Clark's impressions of communist China through the years on clarkhoward.com

Have you been watching the Olympics? Clark's 9 year old was obsessed with the opening ceremonies and his 2 year old is enthralled with equestrian sports.

The penny-pincher himself finds communist China to be very confusing. For those who are wondering, Clark calls it communist China to differentiate from Taiwan (aka the Republic of China).

Clark first visited communist China 25 years ago when it was truly under the sway of Chairman Mao's legacy. At that time, he found it to be a totally rural country that looked positively feudal. He particularly recalls being at a border crossing where there were 3-story high fences and gunmen up in towers to keep the citizenry in the country.

11 years later, he visited communist China again and stopped at that same border crossing. The towers remained, but the guards were gone. The citizens of communist China now enjoyed a new level of freedom -- including freedom of movement and non-political expression.

Yet today, communist China still remains a paradox. In fact, a British reporter was just beaten while covering a Tibetan demonstration in Beijing.

Many Americans fear the economic power of communist China. The Financial Times of London reports they'll soon surpass us in manufacturing. But consider this: Clark would rather they lob a DVD player at him than a hand grenade or a nuclear weapon. They're no longer the fierce, violent opponent of ours that they were during the Korean War.

So don't be angry that they will soon out-manufacture us. Instead, let's look inward and see what we can do to improve our production.

What others are saying

MikeBP and his "political agenda"
China, whether it be called the flowery "People's Republic", Red, or by it's affirmation of the one party state, Communist, has NEVER allowed opposition to it's founding elite. People like MikeBP, would like you to think that they are "enlightened". Naturally, by using the phrase "politically incorrect expression", he shows all that he is a linguistic fascist, and recognizes that HE is to be the arbritar of the correct discourse. Your opinions and words are worthless to an astute student of "political correctness", like Mike....Hmmmm politics in the "correct" form, eh, MikeBP? Sounds like that famous "sanitization" campain Mao had going around '68, killed a few million, remember that one Mike? It was called the "Cultural Revolution". Those who were "politically incorrect", were turned into slave labor or executed. Keep on striving to make society better, MikeBP,would you like to have been a commissar in the "People's Republic" back then? I bet you would!
By James X @ 04/29/09 02:52:32 PMreport abuse
Clark's political commentary
Don't kid yourself! Few people confuse Taiwan with the People's Republic of China, which is how enlightened people refer to China when it is necessary to distinguish between the two. People who insist on using the politically incorrect expression "Communist China," like Clark Howard and Lou Dobbs, have a political agenda to broadcast.
By Mike BP @ 04/07/09 12:56:52 PMreport abuse
Hey Clark, I love your show a lot but sick and tired of you bashing my country as you try to demonized it. We chose socialism for a reason and we are doing a great job so far as feeding our people and put roofs over their head. It's a complicated topic to talk about why we select socialism in here but I do want you to pay us the respect for leaving it up to us to choose our way of living. What is the last time you see China sent its troop outside its border to force its believes in the name of "FREEDOM"?
By the way, speaking of the guards you saw at the watch tower in China 25 years ago, their job is not to deter our citizens from leaving the country. More precisely they were there to keep the foreign hostility out.
By A simple chinese man @ 10/25/08 02:55:39 AMreport abuse
ChiComs
These few years leading up to the Olympics, China has pretty much been on it's best behavior. Once these games are done, I wonder if they will still remain all cute and cuddly. Back in the 80's, the school of thought was that if we would export Levis and rock n' roll to the Soviets, they would become all warm and fuzzy towards us. How's that workin' out? Every time you go buy some piece of cr&% item from ChinaMart, ever wonder what those billions are being spent on over there? What's that old communist quote? Something to they effect that we will hang the capitalists and sell them the rope? Oh wait, I forgot. They're our friends now, right?
By et tu @ 08/16/08 08:27:49 AMreport abuse
Response to ChiCom & ChiNat
Dear Old Fart Grandpa Gene, I couldn't understand a word you were trying to say.
By Andy @ 08/15/08 04:16:36 PMreport abuse
ChiCom & ChiNat
Try that Clark if you want to tell the differnce between them. As for lobing a ChiCom grenade now that is a hairy thought. I know, One of the Chuck and the boy's and myself played catch with one for about two tosses before it went off in the wire. Maybe that one reason that I have such a healty respect for explosives. Kinda like an old black powder pistol, If you don't know what you doing, You won't be around long! You know, now that I'm an ol'fart now, and if I ever meet that man that played catch with that thing, I might just buy him a beer. Wow that was a lifetime ago.
By Grandpa Gene @ 08/15/08 08:38:43 AMreport abuse
China
You are on of the few men on the raido that speaks with reason. On the Korean i was there and it is good that the Chineses did not go all the way. we could not make enough bullets to win agenist them. On the manafacturing we can not compete there when they pay what they pay in wages, also when a company can no longer compete they just close up and tell the workers to go away, no severance for the worker in China. Is there an answer to this problem? Not unless or until they have a change in the way they look at there citizens.
By Franklin Bargar @ 08/14/08 03:33:36 PMreport abuse

MikeBP and his "political agenda"

China, whether it be called the flowery "People's Republic", Red, or by it's affirmation of the one party state, Communist, has NEVER allowed opposition to it's founding elite. People like MikeBP, would like you to think that they are "enlightened". Naturally, by using the phrase "politically incorrect expression", he shows all that he is a linguistic fascist, and recognizes that HE is to be the arbritar of the correct discourse. Your opinions and words are worthless to an astute student of "political correctness", like Mike....Hmmmm politics in the "correct" form, eh, MikeBP? Sounds like that famous "sanitization" campain Mao had going around '68, killed a few million, remember that one Mike? It was called the "Cultural Revolution". Those who were "politically incorrect", were turned into slave labor or executed. Keep on striving to make society better, MikeBP,would you like to have been a commissar in the "People's Republic" back then? I bet you would!

By James X @ 04/29/09 02:52:32 PMreport abuse

Clark's political commentary

Don't kid yourself! Few people confuse Taiwan with the People's Republic of China, which is how enlightened people refer to China when it is necessary to distinguish between the two. People who insist on using the politically incorrect expression "Communist China," like Clark Howard and Lou Dobbs, have a political agenda to broadcast.

By Mike BP @ 04/07/09 12:56:52 PMreport abuse

Hey Clark, I love your show a lot but sick and tired of you bashing my country as you try to demonized it. We chose socialism for a reason and we are doing a great job so far as feeding our people and put roofs over their head. It's a complicated topic to talk about why we select socialism in here but I do want you to pay us the respect for leaving it up to us to choose our way of living. What is the last time you see China sent its troop outside its border to force its believes in the name of "FREEDOM"?
By the way, speaking of the guards you saw at the watch tower in China 25 years ago, their job is not to deter our citizens from leaving the country. More precisely they were there to keep the foreign hostility out.

By A simple chinese man @ 10/25/08 02:55:39 AMreport abuse

ChiComs

These few years leading up to the Olympics, China has pretty much been on it's best behavior. Once these games are done, I wonder if they will still remain all cute and cuddly. Back in the 80's, the school of thought was that if we would export Levis and rock n' roll to the Soviets, they would become all warm and fuzzy towards us. How's that workin' out? Every time you go buy some piece of cr&% item from ChinaMart, ever wonder what those billions are being spent on over there? What's that old communist quote? Something to they effect that we will hang the capitalists and sell them the rope? Oh wait, I forgot. They're our friends now, right?

By et tu @ 08/16/08 08:27:49 AMreport abuse

Response to ChiCom & ChiNat

Dear Old Fart Grandpa Gene, I couldn't understand a word you were trying to say.

By Andy @ 08/15/08 04:16:36 PMreport abuse

ChiCom & ChiNat

Try that Clark if you want to tell the differnce between them. As for lobing a ChiCom grenade now that is a hairy thought. I know, One of the Chuck and the boy's and myself played catch with one for about two tosses before it went off in the wire. Maybe that one reason that I have such a healty respect for explosives. Kinda like an old black powder pistol, If you don't know what you doing, You won't be around long! You know, now that I'm an ol'fart now, and if I ever meet that man that played catch with that thing, I might just buy him a beer. Wow that was a lifetime ago.

By Grandpa Gene @ 08/15/08 08:38:43 AMreport abuse

China

You are on of the few men on the raido that speaks with reason. On the Korean i was there and it is good that the Chineses did not go all the way. we could not make enough bullets to win agenist them. On the manafacturing we can not compete there when they pay what they pay in wages, also when a company can no longer compete they just close up and tell the workers to go away, no severance for the worker in China. Is there an answer to this problem? Not unless or until they have a change in the way they look at there citizens.

By Franklin Bargar @ 08/14/08 03:33:36 PMreport abuse

Listen Live:

Clark On Demand:

Clark's Advice:

Consumer Action Center:

Quick Links:

Clark Media:

Call The Show:

Aug 14, 2008 -- Clark's impressions of communist China through the years

What others are saying