Chinese Travel Safety

[dave]

My wife regulary checks the chinese website www.163.com and she has noticed on the message board a great deal of anti-american sentiment on there , some of the messages even included talk such as they wish 9-11 would happen again and they would join ben laden in an attack against america.

Even my last trip to beijing i noticed walking through the stores and markets many people pushed rudely to get by me , my wife seemed to think this was due in large part to jealousy that im an american.

The chinese media will print in headlines anything negative that happens concerning america and china , there is nothing good china has to say about the U.S.A.----this is the way it is now

Recently president Hu gave the U.S.A. a warning not to give Taiwan military technology.

Basically u.s-china relations seem to be at an all time low , my wife has told me its very dangerous now for americans to go traveling about china.

Does anyone else have any information they would like to share?

[turtle]

There's certainly a lot of anti-american sentiment in China, but to say it "dangerous" for americans there is pretty ridiculous. I'd counter by saying China is probably one of the safest places in the world to travel these days. Certainly a lot safer than the US when you factor in violent crime statistics. I feel perfectly at ease walking anywhere in Beijing, Shanghai, or the other big cities, which is much more than I could say about our big cities. I think a lot of the anti-american sentiment is superficial-- when you actually meet and talk with people, chinese are the friendliest people in the world. They love to debate US foreign policy, but rarely make it personal. Jealousy? Give me a break. China has one of the richest cultural heritages on the planet, I doubt they're all that jealous of us americans...

[dave]

There's certainly a lot of anti-american sentiment in China, but to say it "dangerous" for americans there is pretty ridiculous.  I'd counter by saying China is probably one of the safest places in the world to travel these days.  Certainly a lot safer than the US when you factor in violent crime statistics.  I feel perfectly at ease walking anywhere in Beijing, Shanghai, or the other big cities, which is much more than I could say about our big cities.  I think a lot of the anti-american sentiment is superficial-- when you actually meet and talk with people,  chinese are the friendliest people in the world.  They love to debate US foreign policy, but rarely make it personal.  Jealousy?  Give me a break.  China has one of the richest cultural heritages on the planet, I doubt they're all that jealous of us americans...

I am Dave's wife writing this, guess we just got bad luck last trip to China, we even didn't meet nice chinese through customs, we got a 3-month infant, and no chinese gave us a favour that let us get on the board first, if you were travelling with an infant, you would understand that's a little difficult. On the airplane my husband wanted to rinse baby's fomula feeding bottle, and he walked up to the stewardess, there were two ladies there, one of them was chinese and another was an american that was applying make-up, my husband waited a little while and then was trying to talk to the american, and the Chinese lady rudely said to my husband that if he got eyes that noticed the american lady was applying the make up, and also said you should NOT disturb her, at the same time our 3-month baby was crying for FOOD, OH THIS CHINESE WAS SO NICE!!!!!

I am chinese, but I speak the truth, I tell it like it is, I don't make a judgement just because the country I belong to OR the country I live. Any way there is no sense to make judgement, life is life, we just want to live peacefully with the ones you love.

Every country has the friendliest people, there is no comparison among countries, if you want to compare, you have to think about population and percentage, for example: 60% friendliest people in France and 60% in China, well thats equal, anyway what I think is that human is jut human, they are the same both have their faults, good and mean same time in the body:) have a nice week.

[turtle]

Well listen, you're right-- there are friendly people and mean people everywhere, in all countries. I had an experience once in a small chinese city with someone who didn't like foreigners. It happens. But would you really say it's "dangerous" for americans to travel in China? Don't you think that's a bit much?

[dave]

Well that's my personal thought, I think at least I got the right to think the way I want, I think you misunderstand my husband's post, he just wants to share some information, if you don't think it's dangerous, you already gave your idea. BABIDA-BABIDA-BABIDA That's all folks!!!!!!!

[queenontheloose]

WOW! thats perfect post, it can cheer up every one, good day folks

[se_lang]

I don't think it is only China that hates the US it is most of the world, we went against common sense and world opinion to invade Iraq, to what end? However I don't feel scared while walking in China and I get pushed, bumped shoved all the time it is just part of being there never has any of it been violent. Dave & Wife I sorry for your flight problem, if it was the employee's speaking to you in this manner you should file a complaint with the airline an tell them you will never use their service again, maybe you will get a free flight out of it.

[John & Hai Yan]

I have walked alone, down some dark quiet streets late at night in China, and never feared for my safety. But put me on a bus in the middle of the day and that can be pretty Scaaaaarrrry! That's when I fear for my life!!!!

[LENJIA]

I have been to PRC only 3 times, twice to Guang Zhou and once to Chong Qing. The people there were very friendly, never had any problems at all feeling sorta "out of place" I was called "White Ghost" few times there, but that is expected...lol...lol...

[Guest blsqueaky]

I told Ling about this, and she went on 163.com, and could not find anything about this. She found lots more on other subjects, but not on this subject

[se_lang]

I have been to PRC only 3 times, twice to Guang Zhou and once to Chong Qing.  The people there were very friendly, never had any problems at all feeling sorta "out of place"  I was called "White Ghost"  few times there, but that is expected...lol...lol...

I think in CQ I was stared at the most not sure if it was cause I was white or cause I was the shortest white guy they ever saw, either way everywhere I went people looked.

[JPD]

I find China incredibly safe to travel, especially compared to the US, Mexico

and Central America.

 

JPD

[jkobman]

I get the "hey look, it's an American" stare/smile or no respose/eye contact.

Never get the creepy feeling night or day - Zhenzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Hefei, Qing Dao or Nanjing.

So.....

 

That's my 2 RMB

[Martytb]

I have been to PRC only 3 times, twice to Guang Zhou and once to Chong Qing.  The people there were very friendly, never had any problems at all feeling sorta "out of place"  I was called "White Ghost"  few times there, but that is expected...lol...lol...

I think in CQ I was stared at the most not sure if it was cause I was white or cause I was the shortest white guy they ever saw, either way everywhere I went people looked.

I had the same experience. It is not your height se_ lang. It's your round eyes, and blond hair.

[dave]

http://news.163.com/special/w/weiou040725.html You can check out the Anti-american postings on this page, its on the right side, and if you couldn't open it, you can try this------- www.163.com and click the news, then to left side, you will notice the news called a chinese business lady was beaten up by the american police, just click it, you will open the page, find the anti-american news on the right, down that page there are some postings with bad language against united states. (They are in chinese, but if you go to sina.com, you maybe can get an english version, i was trying to find it in the archives, it seems they removed it.)