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Culture is in streets, not skyscrapers
By Steve |
January 10, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
DEAR editor,
I get most of the news about China from your fine newspaper.
Because of my affection to China, I want to make some comments which I meant to do some time ago.
First, about your recent article "Nine injured as team tried to rid street off stall holders" (January 5, page A2).
The city is growing substantially and there are huge apartment buildings and department stores replacing the street vendors and the local small stores which are part of China's cultural and human needs.
Places like Pudong have large apartment buildings and the few stores that are left are being replaced by real estate offices and bars that are surrounded by apartment buildings.
There is no place to buy vegetables or fruits or small neighborhood restaurants unless you have a car to drive 10 blocks away.
There is no urban management to force developers to allow small stores to exist within short walking distance from the development.
Instead, you have high-end stores that sell expensive overseas perfume and Gucci bags, Christina Dior, things that nobody can eat or afford.
Small restaurants and fruit places cannot compete with Starbucks and Gucci but they are more essential.
Crazy cars
Talking about urban management, a few years back, I was in Shanghai with a group, and we did shopping in the streets.
One of my friends was hit by a car when he was trying to cross the street. Another was hit by a bicycle. The group leader decided not to do another shopping day in Shanghai unless the bus could take them in front of a store.
We noticed that when you cross the street in Shanghai, even though you have a green crossing light, you are still not safe because cars do not give priority to pedestrians and cars have the right to turn from all sides.
I feel sorry for the people in Shanghai who have to cross the street every day. There is no priority for pedestrians.
If they enacted and enforced a law requiring cars to stop for crossing pedestrians, you would have less injuries, less traffic jams and less unrest.
It looks like people who made money and bought cars have no regard for those who don't have the same. The government must do something about it.
The old city of Shanghai was a wonderful city, full of life and culture. The new city of Shanghai is also a beautiful city but not wonderful.
Development is aimed at worship of the wealthy and the way things are going, this will become another Singapore.
China wants to be green but in reality it manufactures millions of cars that create a large pollution problem a million times worse than that caused by cigarettes.
What does China do? It fights cigarette smokers because it's fashionable to do so, but it doesn't take away the car pollution.
Americanized hospitals
Hospitals in China are becoming more and more Americanized. American drug companies have already penetrated the hospitals, which means unaffordable expensive care and not the best medical treatment.
My dear China, where are you going? We used to worry that the noodle shop and the Chinese fast food (which is homemade food) will be replaced by McDonalds, Burger King and KFC. You don't have to worry about this anymore. The small eateries just disappeared. They cannot afford the rent.
Unless something is done to protect the vendors from urban teams and from laws that are just aimed at wiping vendors out, the people will suffer.
Even in New York City, the mayor allows vendors all over Fifth Avenue, the most expensive street in New York, because not every tourist can afford to go into expensive restaurant or buy a Louis Vuitton bag. China's culture is in the street, not behind stainless chrome office buildings.
(Steve, a reader. Shanghai Daily condensed the letter.)
I get most of the news about China from your fine newspaper.
Because of my affection to China, I want to make some comments which I meant to do some time ago.
First, about your recent article "Nine injured as team tried to rid street off stall holders" (January 5, page A2).
The city is growing substantially and there are huge apartment buildings and department stores replacing the street vendors and the local small stores which are part of China's cultural and human needs.
Places like Pudong have large apartment buildings and the few stores that are left are being replaced by real estate offices and bars that are surrounded by apartment buildings.
There is no place to buy vegetables or fruits or small neighborhood restaurants unless you have a car to drive 10 blocks away.
There is no urban management to force developers to allow small stores to exist within short walking distance from the development.
Instead, you have high-end stores that sell expensive overseas perfume and Gucci bags, Christina Dior, things that nobody can eat or afford.
Small restaurants and fruit places cannot compete with Starbucks and Gucci but they are more essential.
Crazy cars
Talking about urban management, a few years back, I was in Shanghai with a group, and we did shopping in the streets.
One of my friends was hit by a car when he was trying to cross the street. Another was hit by a bicycle. The group leader decided not to do another shopping day in Shanghai unless the bus could take them in front of a store.
We noticed that when you cross the street in Shanghai, even though you have a green crossing light, you are still not safe because cars do not give priority to pedestrians and cars have the right to turn from all sides.
I feel sorry for the people in Shanghai who have to cross the street every day. There is no priority for pedestrians.
If they enacted and enforced a law requiring cars to stop for crossing pedestrians, you would have less injuries, less traffic jams and less unrest.
It looks like people who made money and bought cars have no regard for those who don't have the same. The government must do something about it.
The old city of Shanghai was a wonderful city, full of life and culture. The new city of Shanghai is also a beautiful city but not wonderful.
Development is aimed at worship of the wealthy and the way things are going, this will become another Singapore.
China wants to be green but in reality it manufactures millions of cars that create a large pollution problem a million times worse than that caused by cigarettes.
What does China do? It fights cigarette smokers because it's fashionable to do so, but it doesn't take away the car pollution.
Americanized hospitals
Hospitals in China are becoming more and more Americanized. American drug companies have already penetrated the hospitals, which means unaffordable expensive care and not the best medical treatment.
My dear China, where are you going? We used to worry that the noodle shop and the Chinese fast food (which is homemade food) will be replaced by McDonalds, Burger King and KFC. You don't have to worry about this anymore. The small eateries just disappeared. They cannot afford the rent.
Unless something is done to protect the vendors from urban teams and from laws that are just aimed at wiping vendors out, the people will suffer.
Even in New York City, the mayor allows vendors all over Fifth Avenue, the most expensive street in New York, because not every tourist can afford to go into expensive restaurant or buy a Louis Vuitton bag. China's culture is in the street, not behind stainless chrome office buildings.
(Steve, a reader. Shanghai Daily condensed the letter.)
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