China Change: If I Could Change China

My 50th birthday is just 2 weeks away, so I thought I would give myself an early gift by making a few wishes for some of the things I would change about daily life in China if I could. When I first came to this country for the first time in 1986, I had no idea I would someday spend my 50th birthday here 28 years later.

Of course the China of today is completely different from the place I first visited all those years ago. But the point of my birthday wish list wasn’t to talk about all the changes from the last quarter century, but rather propose a few small ideas that could improve life for everyone.
In the west there’s a fairytale about a boy gets to make 3 wishes after finding a magic lamp containing a genie. So I thought I would make 3 wishes here, beginning with the lowest on my list and working up to the top. I won’t wish for anything too big like world peace or the end of corruption, since such things are far too serious for this occasion. Instead, I’ll focus on some smaller details where a little change could have a big impact and make daily life just a bit more enjoyable.

With that introduction, here are my 3 wishes.

3. An end to the silly and annoying “welcome” greetings sung out by store and restaurant employees whenever a customer enters or leaves

This request may sound a bit whimsical, but don’t forget it comes at the bottom of my list. Most people will know I’m referring to the irritating chorus of huanying guanglin, or xie guanglin, that instantly breaks out whenever anyone enters or leaves an average shop these days.

I don’t know where this custom came from, though I suspect it originated in Japan and spread to China via Taiwan. Japan in particular is famous for its small squadrons of cheery, young girls who often stand at store entrances and simply greet customers all day.
I already find the Japanese and Taiwanese custom annoying because it seems so superficial. But many mainland shops have taken the practice to new heights of insincerity.

It often feels like workers at these shops are shouting their greetings at you rather than really trying to welcome you, in a perverse sort of contest to see who can show their warmth and friendliness the best.

One friend recently told me he simply ignores these people and their aggressive greetings whenever he enters a shop these days. I try to do the same, though I would really prefer that people abandon the practice altogether. Instead, I would much prefer the more western custom where a person at the door says a simple and quieter “hello” or “goodbye” whenever someone enters or leaves a shop.

2. The banning of right turns when a traffic light is red

This request sounds quite simple, but such a rule would instantly make all of China’s streets far more pleasant places. Hong Kong and Taiwan already have such a rule, and their streets are infinitely more civilized for pedestrians and other vehicles than the streets here in China.

In my memory of growing up in the US, the allowance of right turns at red lights dates back to the 1970s and was part of an effort to improve traffic efficiency. Before then right turns on red were illegal in most places.

The broader US rule says that all cars must completely stop whenever they reach a red light. Then if the driver wants to turn right, he must first make sure the intersection is completely clear of traffic and pedestrians on the cross street. If there are no cars or people in the way, the driver can then make a right turn through the red light.

Of course anyone in China will know that local drivers don’t pay any attention to pedestrians or other cars when they make their right turns on red. The result is that pedestrians often have to fight just to cross the street when a light is green, and cars turning right on red often create congestion as they compete with other cars that have the right of way at the green light.

The right turn on red rule is suitable for places like the US where population density is relatively low and drivers have more respect for other motorists and pedestrians. But it’s really not suitable for densely populated places like China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

1. Elimination of security checks at subway stations

I know some people are probably confused by my top request, since it only applies to Beijing and Shanghai, which also happen to be China’s 2 most international cities. I’ve informally polled a few of my friends from other major cities in China, and have yet to find any that have similar security checks in their subway systems.

For people who are unfamiliar with the issue, I’m referring to the Shanghai and Beijing requirement that anyone entering any of the city’s many subway stations must first put their bags through a screening device. The procedure is similar to security checks at all airports, and no other city I have ever visited outside China has any similar rule.

I’ll openly admit that my reasons for this wish are partly selfish since I frequently take the subway and often carry a backpack, meaning I have to stop each time and wait while a security screener makes sure my dirty gym clothes are safe. But on a broader level, I really do think these screening stations represent many bad elements in Chinese society today.

At the broadest level, they reflect and reinforce a basic mistrust that many ordinary citizens feel towards the government. In effect, these security screening stations are sending a message to ordinary people from the government that “we don’t trust you” to use the system properly.

These stations also are a breeding ground for conflict, since many people ignore them and ultimately get in arguments or even fights with checkpoint guards. The checks are a huge inconvenience for everyone too, especially during peak hours when they create extra congestion.

They also send a negative message to out-of-town visitors, causing some to wonder if they are in danger of an imminent terrorist attack. That’s hardly a message that major cities like Beijing and Shanghai should be sending to visitors, especially since these are China’s 2 biggest gateways for both domestic and international travelers.

I know that some leaders feel these stations are an important way to keep dangerous substances and even terrorists out of their cities’ vital public transport networks. But if major cities like New York and London can survive without them, then perhaps Beijing and Shanghai can too. I’ll be honest and say I’m not optimistic I’ll get any of the wishes on my list anytime soon. But at least I can wish!