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Chuppie
culture
 
China's rich urban professionals are obsessed with the
American Dream
Nearly 60 years after the end of World War II, Japan
has still not earned the affection of China's upper middle-class urban youth.
They love American culture and dislike, if not outright hate Japan, even though
they prefer Japanese-made consumer goods, according to a new survey and mainland
media reports.
The bulk of these newly wealthy urban youths are the
so-called ``Little Emperor'' generation, the single-child products of families
limited by China's draconian birth control programme.
Pampered from birth, they largely find themselves
disengaged from the politics of the previous generation, preferring to
concentrate on their lifestyles and consumer goods, according to Sinomonitor
International, one of China's leading market consultancies.
Sinomonitor has surveyed 10,000 residents aged 18 to
45 in 18 leading cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan
and Chongqing.
The consultancy defined the newly rich as those who:
(1) can afford and enjoy high consumption; (2) are well educated; and (3) are
sensitive and eager to try new and high-tech consumer products. In fact, the
term ``newly rich'' can better be read as ``upper middle class'' and its members
can be called Chuppies (Chinese young urban professionals) as overseas media put
it.
Some 85 per cent are aged between 25 and 39. That
means they grew up in an era of economic reform and opening to the world. All
have received tertiary education with nearly 20 per cent holding master's
degrees or doctorates.
More than 55 per cent are either middle-ranking
government officials, members of middle or upper management, or professionals.
Another 20 per cent are ordinary employees in enterprises. Fewer than 10 per
cent are self-employed and the rest are in other occupations. How rich are these
urban Chuppies? According to the survey, 30 per cent earn average monthly
incomes of 10,000 yuan (HK$9,400) or more, while another 30 per cent make
5,000-10,000 yuan a month. Moreover, they almost all already own their own homes
and cars, and have financial investments. All have mobile phones and more than
80 per cent have personal computers.
As such, they enjoy buying name- brand durable goods
and trendy clothes.
The survey shows that, despite their antipathy to
Japan, they favour Japanese-made electrical and electronic home appliance
products, including such popular brands as Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, JVC, Canon,
Olympus and Nikon.
In a follow-up report to the survey, the International
Herald Leader, a publication of Xinhua, interviewed some of these well-to-do
youths.
``Nearly all of the home appliance items in my home
are Japanese goods because they are really good. I think if something is good,
you should use it. There is no need to consider whether or not you like the
country which makes the goods. We also would like to support domestically made
products but their quality is really no good,'' said Li Bing, a Chuppie in
Beijing.
But Li said he dislikes Japan because of the history
he has been taught since childhood - never to forget the national shame of
Japan's brutal occupation during World War II.
Similarly, Sheng Liang, another rich youth working in
a Japanese company in Beijing, said: ``I think I am a rational person. But if
you want me to become fond of Japan, I just cannot make myself do it, although
I'm now working in a Japanese firm.
``Although I also have some Japanese friends, whenever
I have contact with a Japanese, I always feel there is an estrangement between
us because of the historical shadow.''
However, both he and Li agree that relations between
the two countries should be dealt with rationally.
China ``must not give up in matters of principle.
However, it is unnecessary to oppose everything Japan says or does,'' Li said.
Except for the Japanese issue, Chuppies are largely
indifferent to politics. They are more concerned with economic matters.
The Sinomonitor survey shows Chuppies' favourite
newspapers are outspoken organs such as the Southern Weekend, the 21st
Century Business Herald, Economic Observer or China Business.
For international news, they read the Reference News.
Li said when he gathers with friends, they seldom
discuss domestic politics. ``We are not interested in new policies the
government is launching,'' he said.
``In China, there are too many regulations and
policies being launched, the implementation of which, however, are hardly
satisfactory.''
Civil servant Wu Chunhui said there is reason for him
to be concerned with economic matters. Because ``they are closely related to our
life. For instance, I have to spend more to drive my car because of oil price
rises. I certainly hope oil prices will go down. We must keep ourselves close to
the pulse of the economy. Hong Kong's middle class suffered so much after the
Asian financial crisis.''
Chuppie admiration for American culture centres at
least partly on movies, with 65 per cent reporting they enjoy them. ``Everybody
knows Chinese people love watching Hollywood movies,'' Beijing-based sociologist
Li Mingbing said.
Their affection for things American goes farther than
that.
At university, they like watching NBA basketball and
their most popular places for dates are McDonald's or KFC, said journalist Xu
Lin, also a Chuppie.
And their hottest conversation topic, he says, is
about studying in the United States. In the 1980s and 90s, almost all Chinese
students dreamt of going to the US.
``Culturally, they now continue this American Dream''
in the sense that they indulge themselves in American culture and lifestyle, Xu
said. For Li Bing, this is natural as the US represents the world's strongest
material civilisation.
``We may uphold our principles in diplomacy, but we
must recognise its advancement.
``It is irrelevant whether we respect our own
traditional culture because a good culture must remain open.'' -
Wu Zhong is China business editor of The
Standard 22 Nov 2004
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