. . . I've had plenty of opportunity to witness real Chinese life, and to get a feel for what type of society it is.

Here I am, living in "Communist" China, so why do I feel so free?

Is it because in Lijiang I never saw a policeman? Is it because everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, and doing exactly what pleases them? Is it because of the obvious entrepreneurial spirit that seems infuse Chinese culture? Is it because China is vastly more capitalist, in many respects, than most western countries?

All I know, is that labels like "communism", "totalitarianism" and the like seem to be completely misplaced when applied to the actual experience of living in China.

China is NOT like the old Soviet Union--with its state-owned stores, where shoes or toilet paper were forever in short supply. China is NOT like North Korea, where people are literally living in a time warp--and brainwashed to believe they live in a paradise. In fact, China is more like Hong Kong, or Singapore in the making. . . .

Why do I fear entering the USA more than China? Why do I feel safer walking down the streets of this city of 33 million [Chongqing] than most other large western cities? Why do I feel the energy of entrepreneurship and opportunity in China, compared with the lethargy and dead-weight of dealing with bureaucratic and tax hurdles in most western countries? Why do I feel less watched, less listened to? Why does China feel on the move, while many western countries feel stagnant?

These are important questions, because they point to a disturbing fact regarding our western countries--the direction they are headed.

We are used to calling ourselves the "free world"--a badge of honour earned in a bygone age. But we are fooling ourselves if we think we are still free.

What is both fascinating and disturbing to me, is the DIRECTION different countries are taking.

China is a previously impoverished Communist country which is moving decisively in the direction of more practical freedom. In matters economic, it is proving to be a powerhouse of capitalism--where the inherent business talents of the Chinese are being liberated to create a massive growth in productivity and wealth.

This surge in prosperity and accompanying education will change the face of China in the future. And as Chinese people have said to me repeatedly, they expect their transition to more political freedom to be just a matter of time.

On the other hand, we in the West are experiencing movement in a completely opposite direction. More socialism, more fascism, more stagnation and continual infringements of the freedoms we say we hold so dear. . . .

The world is not what it appears to be from a casual glance, or a moment's thought. Don't rely on what you read in the papers, or what your political leaders have to say. Their agenda is not yours. You have to go out in the world and look for yourself.

And, like me, you may be surprised to find practical freedom in the most unlikely places.

This letter is not a completely one-sided, starry eyed view of China; if you read it in full, you’ll see for yourself.

I wholeheartedly agree with one particular statement in this account of life in China, and by extension, the United States: the world is not always as it appears or how it is portrayed. You have to go look and decide for yourself.

Casual glances are extremely misleading.