For Young Chinese, Spacewalk An Indicator Of Might

From Grant Swanson

This article is highly intriguing. I had absolutely no idea China was intending to send someone to the moon. But, as this article shows, there is an orbiter on its way to map the moon as we speak. On Saturday, September 27, the space shuttle launched into space...broadcasting live to the entire world. The fact that the Chinese have decided to broadcast live feed for the entirety of the journey is very telling to the confidence of complete success of the mission. The imminent moonwalk following this orbiter mission will mark China as only the third Country to have brought a human being to the moon. This is a clear indicator of China's growing might and dominance in the world today. But the interviewed children's comments seemed a little frightening to me. "In a few years, we will overtake America," says 14-year-old Wen Zhiqi. "At this rate, we'll overtake everyone and be at the top of the world." Maybe this is just irrational fear...but there is just something about the way in which this 14 year old talks that disturbs me. I think the article shows my fear the best with this point: "An outspoken commentary in a Shanghai newspaper was titled, 'A country that can perform a spacewalk has no reason to produce bad milk.'" This is in reference to the poison milk scandal in China that has left 50,000 children deathly sick. For a Country to focus with such determination on world dominance at the expense of its own people makes me incredibly nervous. I believe this may be irrational, but I fear China.