THE People’s Republic of China is the world’s second most powerful economy. The exchange rate is six Yuans to a dollar, and the country has a GDP figure in the trillions of dollars. They are the largest exporter of goods in the world as well as the largest manufacturing economy in the world.
So why did they only give a measly $100,000 in aid money to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan? (Source: TIME) With that kind of money in China, one could buy approximately 21 meters worth of apartment space in a Chinese city. It’s not as if the Chinese are stingy with the relief money they give away – China gave $22.4 million to the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, $1 million along with a 60-man medical mission to the victims of the 2010 Haitian earthquake, $5 million together with hundreds of tons of emergency supplies to those who were hit by Hurricane Katrina, and a whopping $75 billion in aid to developing nations in Africa.
As far as the donations of other countries go, the US has pledged $20 million, while countries like South Korea and Australia have donated $5 million and $9.3 million, respectively. The British actually raised $16 million for typhoon victims in 24 hours.
The eastern economic giant clearly has the resources to provide more, but why don’t they? It clearly has something to do with Sino-Philippine relations these past few months. The Chinese premier and our president aren’t exactly best buddies – not with all that tension going on about a bunch of rocks in the South China Sea called the Scarborough Shoal.
Chinese netizens had mixed reactions to the Haiyan tragedy. Some commenters on Chinese social media sites like weibo.com and suho.com offered their condolences and expressed sorrow towards the victims. One said, “We will promote the humanitarian spirit: organize the Filipinos in China to raise money, and then donate it to the Philippines in the name of China!” However, the posts of others were more… belligerent.
“What people are doing, God is watching. They have committed to many wicked deeds, and God can tolerate it no longer…. I hope [the government] won’t take our taxpayers’ money and donate it those Philippine dogs.”
“The earthquake in Japan, the typhoon in the Philippines. It’s good that they have happened, and happened at the right times.”
China should realize that this isn’t about politics anymore – it’s about basic human decency. Several international news agencies such as Time and the New York Times agree that the small amount of cash China is giving seems like an insult. In fact, when the Chinese spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was asked if his country was giving the aid equivalent of loose change because of the “recent chill” in Chinese-Philippine relations, he declined to answer.
The Philippines and China aren’t exactly best buddies, but we’re not sworn enemies either. If bitter enemies like Pakistan and India or Japan and North Korea can give each other appropriate aid and funding in times of need, then why can’t the Chinese just give a little bit more instead of tossing a few dollars at us like we’re a beggar that they want to shoo away?