Letter

In response to Liveable cities of China

One word explains it

I’m not sure whether Jocelyn Chey was exercising the universal habit of the Chinese in being considerate and discreet, but it seems to me that one word summarises the reason for the exclusion of Chinese cities, and those in many non-western countries from these Western surveys.

The word is racism. The West remains unable in its mainstream media to overcome its hundreds of years of racism towards China.

It is a far from admirable quality, but one that has been commonplace for those hundreds of years. I agree with Jocelyn in that the cities she mentions in China can easily outstrip the ones chosen by the surveyors, but will never even get in to the competition.

— Les Macdonald from Balmain NSW 2041