Lori Looney

Mrs. Looney

COMM 108

06 November 2011

Understanding Chinese Culture

General purpose: To inform.

Speech goal: In this speech, I will explain the origins of Chinese culture; explore the economy of modern China; and examine China’s relationship with the United States.

Introduction

  1. How many of you know the Golden Rule?
  2. How many of you believe this rule was developed in the Christian faith?
  3. A basis for the Golden Rule was developed in China over 500 years before the birth of Christ.
  4. As a former workforce trainer, I became intrigued by the Asian influence on our economy initiated by the placement of Toyota’s North American mother plant in Georgetown, Kentucky.
  5. I became particularly curious about China when I learned the country is currently the largest holder of U.S. debt.
  6. Because it backs so much of our national debt, China funds 42 cents of every American dollar, according to the February 2, 2010 edition of the Wall Street Journal.
  7. As Kentuckians living with subtle and obvious Asian influence on our state’s economy; as Americans living at a time of historic national debt; and as future taxpayers we should all be interested in learning more about the culture that controls nearly half of every dollar we spend.

VI. Today, we will learn about the origins of Chinese culture; explore the economy of modern China; and examine China’s relationship with the United States.

Body

Transition: Let’s begin by learning about the origins of Chinese culture.

  1. China’s cultural origins are ancient.
  1. According to Adeline Yen Mah in her book Chinese Cinderella, China is the oldest continuous civilization on earth.
  2. The culture developed in isolation over 3,500 years ago. Because of its seclusion, China has struggled with the idea of opening to other countries.
  3. Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism are the dominant religious influence on the culture.
  4. Confucius lived from 551-479 BCE and is known to have defined the informal ethical code of the Chinese by writing down ancient aphorisms that explain in anecdotal language how the Chinese should treat one another.
  5. Ideal males value filial and fraternal duty.
  6. Ideal females live by the three obediences.
  7. Females have gained influence and equality through assuming the role of “termite,” according to Seth Faison reporting in the August 22, 1994 edition of the New York Times.

Transition: Now that we have learned about the origins of Chinese culture, let’s move on to explore the economy of modern China.

II. China’s modern economy has expanded because of its focus on education and manufacturing.

  1. Author Adeline Yen Mah documents in her book, Chinese Cinderella, that even in a patriarchal society, educational equity was given to male and female children as early as 1940.
  2. Yen Mah explains that Chinese families value work ethic and sometimes withhold praise and unconditional love from their children until the child begins to show academic success.
  3. The U.S. State Department notes in a posting on their website dated September 6, 2011 that students in China are guided into STEM career pathways at an early age.
  4. Because of the emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math, China’s economy has grown exponentially.
  5. According to the same State Department posting, China’s GDP in 2010 was 10.09 trillion dollars, as compared to America’s GDP of 14.7 trillion for the same year.
  6. China’s exports totaled 1.506 trillion, America’s reached 1.280 trillion.
  7. China’s population is expected to reach 1.4 billion by 2026, its current population is 1.3 billion. The total U.S. population is 313 million.
  8. In 2002, China instituted a family planning law allowing only 1 child per family.
  9. China is currently under Communist control. In 1949 the Chinese Communist Party took control with varying stages of success and failure.
  10. In 1989, protestors seeking to end government corruption, institute democracy, and secure individual freedoms congregated in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Images from this protest circled the globe and undermined China’s reputation.

Transition:Now that you know about China’s cultural origins and current economy, let’s examine China’s relationship with the United States.

  1. III. Because of the strength of its economy, China has considerable influence over the United States.
  1. China’s culture embraces a tenet of fiscal conservatism; the more severe the prospect of future competition, the smaller the current debt.
  2. China has a 273 billion dollar trade deficit with the United States. According to the U.S. State Department, we import 364.9 billion in goods from China while China imports 91.9 billion from the U.S.
  3. Just in natural resources alone, China’s foreign investment outflow has increased exponentially. In the 1990s they spent 2 billion in foreign energy and natural resources, last year they spent 59 billion, or a 57 billion dollar increase.
  4. Let’s look at the U.S. deficit and use an illustration with Chinese food to understand the reciprocal effect between the U.S. and Chinese economies.
  5. Because of this relationship, China holds 1.2 trillion dollars with or U.S. Treasury debt.
  6. Our tenuous relationship with China was highlighted in August when Standard and Poore’s downgraded our nation’s credit rating from AAA to AA+. Standard and Poore’s warned of this downgrade as a penalty if we deliver a realistic plan to reduce our deficit.
  7. “Mounting debts and ridiculous political wrestling in Washing have damaged America’s image abroad. To cure its addiction to debts, the United States has to re-establish the common sense principle that one should live within its means.” This quotation was Beijing’s first official response to the downgrade reported by the state-run Xinhua News Agency.

Conclusion

I.Today I have shared information about China’s cultural origins, its current economy, and its complicated relationship with the U.S.

II. I hope you come away from this speech with a better understanding of the importance of knowing more about the economy that has more influence than any other over our own.

III. And while we enjoy our fortune cookies, let’s hope that the influence of Confucius will continue to dominate our relations with this global economic force.

Works Cited

“Background Note: China.” United States Department of State. 06 Sept. 2011. 06 Nov. 2011.

Faison, Seth.“Divorce in Modern China.” Faison, Seth. New York Times. 22 Aug. 1994. 06. Nov. 2011.

Seig, Gerald.“Deficit Balloons into National Security Threat.” Seib, Gerald. Wallstreet Journal. 02 Feb. 2010. 06. Nov. 2011.

Yen Mah, Adeline. Chinese Cinderella. New York, NY: Laurel Leaf books, 1999. Print.