Guest speakers Fallow, Schell discuss China’s economic boom

China has a lot of problems.

But for guest speakers James Fallows and Orville Schell, it might have a better chance at solving those problems than the United States has for solving its own.

The two spoke to a packed FedEx Global Education Center on Monday about China’s economic boom and what it means for the rest of the world.

Fallows is an analyst for National Public Radio and a correspondent for The Atlantic. Schell is an expert in Asian affairs.

Fallows outlined three main points he said people should know about China.

First, he said the Chinese have more problems than Americans. He also said it is a challenge for people to take China seriously without fearing it. Last, he emphasized that nobody really knows the future of China.

“If anyone knows what’s going to happen, you should stop listening to them,” he said.

Schell said China is a country largely shaped by its past, and said its history is important when discussing its future.

The two cited economic and environmental problems as the nation’s biggest issues. Some areas are developing rapidly while others are not seeing the same prosperity, Schell said.

He added that rapid economic growth has put a strain on the environment, causing increased pollution.

But Fallows and Schell said the Chinese might be well-suited to solve their problems because they aren’t nearly as complex and partisan as those in the United States.

“We can hardly tie our shoes,” Schell said.

The United States has much to gain from relations with China, the pair said, especially economically. But the differences in political systems make such collaboration difficult.

Fallows and Schell discussed a possible shift toward democracy but said this would not be accomplished in the short term.

The event was funded by the Frey Foundation Distinguished Visiting Professorship in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Director of communications for the College of Arts and Sciences Dee Reid said Fallows and Schell were chosen because of their expertise in relations with China.

“These two were an obvious choice because they knew each other,” Reid said. “They were comfortable talking to each other in a way that we can all understand.”

Junior Camila Rodriguez, who recently studied abroad in China, said she was concerned with the conditions there.

“When you look at China’s history, one of the most important parts is stability, and that’s something it doesn’t really have right now,” she said.

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