'Ask a Laobeijing' is a regular series where we chat with a laoren about their thoughts on different issues. This month, we met Zhang, 56, while taking an evening stroll down Wudaoying Hutong.
Should China accept Syrian refugees?
I think that the events in Syria were somewhat brought about by American provocation, so it doesn’t really concern China or Chinese interests. We didn’t participate in these affairs – nor should we. The countries that are responsible for these events should bear the responsibility for the effects of their actions.
China already has such a large population, so I don’t think we should accept refugees. Sure, China covers a large area. I guess if we did accept refugees they would have to settle in Xinjiang and Gansu. They couldn’t resettle east or south – in Shanghai or Harbin for example – because it would be difficult for them to adapt. They would need a long time to become accustomed to China. It would also be hard for Chinese people to accept them.
Europe is not as far away from their home country, so it would be easier for Syrians to get used to life there. They would probably prefer these countries too, because they are more developed.
When countries have war or fighting, it inevitably results in a lot of refugees. As we have seen, countries like Germany have accepted many of them. But we’ve also seen how hard it is for both the countries and the refugees. There are language and cultural barriers, for one. But there is also huge pressure on the countries who accept migrants. For example, migrants often arrive together as a family. They must try and find work, but what about the countries’ own citizens who already have trouble finding work? How can these refugees hope to survive?
Plus, China already opened its doors to migrants a long time ago, when the population was not as big. In the past, this was possible for both China and other countries. You can see that now there is a mix of cultures in China, like Indian and Russian.
For more 'Ask a Laobeijing,' click here.
0 User Comments