During lunch today, Harold inquired about my past inclination to explore a career in China. Two years ago, driven by dreams of glory and riches, I thought that China was a vast market waiting to be tapped with myriad opportunities. I have since been convinced otherwise.

A lot of people are blinded by Shanghai's glitter. They look at the shining towers and think that liberty will arrive alongside prosperity. Here's a word of caution: to those who see Shanghai as the new Barcelona, the Chinese city is no more than a funky destination for the adventurous traveller. The rulers of China seem to have realized that, if they can become rich without ceasing to be a police state, they can remain rich, and grow wealthier still, without sacrificing any of their power. In Shanghai and Beijing, one would do well to remember that among the freeways, the Italian gourmet restaurants and the supermarkets, there is still an unapologetic police state. Just because the People's Republic is on the verge of mastering the art of the caffé latte, do not for one second think that the newspaper you read with your coffee will be uncensored.

I have been to a number of places in China, including Guangzhou suburbs and Inner Mongolia. Here, freedom means thousands of sweatshops turning out handbags and backpacks, often under signs with messages such as "Work hard today or you will be looking hard for work tomorrow." The workforce, doing their 15-hour day and their six-day week for $160 CAD a month, are far better off than their peasant parents in the Hunan ricefields. And if you go to those ricefields, you will find that it is true.

The countryside is lovely, but the houses are squalid and the iron fist of authority is heavy and cruel. One would think there is something to be said of the official one-child policy until he finds out women, who dare to have a second son and fail to pay the fine for doing so, are terrorized by state-sponsored thugs.

The Chinese Communist Party recently introduced the Web Police -- anybody who has ever read 1984 would discover its striking similarity with the Thought Police that dominates the Orwellian world. In today's National Post newspaper, there was an article about the ubiquitous cartoon figures -- dubbed "Jian Jian" and "Cha Cha", which are the Chinese characters for "police" -- that follow you wherever you surf in the Internet system that is heavily filtered by the state. Chinese laws forbid comments that criticize the political order and the "honour of national institutions." The cartoon couple, albeit cute and lovely looking, means serious business: they represent real Web Policemen that seek and prosecute all those who dare violate the laws.

A Chinese policeman expressed that "the web police exist all over the world, but they always operate in the back stage. Here in China, we have invented Jian Jian and Cha Cha as front-line cops who work in the front stage. This is a major historic breakthrough. Our concept is truly brilliant: the cartoon figures will always follow wherever you go on the Internet, serving as a reminder that you are constantly being watched." He further expanded that "the U.S. and President Bush should consider adopting our system to treat those who harshly criticize the government."

What an awesome concept indeed. Imagine what would happen here in North America if the Bush Administration even hints at the notion of dedicating police resources to conspicuously monitor the Web. This Chinese cop is obviously ignorant of the essence of U.S. and Canadian Constitutions that deter precisely such things.

It is interesting to note that human rights and the freedom of speech similar to those of the West are enshrined in China's official Constitution. But whether the Chinese authorities actually enforce these constitutional rights is an entirely different matter -- it makes me wonder why they installed the Constitution in the first place. Clearly it is not there to protect people's rights. Is it, then, just a smokescreen set up to deceive the world?

China is not a country but a colossal imperium with a giant reservoir of willing labour available to fuel cheap growth. It is unrestrained by the great ideas of the West that keep us from being too cruel or ruthless, and which have created our concern with conscience and the freedom to exercise it.

My home is in Canada. It would be imprudent for me to abandon my family and everything I have worked hard to achieve, and head off to China in search for opportunities that are dubious at best. Therefore, Harold, I think I will be fine here in North America.