New students: what to take to China?

Article for "Asia Pacific Perspective: China +"
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By Mathew Yakai

BEFORE Papua New Guinea gained political independence from Australia in 1975 and till the end of Cold War, we have seen, experienced and consumed all Western values

It started with education, to religion, governance system and ends up on the family dining table with fork, spoon and knife.

But given China’s peaceful rise today to the stage of regional and global prominence, the developing peripherals including Papua New Guinea (PNG) must change their foreign and economic policies to work along with China.

One important mechanism to realize the importance of China and accept its role in the region is to educate our populace about China in totality.

Being a product of Chinese education system in the past two years, I am compelled to see many young Papua New Guineans taking up studies in China, apart from our traditional education providers like Australia, New Zealand, USA, Britain and Japan.

For any one to study in China is a must given China’s growth today despite the global financial down turn, H1N1 epidemic, terrorism and many regional issues including the Korean Peninsula.

Thus, I am compelled to write this commentary to advise those who are interested to study in China. Stated here are my personal observations given my past experiences in China.

An email dated Monday July 27 from a potential student pose several questions on how he could accommodate his study in China.

He sought anonymity so I will use the pseudonym Malga Tais. Tais is an Eastern Highlander aged 24 and sought advice given that he is apparently granted Chinese government Scholarship to undertake Bachelor in Petroleum Engineering at the University of Geoscience (Wuhan) and is bound to leave later this month.

He is bound to do a one year Chinese language studies which is compulsory for undergraduates.

“Given your experience in China, I believe you could help me have a general perception about China – basically what I ought to know (challenges, opportunities etc).”

“Among others, my concern is how I am going to cope with courses conducted in Chinese and the cultural shocks out there. Also, the level/credential of education and the technology therewith”, Tais asked.

Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC) accepts more than 15 PNG students each year based on China’s academic calendar. Apart from Tais, am sure there will be others.

The question Tais asks could be of similar concern to others who will leave for China.

Thus, this column is proud to answer some of the questions based upon the writers’ personal experiences.

Tais’s main concerns can be specifically mentioned as follows; how to cope with courses conducted in Chinese, the cultural shocks, level/credentials of education and the technology.

Tais, your first query is how you can cope with courses in Chinese. From my experience, foreign students including PNG students are given scholarship to study as undergraduate, post graduate (masters and PhD) and other professional training and Chinese language.

CSC will specifically inform you of your study arrangement. I understand that you will do a year Chinese language studies before your major. This means that you are expected to study Chinese language for a year at a university designated in order to grasp the spoken and written capabilities.

You will later be moved to another university assigned to study your major program in Chinese language alone. Course works and lectures or instructions will be delivered in Chinese.

Chinese language is not that easy to grasp within one year. Chinese instructors and your university student office are aware of that. So after your one year language program, in most cases, they will deliver lectures in both Chinese and English until the time you are independently capable of standing Chinese language.

I have had friends who were in the same situation and they told me it was very challenging. But be assured that it will be very interesting to go through such.

Once you are accepted to go through such programs, it will be difficult to change when you are in China. Many international students have tried to change their major and study in English after they found out that lectures in Chinese was difficult for them. I suggest you discuss your situation with your lecturers and student office once you are in China so that they will help you to improve your Chinese language to cope with classes.

This may sound difficult but I can tell you that many international students have gone through. PNG students have also gone through that experience and now they are happy with where they are.

Second is the culture shock. You will face that, not with the Chinese but also other international students and foreigners you will meet at your campus. This is a rare and great opportunity for you. If this is your first time to travel overseas then take it. The culture shock in China will change your perception of the world and how to live and communicate with people of different culture, religion and ethnicity.

In China alone, they have 56 different ethnic groups and diverse culture like PNG. But the good thing is that the Chinese are very friendly people and they will always be around to help you from restaurants to train stations, hospitals to night clubs. Get there and get that shock and you will appreciate.

But let me warn you! Like any places in the world, there are also bad people in China. So be at the right place at the right time to avoid embarrassment.

You will love the place, the people, the infrastructures and many things that are in stock for you. China is a big country with long history and you will learn many things. Definitely, you will not be shocked but you will be attracted.

Third, you will come across a lot of challenges and opportunities. Now, this is a board area but I am looking at you as a student and what lies ahead for you after your graduation.

I think studying in China is a bonus for you and studying in Chinese language is a plus. Remember, China is a growing economy and you will be on the market if you do extremely well.

By the time you graduate, you are able to speak both Chinese and English. Where there is a land in the world, you find Chinese business and companies. It is predicted that Chinese language will be popularly spoken after English. More then 700 Confucius institutes are opened around the world teaching Chinese language and culture.

What an opportunity for you to go to China to live, eat, sleep, talk and study with Chinese in China. Imagine how your Chinese language capability after five or so will be like. You will be on the market with Chinese language capability, English, and your mother tongue plus your major. Tais, turn those challenges and opportunities into positive outcome.

This leads me to your final question on academic credentials and technologies. I should say that China has some of the best academic institutions in the world that are producing technologies that we use today.

Since China’s opening up and economic reform in 1978, the country has transformed itself in many ways to what it is today with Shanghai and Hong Kong being financial centers, the manned rocket sent to space recently and the spectacle Olympic Game in 2008.

Chinese brains in agriculture, IT and diplomacy are some of the best in the world. Most are graduates from Peking University, Tsinghua University and other top universities. Their government and institution train them in China and retain them and you can see where China is today.

From my personal experience, I can tell you that China’s education is focused in the current global trend. In my International Relations (IR) class, we closely look at global trend and the surrounding events, and try to use the conventional IR theories to explain and solve some of the global and regional issues.

But interestingly, the theories used today are Western traditional IR theories and do not apply to explain China’s growth and influence. So scholars and academics are working on new theories to explain China’s unprecedented economic growth.

Tais, in your respective study area, you will encounter such situation. The education system is encompassed around modern changes with historical reference and theories adopted to explain individual and specific circumstances.

After all, they will “give you the hook to fish”, and all is your responsibilities as a student.

Now I would like to provide other relevant information for you to consider before you leave for china.

Consider where you are going in terms of weather. The northern part of China is very cold and the southern part is very hot. The middle part is moderate.

In terms of food, you will love it. They have some of the delicious food in the world. Try to use chopstick too. There are western restaurants like KFC where you can visit. Foods are very cheap, depending on where you go.

Overall living expense in China is low. But if you will be in Beijing, Shanghai and most of the modern cities then I assure you that they are very expensive. Mind your spending. Beer and party will consume all your money.

Tais, you don’t need to buy new clothes and shoes etc from PNG. China will offer you quality clothes, shoes, watches, mobile phones etc on cheap and bargain prices. Take enough money with you for that. Get to the street sale and bargain your guts out. If you can not make it in Chinese then try with English. Remember, don’t show your money first before bargaining.

This is what I do. If they charge me 20 RMB then I go for 5 RMB. Their perception is that all foreigners are rich so they go triple pricing. I give them 5 RMB and show them exactly 5 RMB. They might bring it to 15 RMB or 10 RMB but I maintain my position. If they can’t accept then I pretend to walk away. They then run after me and accept the price.

Tais, this is very important. Before you leave for China, try and take some traditional costumes to promote PNG. Many Chinese don’t know much about PNG. We need you to promote our country. Take more PNG t-shirts, caps, bilums etc because you will make many Chinese friends. I experienced this.

Tais, if you have any specific questions then send them to my email address below. Others who are going to China and want to know detailed information can also email me.

In summary, China has many surprises, not only in class and outdoors but given her rapid growth today. Your education in China can open the door to your world in the future.

China awards Chinese language star to PNG student

Article for "Letter from China"
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By Jack Pokoe in Beijing

TWENTY-FIVE Papua New Guinean students have traveled to China on September 1, 2008 to study in various degree programs under the Chinese Government Scholarship.

Five of these students are currently studying at North China Electric Power University in Beijing.

One of these five students is Jack Pokoe who participated in the Year 2009 International students Chinese Speaking Competition which was held in Beijing. He was awarded Chinese Language Star by Beijing Chinese Education Network (BCEN).

Jack Pokoe is from beautiful Madang, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and currently studying Chinese language at North China Electric Power University, Changping District in Beijing for a Bachelor Degree in Software Engineering.

He presented his Chinese play with three of his Chinese Language course mates at Beijing Language and Culture University (BCLU) on April 19, 2009 and successfully reached the final competition.

The three course mates are from Antigua and Barbuda, Zimbabwe and Burundi respectively.

Other PNG students include Joel Hip, Joshua Oki and Charles Eto from Southern Highlands Province, each studying for a Bachelor Degree in Business Management, Computer Science and Technology and International Trade and Economics with Helen Baki were excluded in the competition.

Helen Baki is from West New Britain Province, who is studying for a Bachelor Degree in Environmental Science.

From April 18 to 19, 2009, Beijing Education Committee officially held the first Year 2009 International Students Chinese Speaking Competition in the main entrance language building of Beijing Language and Culture University, which saw 25 universities among a total of more than 32 universities in Beijing.

North China Electric Power University was selected with nearly 160 foreign students in Chinese programs around China to compete for the preliminary competition.

The foreign students who competed in the first competition included students from South Africa, North America, Russia, Sudan, South Korea, Vietnam, Australia, Pacific Islands and others.

The number of the pre-selected participants was over 160 foreign students, who were assessed continuously from morning until afternoon during these two days.

The assessment and selection was made along a combined judging panel of senior representatives from Beijing Education Committee (BEC) in conjunction with Beijing Chinese Education Network.

BEC made the selection and 60 contestants were qualified to enter the preliminary final, among whom Jack Pokoe and his three play language course mates, namely Dashier, Joseph and Daniela had been successfully promoted to the preliminary final because of his well-performed, historic and famous Chinese play titled “San Gu Maolu”, which in Chinese language means “Three Calls at the Thatched Cottage”.

This famous Chinese play is about a knowledgeable and talented man called Zhuge Liang, who had been heard of and searched three times by a person called Liu Bei.

In the third century, China was divided into three kingdoms: Wei in the north, Shu in the southwest and Wu in the southeast.

Shu was a weak state. The head of Shu, Liu Bei, was searching for talents everywhere for the kingdom. He heard of a very wise and knowledgeable man called Zhuge Liang who lived in Longzhong in Hubei province.

So Liu decided to invite him to be his prime minister to help strengthen the State of Shu.

In the year 207AD, Liu Bei with his sworn brother Zhang Fei traveled to Longzhong to ask Zhuge Liang to assist him. But Zhuge was not at home. Thus they had to return disappointedly.

Later, they came again. But again they failed to see Zhuge, because he had been wandering about for days and hadn't yet come back. This time, Liu Bei left a note expressing his meaning.

Some days passed, Liu wanted to make a third visit. Guan and Zhang wanted to stop him, but in vain.

This time, Zhuge Liang was at home but he was sleeping. Liu let Guan and Zhang stand at the door, and he stood by the bed.

When Zhuge woke up and saw him, he was moved by his sincerity. He complied with Liu's request and became his prime minister. With the help of Zhuge, Liu enlarged his territory and his kingdom became as strong as the Wu and Shu.

Later, people use it to describe people who invite someone in all sincerity and eagerness.

Beijing Chinese Education Network formally reported Jack on-line as the screenwriter and director of “Three Calls at the Thatched Cottage”, which now remains popular among the universities which participated in this multi competition, including BEC and BCEN.

BCEN owns a website which reports national and international educational events that occur in China.

This website, www.bjchinese.bjedu.cn reported “Three Calls at the Thatched Cottage”. Representing PNG as a whole, Jack has newly shown the potential that PNG students posses the knowledge to learn and study in Chinese language.

He has taken the initiative to write the play in Chinese language and performed the play together with three other foreign students.

In the ancient Chinese costume, this play was performed more expressively by the four students that BEC and BCEN promoted “Three Calls at the Thatched Cottage” to enter the preliminary final.

The spoken language and imitation of the natural Chinese speech was more expressive that the play was outstanding and talented among the other Chinese programs performance.

The preliminary final was held from April 25 to 26, 2009. The two preliminary contest dates opened officially with 60 programs, and this preliminary final was held in the Yifu Building of BLCU.

It was nit-picking for the appraisal committees to make the selections. The selections consisted of award selection at two different levels and selection to perform in the grand final events.

The strength of the preliminary contests was more intense, certainly could equal in strength like having several hundred programs performing.

The competition officially opened at 1:00 pm with splendid performance and earnest and charming question, and answer from each individual contestant.

The contestant’s Chinese speech let the audience held in straight high esteem, exclaimed that if one listened to the sound merely, perhaps it is difficult to imagine these are foreigner’s Chinese performance! The end already had aimed now by 8:00 pm.

The four contestants from North China Electric Power University have only studied for six months wore the Chinese ancient costume’s long gown sleeve played back ancient Chinese history.

The entire audience high tide and the applause were unceasing with the on-going performance.

The performance was so splendid because of the ancient talent showed by Jack and his three other play course mates. The other 59 programs unfolded but this talented performance resulted in the passing of the preliminary competition on April 26, 2009.

Under the international educational exchange centre leader’s management, passes through the screening were compared and a total of 26 programs were selected for the final competition.

The final objective and fairness elected most to have representative and Chinese art power final programs.

On May 22, 2009 a total of 26 programs were listed, however, only 16 programs were performed, including “Three Calls at the Cottage”.

The other 20 programs were listed for awards. The 16 programs were performed again at the main entrance building of BLCU but “Three Calls at the Thatched Cottage” was performed at Beijing Television (BTV) Station.

The contestants received awards as Year 2009 Chinese Language Stars but were categorized accordingly.

“Three Calls at the Thatched Cottage” was the only unique Chinese play among the other programs, of which the four contestants were specially awarded Year 2009 Chinese Language Stars.

Jack Pokoe was particularly awarded Year 2009 Chinese Language Star by BCEN as ‘Hanzi Zhixing’, which means “the Star of Chinese Characters”.

Note: Jack Pokoe is a PNG student at North China Electric Power University in Beijing. This column, “Letter from China” provides a forum for PNG students and workers in China to share their experience. Contact Mathew Yakai on m_yakai@hotmail.com for inquiries and further information.

I visited an historic Province in China

This article was published by Sunday Chronicle under "Letter from China" column on June 26, 2009
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By Tony Jack Manab in Beijing

ONCE again ni hao and xie xie (hallow and thank you) for you who have being constantly following up on my weekly articles on this column.

This weekend marks my second last article on the column as time is closing in for me to come back to Papua New Guinea.

On this note, I am content that with the number of articles I have written so far has at least given you fair information about China and its people.

Just as I stated in my past articles and so for this weekend, I am bringing you an interesting story about our visit to Chengdu city, the capital of Sichuan province.

Sichuan province has a total population of 48, 230, 000, situated at China’s south-west and dwells the upstream of the Yangtze River where spring, winter, warm summer is long and moist monsoon are heavily felt and has an average temperature of 33 degrees Celsius.

The province governs 12 locally administered levels, 3 autonomous prefectures, 124 counties and 18 county - level cities. With China’s reform and opening up foreign policy, 50 county cities in the province are now opening up to the outside world.

Agriculture is more developed in Sichuan with high yields of paddy rice, wheat, sugar cane, silkworm and tea thus known as the ‘Land of Abundance’.

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan and is located west to the Sichuan Basin and near to Minjiang River which is an ideal area for hydraulic engineering.

Its irrigation canal net fans out as far as the Chengdu Plain. Chengdu is also known as China’s south-west financial, science and technological center.

With its far-reaching political, economical and educational developments, Chengdu remains one of the most important cities for the state economy.

Chengdu is also the country’s most historical city with relevant and evidential historical evidences from museums dating back to about 200 years AD.

We flew out of Beijing on Tuesday July 14 for Chengdu city and checked in at Garden City Hotel which is right in the heart of the city.

The whole afternoon was devoted to Sightseeing at Huanhua River Park and later visited Sichuan Provincial Museum.

Huanhua River exists as a traditional water way for the ancient dynasties dating back to 200 BC and currently remains as one of the famous sites for sightseeing for tourists visiting Chengdu city.

Sichuan Provincial Museum is in fact the largest museum ranking ahead of others and located amid the Huanhua River which is about 30 minutes drive from the hotel.

We were guided and led by several tour guides who were able to explain and tell us about the significance of different artifacts which were used during the ancient times of the Song, Qing, Han and Ming Dynasties.

It was amazing to see the images of pottery official figures and traditional knives that were once used during the Song Dynasty in between 960 and 1279 AD.

The pottery images were collected from Yangliu village. The ancient people used pottery as means to survival and performing cultural rituals.

In fact, the Pottery making industry developed in Sichuan Province in Han, Qing and Ming Dynasties and developed on original basis. These pottery wares were used as sacrificial utensils and funerary wares for worshipping the ancient gods, and the ancestors in the Han Dynasty for reflections of manorial economy and lavish burial ceremonies.

The molding and embossed decorations depicts different skills used in pottery making. For instance the combining skills of the plain appearances, vigorous, bold and unconstrained style, the internal charm and other reach local features of the pottery sculpture in Han Dynasty are fully represented.

There were also images of ancient tombs that consisted of the front door, the atria, the second door, the main court, the main palace, the middle court, the surrounding palace and the left, middle and right room of the palace.

The tomb reflects the infinite mausoleum burial system in early Han dynasty.

Wednesday July 15 was our second day in Chengdu city and we also spent the whole day visiting the San Xing Dui Museum and later went for a walk at Jinli Ancient Street which is about 2000 years old.

The San Xing Dui Museum stands out as one of the oldest museums in China and known for showcasing different tools that were used during the ancient time dating 2000 years from now.

The agricultural tools unearthed from tombs together with the large vine vessels imply that agriculture was developed and there was high productivity to generate surplus grains for brewing wine.

Stockbreeding and farming artifacts supplementing each other represents agricultural prosperity during the ancient times.

Miniature pottery sculptures unearthed and displayed at the museum in large quantity represents various themes and forms of humans, animals and plants.

These lively images freely created show a keen observation of life in the past and a heightened artistic sensibility of the ancient people.

On Thursday July 16, we had a half day visit to Shangzhi Shoe Limited Company and Jiaolong Industrial Port which are some of the leading institutions towards Sichuan’s gowning economy and to China’s booming economy.

In the afternoon we had a seminar with officials from Sichuan Provincial Department of Commerce. The theme of the seminar was Sichuan’s Foreign Trade, Sichuan’s investment environment, its development ranking and the effects of the 2008 Sichuan earth quake.

With regard to foreign trade, Sichuan Province has long standing economic relations with many developing countries and this contributes to its increase trade volume each year.

Reduced trade barriers are like an open door for Sichuan to enter into economic cooperation with the South East Asian nations as well as the Pacific region.

The officials also asserted that Sichuan would be an ideal investment environment for foreign companies when its new railways are completed.

Sea transportation does not seem to be a problem for bigger ships as there are big river passages that run to the seas.

On the industrial ratings, Sichuan ranks as China’s most inland comprehensive industrial base as it is the home to famous industries like Chengdu Electrical Appliances, Chengdu Kapok Steel and Iron, Sichuan oil and gas field, Zigong Chemical Industry, Neijiang Sugar Industry and Luzhou and Ipin Wine Industries.

China’s rapid development is the direct result of having ‘development zones’ in all its provinces.

These development zones are actually industrial cities that are described as the powerhouse for development in every province. This principle has tripled down to the provincial levels like Sichuan.

The two main purposes for development zones is to further the development process within counties.

Secondly, for a strong economic base to rely on in events when a natural disaster strikes.

For instance, the aftermath of the earthquake in the outskirts of Sichuan Province last year left more than 60, 0000 people dead, 20 million people homeless and towns and villages destroyed.

Chinese government had sufficient funds and administrative support from Chengdu and other development zones to do the rehabilitation work on infrastructures, rebuilding the cities and towns which are expected to take another two years before completion.

Food supply during the relief operation was sufficient to feed the victims and the government was able to find employments for people who lost their jobs due to the earthquake.

On Friday July 17, we visited the Biogas Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture where we were told about how the agriculture is so important to the economy of Sichuan province.

The agricultural sector is one of the major push factors to the booming economy of Sichuan.

In this regard the municipal government has set up sound policies to encourage the growth of the agricultural sector in the province.

Saturday July 18, marked the end of our field trip so checked out from Garden City Hotel after breakfast, and boarded for Beijing the same morning.

In conclusion, the field trip was basically an excursion for the participants to see and experience the outdoor realities of what we are actually learning from the seminar.

Next Sunday I will bring a concluding article based on my overall experience that will sum up the all lots of articles I have written so far.

For now, it’s Zai Jian (bye)

Note: Tony works with International Relations & Aid Oversight Unit, Dept of PM and NEC. He is currently in Beijing for a two months seminar on Economic Administration for Developing Countries. Tony will tell us more on his experience next Sunday. For comments, email m_yakai@hotmail.com. This column tells you the experience of Papua New Guineans in China.

Chinese are here to stay with us – Part 5

This article was published by Sunday Chronicle under "Asia Pacific Perspective: China +" column on Sunday July 26, 2009
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By Mathew Yakai

CHINESE nationals in PNG adopt practices of settlement without assimilating into local society, and also practices of frequent return to their original countries or re-migration to third countries.

In view of the fact that they consist of several sub-groups from various countries of origin, the contemporary PNG Chinese are made up of Chinese decedents from East and Southeast Asian countries who have different reasons to migrate.

The sojourning character of the PNG Chinese population is a consequence of these decedent’s strategic practices of settlement and migration.

It is often suggested that immigrant communities have a different character from people in the homeland because of their interactions with host societies.

Although the influence of the host society is crucial, the migrants’ experiences of the immigration and emigration processes also play an important part.

The strategic practices in selecting settlement or migration based on the individual’s circumstances have brought about the sojourning nature of the Chinese population in PNG.

One should not assume that the sojourning status of the ethnic Chinese in contemporary PNG is inherent and static.

Their hybrid and diasporic nature is molded by the environment in which they live.

The sojourning status of the ethnic Chinese of PNG should be seen as a consequence of their strategic practices.

Considering the sojourning status of the ethnic Chinese enables us to seize their ambiguous status.

To understand the dynamic nature of the sojourning status of the ethnic Chinese, it is necessary to look at the Chinese in PNG who react to domestic and transnational conditions in adopting strategic practices.

Some Chinese residents are anxious about their status as members of an ethnic minority which may attract attacks or other forms of violence from rascals and political rioters.

One local born Chinese man in Port Moresby describes his life as just like “doing business in jail.”

Because of the frequency of robbery, most of the houses and shops in the cities are surrounded by fences or barbed wire.

Some shops in Port Moresby hire security guards or keep watch dogs for protection.

This man was born in PNG and had run his own business in Port Moresby for a few decades. He decided to sell his shops after they were broken into. He also sold two of his properties and prepared to migrate to Australia.

The concern at the deterioration of socio-economic conditions is shared by Chinese new comers as well.

One woman from PRC working in Port Moresby is worried not only about her business, but also the possible fallout on the Chinese as an ethnic minority in the country.

She is afraid that anti- Chinese movements like those in Indonesia and Honiara may take place targeting the Chinese as a minority group engaged in business at a time when the PNG economy is depressed.

She could continue running her business in PNG, but says she cannot draw out a long-term plan because of those problems.

The instability of the PNG economy and society has affected the Chinese life style. Some Chinese are looking for alternative places to live. They have become reluctant exiles in a sense.

The Chinese in PNG have thus put both settlement and emigration strategies into practice.

In the late 1950s, Chinese old comers were allowed to acquire Australian citizenship which enabled them to go and stay in Australia.

They had also tended to go to Australia for higher education in the colonial period, largely because PNG did not have enough higher educational institutions.

Education was hence an important issue affecting their decisions relating to migration.

In the colonial era, Chinese students would return to and work in PNG after their graduation. But this changed after PNG attained independence.

Increasing numbers of Chinese students began to stay on in Australia even after graduation. The other members of their families in PNG would go to Australia to join them.

Citizenship in Australia led to the decision to migrate as a strategic practice, thus creating the transnational social space.

Like the old comers, some of the new comers also have strategies of migration.

The recent Chinese immigrants often go back and forth between PNG and their countries of origin.

Many Chinese new comers arrive in PNG as employees of companies, and do not necessarily come to stay permanently.

They will leave the country according to the terms of their contracts, or as a result of their own decisions.

The improvement in international transport also facilitates their frequent traveling out of and back to PNG.

Their status as transmigrant characterizes the Chinese new comers in contemporary PNG, and enhances the mobility of the Chinese community.

There are also many new comers who want to re-migrate to third countries in particular Australia, instead of going back to their countries of origin.

Some of them had intended to migrate to Australia in the first place, but came to PNG only because of its proximity to Australia; it was difficult for them to migrate to Australia directly.

Others want to re-migrate to other oceanic countries such as New Zealand and Guam.

For them, PNG is both a destination and a stepping stone for further migration.

This type of transnational re-migration is not easy to put into practice. It involves high costs and the need for a visa.

Most of the Chinese New comers cannot go to other countries as immigrants and they have to resort to strategies of settlement, if they do not wish to return to their countries of origin.

Settlement and remigration are two strategies open to them; the choice of either one is dependent on the conditions faced by the individual.

Since the colonial period, the migration pattern of Chinese in PNG has changed continuously.

Chinese society in PNG has changed from being a community of male sojourners with hopes of going back to China, to one made up of men and women with intentions to stay for various lengths of time in the country.

Intermarriage with local people, reunification with members of the family from China, and the increase of local born children made the Chinese community more settled.

However, since the eve of the independence, New socio- economic changes in PNG have made the Chinese more mobile, and once again, into sojourners.

The Chinese in PNG adopt practices of settlement without assimilating into local society, and also practices of frequent return to their original countries or re-migration to third countries.

In view of the fact that they consist of several sub-groups from various countries of origin, the contemporary PNG Chinese are made up of Chinese decedents from East and Southeast Asian countries who have different reasons to migrate.

The sojourning character of the PNG Chinese population is a consequence of these decedent’s strategic practices of settlement and migration.

It is often suggested that immigrant communities have a different character from people in the homeland because of their interactions with host societies.

Although the influence of the host society is crucial, the migrants’ experiences of the immigration and emigration processes also play an important part.

The strategic practices in selecting settlement or migration based on the individual’s circumstances have brought about the sojourning nature of the Chinese population in PNG.

One should not assume that the sojourning status of the ethnic Chinese in contemporary PNG is inherent and static.

Their hybrid and diasporic nature is molded by the environment in which they live.

The sojourning status of the ethnic Chinese of PNG should be seen as a consequence of their strategic practices.

Considering the sojourning status of the ethnic Chinese enables us to seize their ambiguous status.

To understand the dynamic nature of the sojourning status of the ethnic Chinese, it is necessary to look at the Chinese in PNG who react to domestic and transnational conditions in adopting strategic practices.

Note: This is the final series of how and why Chinese and people of Asian origin come to PNG. E-mail the writer on m_yakai@hotmail.com for queries and suggestions. This column acknowledges Tetsu Ichikawa for his contribution.

People must change attitude for PNG to develop

This article was published by Sunday Chronicle under "Letter from China" column
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By Gene Drekeke Iyovo in Wuxi City, China

PRIOR to 2007 July, I had negative perception about foreigners, especially people of Asian origins.

All I thought about them was that they were simple traders or investors from tucker shops to big mining operations.

I lived in my own isolated world while conscious of PNG’s path towards development.

Until the day I stepped out of Macau Airlines via Shanghai to Beijing in September 1, 2007, everything changed for me. I was bemused by the structures and buildings, roads and bridge, huge and gleaming, yet magnificent cities in China.

I was expecting to see the images of Kung Fu movies, the replica of Kunfu Gangs and knife welding warriors. But suddenly, the big modern Wuxi City with skyscrapers erected all up, in streets abundant with cheap food, efficient transport systems and everlasting smiles, depicting the curious looks of loving citizens.

Traveling by train to another huge city with million passengers on a daily bases, I kept thinking that PNG can not match this part of the great China!

Wuxi City was one of the ten cities of the Jiangsu province where I live and study today. It is a huge city, much bigger then Port Moresby alone. But interestingly, the citizens tell me that it’s the smallest and unpopular city in China. I see the opposite.

The road system is convenient, accessible and sustainable for all types of transport including bicycles, three wheeled vehicles, and electronic vehicles, even the pedestrians.

The roads are permanently built with bitumen and cement, pothole free and long lasting without regular maintenance.

I imagine our roads in PNG that experience potholes after three to four months of construction and have to go under regular maintenance or non at all leading to bumpy rides. We waste a lot of time and resources costing tax payers huge money.

The roads at Wuxi are affordable and connect all cities either by bus, train or private vehicles.

Farmers bring their produce easily using cheap and affordable transport means like three wheeled vehicles to supply the huge population that results in alleviating poverty and improving life styles.

The roads play major role in China’s magic economic rise! Mega highways are the real blood veins of China’s economic growth.

Transport ranges from luxurious kind to three wheeled cars and bicycles. Since roads are convenient and user friendly, cheaper means of transport are used making economic activities increase at a constant rate.

Creating a suitable condition and system for man is increasing the economic activities that improves and drives for a prosperous society China faces today.

The huge cities are filled with apples, watermelons, fish, shrimps, eggs, chicken, duck, pork, greens and vegetables whether processed or not at cheaper prices. Wonder how a constant supply is there in the heart of the city at certain price all year round? Well, efficient roads and transport!

But I wondered how China produces all these surplus agricultural produces?
My investigations lead to government - people relationships, especially the farmer relation is rigid.

The responsible government supplies the basic farming materials, impart agriculture knowledge and make the willing and readily available farmers to engage in intensive farming activities.

The necessary bills incurred on them are paid off and the farmers take full ownership in the farming entrepreneurship that maintains a constant supply to markets.

In this simple way, millions of farmers are rich and poverty is minimized and eventually eradicated in many parts of China.

The constant support from the government encourages the farmers and consequently, you find eels meat, shrimps, pork, apples, and other produce at cheap prices throughout the city at a constant price, despite the different weathers.

In PNG, it is rare to find an eel, shrimp, crab, mutton, pork, fish, and other food staff on a family dining table.

My first taste of shrimp was in China even though I worked and lived in the coastal city of Lae for the past 7 years that would have abundant supply of many sea produces, including shrimps.

It is embarrassing to compare PNG with China when PNG can do simple things successful but yet fail in many ways. Most of these things include agriculture, infrastructure developments, processing and other informal sectors.

Many Papua New Guineans are genuine but there are rampant lazy elites that make things fall their way or fail to disseminate their services for rightful progress in every sector.

The whole lots of population is thought to be lazy, beg, steal and are engaged in dishonest ways of life and make belief in lies and become overnight rich through corruption.

The PNG population is led to go astray as they are engaged in no knowledge no certificate jobs like thieveries, betel nut commerce, gambling and exotic and unrealistic life styles.

Imagine how many millions may be under that category for the rest of their lives as orphans lacking parental guidance.

Life is creativity and PNG lacks creativity. That is why we have a stagnant economic growth while the little ripples now are due to mining boom, but all will go and leave bunch of helpless individual who will not know how to make sweet potato bread or fix a bicycle tyre.

It was confirmed when the dim-witted games like state of origin played by some individuals in Australia and people in PNG have to die, violence and casualties at peak beam.

This was a big joke! A PNG mining engineer in Australia online chat laughed and joked a lot when he said no body knows who is Alan Langer or Willie Mason and no body cares about state of origin in his city.

It will be another government liability if the nation develops state of origin related syndrome.

In September 2008 after the glorious high tech Beijing Olympic Games, Shenzhou 7 rocket was launched.

Before the launching time, a handful of Chinese students came and watched on their internet TV for only 2-4 minutes then back to their work in our laboratory.

This was of surprise to me because I expected them or the city and the nation to be in jubilation with shouts and fireworks, coinciding with the bursting off of the rocket.

Forget the Australians’ who were there to watch the state of origin live but imagine the jubilation amongst the crazy Papua New Guineans in PNG on the game they regard second to God.

Though Shenzhou 7s’ success was the pride of China, these Chinese students and the entire nation did not show off but humbled themselves and went back to their respective jobs and studies to build a even better pride for China.

And in PNG, we are like the bunch of hungry dogs fighting over the bare bone (rugby ball and state of origin) that is played somewhere in Australia where most of us will not set foot on.

For a game that will not profit PNG in any way, a game played by unknown person who is nobody to the course of the nations’ development, who plays as part of his employment, for the increase of his salary and most importantly will not sympathize for those dead, wounded or broken families, friends due to this game.

It is ridiculous enough! This is a false glory, and it is now imperative that government has the responsibility to control this rubbish given the past and this year’s record of high violence and deaths reported.

I have also come to realize that, it is a rampant knowledge for under twelve years children to know all the players in a team, jersey numbers, full names, coach and other immediate data of the people involved, even the little ball works.

I wonder if such zeal can be used to emphasis in the right thing, educate for vigorous national development in all sectors.

Or better I would encourage the children to learn periodic elements, names and symbols, geography, Chinese characters, mathematics, or bible text and verses that would benefit the individual and the nation.

PNG ‘s development is at snail pace and human development is low, majority of enforcers who suppose to go to the people and implement , teach , and ensure projects progress are all air conditioned office layers.

High rate of violence and crime, poor diet, low agricultural products output and increased inadequate supply of goods and services will continue to increase as long as people’s focus are on fake glories.

If PNG will have to move forward in just ten years, there has to be major changes , for instances, make illegal all card games imported into the country, mobilize and cut all buai trees in the country, stop rugby games on TV etc.

If PNG wants change, change yourself first. Take some drastic change and abort some stupid attitudes.

If you want facts, look at Japan who makes car engines “made in Japan” running in New York city after her lost in WW11. Or look at China with double digit growth in economy and how they chase out foreign infiltrates, clean themselves up then go global and now in PNG too.

If PNG will have to grow, there will be sacrifices the government needs to make for the good of development. Leniency is a sin in itself that will drag PNG back.

State of origin, buai and other social influences are mentioned here as illustrations but are serious problems in PNG directing people’s mind into idleness and promote rampant poverty.

Shall we clean the cobweb or kill the spider?

Note: The writer is a postgraduate PNG student in China majoring in biofuels with research interests in biodiesel, bioethanol, biogas, production-processing and engineering from algae, jatropha, oil palm, industrial wastes at Jiangnan University, School of Biotechnology. For comments or inquiry, e-mail Mathew Yakai on m_yakai@hotmail.com

How to handle anti-Asian sentiment: address corruption

This article was published by Sunday Chronicle under Asia Pacific Persperctive: China + column
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THE Parliamentary Bi-partisan Committee appointed to probe the recent anti-Asian riot is unnecessary. Chairman Jamie Maxton-Graham asking the PNG tax payers through the government to allocate K3 million is rubbish.

This column believes that the Committee will not find the solutions in other centres and villages. The core of the problem is in Waigani and specifically the Government, and its cohorts, those people in power, especially the corrupt government 0fficials.

Mr. Graham knows well that simple people can not live poor for too long and so they turn upon the Asians. The successive governments failed to serve the people.

We need Waigani to act in providing and creating employment that will minimise and eventually solve the anti-Asian sentiments. We need action, not talking.

And there is another problem. Maxtion-Graham must tell this country that his report will be tabled in parliament and made public. Past reports on Moti saga, the Guns Report by Singorok and others were gagged, costing millions of tax payers’ money.

If politicians, influential people and even the government are implicated in Maxton-Grahams’ upcoming Report then do PNG expect it to be tabled? I doubt it!

This commentary suggest that the government should not waste K3 million on this Committee, instead allocate it to creating more employment opportunities.

During and after the anti-Asian sentiment, many people formed their independent opinions about the Chinese. One such person is David Kitchnoge, an account by profession based in Port Moresby.

David firmly believes that corruption is PNG’s worst enemy that led to anti-Asian sentiment. And this is the message for Maxton-Grahams’ Committee. The article represents David’s own opinion…

THE anti Chinese sentiments that exploded into pockets of looting in various centres around the nation must be properly analysed and appropriate actions taken to address it.

At the outset, let me say that the unrests were not acts of racism as some people would like us to believe. Any person from any country who has had the good fortune of engaging with Papua New Guineans at a personal level will tell you that we are not racists.

The riots were rather a manifestation of a complete collapse of our governance systems over the years. It was always bound to happen the very first time corrupt Papua New Guinean officials colluded with foreigners in breaking our laws.

If this is not clear enough, then we will truly miss a great opportunity to seriously address corruption in our country.

There is no one to blame for our predicament. As one of my friends said, the people have vented their anger at PNG and it was unfortunate that the China man was in its path.

But in saying that, I am not absolving the illegal Chinese immigrants of any wrong doing either. Yet instead of pointing fingers, we must focus on fighting the root cause of the problem to avoid such resentments in future.

And while we look at addressing corruption and its detrimental effects on our country, there are a number of things we should not ignore about the relevance of China to PNG.

Firstly, there are many different people of Chinese origin in our country, and they differ mainly by time of immigration. Descendants of those who came to PNG before independence, or the ‘old Chinese’ as researcher James Chin calls them, are equal Papua New Guineans like the indigenous people ourselves.

They continue to play major roles in the development of our country in the areas of politics, business, music and the arts. Who can ever forget the late Glen Low who wrote the beautiful uniting song Wan Kantri by the Barike Band?

Where PNG music would be today without the significant contributions made by Pacific Gold Studios and Chin H Meen, both PNG-Chinese owned businesses, is anybody’s guess.

I purposely single out these two eminent PNG-Chinese businesses because everyday indigenous Papua New Guineans throughout our country can easily identify with them through music.

Offcourse there are those that make you feel like a crook every time you walk into their shops. The types that sit on high stools or are perched above some unsuspecting places just under the roofs and watch your every move.

But I must admit they do it for a good reason too. A great majority of us have the tendency to be dishonest and walk out pocketing something from the shops, regardless of whether or not they are Chinese owned.

The ones that caused the uproar, though, are the ‘poor’ ones that are running filthy ‘kai’ bars with very minimal capital investments. This lot must be the ‘new Chinese’, judging by their poor understanding of and engagement with the local people.

The second but most important thing to recognise about China is that it has emerged over the last few years as one of the world’s economic super powers. And it could not have asked for a better time to increase its dominance of the world.

The global financial crisis has resulted in the shedding of substantial value by major listed companies around the globe, thereby creating a perfect opportunity for China to pounce. Their ambitious bid to take over nine mining assets of mining giant Rio Tinto in recent weeks is an example.

The Chinese domination of the world will mean an inevitable transmission of the Chinese ways of doing things including their values, morals and ethics to places and territories outside of their own.

Although we have dealt with Chinese businesses before, they are no way near the size of the players that are now dominating the world. As such, I believe we do not have enough retrospective experience about their corporate behaviours, values and business ethics to appropriately engage with them.

At the core of their corporate value systems is how they look at the human person in the context of business and profits.

Despite our limited engagements with Chinese corporations and, therefore, limited experience of their corporate behaviour, we do have the ability to read and learn about their activities in other places, especially in Africa where they are pouring in massive amounts of money.

From the stories I have read, I seem to be hearing a consistent line of sentiments that although they are bringing in huge investments to those poor African nations, they have a tendency to ignore the host countries’ legal requirements.

For example, Canadian based The Globe and Mail published an article titled “The dark underside of Chinese building boom” on Monday 22 June, that unearthed allegations of Chinese building companies operating in impoverished African countries such as Namibia and Malawi that disregard safety standards and pay their national employees well below the legislated minimum wage levels.

The obvious effects of this are that people’s lives are put at risk while local competitors are being driven out of business through cost undercuts emanating from unfair national labour compensation.

Since the host countries are desperate for injection of foreign direct investment to help resurrect their ailing economies, the balance of power has swung in favour of Chinese businesses who do whatever they want, regardless of how illegal they may be, and get away with it.

And there is no unlawful action that is more undignified than treating the human person as simply a factor of production without due regard to their well being.

It is exactly this element of desperation that really gets me nervous about us. There are commentators that say things about PNG that paint a picture of us as an economic wasteland that is in desperate need of foreign capital injection.

While some of what they say are true, most are simply nonsense because these people do not have half an appreciation of our ways of life that have sustained us for generations.

We do have our challenges to properly integrate into the modern economy, but we can not afford to show similar levels of desperation with foreign investors, especially Chinese, as shown by our African brothers: lest we play ourselves into their hands.

Knowing what we already know about them, albeit with very limited first hand experiences, we must tread with extreme caution when dealing with Chinese businesses that will be after raw materials from our country to quench their insatiable demands.

The government must recognise the global change of events and come up with appropriate policies and strategies that clearly define how we engage with the outside world.

Surely we can not be content with the status quo because the balance of economic power is changing with the emergence of China, and India to a lesser extent. The government does appear to be aware of this shift in power globally as evidenced by the Prime Minister Sir Somares’ visit to China two months ago.

But attracting Chinese investments is only one aspect of the serious relationship that is about to develop between our two countries. Do not believe for a moment that the Chinese will be here to help us develop our country.

The investors are business people and economic opportunists who are inevitably driven by profit. So it is important that we must prepare ourselves for the unknown territory that lies ahead and put in place appropriate safeguards to protect our own citizens, in case of any unexpected adverse corporate behaviour.

We must learn from the experiences of others elsewhere and ensure that we do not fall victims to the trap of economic desperation. PNG is a country with its own unique set of cultural, social and economic attributes and we must develop our modern economy at our own pace.

The best way to guard ourselves against the current forces of socio-economic demands is to ensure that the rule of law is respected in our country by everyone, both nationals and foreigners alike.

As a protection mechanism, we must urgently fix up our governance systems and processes and insist that these be followed at all costs and without fear or favour.

And all our dealings with foreigners must be done at complete arms length and at terms that are fair to our people.

But we will not achieve this if we do not rid ourselves of CORRUPTION first. Corruption strikes at the core of the recognition of and respect for the rule of law.

So we must actively fight corruption and re-establish credibility in our lawful systems and processes, the observance of which will deliver us from oppression and lead us to economic prosperity in the long term.

In closing, the Chinese are not the enemy. We are our own worst enemies if we do not use the recent anti-Asian/Chinese unrests as a good excuse to seriously address corruption.

Note: For comments and inquiries, email m_yakai@hotmail.com

Opening up and Friendship.

This article was published under the "Letter from China" column. Tony has been writing for three straight Sundays. Thanks Tony
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By Tony Jack Manab

I BRING you third greetings from Beijing as this is my third article for those of you who have being faithfully following up with the weekly Letters From China column.

Incase some of you might be posing questions on the significance of having “Letter from China” as a column with the Sunday Chronicle weekly newspaper in Port Moresby.

Generally, the aim and significance of this column is to inform Papua New Guineans back home of the highlights and experiences encountered by PNG students and other Papua New Guineans here in China.

While in PNG, I thought it was a great initiative by our students in China not knowing that one of these days I would be one of the contributors to the column.

I am glad to be a contributor to the column as I personally tend to view this column not just another “information kit” to write and feel good about it but far beyond ego and self-worth is our national interest.

I am adhering “national interest” as PNG being a small player in the international system needs bigger player countries like China to look to, see and learn from in order to achieve its national development aspirations.

Therefore, PNG students in China perceive the aforementioned column as an avenue in which we can indirectly promote and enhance the twining and diplomatic relations between PNG and the People’s Republic of China.

For this course, I willingly accepted when asked by Mathew Yakai to write on the column as a visiting student to China. I took it on as an opportunity and never regretted even to this day as a contributor to the column.

So on my part in continuing to write and constantly keeping you informed about China, the focus of this weekend’s article is on my general observations and experiences after a month and week of been in Beijing.

To begin with, I am so much amazed at how Chinese society in general relate to the outside world regardless of having one of odd systems of government and being a non-Christian nation. The picture they (Chinese) are portraying to the outside world is totally contrary to what we may perceive of them.

This is to say that in a matter of time and space China had proven to the international community that it is no longer a nation that once conducted its affairs on a “closed door principle” but now a new communist state that is a friend to all members of the international community.

To illustrate this better, China’s aspiration in the international arena is to convince other nations to realize that the 21st Century China is like a coin that has identical sides but tell a different story.

What seems to be the unusual and unseen side of the coin about China now represents Chinese new image within the international community.

I am convinced that China has successfully unveiled the other side of the coin and this is proven through its enhanced diplomatic relations with many countries around the world of which PNG is no exception.

Chinese government is considering this as a national success and would do the same to maintain its new international image after many years trying in vain to attract international attention especially in the areas of diplomacy and trade cooperation.

Moreover, countries around the world have now entered into formal diplomatic relations with China and have also entered into long term economic and investment cooperation.

On the other hand, China is also assisting in aid and technical training to especially the developing countries like Papua New Guinea.

China’s success in this area came as a result of “Reform, Opening Up Foreign Policy and Economic Development” after its cultural revolution in 1978.

Particularly, China’s “opening up in foreign trade policy” is one of the major pillars in China’s rapid industrialization process.

This is evident through many international investments institution stationed in the industrialized zones such as Beijing and Shanghai.

Other developed cities in Eastern coastal areas of China such as Suzhou, Changzhou and Tianjin are also adopting this national policy within their municipal governments.

The point I wishes to draw from the discussion is “Opening up and friendship” which may sound a bit simple but you would also agree with me that people and countries need each other as a matter of survival.

Through sharing and friendship, people and countries some what help each other to achieve success and development aspirations together. Such concept now remains the core of China’s national and foreign policies.

This concept of opening up and friendship has also tippled down and now affecting and influencing even the lowest level of the Chinese society.

This is to say that the Chinese people are so much open and friendly that you would always want to talk to a stranger anytime in town.

Regardless of the language barrier between you and them (Chinese), one word like “Ni Hao” (hellow in Chinese) would spark a long conversation and a long term relationship.

I admit the difficulties having to communicate with some of them but this was part of the process of me getting to know the Chinese people.

I had many funny and interesting encounters with some Chinese who are now my friends and helping me to speak Chinese.

I realized that I’ve proven myself wrong with my negative perceptions about the Chinese people before coming to China. I even disagreed when some PNG friends in Beijing told me that the Chinese people are so open and friendly.

Until now, I am so amazed that I have long list of local friends both on and off campus. I even had the opportunity of knowing some of the prominent government officials during the seminar.

This is to say that the Chinese people have this kind of attitude of willing and open to talk with other nationals.

Also the kind of courtesy we receive from our coordinators, facilitators and house keepers both on and off campus is unimaginable. They always check on the course participants to make sure we are all doing well.

Feeling home sick which is quite usual for many people when overseas for longer periods is not on our minds because of the friendly environment.

Instead, the thought of opening up and friendship has invaded our classroom, dinning hall, rooms, and moreover ourselves. We are now leaving like a big family where sense of unity is prevalent regardless of our national differences.

Well, this draws me to one conclusion and that is to adhere that, “opening and friendship” as somewhat become a lifestyle of Chinese society at all levels of relationships.

The kind of lifestyle and approach is the same has that contributed to achieving China’s overall development aspirations at all levels.

Last but not the least I leave this challenge to all Papua New Guineans. We need to come out of our “closed door” concept, open up for new grounds of friendship if you and I are serious in achieving our development aspirations.

Then and only when we will find new opportunities to advance in our development aspirations at our personal, family, provincial, national or at international level.

Next Sunday, I will bring to you another interesting article on our visit to Sichuan province. Sichuan is considered one of China’s major economic and development zones was devastated by the recent earthquake that killed millions and left millions of Chinese homeless recently.

Zai Jian (bye) for now!

Note: Tony works with International Relations & Aid Oversight Unit, Dept of PM and NEC. He is currently in Beijing for a two months seminar on Economic Administration for Developing Countries. Tony will tell us more on his experience next Sunday. For comments, email m_yakai@hotmail.com or call 15116988560. This column tells you the experience of Papua New Guineans in China.

Immigration/Emigration of Chinese in PNG – Part 4

This article was published by the Sunday Chronicle, Port Moresby under my column, "Asia Pacific Perspective: China +"
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By Mathew Yakai in China

THERE are two directions in the movement of the Chinese in PNG: one from East and Southeast Asian countries to PNG, and the other from PNG to other countries in Oceania, such as Australia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands and Guam etc.

Also, Chinese immigrants in PNG frequently return to their countries of origin and come back to PNG again.

This type of circular migration characterizes the Chinese strategy and practice in this region.

One attraction for the Chinese immigrants to PNG and the Pacific is that there are economic opportunities.

Before contact was established with Westerners who imposed colonial rule, New Guinea had not developed a market economy.

New Guinean people had conducted trade based on traditional exchange networks, but not commercial activities based on a modern money economy.

Throughout the colonial period, the commercial sector of the economy in New Guinea was dominated by Westerners like German and Australian merchants and firms.

Chinese pioneers in New Guinea were plantation workers and artisans, who became small traders and managers of plantations, and played a role as middlemen in transactions between articulate locals and Europeans.

The economical niches for foreigners still exist in the post-colonial era. Even after independence, there are still areas in the economy which are not well- developed.

Australian merchants, firms and capital have left PNG since independence. Their departure has left open the economic niches once dominated by them.

Independence has also brought about a shortage of talent and administrative personnel such as officers and clerks.

These are some of the reasons why immigrants are drawn from Asia including Chinese New comers.

As a matter of fact, some of the Chinese entrepreneurs say that PNG offers a lot of opportunities for business and that it is easier to start new businesses in PNG than in their countries of origin.

One Chinese man from People’s Republic of China (PRC) says starting new businesses in China is harder because the competition is fierce there.

He agrees that doing business in PNG is not so easy because of the existence of certain barriers such as “reserved business” and the lack of a safe environment, but he can start his own business and does not have to work under others.

Indeed, some of the Chinese entrepreneurs who have succeeded in establishing their own businesses in PNG would agree with him.

The value of the kina, the PNG currency, was at one time the other attractive factor for the Chinese to come to work in PNG.

Many Chinese interviewed by Ichikawa who live or once lived in PNG mention that profit can be made from the exchange rate of the currency.

The PNG government set a high exchange rate for the kina to protect the national economy.

Until the early 1990s, one kina was worth about US one dollar.

One Malaysian Chinese, who has returned to Malaysia, said that he could get a higher income when he worked in PNG because he was paid in kina.

Not only were the wages in PNG higher than those in Malaysia, he also profited by exchanging the kina for foreign currencies.

Some of the Chinese immigrants, especially new comers, have succeeded in persuading their acquaintances and relatives to join them in PNG on the strength of the economic opportunities.

The entrepreneurship of the Chinese is one of the main reason contributing to the Chinese immigration and settlement in PNG.

But not every Chinese immigrant is inclined to live in PNG permanently. Some seek opportunities to leave and re-migrate to other countries. There are push factors, as well as pull factors.

Social instability is one of the most serious problems in the cities, not only for the Chinese but all the inhabitants.

The influx of people into cities like Port Moresby is quite common and the population of city dwellers is rising.

People from rural areas come to seek jobs and economic opportunities. But economic development in PNG is still sluggish and there is the problem of unemployment.

Although unemployment does not necessarily result in the breakdown of law and order, some unemployed city dwellers do get involved in crime and become “rascals,” the term used in PNG for those committing serious offenses like robbery, murder, and the disturbance of public order.

Chinese residents and their properties are also attacked by the rascals.

An unstable environment is a deterrent to foreign investment, leading to further unemployment and a rise in the crime rate.

It is a vicious circle. Such a situation has caused many Chinese living in the cities to leave PNG for other countries.

Besides the problem of security, the devaluation of the kina and subsequently a depressed economy is another important push factor.

In 1994, the kina was devalued when the high exchange rate of the currency became unsustainable, leading to the fall of the kina against most foreign currencies.

In 2003, one kina fell to the level of roughly US 30 cents. It was no longer possible to profit on the exchange rates.

These socio-economic changes have dampened the Chinese motivation to stay in PNG.

Before that, Chinese migrants had been willing to put up with the restrictions on foreigners and problems of security.

But the economic recession is a big blow to business. The lack of a safe environment has also adversely affected the Chinese in particular.

Some Chinese residents are anxious about their status as members of an ethnic minority which may attract attacks or other forms of violence from rascals and political rioters.

One local born Chinese man in Port Moresby describes his life as just like “doing business in jail.”

Because of the frequency of robbery, most of the houses and shops in the cities are surrounded by fences or barbed wire.

Some shops in Port Moresby hire security guards or keep watch dogs for protection.

This man was born in PNG and had run his own business in Port Moresby for a few decades. He decided to sell his shops after they were broken into. He also sold two of his properties and prepared to migrate to Australia.

The concern at the deterioration of socio-economic conditions is shared by Chinese new comers as well.

One woman from PRC working in Port Moresby is worried not only about her business, but also the possible fallout on the Chinese as an ethnic minority in the country.

She is afraid that anti- Chinese movements like those in Indonesia and Honiara may take place targeting the Chinese as a minority group engaged in business at a time when the PNG economy is depressed.

She could continue running her business in PNG, but says she cannot draw out a long-term plan because of those problems.

The instability of the PNG economy and society has affected the Chinese life style. Some Chinese are looking for alternative places to live. They have become reluctant exiles in a sense.

The Chinese in PNG have thus put both settlement and emigration strategies into practice.

In the late 1950s, Chinese old comers were allowed to acquire Australian citizenship which enabled them to go and stay in Australia.

They had also tended to go to Australia for higher education in the colonial period, largely because PNG did not have enough higher educational institutions.

Education was hence an important issue affecting their decisions relating to migration.

In the colonial era, Chinese students would return to and work in PNG after their graduation. But this changed after PNG attained independence.

Increasing numbers of Chinese students began to stay on in Australia even after graduation. The other members of their families in PNG would go to Australia to join them.

Citizenship in Australia led to the decision to migrate as a strategic practice, thus creating the transnational social space.

Like the old comers, some of the new comers also have strategies of migration.

The recent Chinese immigrants often go back and forth between PNG and their countries of origin.

Many Chinese new comers arrive in PNG as employees of companies, and do not necessarily come to stay permanently.

They will leave the country according to the terms of their contracts, or as a result of their own decisions.

The improvement in international transport also facilitates their frequent traveling out of and back to PNG.

Their status as transmigrant characterizes the Chinese new comers in contemporary PNG, and enhances the mobility of the Chinese community.

There are also many new comers who want to re-migrate to third countries in particular Australia, instead of going back to their countries of origin.

Some of them had intended to migrate to Australia in the first place, but came to PNG only because of its proximity to Australia; it was difficult for them to migrate to Australia directly.

Others want to re-migrate to other oceanic countries such as New Zealand and Guam.

For them, PNG is both a destination and a stepping stone for further migration.

This type of transnational re-migration is not easy to put into practice. It involves high costs and the need for a visa.

Most of the Chinese New comers cannot go to other countries as immigrants and they have to resort to strategies of settlement, if they do not wish to return to their countries of origin.

Settlement and remigration are two strategies open to them; the choice of either one is dependent on the conditions faced by the individual.

Since the colonial period, the migration pattern of Chinese in PNG has changed continuously.

Chinese society in PNG has changed from being a community of male sojourners with hopes of going back to China, to one made up of men and women with intentions to stay for various lengths of time in the country.

Intermarriage with local people, reunification with members of the family from China, and the increase of local born children made the Chinese community more settled.

However, since the eve of the independence, New socio- economic changes in PNG have made the Chinese more mobile, and once again, into sojourners.

Note: Last part of this series will continue the following Sunday. E-mail the writer on m_yakai@hotmail.com or phone 15116988560 for queries. This column acknowledges Tetsu Ichikawa for his contribution.

Meet you soon, PNG, but I will miss China

Below poem was published by The National on Friday July 10, 2009 on http://www.thenational.com.pg/071009/wkender15.php . Hope you enjoy
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Meet you soon, PNG, but I will miss China

They asked where I come from
I proudly said, “Papua New Guinea”
That’s my home, my blood and my Mother Land
I left home for lands far away for a better education
To face the challenges of today
From China I see PNG floating on the Ocean
I miss that land, the land where my mother conceived me
But the time is nearing for me to meet my beloved country
In my dreams I am already there, in my heart, PNG is already in
I am happy to meet those old friends and the loved ones
I am happy to meet my father and siblings
Whom I missed for far too long
But there is one special person I will not see
Instead I will see her empty chair
She is my dearest mother,
Who conceived me, fed me, clothed me and named me Mathew.
She made sure I was fed before going to bed
She made sure I was going to school
Mum was my hero - but her chair is empty today
I will place a rose on her cemetery and whisper,
“Mum, Mathew loves you”.
Yes, I am excited I will finally go home
Yet I am sad, I will miss my host country - China
But the moon keeps reminding me
There is no place like home where the heart is
And yet, there is no great place like China
Yesterday I missed PNG, but tomorrow I will miss China
And today I miss my dearest late Mum
Yet, China and PNG keep taking special place in my heart


By Mathew Yakai
China

An exciting experience in Beijing

This article is published under "Asia Pacific Perspective: China +" column with Sunday Chronicle, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
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By Mathew Yakai in Beijing

WHEN you are in a new place, it is natural that you want to know more about your surrounding. So you go discovering as much as possible.

Since I left my host Changchun City on June 5, by June 18 it was my second week in Beijing. I keep steering the map prepared for me by Guo Shuai, a female student intern with Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) Ltd, the company managing Ramu Nickel Project in Madang.

I kept looking at the map and realized the Beijing Global Trade Center where the Ramu NiCo Beijing Office is located, and try to follow the Xiaohuangzhuang road towards Qingniangou Road to Beijing Jian Ke Hotel where I stay.

I apologise for the mouthful name of the road. Definitely you will have trouble pronouncing them, correctly unless you are able to speak some Chinese and relax your pronunciations.

Qingniangou Road is where action happens every morning at 7am when I am on my way to office. People gather there every morning selling vegetables at a very cheap price. Actually food and most of the commodities are pretty cheap in China.

So I would spend an ample 10 to 15 minutes watching them calling out prices and exchange cash for goods.

At dusk, the afternoon part of the business gets rolling. Normally I leave my office at 10 pm and would arrive there at around 10:30pm and see people sitting around small tables and buying what is prepared on a barbecue stand and have with beer.

People of all ages gather after the days work. You find such along streets in Beijing. Last time I went there and spent 5 Yuan (K1.90) for a delicious beef. In PNG, this would cost K20. at the most.

Yes, back to discovery! June 8, I was in the office and had an idea to get on one of those subways after 5pm and try out how it is like after working hours in metropolitan Beijing.

When I say subway, you may not have some ideas. It is not like one flying in from Mt Hagen and stranded at Jacksons Airport not knowing which bus to take to Morata.

The situation in Beijing is completely different. Most foreigners get lost in this subway and keep moving around until finally making their final destinations.

I wanted to give a try. I told the staff at the Ramu NiCo Corporate Office that I am taking an adventure ride to Beijing Railway Station which is the central station. They may though that it was a strange idea during that foggy afternoon.

When I looked at the Beijing subway map, I was at Hepingxiqiao station and from there I would take subway line 5 to Chongwenmen, and change the line to line 2 heading for Beijing Railway Station.

Now, at Hepingxiqiao station, I bought a subway ticket for only 2 Yuan (K0.77). You can use this ticket within all the subway routes or lines until you want to exit at a station.

This means that you can change lines within the subways.

I successfully got on the subway from Hepingxiqiao station to Chongwenmen and then changed to subway line 2 for Beijing Railway Station.

According to the map I had, it would be the first stop heading east from Chongwenmen but instead the train headed westward and I have to go through 16 stops. Though it is within Beijing alone, the distance is too far. Besides, every afternoon in Beijing is jammed with people.

On the way through 11 stations, I was so tired so decided to get off at Yonghegong Lama Temple, which is an exchange station and return back to Hepingxiqiao station few walks away from the Ramu NiCo office.

By the way, I was only following the map without asking anybody. And this is my first time to try out in this Giant Beijing City.

Finally, I made to Hepingxiqiao station which is close to the office. But before I exit the station, I made a silly mistake. There are four exit terminals, A, B, C and D. I should take the A but instead I took D.

I ended up at the opposite side of the office separated by Third Ring Road, busy streets, jungle of buildings and congested pedestrians.

As soon as I got out of the station, I was so surprised that I ended up at a strange location. I could not even recognize the road and the buildings.

To make it worse, the afternoon was foggy and people did not take note of strangers as they were all heading for their respective afternoon commitments.

I can not go back and take the A exit because that will make me pay extra money. So I kept walking towards an unrecognized street.

I realized that I was heading towards the wrong direction so I turned back and walked the opposite direction.

Chinese people are kind and if asked any body, they would help. But I wanted to try out my confidence for a new discovery. I kept walking until I could see the D building of the exit terminal, right on the other side of the busy Third Ring Road.

Finally I discovered my way back to the Global Trade Center for a good dinner and got rest of the day’s assignments done.

The following day, June 19 Friday I decided for another exciting subway ride to Tiananmen Square. You all know that famous square in Chinas’ history, right?

The weather was fine with a beautiful sunset. I got a novel I bought the day with 10 Yuan (K3.86) titled “The Magic of Think Big: Set Your Goals high… then Exceed Them” by David J. Schwartz and set off for Hepingxiqiao station, few strolls along the Third Ring Road.

At the subway station, I took careful note of exit A so that I don’t repeat the same mistake the previous day.

I bought the subway ticket and proceed to line 5 and further towards Dongdan exchange station. From there, I got on line 1 passed three stations and got off at Tiananmen West Gate.

As soon as I got out, I could see the tall brown wall as high as 20 meters running as far as my eyes could see. That was the wall which is part of the Forbidden City.

I took a few walk up against the setting heat of the sun, bought myself a bottle of coke to quench my thirst while carefully observing the wall to imagine those great art of architecture during those days in the history of China.

I walked further up and enter an entrance to the Garden of Flowers. The gate fee was as cheap as 1.5 Yuan (59t). I was tempted to go in but the time was not on my side as I have to rush back to my hotel.

But a few walk further up was the facial frame of Mao Zedong. I saw lots of people in front of the entrance trying to capture their experience through the camera.

Many foreigners were there too. Given its popularity, it is one of those must visited areas by both foreign and domestic tourists. I did not have a camera to get myself a picture.

The Great Halls of the People where great Chinese leaders meet to decide the destiny of China was just across the road.

I was looking at the brick lying of the wall, the historical houses and the image of Chairman Mao and thought of those great minds and intellectuals with aggressive leadership aptitude to move China forward to what it is today.

I chip the remaining Coke, the drink that is associated with Americanism, but eventually nodded my head and realized the fact that I was visiting one of the historical sites which is famous in China and made this great nation to what it is today.

Slowly I walked back to the subway station and took the same route back to my office and completed this article to share my experience.

By the way, at the Hepingxiqiao station, I made sure I used exit A and I safely arrived at the office. Along the street to my office, I read the “The Magic of Thinking Big”, an interesting line went like this.

“Think Big and you’ll live big. You will live big in happiness. You will live big in accomplishment. Big in income. Big in friends. Big in respect. Enough for the promise.”

“Start now, right now, to discover how to make your thinking make magic for you. Start out with this thought of the great philosopher Disraeli, “Life is too short to be little.”

“Believe in yourself and good things do start happening.”

Then I reflected back to my experiences of those two days on the subway and visiting those exciting places.

“China thought BIG, through its leadership, through the hard works of individuals they reap the benefit today.”

“If PNG do the same today then we can progress in many aspects, Think Big and aim for first Class.” That’s something for us to think about for our country.

And from Beijing I should remind you. If you are in Beijing anytime, Tiananmen Square is a must visit place, also the Great Wall. Otherwise, you are not in Beijing and China.

Note: For comments or inquiry email the writer on m_yakai@hotmail.com or call 15116988560 or post your comments here!

The Look, See and Learn Field Trip in China.

This article is published under "Letter from China" column, Sunday Chronicle, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
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By Tony Jack Manab in Beijing

NI HAO (hello) and summer greetings from Beijing, the capital of China to you for reading this article.

As a matter of opportunity in continuing to write on this page, I am grateful to Mathew Yakai once again in brining my second addition to you.

In this course, your momentum of reading and interest in my article has been my absolute focus and so assumed it would be interesting to share my experience on the one week (22nd to 27th June) field trip to Shanghai and Jiangsu Provinces in China.

I have also decided before putting it into black and white that the focus of this article should be fair on both my social and work related experiences that transpired during the field trip.

Allow me to begin by asserting that China’s courtesy is one of the best and of world class and Iam sure most of my colleagues at the Training Centre in Beijing would echo the same when asked.

On my part, I offer compliments to the Chinese Government and its Embassy in Port Moresby as well as the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council in Port Moresby for such a wonderful courtesy during our field trip.

It was all beyond description for a young and junior officer to deserve such treatments for the first time in life.

We flew out of Beijing on Monday 22nd for Shanghai city, which is the second largest and fastest developing city in China.

Shanghai city is located at the front of Yangtze Delta, bordering on Jiangsu and Zhejiang Province in the west and washed by the east sea in the east of Hangzhou Bay in the South and near the Yangtze River pouring into the East Seas.

In this regard, Shanghai is assumed in the central location of China’s arcing north to south coastline with the largest port in China.

We checked in at Holiday Inn Express which is right in the heart of the city. Later took some time for sightseeing at one of the famous walking streets known as the Nanjing Road and spent the rest of the evening at one of the China’s most famous Acrobatic Shows in the city.

The city is more humid in temperature of 5 to 6 degrees Celsius higher than in Beijing which is around 34 now.

The people are as friendly as in Beijing and social activities occupy most of the time of the non-working class and the youths.

Actually, the PNG students in China told me that Chinese are very kind and readily available to help any strangers.

On industrial ratings, Shanghai city is also known for its commercial and industrial status in China.

On Tuesday 23rd, we attended a seminar with officials from Shanghai Investment Promotional Centre which is one of the leading institutions in China's economy.

We checked out from Holiday Inn Express for Suzhou city on Wednesday the 24th June and checked in at Bamboo Grove Hotel and then visited Suzhou Museum and Zhuozheng Garden in the afternoon.

Suzhou Museum is one of the oldest Museums in China and the artifacts were believed to have existed since the 13th and 14th Centuries.

Zhuozheng Garden is a huge and beautiful ancient garden that was once a home of a royal family during one of the 13th and 14th Century ancient dynasty. It covers about 20 hectors in land proportion and remains as one of the notorious tourist sites of the city.

Thursday 25th June was all devoted to sightseeing at one of the city’s most famous Tianmuhu Lake located east by 2 hours drive out of the city.

We were guided and led by several tour guides and was absolutely amazing as the lake is so beautiful and looks like an island paradise on earth.

We visited different sites by cruise ship and everything you could think of is on this lake island.

Entertainment, sky diving, rafting, surfing, boating, and artificial waterfalls and forests, gardens, non – occupied traditional villages, bamboo bridges, bars, resorts and just to name the few.

We left for Changzhou the same afternoon and checked in at Legend Holiday Inn in Changzhou city.

Changzhou city is situated in the heart of Yangtze River Delta and halfway between Shanghai and Nanjing and Boarders Suzhou and Wuxi, enjoying a unique geographical location and convenient transportation condition.

On Friday 26th we were scheduled for 2 hours seminar with the officials from Changzhou Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation.

The theme of the seminar was Changzhou’s Investment Environment particularly on Foreign Investments in Changzhou, Business and living Environment and the city’s development status in China.

Saturday 27th marked the end of our field trip so we spent the morning for sightseeing, shopping in the city and boarded the plane for Beijing in the afternoon.

There is one question I tend to asked myself; “why would the Government of China after sponsoring for our training then decides to sponsor for such a field trip that seem like a leisure time for participants?”

I provide a simple answer. I have realized that it is a lesson of, “Look, See and Learn a Lesson from China”.

The broader picture of the field trip was to learn from China’s development experiences to reach our aspirations for the same.

Therefore, the field trip though seemed like a free time luxury blended well with everything that was said from the seminar.

For me personally, the field trip was basically an excursion for the participants to see and experience the outdoor realities of what we are actually learning from the seminar on the main activities.

The overall field trip was a lesson that enlightened the participants of the seminar on the significance of China’s “opening up foreign trade policy and reforms” that contributes to China’s rapid and outstanding development success amid the explicit effects of global financial crisis.

I am saying this as it is evident through the luxurious cities, living standards, infrastructural development, booming industries and ever inter-city competition for economic growth.

From cities to cities, the familiar message I continuously picked up during any government agencies organized meetings and seminars were inter-city industrial and economic competition.

I tend to see that the aspiration for economic growth and industrialization between cities in China is one of the reasons behind China hitting rapid development amid the global financial crisis in the 21st Century.

We visited certain Government enterprises and agencies known for their leading roles in China's rapid industrialization progress.

The enterprises we visited are the powerhouse for China to list herself among most rapidly developing countries in the world and currently one of the rising economic giants in South East Asian region.

One of the government owned enterprises we visited was the Changlin Company Limited which has its operation based in Changzhou city.

It is the world’s famous modern manufacturing giant construction marchnery and also has its operational branch in Papua New Guinea.

It is such a huge company and a processing plant that took us almost two hours to view its entire compartment.

The arranged seminars with the officials from Shangai Investment promotional Centre and Suzhou Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade were focused on Shangai’s and Suzhou’s investment environment and development.

I also applied the “look, see and learn principle” in my personal learning experience both in the seminar and during the field trip.

I adapted this principle from my current boss who says, “When you don’t know anything, the principle to know something is look, see and learn”.

This ends my experience for the field trip to the aforementioned provinces.
Our next and last field trip is scheduled for July 20 – 25 to Sichuan Province and likewise. Shall keep you informed.

Sichuan is an interesting place because of the recent devastating earthquake that killed millions and left millions of Chinese homeless recently.

But next Sunday, I will bring to you another interesting article about my experience in Beijing. This country is so amazing, and I am amazed so will you if you can read my Beijing experience next week.

Zai Jian (bye) for now!

Note: Tony works with International Relations & Aid Oversight Unit, Dept of PM and NEC. He is currently in Beijing for a two months seminar on Economic Administration for Developing Countries. Tony will tell us more on his experience next Sunday. For comments, email m_yakai@hotmail.com or call 15116988560. This column tells you the experience of Papua New Guineans in China.