SirLancelot

Dude, this totally sucks Yimi! I'm very sorry to hear of this. More trouble for you two. I hope you can get this straightened out promptly. I think an InfoPass appointment is the next logical step in trying to resolve this issue. Good luck!

Speak of the devil: At least they're making an effort. 108.5 billion yuan is quite a bit of money for the common citizenry. That's a substantial investment. I hope it's well spent.

hmmm... I just heard today that China will overtake Germany as number 3 in the world in economic power. Dennis, by absolute numbers, China seems economically powerful, but when you take into account that China has 1300 mil people and Germany has 87mil people, China looks abysmally weak. When you break down total economic power to per capita, China isn't even on the Top 100 list, nevermind the Top 10 or Top 3 list. It's a little bit like this. Our two househould income may be $150K/year, but in your household only you need to work to bring in $150k/year. In my househould, perhaps there's a total of 10 family members all working together making $15,500/year, with a combined household income of $155K/year. So we may seem like we have more household income per year, but in actuality, per capita income we're poor as dirt compared to you.

Lance, your statement is valid as to the time frame but you are looking at it in a very narrow scope. In the 25 years that you talk about, the technology that could have prevented or at least had a major impact in reducing the environmental issues facing China, was globally available. Additionally, environmental regulations could have been implemented based on what was happening with the global community. That road was not taken by China for a variety of issues of which I'll not take the time to comment. Environmentally Lance, it's done a lousy job and is doing nothing to improve the situation At this point, I'll step off my soap box and I'll leave it to the experts here to deal with it. Good luck. As aye, Jim Jim, you certainly are well qualified to comment on this topic. I wish you would continue. I agree with you that the technology was available, just as better medical technology was available to help the sick, but China was poor. Even today in 2007, it's poor. By looking solely at it's 1.4trillion USD reserve and insisting that China is rich enough completely misses the bigger picture as to how poor China really is. With 1.3 billion people, a 1.4trillion USD reserve is nothing. Per capita income is abysmally low as compared to the US or Western Europe. Here's a chart from The World Bank for 2004: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_hist...ginning_in_1982 How can anyone expect China to adopt the latest and greatest technologies to deal with the environmental problem in the 80's or 90's when they were just starting to come of age. Even in the 90's there were still people in the countryside who were lacking basic foodstuff. Environmental pollution is really a problem of the rich. Poor people who can't get enough to eat don't care about getting lung cancer 10 or 20 years later. They're too worried about getting enough food or clothing on their backs for tomorrow. To criticize China when it was just beginning to develop/industrialize is to criticize a poor person who can barely afford a Yugo why they didn't purchase a Prius. The very simple answer is that they couldn't afford the better technologies. Of course China could have done better and can do better. But it simply doesn't have the money that many of you may think it has. And I'm the first one to criticize China for spending unnecessary money on their space program. It is indeed a waste of good resources when they're so poor. The money could have been spent on better medical technology and facilities for all its citizenry. I'm also the first one to criticize and lament the fact that China did not leap forward and bypass the oil/gas technology when introducing their automobile infrastructure. They could have directly jumped to the next generation of technology and built infrastructure around the country to support that next generation of fuel, but instead it adopted the tried and true but very polluting petrol based infrastructure. I wish it adopted a newer technology, but I also realize that they couldn't afford to jump directly to the next generation at the time the infrastructure was being developed. Another sad fact is this: China has a very hard time collecting taxes from its citizens. Authoritarian governments may adeptly quell protests or riots and may easily suppress freedom or speech or press, but it actually has a very hard time collecting taxes that the citizenry feels are collected by corrupt officials or a corrupt government. The citizenry tries very hard at every step of the way to circumvent the paying of taxes that are required from them. So much of the infrastructure the US takes for granted--or Americans take for granted--have been built out during the past 90 years. The rule of law is solid in the US. Our IRS is quite adept at collecting taxes. China simply hasn't reached that stage yet. In time I hope and expect they will, but it's going to take a while. At least another 25-50 years. I think the world expects too much of China. It takes time for people to change and adapt, not just the government. It's going to take a while for the Chinese people to adapt to the international standards. IP piracy is just one little example of the people of China not wanting to cooperate with foreign demands--not the government of China refusing to cooperate. You will need to win the minds and hearts of the Chinese people, not just the government before any structural change can truly be implemented. I believe there is big demand from the people now to change and better the environment, so I think there will be change coming. Still, it's a matter of funding and growth. The ability for them to truly improve is constrained by those two factors. In the end, China is still poor and they're still rapidly developing/expanding economically.

Dan, I actually agree that there's nothing wrong with the FDA standards. I'm thankful we have this bare minimum standard in the US. It would be ideal if China could also adopt this bare minimum standard. I'm certainly not oppose to that. The problem is that it's completely unrealistic to expect China to adopt those FDA standards now in 2007. The two countries are a world apart when viewed statistically and on the average. Perhaps when per capita income reaches parity with the US, China can enforce food safety standards which are the same as the FDA sets out, but for 2007, I think it's completely unrealistic. It would drive up the cost of food in China greatly. A lot of folks simply won't be able to afford the food that comes with that kind of safety. China does offer "organic" foods and vegetable in expensive grocery stores where there's a lot of loa wei foot traffic. But I've never once seen a poor Chinese person purchase anything from the organic section. It's ridiculously priced for the average Chinese citizen. As for the US industralization, I would beg to differ Dan. I would suggest the US started massively industralizing back in the 1860s and 1870's. Industrial Expansion 1860-1890 http://www.emayzine.com/lectures/indust~1.htm History of the United States Industrialization and reform (1870-1916) http://www.theusaonline.com/history/industrilazation.htm As for China opening up, it may have opened up in 1978, but the real development didn't start until at least 1987. Chinese Social Stratification 1979-1993 Chinese Social Stratification after 1993 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Chines...ation_1979-1993 I would argue that China really only unleashed itself from a completely peasantry class in the late 1980's. I hope China is serious about changing its polluting ways as well. Its people deserve to have a healthier environment.

I didn't know Germany was the largest. That is surprising. I would have figured USA, or EU as a combined entity but not Germany as a sole country of Europe. Very interesting. I will forgive most for not knowing this.. but you of all people should of know more about this.. "Clearly, China will surpass U.S. as the second exporter of goods in the world and then China will surpass Germany to become the first exporter of goods." -- dec. 2006 Bloggernews.net (and in most economic discussions over the last year). I admit I'm a little embarrassed but it just doesn't reconcile. Germany is 82,400,996 (July 2007 est.) population according to CIA factbook. US is over 300 million and Japan is over 127 mil. Germany's economy (GDP) is about 60-70% of Japan's economy. Look at these numbers, who could be faulted to not assume that Germany was the largest exporter? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_count...P_%28nominal%29 Germany's GDP is minuscule when compared to the US. Are they talking about a percentage of GDP or absolute dollar amount of exports? I just find it absolutely puzzling how a small country like Germany can have a bigger total export than the US. Perhaps it's all those BMWs, Mercedes and Audis/VWs on our roads. No matter how you slice it, them damn Germans are amazing. Largest exporter in the world.

I didn't know Germany was the largest. That is surprising. I would have figured USA, or EU as a combined entity but not Germany as a sole country of Europe. Very interesting.

Some very disturbing findings indeed Jim. Yet, my wife retorts: So? Billions of Chinese eat this exact kind of food everyday and they don't all die or become sick, not even 1%. I suspect the vast majority of all our SOs will say the same. I've lived in poor GuangXi province for 6 months myself and have eaten at the poorest little eateries for like 2-4 rmb meals. I didn't get food poisoning. I also lived in Shanghai for 1.7 years from 2004 - 2006 and I don't recall having food poisoning. What I do recall is having a "grossed out" perception and reaction to many of the places I ate at, but in reality they did not produce any negative physical reactions. As for putting a defensive spin on China? Whose doing that? Everyone, including myself, fully concedes that China's environmental and pollution problems are atrocious, widespread, and drastically needs changing. No one disputes that. From what I've seen, the defensive side is always charging in here to defend America. America is a democracy and that in itself will solve everything. America is great. God bless America. Those are the rhetorical "defensive spins" that I see in this thread. For the record, I'll say it again, China's environmental problems are atrocious. They desperately need to change and improve their environmental record. But also understand that China opened up only 25+ years ago. America's had at least 100 years of being an advanced industrialized nation. If you expect China to be on par with the US in every way in 2007, that's delusional. Given its overall economic prosperity for the short 25+ years that it's opened up to the West, I think it's done a remarkable job. I'll criticize and place blame where and when appropriate but by god I'm going to assign credit where it's obviously due as well. China has done an exceptional job of advancing the overall standard of living for the majority of Chinese, much better than Russia or India under "democracy".

That is completely bogus Zach. An individual at American Airlines is giving your buddy bogus info. AA does not have such a policy in place. They should be able to purchase a one way ticket for her. Ask to speak to a supervisor or just go to another agency.

Congrats Young Blood! It's nice to hear Lychee prevailed. Best wishes moving forward!

That's right Thomas!!!! You go boy! American democracy took a long time to develop. Only 50 years ago we had segregation as law. Democracy itself is not a solve all for all problems. Women didn't have the right to vote in the beginning of the 20th century and that was under American Democracy. The Chinese Exclusion Act passed in 1882 and it wasn't repealed until 1943. That was also under American Democracy. Give China 50-100 years and then see where she's at. And remember that China is prospering, industrializing and laying the foundations under its current system. I'm sure when it eventually changes over to democracy, the champions of democracy will claim all the credit, but remember that China economically prospered under its current system and is now laying all the infrastructure for future success, something that India is finding next to impossible to do under "democracy".

My impression is that you don't understand China at all. I suspect you've never read any books on China either. China hardly knew a thing about the capitalistic west when it first opened up in the modern era. To this day, many of the state own companies still can't compete at all if their state support were pulled. To expect China to be perfect within 25 years when it took the US over 100 years to be where it's at now is truly the laughable assertion. They knew as much what they were getting themselves into when they opened up and started rapidly industrializing as the US knew about the consequences of the Iraqi war at the beginning of the invasion.

No problem. Good luck with both your wife and step-daughters AOS.

Most likely you'll get an RFE for it. Sometimes you may get past the initial adjudicator but most likely the IO will ask for one at the time of the interview. If you don't have one, he or she may issue you a RFE before you get your GC. Every once in a while, applicants have been known to pass the interview and receive their GC without the I-693 supplement but they are the exception to the rule. USCIS policy is that all immigrants have vaccination. When you file AOS, you are required to show proof that you have the required vaccinations.

The only part of your argument that stands is the part about this entire process being not forced upon China. That is true. To the extent that there's no military parked offshore of China's seas and ready to assault if they don't capitulate, China has the option to stop being the world's manufacturing plant. But at best, it's a misleading argument. It's like saying a 13 year old girl has a choice--and fully understands the repercussions and ramifications--of engaging in sexual activity and pregnancy. Does she have free will? Yes. Does she completely and fully understand her choice and actions? I think not. So it is with China. She had an illusion of free choice, but had no idea of the real consequences. It'll be interesting to see how American's bitch--especially those on the west coast--when more of China's pollution turn up in CA. Already, some of China's pollution have already made its way across the Pacific Ocean and made it to various parts of western Canada and the western US states including CA. I guess China should just tell the Americans: Tough shit. Deal with it. It's not their concern as it's not on their soil once it reaches the US. China is not a 13 y/o girl , totally bogus thing to say. yes china as a nation has rushed into economic growth, but who owns these polluting companies, not the people. Western investment and their desire for very cheaply produced and higher returns is the driving force here. Ok the chinese govt does little to control it, they are paid off. Is this new or strange, no look at the UK or the USA in the past, in regard to the effectiveness of the EPA or fedral law on worker protection and corporate accountability for polluting the enviroment and people. Look at our govt 's refusal to sign on to the UN and G8 plans for the reduction of green house gases. I dont think we have any justification to lecture others on pollution, when its our investers and corporations world wide that are largely responsible for it. I'm referring to China's recent rapid growth and their embrace of capitalism with Chinese characteristics. They are indeed naive, inexperienced, and couldn't understand the full ramifications of this fast paced growth, like a 13 year old and sexual activity. The Chinese government isn't out to purposely fuck over all its citizens as the Western media loves to project. In actuality, the Chinese government tries quite hard to bring prosperity to the entire 1.3 billion populace, but in the process, it does tend to stamp over individual rights. And because there's not much--or any in many cases--recourse for the individual caught underneath the giant juggernaut, it does suck for some. But for the overall populace, China has done a remarkable job of transforming itself from being a very, very poor country into a rapidly developing second-world nation. This certainly couldn't have happened this quickly with democracy--just look at India as a great example of what happens to economic growth in a huge and poor developing country when you have democarcy. I know it has been in vogue and continues to be in vogue to heavily criticize the Chinese "commie" government for all the evils in the world, but they simply aren't as evil as the West likes to portray or believe. They're trying their best to raise the entire nation's economic living standard. That is their goal. It's not their goal to purposely screw people over. In the process of trying to better the entire nation, they do trample on individuals but it's not purposely planned. In fact, this current environmental crisis wasn't overtly planned. The Chinese government didn't set out to purposely pollute the entire nation. It was their hope to achieve the economic benefits of a rapidly developing country for the entire nation but in the process they nevertheless allowed tons of environmental damage to be done. They certainly are at fault for allowing this to continue, but it wasn't their intent to have this happen and thus why they're indeed a "13 year old" in this regard. They can do better, and they should do better to protect its own citizens. I expect China will toughen its stance on the environment. The Chinese knows the US isn't going to bail them out in any way so they'll have to deal with the cleanup themselves. The best thing about an authoritarian government--as opposed to a democratic government--is that when they actually decided on some course of action, they'll very quickly implement it. In a democracy, the entire nation is mired in a quagmire of perpetual debate with no solution or action in sight--the illegal immigration debate is a perfect example in the US. We all admit or know that illegal immigration is wrong and yet we can't do a thing about it. Why? Because of "democracy".

It's an impossibility for the Medical Center in GZ to email you anything. Vaccinations are indeed required for K1. It's just that some people have waited until the AOS interview for the IO to request for it. Most people have submitted their vaccination with their original AOS filings. Vaccinations are not a requirement for NON-Immigrant visas, K-Visas are NON-Immigrant. The vaccinations are a requirement for Immigrants, that is CR-1/IR-1, and they are required when adjusting status from NON-Immigrant to Immigrant in the USA. We had the required vaccinations done in China AFTER getting the Visa, they were cheep in China. Vaccinations are not needed to obtain a K-1 visa from GUZ. The OP states in his original post that his wife is already here in the states and is inquiring about an I-693 supplement with regards to AOS. In the situation he's alluding to, vaccinations are not necessarily required at the initial filing of the AOS. He can wait until the actual AOS interview to bring the I-693 supplement. But as a policy, vaccinations for K1 visa holders are required when doing AOS. With regards to K1 for GUZ, vaccinations are not required as Dan states.

It's an impossibility for the Medical Center in GZ to email you anything. Vaccinations are indeed required for K1. It's just that some people have waited until the AOS interview for the IO to request for it. Most people have submitted their vaccination with their original AOS filings.

The only part of your argument that stands is the part about this entire process being not forced upon China. That is true. To the extent that there's no military parked offshore of China's seas and ready to assault if they don't capitulate, China has the option to stop being the world's manufacturing plant. But at best, it's a misleading argument. It's like saying a 13 year old girl has a choice--and fully understands the repercussions and ramifications--of engaging in sexual activity and pregnancy. Does she have free will? Yes. Does she completely and fully understand her choice and actions? I think not. So it is with China. She had an illusion of free choice, but had no idea of the real consequences. It'll be interesting to see how American's bitch--especially those on the west coast--when more of China's pollution turn up in CA. Already, some of China's pollution have already made its way across the Pacific Ocean and made it to various parts of western Canada and the western US states including CA. I guess China should just tell the Americans: Tough shit. Deal with it. It's not their concern as it's not on their soil once it reaches the US.

Ah man, I'm not suppose to be called that for another 20-30 years! Where is the love?

From where I am, those links are 404'd. Can you post a link to it on amazon.com? What is the title of the film? Bill, I'd like to suggest this book that I just finished last week: http://www.amazon.com/Elephant-Dragon-Indi...7182&sr=1-1 The Elephant and the Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What It Means for All of Us http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41DCw1U1R7L._AA240_.jpg Just published this year. Very good book, IMO. It's tough to foresee a very bright future for all US citizens as India and China come of age in the modern world. The overall international wage should equalize--and that means lowers US wages and higher Chinese and Indian wages overall. Take a read if you have time. I definitely recommend it.

Lao is used all over the place... it's silly for one think it simply means old... Just as one doesn't mean old tiger or old rat when saying Lao Hu or Lao Shi... Applied to teachers (or masters), I think it is more akin to veneration.. I know it doesn't have to mean old DavidZ, but Lao Gong brings to mind exactly an antiquated image of an old imperial husband who has his feet washed by his subservient wife (or wives). I dislike the term. I dare say in more upper crust--and primarily educated--families, those terms are not used. It tends to come across as being a bit vulgar or crass. (I'm not trying to offend anyone here at CFL. I realize that many folks on here and their SOs use Lao Gong and Lao Pao, but I do think it's important to explain the full context for these terms.) Now a days, the younger generation in the US likes to use terms such as "biatch" and "ho" as terms of endearment as well, but it's certainly no universally accepted and I just can't see Jim_Julian using those terms.

Ok, I found it. http://www.wowpicture.com/fromchinatousa_bbs/index.php But one needs to registered before one can read anything and their registration system requires someone to vouch for you before you're granted access. I believe if your wife/SO mentions that she learned of the site from CFL, she may be granted access. Good luck. Panthr, does your wife know the 002 website? I don't have the link off the top of my head but I'm sure someone else will post here. But she can directly pose such a question herself to her fellow sisters in the US on 002. It's like a CFL but for Chinese ladies already in the US. Good luck.

Panthr, does your wife know the 002 website? I don't have the link off the top of my head but I'm sure someone else will post here. But she can directly pose such a question herself to her fellow sisters in the US on 002. It's like a CFL but for Chinese ladies already in the US. Good luck.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=92521 Notice the parts in BOLD How can a person file I-130 for a spouse without a marriage cert? The first thing that came to my mind was: teach, as in teach English? The way this person writes, he'll do more damage than good. GZBill has mentioned that China is really cracking down on those foreigners teaching illegally in China. Without a formal Z visa to teach, I think it'll be harder to get by teaching with the L or F visas, as was previously done so often.

The West just wants progress at such breakneck speeds. Many things about this editorial I find ironic. First off, of all the modern Chinese leaders, Hu has done the most to improve the West and interior of China, and not just lip service. Jiang ZM and Rong focused all their attention to Shanghai and the coastal regions. The other great irony I see in comments like these is the assumption--or inference--that somehow the great 700 million peasantry is a static and monolithic group with the same goal. What the editorial fails to honestly and frankly disclose or consider is that the 700 million Chinese peasantry is like everyone else--be they corrupt commie cadre leaders or the burgeoning Chinese middle class--and that is to say that the Chinese peasantry will do exactly the same as the other classes once they obtain enough money for themselves and reach the middle class or even upper class. They are no better or worse with regards to ethics and corruption. With respect to Jeikun, I think griz326 is pretty dead on. We have the same kind of economic problems in the US, albeit everyone--including the poor class--start from a better base in the US, but the problems are pretty much the same. Do the poor, under-educated, blacks of America have the same opportunities as the upper class New England WASPs? Does the US offer universal health care to all its citizens? Or are there 45 million uninsured people here who can get access to reasonable health care? The editorial talks about China's 45 billion budget on its military. Well, the US is asking for more than 600 billion on its defense budget. Can't our colleges, hospitals, infrastructure, etc etc etc use some of the billions going to the Pentagon? I will concede that China needs a much stronger independent judiciary. I will concede that China needs a much stronger focus and execution of the rule of law. I will concede that China needs to implement rules and policies which are fundamentally fair to all, not just the richer coastal regions or urban city dwellers. And of course I'll concede that China needs to democratize and open itself up for more internal criticism and debates. Lastly, I'm am an ardent advocate of a strong and independent press. More than anything else, I concede China desperately needs a very FREE press. But for all its problems, I'm still willing to wager that the vast majority of Chinese people are quite proud of the system they have now. It could even be that they've been brainwashed to be content because the state controls the media, but they are pretty content. Even if you want to argue that 200 or 300 million are not happy and want change, than that still leaves 1-1.1 billion who are content. The US and the West loves to focus on the minority faction who are the dissenters and who want change but very rarely acknowledge the super majority who are actually pretty content with how things have progressed in the past 25 years and are continuing to progress in China. Without the strong and tight control of the Chinese government, you end up with a disaster like Russia. If it wasn't for the crazy high oil prices, Russia wouldn't be half what it is now and that's not saying much.