I have read J. Grant Swank's opinion regarding the security operations underway in Beijing, and I want to give a perspective that is slightly different to that which he, and undoubtedly many others have.

The very first thing I was told when I arrived in China (in Beijing actually) is that everything in China is a facade, and as time has gone by, remembering this has helped me to stay sane.

The Chinese love a good show, and politics remember, is a show. Without prejudice to the realities of western perceptions of the event as it relates to Democracy vs. Communism, as a person who has lived in China for two years, I read the various news reports of these events a little differently.

Firstly, I noted that the police are making sure there are no bombs. Are you aware that just since I have been in China, there have been a few terrorist activities undertaken in China? So this type of threat is potentially real, and justifies taking precautions.

Secondly, yes there are the politically motivated in China. Some of them are intent on toppling the government, but some of them are just plain unaware of the law.

I remember in class one day during a discussion group, two boys announced that when they finish university, they intend to set up a new political party to give people 'choice' of leadership. I was stunned. "Are you aware that that is illegal in China?" I asked. 'Huh?" they grunted. "Is it really?"

It is actually amazing what the average Chinese teenager does not know about his country as it is today. The last thing anyone would like to see, is the innocently ignorant being used as pawns by the crafty militant.

Thirdly, the Communist revolution commenced basically with one man, and (from memory) by the time of the revolution, there were only one million communists in China; just one tenth of the number of the KuoMingTang. Naturally the fear of the government is that someone will do to them what they did to the government back then.

Fourthly, one can be fooled by the appearance of life in the big city. It may seem thoroughly western, but it most certainly is not. Some time back the western press asked of a politician, when it was that he thought real democratic change might come to China.

The politician replied that the people were still very under educated and that it might take 50 years. When I saw this, I cracked up laughing, because I thought him to be far too optimistic in his timetable.

My observations lead me to believe that if democracy made a sudden appearance in China, the country would disintegrate into power factions that would split up the country.

Brothels, strip shows, gambling, and drugs, to name just a few things, are illegal in China, but even in the little country town from whence I have just moved, all of these things are in evidence. Certainly we might relate this to corruption, but it is more closely aligned with 'culture'. A culture that constantly says, 'It doesn't matter! It's not important!  Do not worry about it!' In short, a culture that pays no attention to law and order unless it is forced.

Concurring with something I recently read, "China has had less than 30 years to accomplish what it took centuries to accomplish in the west."

When you think of China, maybe you think in terms of this security operation, but in fact it is not like that at all in daily life, and for those who might want to protest this, citing religious persecution in China, I am drawing up a post specifically on that point.

One of the things Westerners are obviously not aware of, is that China is divided into regions where governments have leeway to impose their own versions of the Central Government laws. The one child policy is a good example, with there being different applications of it in Beijing, Shanghai and other places.

There was one mention in an article I read that said there was a representation of farmers who were disbanded. Firstly, that sounded a little suspicious to me, but irrespective of the accuracy, this type of event is not new in China, and because of such representations over the last two years in which I have followed the news (in English here in China), these groups have managed not only to gain a hearing, but have had their grievances met, and in a couple of instances, had the Central Government intervene in certain affairs to ensure the farmers rights.

Fifthly; In addition to those persons with Political aims and objectives (power groups, and those representing the Tibetans, the Muslims from the North West, the Falun Gong ?), there are also those young people who have been influenced by western perceptions, and who have taken up the 'we have human rights' platform, who naievely think that they have a RIGHT to protest, or who believe that they have a duty to protest. But what is it that they are protesting for? They might say democracy, but from my constant contact with them, I already know that it is about sex, as it pertains to marriage ages, premarital sex, porno, and other ubiquitous 'freedoms'.

Views from Tiananmen

The strange thing is, that in this communistic totalitarian state, it is hard to tell the difference between a Chinese young person and a western young person, based upon their behaviours. Yes! Even here young people behave very very badly.

In the final analysis, I actually see these current procedures as a 'show'. The need for security inherently means that this meeting is actually important. Most Chinese probably could care less (the government is so far away!).

It also shows the world that the government of China is serious in its commitments to 'anti-terrorism'.

Personally, I look at it and remember; 'Everything in China is a facade!'

R.P.Bendedek

Email: rpbendedek@hotmail.com

R.P.BenDedek is the pseudonym of the Author of 'The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran' (www.kingscalendar.com), and he is a guest columnist at Magic City Morning Star News. An Australian, he currently teaches Conversational English in China. Other Stories

"The King's Calendar" is a chronological study of the historical books of the Bible (Kings and Chronicles), Josephus, Seder Olam Rabbah, and the Damascus Document of The Dead Sea Scrolls.