Sascha Matuszak

The beauty of Chinese society today is its ability to represent virtually every epoch of society, every possible strata, all at once. Unlike the U.S., where virtually every creed and color finds a home or at least a struggle for one, in China peasants rub shoulders with avant-garde artists and nouveau-riche fat cats with little … Continue reading “China’s Little Capitalists”

The absolute reversal of the 1949 Communist Revolution is both a path to a glorious future and a treacherous road toward disintegration. The triumph of the worker/peasant rebellion over China’s oppressive class structure soon became a fulfillment of George Orwell’s grim prophecy in his book 1984; fortunately, reason prevailed after the death of Mao "Big … Continue reading “Getting a Piece of the Pie”

Zhuang Jian is at once typical and atypical of his generation. He was born in the midst of the Cultural Revolution and was but a small boy when it ended. For him, being "Sent Down to the Countryside" was one of the best times of his life, running wild in the fields, chasing swine and … Continue reading “Rebirth”

The Protests The protests last Saturday that resulted in the jailing of 944 activists were breathtaking to behold and a breakthrough for the anti-WTO movement and the South Koreans in particular. All week the Koreans had been subjected to media scrutiny: Who are these fanatic militants marching in military formation, chanting and singing with a … Continue reading “Drums in the Streets”

Editor’s note: This week, Antiwar.com is on the spot in Hong Kong for the Sixth World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference. This is the third in a series about the issues surrounding the conference, the people involved, and the roles played by the U.S. and China in this debate. Since Tuesday, the Sixth Ministerial has … Continue reading “Livelihoods at Stake”

Editor’s note: This week, Antiwar.com will be on the spot in Hong Kong for the Sixth World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference. This is the second in a series about the issues surrounding the conference, the people involved, and the roles played by the U.S. and China in this debate. Tuesday was the kickoff of … Continue reading “Let the Hostilities Begin”

Editor’s note: For the next week, Antiwar.com will be on the spot in Hong Kong for the Sixth World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference. This is the first in a series about the issues surrounding the conference, the people involved, and the roles played by the U.S. and China in this debate. On paper, the … Continue reading “Setting the Stage”

Bush’s Asia tour swept through Beijing with much fanfare, but what can really be accomplished between the two figureheads of two huge and influential nations? Naturally, it will be up to the negotiators, diplomats, and private sector to follow up on the platitudes and build upon what is in effect the most important relationship of … Continue reading “Who’s the Boss?”

Much has happened in the past two months – hurricane after hurricane, a devastating earthquake, avian flu on Europe’s doorstep, Libby under fire, Saddam in a cage, China in space again… Important people from all walks of life tend to discuss China, even if only from a "Yo, they got cars now right?" perspective. Topics … Continue reading “German Gloom, Chinese Boom”

In Monday’s meeting between top U.S. and Chinese officials – touted as an unprecedented inaugural – the U.S., as usual when facing China across the negotiating table, is at a distinct disadvantage. At this very moment, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Chris Hill is pounding his head against a wall after another round of negotiations … Continue reading “Free the Diplomats”