MIND THE ENVIRONMENT? BEIJING TAKES NOTE

FOR A 

BETTER BALANCE, 

MIND THE 

ENVIRONMENT? 

NANCHANG, CHINA, 1981 

First the prime minister, Wen Jiabao, brought up the issue, and now the environment minister, Zhou Shengxian, is weighing in on the need to balance economic development and the environment. Okay, so we are talking about the environment minister, after all, but this is China, the People's Republic-Growth-Ueber-Alles-of, and foxes have been put in charge of henhouses before, even in the U.S. of A. 

As can be seen from the photograph above, now almost thirty years old, pollution, in particular industrial pollution, is hardly a new phenomenon in the PRC. 

AS THE WHEEL TURNS -- TO CHINA?

AS THE WHEEL TURNS --

TO CHINA?

NANJING, CHINA, 1981

More and more there is talk about China becoming the new giant in the automotive industry (for example, in today's Washington Post).

So, a look back to the reality on the ground, literally, just over a generation ago, in 1981 in Nanjing. Private cars were forbidden. The blue creampuff above doubtless belonged to one official -- cadre -- or another, or more properly, to the official's work unit. Curtains in the windows encouraged privacy.

Somebody Important must have come in that car.