Taiwan world's No. 4 broadband user - America not on the list

[dArKeR]

Around half of Taiwanese Internet users used broadband technology to access the Web as of July, while only 12 percent connected by means of mobile phones, according to a survey released by the Taiwan Network Information Center (????????) yesterday.

The 50-percent broadband penetration rate was unchanged compared with six months ago, a ratio that is fourth-highest in the world behind only South Korea, Hong Kong and Canada, the non-profit research center said at a press conference in Taipei.

Improvement needed

"Despite its popularity, Taiwan's broadband market still needs further improvement in several areas, including fair competition and more digital content to lure more users," said Lu Ai-chin (???), acting executive director of the center.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2004/09/07/2003201987

(In case you guys aren't aware of it. In more than my opinion, China/Asia is a sleeping thing that makes a giant look like a dwarf. I don't think more than .005% of Americans have a clue how smart the Chinese are. When I was in the San Jose are back in early 80s, one could see nearly every head of the American hostpitals departmetns, corporate research labs(ATT, Bell, IBM, biotech...), Dept, of Energy, university research centers... most all were/are Chinese/Asian. Which makes a tragety that Bush has spent his 4 years doing nothing for Americas future. Spent all our money. Money that should have been spent on preparing America for the Chinese economic overthrow of America.)

[Old and In the Way]

1. I think you are very correct about your observation

"I don't think more than .005% of Americans have a clue how smart the Chinese are."

We are going to be in for a rude awakening over the next 10 years. China's entrepenuers are world-class capitalists and they are very motivated to make a better life for themselves. There are many Chinese my age that remember the forced communism of Mao and want no part of it for their children. While Bush is draining our economy and dividing our society in multi-faceted ways, China is looking forward to the 21st century with incredible energy.

4 more years of Bush policies will pretty much seal our fate, I think.

[jwcomer]

2. 0.005%

You don't think more than .005% of american's know how smart the chinese are? That's only 14 thousand people. There are 1.5 million chinese speakers in america (that's .5% of americans) and 2.7 million chinese americans (1%.) So unless chinese americans are extremely humble people, I think you need to up your estimate by at leasat two orders of magnitude.

Sorry for being so pedantic, but one should do a little back-of-the-envelope before calculation making such wild claims.

[snowFLAKE]

3. I don't follow how having Asian Americans doing well

in the Bay Area provides a fore-shadowing of "the Chinese economic overthrow of America" - are not these people contributing to the growth and viability of the American Economy?

Further, I really doubt that the Chinese are "smarter" than Americans when it comes to raw intelligence and creativity. No doubt they are "smarter" insofar as many of them study more diligently and do not shy away from Science and Engineering curricula like white and black Americans alike seem to.

[Codeblue]

4. No

The Asians aren't any smarter than Americans, most are just better educated. But then, the majority of the world is better educated than we are. American education really sucks.

If our school systems were set up as well as even European nations, we would give any nation a run for their money in intelligence levels.

[dumpster_baby]

5. It is not that simple

My wife is taiwanese.

Yes, Chinese are smart (I went to school with a lot of them). But I can tell you that their education system is not really as good as ours. For example, my wife got a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering in Taiwan, but she really did not learn much she could use. Their education system really does concentrate on rote learning, or maybe it might be more accurate to say that their style does not really focus on making the student do anything on their own. They are guided through every class all the way.

The very best schools in Taiwan and China are more like American schools.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. China is an awakening giant

I went there with seven colleagues in 1990, and one colleague, who had been there in 1985, was already marveling at the changes that had taken place since his previous visit.

Now when I see Chinese movies or news reports from China, I see that even more astounding changes have taken place. Judging from films, Beijing and Shanghai look nothing like the cities I saw 14 years ago.

They have a lot of problems and a corrupt and repressive government, but there's no denying the energy at work there.