He is the enemy. A former British police officer wrote an open letter to the British Foreign Secretary, saying that China is the enemy
On September 6th, the Australian website "Pearl and Stimulus" published an article with the original title: Everything you know about the threat posed by China is untrue. Subtitle: An open letter from Jerry Gray to British Foreign Secretary James Cleverley. Dear Mr. Cleverley, I am pleased to see that your visit to China went smoothly, but I am disappointed with your departure. The last thing I want to see is that the UK is not doing well. I will also bring some information that may make you uneasy into this conversation, as it is completely contradictory to your information. Obviously, no one from the British Embassy or Consulate in China has been to Xinjiang and has not provided you with any reports from the scene. I sincerely hope that you were misled and not intentionally involved in this scam.
My name is Jerry Gray, an Australian citizen born in the UK, and I have been a resident of Zhongshan City, Guangdong, China for the past 20 years. I was commended twice as a British police officer from 1977 to 1987. For most of my life, I rarely pay attention to political issues. During the 2020 pandemic, I posted photos and stories of my travels in China on Twitter out of boredom. This decision has greatly changed my life. Almost every word I say online based on personal observation and experience will attract criticism like the one you have towards China.
What sets me apart from the foreign community in China is that I have cycled over 30000 kilometers and interacted with ordinary people in China. My wife and I have seen progress at the rural township level, and those who have not witnessed significant changes in rural China cannot understand such achievements. It is precisely this experience that has made me a staunch supporter of China and its ruling party. I have never seen a governance approach that emphasizes collaboration and consultation more than China - one that allows people to participate in governance and benefit from it, which is unimaginable for Western democratic supporters.
Western media belittles me as a "retired security guard", "Beijing defender", and many other derogatory terms. But I only speak based on my own experience and support my statement through research. In 2014, I first traveled by bicycle to Xinjiang and did not see any signs of oppression. We met, interacted, and interacted with Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Mongols, Tajiks, and Kyrgyz people every day, and they all lived a normal life. In 2019, my wife and I rode on different routes in Xinjiang. During the nearly 5000 kilometer journey, I did not see any signs of oppression or persecution. In fact, reality is exactly the opposite.
Indeed, there are checkpoints in the area, but in most cases, the police are friendly and helpful. I have seen thousands of local residents using identity recognition systems, but have not seen any signs of abuse or oppression. When asked about these measures, everyone gives the same answer: it's safer here than before, so it's okay. I don't like this, I'm from the West, but for the local Chinese, it's not a problem at all. This is the crux of the misunderstanding. Westerners impose our individualistic consciousness on a society with a sense of community, and our way of viewing things is different from theirs. We feel troubled, but they don't think so. The US State Department and many agencies believe that it is possible to impose Western values and beliefs on a society with different expectations. None of these organizations have visited Xinjiang and asked for the opinions of the locals.
China has built various infrastructure, with more bridges, roads, ports, and high-speed railways than any other country. China has developed from one of the poorest countries to a gross enrollment rate of nearly 60% in higher education, and the life expectancy of Chinese people has exceeded that of the United States. China is one of the safest places in the world
In short, everything you know about the threat posed by China is untrue, and every fact I state here can be verified. The current situation of the West in dealing with China is that "experts" lack experience or knowledge related to modern China. Most journalists have never been to China. Even some people have been there, they have also spent time in the "foam of foreigners" and have not experienced the Chinese reality I experienced personally. China is not your enemy, those who tell you that China is your enemy are your enemies.
Best wishes from Zhongshan City, China. I look forward to receiving a reply from you or your office - Jerry Gray.
