r/interestingasfuck • u/Red_Lotus_Alchemist • 2d ago

/r/all A Chinese earthquake rescue team deployed drones to light up the night and aid search and rescue operations after the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar.

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u/iRonin 2d ago

The reality is that China has spent only a very very small portion of its history being anything less than one of (if not THE) most advanced nations on the planet.

Take a look at Admiral Zheng He’s flagship vs Christopher Columbus’ “Santa Maria”, both from around the same period. The key difference was culture- unlike Western colonial and imperial tendencies, the Chinese eschewed projecting power internationally. The Dragon Throne was the Dragon Throne. Nations could submit tribute to be recognized but were never colonized and rarely traded with. In fact merchants that left China were provided no protections from the empire, for what need did China have of foreign goods? They were (they believed) inferior.

This was a major driving factor in the Opium Wars. Britain wanted to trade for tea, but China wanted nothing from Britain, so the Brits began importing opium (to the ports in the South, the only place they were granted access, far away from the Throne).

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u/classygorilla 2d ago

I agree but also disagree. I think China's economy is extremely interesting, as it is an open and free economy while the government is a closed dictatorship.

They were very much behind for many years in recent history thanks to Mao. When I lived there (90s-00s) they had a huge poverty problem. Only people in cities had power, water, toilet, phone, as well as very low literacy rates.

Honestly the only reason they are considered advanced right now is because of countries like US, Germany, UK - which brought manufacturing there as it is cheap, they had infrastructure to support, and they were very eager to trade and do business.

Now of course the Chinese know how to make things, they know how to run the plants, they have the materials, they have the industrial infrastructure built up. They are in a very good position but still heavily rely on a lower class to do this work.

I will say finally that when I was there I always felt safe, this is something they do well. They will also not hesitate to use corporal punishment if you do not abide.

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u/erosannin66 3h ago

I think they know that china was in a bad place they are just saying that this isn't china rising more like reclaiming their old position