U.S. Commends the Chinese Worker

“Time” magazine announced that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was named the 2009 Person of the Year, along with the Chinese worker as a Runner-Up and Zhou Xiaochuan, head of the People’s Bank of China, as a Person Who Mattered. The magazine wrote that China’s eight percent annual GDP growth rate, which is the fastest among the world’s economies and leads the global economic recovery effort, was mostly due to the contributions of China’s millions of ordinary workers.

We must admit that the USA’s “Time” is one of the best news magazines in the world, despite its shades of ideology. Some of China’s most prominent political personalities once made its covers. Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping appeared many times on its cover. Bernanke is 2009’s Person of the Year and the Chinese worker is a runner-Up. This is quite thought-provoking.

There is no doubt that in the fight to fix the economic crisis both the U.S.’s and China’s central bank leaders are key players. Their efforts are widely recognized and they deserve to make the cover of “Time.” However great these economic policies may be, they must be carried out and realized by the grassroots workers. China launched the 4000 billion yuan investment package to reduce the international impact of this financial crisis. This blockbuster plan stunned and eventually influenced the global economy. This 4000 billion yuan must be spent by the grassroots workers’ dedication and talent, costing some of them their lives.

Somewhat disappointingly, whether at home or abroad, the media are paying less and less attention to grassroots workers. The newspapers are filled with stories about unpaid workers jumping off of skyscrapers, factories with ill-equipped security systems costing the lives of dozens if not hundreds of workers, desperate retirees who have lost their healthcare and job insurance. No doubt this has been caused by the declining social status of our workers. A real estate magnate can make what tens of thousands of workers make in one year. Corrupt officials often net millions of yuan by abusing their powers. Society’s values are money-oriented. In such an environment, it is all the more reasonable that the powerless worker who lives hand-to-mouth fails to attract media attention.

On the other side of the Pacific, the unique perspective of “Time” credited the Chinese worker with the eight percent GDP growth and the pulling of the world economy back from the brink. Not only does this not reflect universal opinion, but it also coincides with the Chinese government’s declamation. It also reminds us that even though this society forgets some facts, it does not mean that the rest of the world suffers from amnesia. A media outlet becomes well-known and lasts more than 100 years precisely because of its independent thinking and observation. During the height of worldwide anti-China sentiment, “Time” recognized Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping and featured them on the cover. History has proven that it is right.

Chinese workers have made a great contribution to China’s and the world’s economic and social development. They deserve this society’s respect and reasonable welfare. We cannot leave them to suffer and cry after sweating and bleeding for this country. They should be lifted out of poverty. This is not charity; this is what they deserve. As the gap between the poor and the rich widens, we must carry out fundamental reform and change our policies. We must not and cannot exploit them again and again in the name of reform. A nation can never be stable while developing on the basis of a virtual economy like real estate speculation. A virtual economy is always a virtual one without concrete industries. It can collapse at any time. This has already been proven by the financial crisis on Wall Street and the credit crisis of Dubai. These workers, snubbed by bigwigs and appreciated by “Time,” are the real cornerstones in developing concrete industries.