I should say .your people should try to know china.
and the best way is come and have a look~

kevin, suzhou, china

It is only a dream that China had or excercised sovereignty over the South China Sea. The countries and peoples of South East Asia, India, Japan, Europe, Americas, the whole world, have always used the South China Sea without ever needing permission from or to pay duties to Qing or any Chinese gov.

Nicolas, London,

I completely gree with the article. China and the west should seek mutual understanding. Human rights and such an only be solved through communication/understanding. The west should not just repress China until it solved all its problems, it goes against our responsibility as developed nations.

Tom, Toronto, Canada

China already had its presence in The South China Sea during the period of the Qing Dynasty of China.The then Qing government already sent her ships to patrol in South China Sea to exercise her sovereign rights 200 years ago. Then there were no nations called the Pilippines or Malaysia.

Tony G .S. Wei , Hong Kong, China

China claims 75% of the South China Sea. The South China Sea is larger than the Mediterranean and is bordered by 8 countries apart from China. Is this attitude and threat to peace and security of South East Asia not some thing to be afraid of? Imagine a superpower claiming 75% of the Mediterranean.

Richard, Thames, UK

Boris,

The whole Cultural Revolution thing had been made very clear in China since 1990s. That was the CCP in the past - an old generation and fairly old story now. People critisized the government and you see all kinds of reports, commentorys and TV shows commenting on Cultural Revolution now.

Ning, London, UK

Thank you for a balanced article. But why don't readers learn first-hand about Chinese people instead of just reading newspaper articles? A British charity, HOST UK, (www.hostuk.org) arranges weekend visits in volunteer host families for Chinese students studying in UK. Try it!

Margaret Hancox, Abingdon, UK

Mark, London.

Thanks for the two authors. I am familiar with 'Wild Swans' by Jung Chang. She tells honest story about lives of her mother, grandmother, great grandmother from time of War Lords up to the disaster of Cultural Revolution. This is not available in China. Too embarrassing for CCP.

Boris, Belgravia, London

If the Chinese were like us we would have real cause for concern, but fortunately they aren t. I am sure they will be a great asset in the context of world stabilisation. They are primarily interested in the success of their own country and have the basic political and economic means for that process. In being successful they will have delineated the progress of success and the nature of success. This is bound to assist the same process elsewhere, but there is always the problem of how this may impinge on big bad USA, and how the latter may respond.

Henry Percy, London, UK

unfortunately nobody in the Uk has any idea of how people live in china has there is a lack of media coverage. Through media and Hollywood everyone is familiar with life in US and Europe but China is just ignored by media. HOw come an Earthquake that killed 50000 people doesnt even get the front pag

marco, London,

The constant negative spin that the BBC has drip fed into its reporting has all but brainwashed the UK public into seeing China as a ogre. The BBC has only damaged its own credibility. The internet has many news sources and those that have stayed unbiased have gained my respect at the BBC's expense.

gary, london,

"...the chinese are getting things done and in time..."

I think you mean that they make the trains run on time.

jon livesey, Sunnyvale, CA/USA

Sure, the government that sponsors international industrial spying to gain their militaristic and economic powers while oppressing their people in nearly every way - sounds great! Maybe Mr. Patten will be cheering on N. Korea's rise to power also....

Eric, Atlanta, US

Anyone who saw the documentary in the 1990s about the handover of power in Hong Kong, where Patten was Governor, will doubt his mental capacity for this astonishing judgement. Don't be afraid of a totalitarian power? How about the journalists imprisoned for reporting unpleasant facts?

Tony, Newark,

I visited China and see people in Chinese cities enjoying high standards of living. But there's 1.3 billion people competing for resources so some people get left behind. I think the Chinese government has to address those impoverished people's needs first before it can become a democracy.

Lee, NY,

But we are trying to change, to make things better. This year, China has suffered and is suffering a lot of disarsters, snow disarster, railway accident and these days the terrible tremor! Also include Dalai' destroy of the torch relay. But we are hard working to solve these and we need support.

Bing, London,

A balanced article! Good job Mr. Pattern! Ignorance breeds fear-I totally agree with what some of the readers said. Most Westerners are very ignorant of China. I would go as far as saying that Chinese people know more about the West than vice versa, eg. more Chinese know English well than vice versa

KC, Penang, Malaysia

Thank you again for letting me read an article that is positive towards China on TIMES!

Bing, London,

For those who harbour suspicion about China, I urge you to visit the country, to meet the people, and you will see through the cultural and linguistic divides to find that the Chinese are very much like yourselves – longing for peace, stability and the opportunity to work for a better tomorrow.

Yueyang Hou, Oxford,

There is one thing to be said here though, the chinese are getting things done and in time, they will change for the better. Look at our politics, we're for "democracy" right? Let's scrutinise our governments: what's happening to our economy? We've got food shortages, failing banks & more!

Ann, London, UK

"We" are afraid because, as China and its people becomes more successful and prosperous, comes an inevitable sharing of world resources and wealth - something the West previously had without competition.

Howard, Manchester,

it's absolutely ridiculous that some people regard the rise of China as a threat. Definitely China's success is good for the world. After years' silent persistence, she begins to shine. She simply has no desire to conquer the world. Can it be possible that its flame too strong? Never!

caoliyan, Jinhua, China

I don't fear the rise of China; don't hold a view on the Tibet affair. But, China would be a lot more easy to embrace if the rulers were more open to human rights, which they are not.
And until they become so then they are a country to be wary of.
World opinions are varied around this core issue.

Bob, warrington, cheshire

Courageous Chinese people such as Jung Jiang, author of
Mao the Unknown Story and Harry Wu author of Harry Wu troublemaker will tell you the true nature of the regime.
Meanwhile sycophantic Westerners continue the long and inglorious tradition of kow towing to totalitarian regimes.

Mark Lyndon, London, UK

The rise of China is a paradigm shift for the West. You can either live in denial, resist it or accept it. Its administration isn’t perfect but oh boy does it work. It still has a long way to go but there are those in the West who can’t resist raising the bar.

Jim, Kent,

I find it funny all the time when I read the postings from West about human rights.When they were dominating the world with colonialsim and imperialism I see only destruction both physical and cultural.Sounds like the old testament and new testament.

Ho sun sun, Hongkong, Hongkong

I think your appreciation is outstanding. I completely agree with it :) The development of china is better to all of the world, anyone who neglet it are all wrong!~ I also find it difficult to understand why some people regard the rise of china as a threat.. We chinese both hope a peaceful world!!

ningyang, shandong, china

"I find it difficult to understand why some people regard the rise of China as a threat. "

Huh?

Taiwan, Tibet, Arunachal Pradesh and the South China Sea are some areas that see the PRC as a threat.

No one wants to keep anyone down- but your either for democracy or not.

Take your pick.

Jez W, Leeds,

So why is it that India is not criticised to the same extent? The reason is that the criticism is justified - the unelected, dictatorial government of the PRC is an unpleasant one.

And its the PRC, not China. Please make a distinction between a vile regime and a people.

Robert, Oxford,

The so called "prosperity" in China was built on the bones of their own people, old Soviet Equipment, American Dollars, overheated speculative world market and our vanity. China like USA starts to treat the whole world as the area of their political interest so expect war( economic or usual).

Ivan Pankratov, Cambridge, united kingdom

Pat, Thailand

I think we are now getting a much better idea of understanding Chinese mentality, given recent reactive events around the Olympic Torch. Doubts and fears seem only re-inforced by the badly argued, onslaught of fierce words from mainland China over the past few weeks.

James, East London, UK

Why not get to know some Chinese people? There are Chinese students at UK universities who would love to meet British residents, for mutual enlightenment and understanding. HOST arranges one-off weekend visits. More volunteer hosts are always needed . See www.hostuk.org
Margaret, Cornwall

Margaret Stevens, Falmouth, UK

Thank you first for supporting my country, China need supporters like you.
Now, China do have a lot of problems and difficulties, in economics, politics and societies. Actually, most Chinese kown these kinds of things. Not as some wsterners think that we haven't realize these.

Bing, London,

Lets see.

Should I believe Chris Patten, the one-time Governer of Hong Kong who is supportive of a developing China? Or some random armchair general posting on the Times, foaming at the mouth with the thought of those damn commies ruling the earth.

........ choices choices choices.

Pete, Cov,

I'm afraid of china because I engineer power stations and I have learned that every year china ads more fossil burning power generation than the whole of the UK national grid output. Soon to be 1x our national grid every 6 months.
If china gets half as developed than the west we will all drown

Sam , Leicester, UK

I'm happy to see a positive article on China at last. People in China are simply trying to provide better lives for themselves and their families.

The Rise of China is one of the few things to be happy about at the moment.

Jia You Zhong Guo. Beijing 2008

Mike Gow, Beijing, China

You do unfortunately not understand Chinese mentality. Otherwise you would worry about China becoming so powerful.

pat, udon, thailand

China's already reformed considerably. Millions less people are poor. Things aren't great in terms of open politics and human rights, but then things aren't that great here in the UK either. China's got 1-party rule. We've got 2-party rule where both parties tend to mainly agree on the same thing.

James Dey, London, UK

"... is greatly outweighed by the chance to celebrate the country's re-emergence as a great global power"

A great global TOTALITARIAN power, Mr P, lest you forget.
Those in power are communist and therefore totally evil. Have no truck with any of them.

Steve, Rubery,

Most people forget that the first half of the last century saw millions of Chinese died every year from floods and famine.
China should be applauded for saving millions of its people from natural disasters since then.

Which has more priority, human lives or human rights?

V Tan, London,

It's not the Chinese people we fear- they are as powerless as people everywhere. It is their government that scares us, as well as the fact that to compete with them we have to become like them- which rightfully scares the working class.

Miss Dee, Tayside, UK

I think that perhaps Chris Patten spent too long as British governor of Hong Kong. He seems to have caught a dose of Chinese self-censorship. There are a great number of very gritty issues on everyones minds that he has left unsaid and unaddressed. Chris sounds very grand but, sorry, unpersuasive.

Colin, Carmarthen, Wales

How can anyone say this a balanced article? The author has a huge stake in China and a history that goes without saying. The effect that China is having on global economics is undeniable, whether we like it or not.

But what is the true price of China's accelerated growth?

Trevor, Sheffield,

Separate China from Chinese and you will find every reason to admire and love them. Same way Britain is admired not for its history and politics but for its people. Politics is always a venom which spoils a human party.
Chris please market Oxford less next time. Otherwise great article.

Prabhat, UK,

the two greatest events of our lifetimes are the return of Russia and China to the International community

John Ledbury, Kings Lynn, England

I'd say boycot China until it changes its politics towards
- human rights
- environment
- treatment of animals

Do not buy products made in China and boycot the Olympics!

Alex, London, England

'Who's afraid of big bad China? Why?

Who: Tibet and Taiwan. Why: Why do you think?

Jiabao Wen, Beijing, China

And, Mr Patten, so to Russia....

Mike L, Chippenham, Wilts

Interesting article, particularly given the author. However, it is spot on. Unlike the UK China is moving in the right direction. We should embrace and encourage them as they continue on their long march, redefining global commerce. Lets face it the UK couldn't survive without Chinese deflation.

Alan Boyd, Brisbane, Australia

One of the big reasons that people fear China is their export of Regime. Where do you think Mugabe turned to for weapons? Why China of course. It is the same in Burma. Wherever there is an unpleasant dictatorship you will also find China. It is all about unethical profiteering out of human misery.

Boris, Belgravia, London

it's absolutely ridiculous that some people regard the rise of China as a threat. Definitely China's success is good for the world. After years' silent persistence, she begins to shine. She simply has no desire to conquer the world. Can it be possible that its flame too strong? Never!

caoliyan, Jinhua, China

it is absolutely ridiculous that some people regard the rise of China as a threat. Definitely China's success is good for the world. After many years' silent persistence and efforts, she begins to shine. Can it be possible that its flame of success is too strong to be live up with for those people? Never! I think them just say those words with a not of jealous.

caoliyan, Jinhua, China

I find it so strange how people see ghosts in that which is unfamiliar; we are scared of the Chinese, and unwilling to find out more about them as a people. I have dealt with the Chinese now for 5 years and find them to be very respectable people, very friendly and always thinking of other people….. embrace the people as equals and you will earn respect and lasting friendship, treat them as inferior and you will generate remorse.

John, Midlands, UK

Thanks Chris Patten for a constructive and positive statement about China. Something real at last to read. I live in Guangzhou, China for most of my time and can see for myself the progress and change in China. I feel proud of what China has achieved and wish it and the Games every success

Derek Beardsall, Guangzhou , China

this is one of the few balanced reporting on the "rise" of China. More often than not it is the demonisiing of China - attempts to sow fear & misinformation eg China's military budget which is a pittance considering the level China is coming from. Treat China as an enemy and she will be one.

Richard, melb, Australia

Nice fairy tale, that about how China coming around. I suggest that you read "The Empire of Lies", by a Frenchman, Guy Sorman. ISBN-9781594032165, and then tell us all about how the PRC, and it's Communist run govt. are "Doing Good in The World".

jim, framingham, USA

Couldn't agree more. The bogeyman image of China is in part ignorance and misunderstanding, it is not an easy place to understand from the outside and keeping up with the social and economic change is impossible. I believe even some localized democracy could be visible here in under 10years.

Paul Smout, Wuhu, China

Hear, hear. The reason some people still fear the PRC's development, is that it arose because the PLA's attempt to teach the Vietnamese a lesson in 1978 was resoundingly kicked into touch. The urge to modernise, some feel, was initially for the benefit of the PLA. Tempora mutantur....

Steve Evans, Argyll,

A China that has no Liberal Democrat inclination is surely not something we should welcome. Why on earth should we cheer as a dictatorship challenges us economically, strategically and if w are not careful militarily.

Steph, Eastbourne,