In a recent Wall Street Journal report, US company Cisco Systems' deal to help build 500,000 surveillance cameras in Chongqing could help "target political dissent."
To coincide with this, Microsoft's agreement with Baidu to launch English-language search services in China is also seen by US media as surrendering to Chinese censorship.
Things are upside down here. As for the surveillance camera case, it should not be US media, but the Chinese authorities, who oppose to the installation of US cameras.
Video images throughout Chongqing could involve important national security information. How could we ask a foreign company, especially a company from a not so friendly country, to handle this project?
If the surveillance cameras in New York City were made in China, US congressmen would riot. We know the storms of opposition seen against US soldiers wearing berets made in China, or against Chinese private companies trying to acquire US companies.
Either China is too lax in its national security, the market economy is too open, or American newspapers are too petty. But the US has been teaching us lessons that there should be no neglect concerning national security. By this token, we should call for the Chongqing authorities to use domestic surveillance cameras only.
The US is good at taking the initiative in the competition of trade or discourse. Chinese people have to take care not to be taken advantage of.
Most business transactions are win-win deals. Neither side will be too foolish to sign a contract that allows only the other party to profit.
Some American politicians and scholars always look at China-US business deals through tainted glasses.
Believe it or not, part of US society has been plunging into a state of value fundamentalism. Whatever is related to Chinese government, they see "original sins." They have become hopelessly shortsighted.
The various gestures and opinions in the US media have been helping Chinese people improve their alertness.
US electronic "ears or eyes" exist across in China; some strategic industries have been penetrated or even dominated by US capitals; US funds are also influencing some academic institutions or research projects in China. According to US security standards, we should be deeply worried.
Perhaps when faced with the US, there is no absolute security for China.
In the past, China might have sacrificed some smaller aspects of security in order to gain larger security. Now that we have grown stronger, we should not be nervous about US threats of sanctions.
China should follow its own interest and agenda when dealing with the US. Neither attacks nor fawning in the US media should mislead us.