British Conservatives Encourage Citizens to “Work Like the Chinese”

Oct 10, 2015 By eChinacities.com

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The British Conservative Party has encouraged citizens to “Work like the Chinese,” while reducing family tax credits. The Party said that low-income Britons must work hard “like the Chinese do,” in order not to be dependent on government welfare. This line of thinking, has of course, angered a number of British citizens.

The call to mimic the so-called Chinese work ethic comes from British Minister of Health Jeremy Hunt. Hunt is quoted in the British media saying, “My wife is Chinese, and if we want this to be one of the most successful countries in the world in 20, 30, or 40 years’ time there’s a pretty difficult question that we have to answer which is essentially: are we going to be a country that is prepared to work hard in the way that Asian economies are prepared to work hard, in the way that Americans are prepared to work hard.”

The British article was translated and posted by the Chinese media, along with translated comments from British Netizens. One Netizen responded, “What is he talking about. Economies that successfully compete with China will be those that invest in education, skills, R&D and technology. Not that ones that mimic China by enforcing low wages, low skills, long working weeks.”

The Chinese media put forth that Jeremy Hunt’s Chinese family (his wife, Linda Guo, is from Xi’an and they have a child together) has naturally affected his views on many social issues, and added that all the China-attention is probably stemming from Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming state visit to the U.K. in October.

Source: wenxuecity.com

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Keywords: British Conservative Party China U.K. Jeremy Hunt

Comments(18)

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18 Comments

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seansarto
(0) (0)

Trojan wife.

Oct 15, 2015 09:05 Report Abuse

kuntmans
(2) (7)

The problem with the UK minister's assertion is that the British do not have same family support tradition as the Chinese. So they could never hope to achieve the quality of life standard that exists in China which stems from the much stronger social bonds, solidarity amongst the wider community etc. In short, the Brits could never cope with having to work that hard. it's no longer in their DNA.

Oct 12, 2015 16:40 Report Abuse

umzung
(1) (0)

Two hour lunch breaks.

Oct 12, 2015 11:20 Report Abuse

dongbeiren
(7) (0)

The myth of the hard working, industrious, frugal Chinese. Plenty are those things but that's changing fast in the younger generation when employment prospects often depend more on family connections than ability or work ethic and the need to gain face means excessive borrowing to fund consumption rather than saving.

Oct 10, 2015 18:54 Report Abuse

BlightyMatt
(4) (0)

"Jeremy Hunt said that he wants Britain’s workers to work harder, like the Chinese. Hunt’s wife is Chinese, and is often heard muttering, “Christ, this is hard work.”

Oct 10, 2015 16:50 Report Abuse

coineineagh
(7) (0)

Break down civil society and bring in the fascists. Brand the poor as second class citizens and tell them to work as hard as a false stereotype. If my wife touted Chinese characteristics in a discussion, I'd tell her how wrong she is and why. This Hunt seems too gullible and impressionable to govern. Or perhaps he refers to a specific subset of hardworking Chinese. Does he want lower-wage Britons to become street sweepers, junk peddlers and sweatshop labourers?

Oct 10, 2015 13:58 Report Abuse

BlightyMatt
(3) (0)

And be thankful that they have that.....There are some very sinister things developing in the UK. Thatcherism was an abomination that destroyed our industrial base in the north and laid the seeds of the housing crisis we have. But these effers are going even further than that. As China said "The UK - only good for study and history"

Oct 10, 2015 17:05 Report Abuse

Vyborg
(6) (0)

Lots of people think Chinese are hard-working people, used to think so myself before I came to China. Maybe overseas Chinese are, working 7 long days a week for a couple years to send the money back home, buy a house, a car, a wife and start bragging upon their return. The incoming cash from abroad has been a pillar of Chinese economic growth for quite some time.

Oct 10, 2015 12:02 Report Abuse

Guest2597482
(7) (0)

I think they must mean to come in late, plan meals for hours, play with their phones all day, do as little as possible in the most incompetent manner, whinge about how hard they work then tell the boss "I have to go to my hometown" for an extra month or two holiday. New Tory slogan will be "Britain Cha Bu Duo"

Oct 10, 2015 12:01 Report Abuse

Chewbacca
(7) (0)

Low wages and long hours, f*cking Tory pr*cks. Perhaps if those Torries and their rich friends paid their taxes then they wouldn't need to cut so many services and benefits. As far as I was aware Britain is already very successful. I am not sure if I would prefer to punch Osbourne in the face or kick him in the bollocks. We have no need to emulate another country. Although I disagree with overly generous benefits, only a moron would want base their opinion on stereotypes and not experience. A country famous for innovation should not be copying others but leading from the front. Is this what the Tory want to replace "Great" with "good enough"? "Good Enough Britain", good job Tory party, well done indeed.

Oct 10, 2015 10:21 Report Abuse

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