是否购买外国货

Resist or Purchase?

Recently, an article posted on the internet arouses a bitter controversy over a definitely not new issue: for foreign commodities, to resist or purchase? Some professed patriots who distain the purchase of foreign commodities as a betrayal of China work hard to chant the slogan of “Defend our dignity, resist foreign goods!”; those who are distained as traitors return the fire with knowledge, logic and power. And I am a sincere member of the later group.

If we who conduct the purchase were traitors, how about those who opened our door for them in1978, made their existence in China legalized, welcomed them and presented us the very chance to buy them? One typical figure of “those” is Deng Xiaoping, the designer of China’s modernization.

Resisting foreign commodities can not defend our dignity. To gain respect and dignity in this fierce international arena, the only way is to enhance a country’s overall power. Dignity is based on national strength.

Purchasing foreign commodities does not contract China’s profits in trade. Those patriotic souls are suffering beneath the fire of anxiety that our money is flowing overseas. However, they can sign a relief should they notice the fact that China is enjoying a great trade surplus, that is, even when the purchase is prevailing, China is still making profit. But once it ceases, this profit vanishes.

Trade is a two-way game; when one party exits, game is over.

Resisting foreign commodities runs counter to the trend of globalization. With the growing interdependence among countries, it is impossible to keep out foreign commodities which have been deeply transplanted into our life at aspects of clothes (Adidas; CK), food (KFC; Oreo), buildings (Hotels SA; Hilton Hotels), transport (Benz; Rolls Royce). The resistance will bring much inconvenience to us.

Purchasing foreign commodities chimes in with one important principle of a market economy: survival of the fittest. The major reason for the choice of foreign commodities lies in their better quality and service. A BMW passes by, like a breeze, noiseless and gentle, while a Qirui QQ passes by, thundering and menacing; in a Japanese shop, the reception of a fussy customer is with respectable patience and politeness, while in a Chinese shop, the reception of an amiable customer is with a stone face and harsh words. As a Chinese, if China can produce commensurate goods, who likes to buy alien articles?

To be a patriot, there is no need and no reason to resist foreign commodities. When someone’s patriotic passion is so eager to reveal itself, there are various alternatives: to donate money, however much, to a charity; to subsidize a student deprived of education; to assist in an orphanage; to do anything meaningful at hand.