfilled because of foresight, hardworks, persistent savings and proper timing in making investments.

But what actually drove me along? The notion that Singapore can never last long as an independent nation. Even if it can last long, by a stroke of luck, the pressure-cooker conditions will never allow the main bulk of us and our future generations to live a comfortable and enjoyable life.

Anonymous said...

Sinkieland in the old days have Talent Time, 斗歌劲艺 to 才华横溢 to 绝对SuperStar to 校园SuperStar, Sinkies have their own talents -- now where r they now? Very few of these made it to the global stage, many failures & very very few successes ( like JJ Lin , Stephanie Sun, Li Wei Song brothers, Xu Mei Jing..). Some of our renowned song writers were sang by the Famous Taiwanese or Hk Superstars in the 80s , 90s...but in the 2000s very few ...what happen? Could be intense competition & availability of the Internet ..this might prevent budding local talents become an music entrepreneurs ...

Anonymous said...

Expat tales (one of 2 million foreigners here): On the right track in Singapore

What inspired your move, and how long have you been there?

An exciting opportunity that came up in my line of work, which is horse racing - race calling. I've been in Singapore for almost a year. I arrived December 31, 2016.

What do you do there?

I work for the Singapore Turf Club as a racing broadcaster - race calling and TV presenting for the English broadcast (local and international).

What are the greatest advantages to living there?

It's a modern city with great public transport and First World amenities. We have really good living conditions in terms of condominiums to choose from. c We are close to other countries around Asia that would cost a fortune to get to from New Zealand: from Changi Airport it is very affordable to get to places such as Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Malaysia etc. Also, living in a very safe and clean country that has pretty much no crime and, I've never felt unsafe here.

Disadvantages?

Being away from family and friends. The heat and humidity, if that is not really your thing. Singapore is such a small island that once you have done most things like the tourist things, you almost have to be able to make your own fun. Also cars are very expensive. A $32,000 brand new Mazda 3 in New Zealand would cost you $110,000 in Singapore!

How expensive is it compared to New Zealand? How much is a beer?

Some things are expensive, but others aren't. I am lucky because I have my accommodation pretty much all paid for. A three-bedroom apartment in a condominium costs $2900 a month for 110 square metres, including security, rubbish collection, swimming pool, spa pool, gym, tennis court and carpark. It's about $220 a month for power, gas and water. (I reckon the utilities are cheaper than in New Zealand). TV, fibre broadband and two mobile phones are about $150 per month which is great value.

We buy all our meat from an importer who brings it in from New Zealand. It's a little more expensive but the meat is better quality than the supermarkets here, so it's worth paying that little bit extra for. To go to the movies it's about $9 for a ticket, which is far cheaper than back home. But it's swings and roundabouts. Some things are more expensive, some are miles cheaper.

Read more at: https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/kiwi-traveller/99495386/expat-tales-on-the-right-track-in-singapore

Anonymous said...

Where r the Homegrown 新摇 or XinYao talents now? Perhaps nobody or too minute to make the cut globally. Look at China have Na Ying ( 那英)伍佰(WuBai) etc who make it to globally, their singing even resonates with the Sinkies youngsters & inspires them ( like Joanna Dong or Hardono ) to enter China & competes with them, some falters but the experiences that they get far outweighs the opportunity here in this little red dot, Sinkieland market dwarf in front of the large China market, the music industry is a very challenging & competitive as ones need lots of perseverance & support to keep one going..

Anonymous said...

I respectfully "throw" redbean's words back to him:

"Would democracy offer SINGAPORE and the SINGAPOREAN people the life they are having today?
Everyone one of them living in peace and security, and dreaming of making their dreams come true and with very real possibility of their dreams coming true, on their own merit, individual merit, without having to depend on anyone else.
Freedom and human rights have returned to SINGAPORE."

---> Do you think this was what Singaporeans believed in 1965?

Anonymous said...

Yes! China dream!

But, I m only familiar with Genting Dream.

You can sleep, eat and invest! All up to you!

Anonymous said...

When the leaders care less for the people, things will start to crumble. Singapore has seen its glory but is now sinking, slowly maybe. The pledge that all NS boys said is less believable. There is a great feeling that we are divided by the mass import of foreigners with no real talent except they come in cheap.

Anonymous said...

---> Sinkieland in the old days have Talent Time, 斗歌劲艺 to 才华横溢 to 绝对SuperStar to 校园SuperStar, Sinkies have their own talents -- now where r they now? <----
December 10, 2017 9:42 am

Nowadays, the Talent Time is called PAP Tea Parties.
The prize?
A million dollar salary.

Virgo49 said...

Expats with their higher remunerations definitely have better living conditions than local Sinkies.

But local Sinkies with also enough savings and CPF complete withdrawals can have even ten times better living conditionals The in Matland.

Ours even higher exchange of our dollar to the US $.

Three to one. Cars, condos even terrace and bungalows, we can afford to rent and purchase.

But living here been sucked dry by the Papies living like Paupers.

Most Sinkies still think they are Atas over their poorer cousins in Matland.

The Chinese in Matland are much much living conditions than you.

One downstairs neighbour in our exclusively all fiveroom units cannot even afford to pay his Annual Medishield premium of S $125.95.

Asking his immediate family members to pay on behalf.

Next will be the Court's Summons.

Poor Sinkies.

Anonymous said...

Is Xi Jin Ping's son a Brigadier General in the PLA?

Anonymous said...

China has firmly established itself as a global leader in consumer-oriented digital technologies. It's the largest e-commerce market in the world, accounting for more than 40% of global transactions, and ranks among the top three countries for venture-capital investment in autonomous vehicles, 3-D printing, robotics, drones, and artificial intelligence, or AI. One in three of the world's unicorns (start-ups valued at more than $1 billion) is Chinese, and the country's cloud providers hold the world record for computing efficiency.

Powering China's impressive progress in the digital economy are internet giants like Alibaba Group Holding, Baidu, and Tencent Holdings, which are commercializing their services on a massive scale. Together, these three companies have from 500 million to 900 million active monthly users in their respective sectors.

With the world's largest domestic market and plentiful venture capital, China's old "copycat" entrepreneurs have transformed themselves into innovation powerhouses. They fought like gladiators in the world's most competitive market, learned to develop sophisticated business models (such as Taobao's freemium model), and built impregnable moats to protect their businesses (for example, Meituan-Dianping created an end-to-end food app, including delivery).

As a result, the valuation of Chinese innovators is many times higher than that of their Western counterparts. Moreover, China leads the world in some sectors, from live-streaming to bicycle sharing (Mobike and Ofo exceed 50 million rides per day in China, and are expanding abroad).

Most important, China is at the frontier of mobile payments, with more than 600 million Chinese mobile users able to conduct peer-to-peer transactions with nearly no fees. China's mobile-payment infrastructure -- which already handles far more transactions than the third-party mobile-payment market in the U.S. -- will become a platform for many more innovations.

China's government has grand plans for the country's future as a digital world power. The State Council-led Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program has resulted in more than 8,000 incubators and accelerators. The government's Guiding Fund program has provided $27.4 billion to venture-capital and private-equity investors -- a passive investment, but one with special redemption incentives. The authorities are now mobilizing resources to invest $180 billion in building China's 5G mobile network over the next seven years, and are supporting the development of quantum technology.

Anonymous said...

Launching the book, SG50 steering committee chairman and Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said: "As we celebrate our nation's golden jubilee, let us not forget that the Singapore story belongs to all of us."

SG50 committee co-chairman Phillip Jeyaretnam, for example, was quick to point out that it is critical to engage the cynics in the celebrations.

"Singapore belongs to everybody. It belongs to the cynics, the critics, the dissenters and the exiles just as much as it belongs to the businessmen or the people in government," says the lawyer and writer who is a son of the late prominent opposition MP, J.B. Jeyaretnam.

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/1845748/singapore-gets-ready-celebrate-its-50th-birthday
---------------------------------------------

Do you believe everything you read?

Lee Hsien Yang ... what do you think?

Anonymous said...

Communism or whatever, China and the Chinese people are now able to live a normal and decent life, to live like human beans, to have a roof over their heads, to eat well and live well. They have security and a sense of well being.
RB

Correct. But do u know what is the population of China?

1.37 billion. And what percentage of this is what you had described above?

Some factories even practise child labour.

Anonymous said...

PAP screw up or whatever, Sinkieland and the Sinkies are now able to live a normal and decent life, to live like human beans, to have a roof over their heads, to eat well and live well. They have security and a sense of well being.

Is this true? If so, what percentage of this is what was described above? 70% ?

Anonymous said...

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/chinese-billionaire-guo-wengui-wants-regime-change-in-beijing?xtor=CS11-86

Anonymous said...


Hi 1052am, you are refering to wheel of fortune?

Anonymous said...

Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui wants regime change in Beijing

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/chinese-billionaire-guo-wengui-wants-regime-change-in-beijing?xtor=CS11-86
December 10, 2017 11:39 am
-------------------------------------

Poor Jolovan Wham
If you are not a billionaire, do you think you can change government?

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/activist-jolovan-wham-charged-with-organising-public-assemblies-9450360

-----------------------------

Heng Swee Keat and Philip Jeyaretnam @ December 10, 2017 11:14 am
What do you think?

Anonymous said...

11:32am
U keep insisting 70%. U cannot re-create a death that attracted people standing in streets to watch the coffin passed.
U are waiting to be in great surprise in coming election.

Anonymous said...

Poor Jolovan Wham
If you are not a billionaire, do you think you can change government?
12:45 pm

If Chee Soon Juan could not after more than 2 decades, what makes u think Jolovan Wham can?

Or maybe Jolovan Wham wants to be another Amos Yee?

Wat do u tink?

Anonymous said...

Or maybe Jolovan Wham wants to be another Amos Yee?
12:57 pm

Maybe getting charged and jail (and many times) is a critical credential for getting asylum in USA?

So for Jolovan, this could be a start. Perhaps more interesting shows akan datang.

Anonymous said...

12.56pm, do not be angry lah.

Some even predicted 80% at next GE!

What is your prediction?

Anonymous said...

1:51pm
Its either 49% or 99%. U pick.

Anonymous said...

Its either 49% or 99%. U pick.
2:35 pm

Through gerrymandering, our neighbour PM Najib ruling party coalition, despite getting below 50% votes, won majority seats in 2013 and so he remained in power and continue as PM.

With some gerrymandering, what so difficult for PM Lee and PAP to win next election?

Anonymous said...

With some gerrymandering, what so difficult for PM Lee and PAP to win next election?
December 10, 2017 2:51 pm

Gerrymandering cannot give you 70% of the popular vote.
Do you think that is why PAP has not hesitated in implementing so many tax increases?

b said...

Many europeans are anti christ and are arrogant feral scumbags. They preach LGBTs and their continent is full of HIV carriers.

Anonymous said...

The only way Singaporeans can make a change of government is to pray for Divine Intervention.

Anonymous said...

The only way Singaporeans can make a change of government is to pray for Divine Intervention.
December 10, 2017 7:14 pm

Don't you think you already got your Divine Intervention?
... 23 March 2015?

What more do you want?
Singaporeans no need to do any work is it?

Anonymous said...

"Justice will not come to Athens (Singaporeans) until those who are not injured are as indignant as those who are injured." - Thucydides

Anonymous said...

Die on your feet or live on your knees.
You got the government you deserve.
I don't want to hear any more complaints.

Anonymous said...

Singaporeans have been encouraged to look outwards, by the government, if they cannot find a job within. Therefore, being an obedient National Slave for two years, I listened and obeyed. I look outwards towards the East and North, and I have never regretted until now. I shall move my whole family to join me in Shanghai in two years' time.

My mother used to tell me:

"If you cannot move the mountain towards you, then you should move to the Mountain."

Anonymous said...

"If you cannot move the mountain towards you, then you should move to the Mountain."

or

"If the legs don't open for you, you open the legs!"

Anonymous said...

"If you cannot move the mountain towards you, then you should move to the Mountain."

or

"If voting PAP does not benefit you, then you should vote Opposition."

b said...

China must not forget Nemesis and the 8 countries invasion.