Why Most Foreigners Can't Understand China 

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When you hate someone out of jealousy, it doesn't matter how much you understand them.

He speaks so clearly and truthfully for ordinary folks to understand what he is talking about.

My close friend a French started attacking me verbally last year about expressing my view about China that I think he felt was not aligned to western mainstream’s, his accusation was vicious, even though I’m not from China. It is very difficult nowadays to have any conversation with any foreigner who hasn’t lived in China for several years because their views are very very typical of their media, almost all of them would even say we have been brainwashed by China. Many foreigners also are in China for businesses only and would have minimum contact with locals or try to understand the locals’ culture. I know some who have lived there for more than 10 years and could not speak their language due to lack of interest, and these are very educated persons. Imagine the reverse if educated Chinese were to live in another foreign land without at least being able to communicate in the native language they are in. There is definitely double standards about China by westerners: what they wouldn’t do or would do themselves they expect China to do or would not to do. It’s all very weird and sad, China has become a very divisive topic. If even a close friend is not able to understand but choose to attack me, I don’t see any hope for the majority of foreigners out there who are pretty deeply entrenched in their opinion of China.

Eloquent as always Cyrus. I believe you're making a real difference. 🙏

Nice to have someone explain things. Cyrus your experience is so vital in today's climate. Thx again

If you enjoyed this video, raise your hand to show Cyrus Janssen your undying support and love ✋🙋

CNN to republicans: joke FOX to democrats: joke CNN & FOX on CHINA: ABSOLUTELY ACCURATE see the problem here?

Thanks, Cyrus. I lived in China for over 12 years. I was astounded at what Western media showed about China, it was and is pure propaganda. The amazing thing was Americans were willing to try to explaninChina to me from Western media reports than to accept I knew more about China than they did. If you ever need still photos of China, especially around Qingdao, let me know, no charge!

The same 99% of American can’t differentiate Thailand and Taiwan.

As a westerner, I find China a fascinating country.

Thank you Cyrus. Keep up the good work. I am an Australian expatriate living in China. The Chinese Communist Party governs the nation well and the Chinese people are happy with it. It is not oppressive. I have been to Xinjiang and travelled widely in rural areas. These people are not unhappy or downtrodden. In the light of recent happenings in USA, one cannot help but doubt the stability of US democracy and must question the way the US treats its minorities.

As a Chinese, it is quite interesting to see how foreigners understand Chinese culture. I'm pretty sure some of viewpoints are very unique. There is an old saying in China that "It's better knowing yourself and the others, then you won't die in a hundred battles“, which means if you don't want to fail, you must learn from others and then you could know yourself better. I was growing in later 1990s. English has been taught in kindergarten as a obligatory course until I graduated from college. Our teachers encouraged us to use English as an important skill to understand westerns in the future. Because westerners are too smart, only by learning from them then we can catch up with the world's development, and right now we totally understand doing is far better than thinking.

Diversity isn’t the problem, arrogance is. As Chinese said: You can’t wake up someone who pretends sleeping

*Greetings gentlemen* Welcome to China, the land of plenty

US ultra rich: "It is not personal, just money and power"

My history in China is similar to Cyrus (I came in 2004, still here with a green card), and agree with what he says. Thanks Cyrus for a well-done video, should be shared widely.

“Weakness and ignorance are not barriers to survival, but arrogance is.” The US getting caught up by China is just a matter of time because the US society has been so cocky, overlooked its mistakes, and stopped learning from others for decades especially after the collapse of the USSR, while China has been trying hard to do the exact opposite.

Similar experience for me. I spent 4 years in Malaysia and 2 years in India. When I came back to US and tried to share my experience with my friends or colleagues, no one seems interested. It's not just about China but overall lack of interest to places outside US.

Well done video. I myself have been living and working in China for a while now. I’m a permanent resident well into my 3rd decade here and really enjoy hearing the positive attitude about this country. Thanks.

Lets face it, education especially world history and geography is never an american strong point.

Facts come with the true evidence. This is what Cyrus brings to us. Appreciate your work. Jia You!

By the time they understand China, there will be flying cars and futuristic infrastructure and whatnot in china 😂. I say let them ignore it. China doesn’t need peasantry

Unfortunately in Australia is the same. I hope more Australian can open up their eye and mind instead of listening those rubbish from the local news like “60 minutes”, sky news etc.

I remember when I moved from HK to small town Illinois in the late 80s. Young people don't really care about anything outside of US.

Chinese scholars and politicians can speak english and know much more about US and west countries. However the US and West politicians know little about their enemy China. Most of them don't speak Chinese language。This situation determines who will eventually win this competition in between China and West in the end

Thank you Cyrus for continuing to put out videos like this, filled with reason and hope!

Before, we say, "are u talking in Greek?" now, it's, "are you speaking Chinese?" funny, how language evolves

Exactly tonight, I went to a friend's birthday party (In Canada) and someguy was pissed off and angry about the positive I was telling about China because he believes all Uyghur are repressed and that I've been brainwashed and I know nothing.... that always makes me just feel like going back to China and forget about Canadians that know nothing.

Because Americans are so used to be understood by others in the last 100 years, they are losing the abilities, skills and humbleness to try understanding others.

You can't wake one who is pretending to be asleep

U can't change a closed mind that doesnt wish to open up.

You've said what I really want to say to my western friends, thank you for filming this video and express the truth about China to the world. Wish we could have more people like you to come to China. Again, thank you very much ! ! All the best !!!

Without the Chinese government, how would China progress so quickly and become the second most powerful country in the world? Many don't know, just 20 yrs ago, China 's per capita is 1000+.Now,10000+.

“If the BBC is willing to treat the royal family this bad, you can imagine what they’re going to do with a country like China, most definitely, they’re not going to be fair and objective in their reporting.” Everybody, let’s remember Cyrus’s famous quote. Well said, Cyrus! Respect from Beijing.👍

As a Chinese citizen working in a foreign country, thank you for this video, you are right, it is frustrating to see how China is portrayed by the western media

Why don’t we address a world without America? The American exceptionalism and war mongering will stopped. The issue is not just understanding China from American perspective but the need of the war industrial complex to create weapons in America to feed the rich and politicians in the expense of average citizens whom are kept in a well.

RT news is my primary news source on my phone. Whenever I open that app I think 'let me see what is the latest stupidity a western country has come up with' towards China and Russia. I am rarely disappointed. The number of idiotic things done can only be explained by being delusional or mentally ill.

Again, another excellent post Cyrus. Yes, China and US need to work together to save the planet from globe warming and other issues that face humanity.

You are the true Captain America. Thanks for speaking up for my Motherland , China. You are really a brave man. I stand with you. 👍🇨🇳

谢谢，您真是一位客观、公正、充满人性的评论家。

Most of the US people don't even have a US passport.

I support and with love ✋🙋

Cyrus, very well done. Great video!

Ironically, more Chinese watch this video than Americans 🤣

Good Job and Support !

Just imagine how much can the two great countries do to the humankind if they work together in harmony. Sigh…..

Awesome work!

Interesting video as always Cyrus!

I would hazard a guess that many Chinese actually understand America better than many Americans understand China.

You should read Noam Chomsky's "Manufacturing consent" to understand the ignorance of many westerners.

Seeming paradoxes come into play here. Over the past decade, especially the last two years, I have been rudely reminded, more and more, of the truth of the following observation: "China is a "closed" society with an open mind. The US is an "open" society with a closed mind".

You guys remember Captain America brutally killed a helpless man with his shield, and everyone took his photo with their phones?

The Americans even have dualitistic view on Geography. The new yorkers will sing all the leaves are brown, and Ingrid would go west to California to enjoy the sunny sky.

Some Americans always say that we are having a tough life in China... I wonder why they could say that even though they never been to China once. If you don't know about something, the best thing for you to do is to be humble and learn.

Refreshing departure from your usual but just as good. Please keep up the good work

Cyrus, I like your article because you dare to tell the truth!

Thank you Sir. Fair opinion and eyeopening topic.

Not only Americans, but also many Hongkongers and Chinese abroad have the same attitude towards mainland China.

I really love your videos. I hope more people see your videos in order to make them understand other perspective about China. You do a fantastic work. Greetings from Mexico

The media also play a huge role.

Great videos with lots data backing up ur opinion

Right on point, Cyrus. Thank you for another amazing analysis.

Thank you for putting together this video! Greetings from Singapore!

Manufacturing consent. Beyond that I think the western world is too used to looking at the world from their lens after more than 200 years of western dominance. From a standpoint of moral and cultural superiority that diminishes the culture and history of other civilizations.

Cyrus, love your channel. Well said.

I lived in China for 12 years and was involved in the film industry there for 15 years.I love this video, especially the bit about "We LOVE the Chinese people, we just hate the CCP". Anyone who knows anything about China knows you can't exactly disentangle the Chinese people from the CCP. As a Chinese friend put it, you can criticize but you can't just write people off because they are Chinese. In fact anti-Chinese propaganda is the last respectable bastion of racism, even though it usually comes cleverly disguised as acceptable "anti-communism".

Great lesson. Audio perfect always

Janssen, thank you for the hard work putting out a video likes this, unfortunate just like your friends who lost interest in your meet conversation, now they will think you are " paid by CCP"! but, still glad that we have people with an open mind like you help pass out the real facts, but without big media change their tone,, i don't see things will improve anytime soon, hope things doesn't get any worse, no one will benefited from it other then little tiny self center ego gain

I think the American education system has a problem. Here in Asia we learn a good amount of geography and history of the world. I doubt that the American school is doing the same, causing the people to have very narrow perception of the world.

Cyrus, as always your videos are so on point, truthful and easy to understand 👍 Thank you for all your hard work 🙏

Hi Cyrus, I was a teenage University student working in Orlando on summer of 1990. Fell in love with the city and subsequently been there many times. Seeing from a Chinese/HongKonger perspective, YOU ARE RIGHT ON, most Americans don't know about China and Chinese. Of course, the combative altitude of Donald Trump doesn't help.

When people live in their comfort zone, people does not want to learn anything of the outside as people expect their comfort zone will always remain the same. People work harder when hungry just hope the coming generation of Chinese doesn't fall into the same comfort trap as ordinary American!

Chinese children are always reminded of two stories , the "hare and tortoise race"and "grasshopper and ant during winter"

wonderful analysis. Like it.

Excellent information, thank you very much for sharing!

The beginning was so cool 😂. I think it's a matter of time for China and the US, and every nation in the world, to work together based on the problems everyone is going to undergo. I'm from a country that has lots of preconceptions about China generally, but the media here seems much more realistic, less aggressive and reasonable than the US' on China, as my country not in the geopolitical ''battle field'' fully. I can see the difference clearly as I compare them.

Cyrus, you just hit the nail on its head!

The world is much more than just hot dogs and hamburgers. Open your eyes and mind to the world.

My friend recommended me of your channel that's why I'm here. In a word, not disappointed at all. Thanks so much for helping the world understand better China, of course, from a positive perspective.

Most ordinary Americans would spend time to watch football, baseball and ice-hockey within North America rather than concerning what is happening around the world. That's why Cyrus schoolmates did not show any interests about what is going on in China. I bet more than half of Americans don't know where the capital of China is.

Cyrus should be President of the United States. The world would be prosperous.

Great insight!

Another well presented, balanced piece, Cyrus. Thanks!👌🙏☺️

What Cyrus is doing is commendable but I think personally he is flogging a dead horse

It is hard to open a closed mind

Until I visited China for the first time in 2014 I had the stereotypical attitude about China of most westerners who had no idea. Since then I have done all I can to educate myself and have been back there on many occasions, even starting a China travel business to take people there and help them understand China and lose their fear. Thank you Cyrus, I share your videos at every opportunity

Thank you for the upload.

I believe more Chinese people understand English than Cantonese, be honest.

It's simple really. Better to have an "enemy" to blame all your countries problem on rather than to solve the problem yourself.

When somebody expresses the thoughts in your head just perfectly. 🐼💜

This is true. I am from Singapore and travel to China (many times) and US (few times). My observation of US cities. Many homeless, drugs, gangs, guns, people are a bit rough. China cities..are clean, no homeless, no guns, no drugs..tidy and feel safe.

You are the best Cyrus janssen.My favourite blogger

Like first and then watch.

Excellent, thanks for posting this.

Well said Cyrus, until I came to Asia (and travelled to China several times) I too was living like big fish in a small pond in terms of cultural mindset. I was parochial in my outlook and admittedly a little ethnocentric in my world view. But after coming here and see for myself first hand the alacrity of development, the alleviation of poverty and the fast adoption of technology, I made space in my heart and mind to learn and respect other cultures even if my entertainment diet primarily consist of American fare. The thing is to never knock others down unless and until you have walked in their shoes. I am sure if Americans just lived in China for two weeks they would understand the country better. I was literally knocked off my socks when I sat on a fast speed train from Hangzhou to Shanghai (travelling at 300 km/h) and seeing acres and acres of developed townships enroute. I was also surprised at the ubiquitous adoption of virtual currency from small shops to large malls. China, for all intents and purposes are more 21st Century than many parts of the US. Keep up the good work to build bridges, and here's to collaboration and cooperation instead of conflict.

If there are more people like you the world will be more peaceful.

operation mockingbird plays a big role in this attribute

Great video

Your knowledge on China is vast and relevant to the current situation. Well done!