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The speaker, an Asian American of Chinese descent, shares personal reflections on the relationship between the U.S.-China dynamic and the experiences of Asian Americans, particularly those of Chinese heritage. They express surprise at the lack of research connecting these two areas—international relations and ethnic studies. The speaker discusses their involvement with the Asian American Foundation, highlighting a survey aimed at understanding public perceptions of Asian Americans in relation to the U.S.-China relationship.

The key findings reveal that while a significant portion of American respondents view China as a threat, they do not perceive Chinese Americans as threats. However, a contrasting survey targeting Chinese Americans found that many feel they have experienced negative impacts from rising anti-Asian sentiment, fueled by mainstream narratives about China.

The speaker emphasizes the dual identity of Asian Americans, who navigate being perceived as both model minorities and perpetual foreigners. They argue for the importance of addressing misconceptions about Asian Americans and promoting greater understanding of their multifaceted identity in the context of geopolitical tensions. Ultimately, they advocate for educational efforts to bridge gaps between American perceptions of China and the realities of Asian American experiences, underscoring the need for intercultural exchange and more nuanced media representation.

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Here are five key points from the video:

1. **Impact of U.S.-China Relations on Asian Americans**: The author reflects on the perceived "China threat" and its implications for Asian Americans, particularly those of Chinese descent. They express concern about how political narratives surrounding China could affect the treatment and opportunities for Asian Americans in the United States.

2. **Lack of Research and Awareness**: The author notes a surprising lack of research exploring the relationship between U.S.-China relations and the experiences of Asian Americans. They highlight challenges in bridging the gap between international relations and ethnic studies that often leaves Asian American perspectives overlooked.

3. **Community-Based Surveys**: The video discusses two surveys: one by the Asian American Foundation and another commissioned by the Committee of 100 and Columbia University. It emphasizes the importance of these surveys in capturing public opinion on U.S.-China relations and their impact on Asian Americans, noting inconsistencies between American public perceptions of China and the lived experiences of Asian Americans.

4. **Public Perception and Stereotypes**: The author identifies contradictions in public perception, citing the stereotype of Asian Americans as "model minorities," which suggests they are trustworthy and compliant, juxtaposed with the stereotype of them as "perpetual foreigners." This duality leads to a complex and often negative experience for Chinese Americans, particularly in light of rising anti-Asian sentiment and xenophobia.

5. **Role of Media and Cultural Understanding**: The video discusses the evolution of media coverage of China and the need for more culturally knowledgeable journalists with language skills to provide nuanced understanding of U.S.-China relations. It calls for educational initiatives to foster better understanding between American citizens and the realities of Asian communities, emphasizing that Asian Americans are integral to American society and should not be viewed as foreign threats.

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Here are some key quotes extracted from the video:

1. **Personal Connection and Exploration**:
- “As an Asian American of Chinese descent, I myself has been personally interested in whether or not there's any relationship.”

2. **Media Influence on Perceptions**:
- “It's always talked in the press... the president's office talking about the China threat.”

3. **Lack of Research**:
- “I was actually surprised, but seems like there's not much research about the relationship at all.”

4. **Impact on Asian Americans**:
- “To what extent it actually gonna impact Asian Americans, particularly people of Chinese descent…”

5. **Asian American Foundation Survey**:
- “The Asian American Foundation... founded only during the COVID-19 period because of the perception of Asian American were under attack.”

6. **Public Perception of Asian Americans**:
- “We need to do something as a community... help educate, help provide a more accurate understanding of Asian American Indian American public perception.”

7. **Survey Methodology**:
- “This survey actually is majority non-Asian American... even though Asian American is part of that.”

8. **Disconnect in Public Opinion**:
- “The American public who think China is a threat, do not think Chinese American is a threat.”

9. **Feelings of Danger Among Asian Americans**:
- “90%... have than not say severity... yes, we felt a negative impact.”

10. **Stereotypes of Asian Americans**:
- “One is called D model minority... we are also the perpetual foreigners or forever foreigners.”

11. **Xenophobia and Perception**:
- “It’s called xenophobia... the fear of China... we still do not know enough of it, but we know it's a threat.”

12. **Cultural Disconnect**:
- “The ordinary people... are much driven by the China threat is about that.”

13. **Role of Media**:
- “The media has improved in terms of its coverage of China.”

14. **Local Expertise in Reporting**:
- “We need to build the rely on that local knowledge, rely on those who already have the language and cultural skills.”

15. **Chinese American Identity**:
- “We are American citizens. Our interest is part of the American interest. We are not foes, we are not the enemies within.”

16. **Call for Public Education**:
- “There's a lot of public education need to be done... about China, China politics and Asian.”

These quotes highlight the speaker's perspective on the complexities of identity, media representation, public perception, and the relationship between the U.S. and China as it pertains to Asian Americans.

X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:90000

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As an Asian American of Chinese descent,

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I myself has been personally interested in whether

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or not there's any relationship.

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It's always talked in the press, in the press,

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reported in the media, you know,

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the president's office talking about the China threat.

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And I wonder to what extent it actually gonna impact Asian

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Americans, particularly people of Chinese descent,

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particular people like me who were born

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and raised in parts of China, and

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therefore I have personal ties

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and family ties still with people, you know, back in Asia

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and China and Taiwan.

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And so it's a personal question for me,

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and I was actually surprised,

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but seems like there's not much research about the

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relationship at all, in part

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because I realize I'm a political scientist,

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I realize people treat this as two separate field, right?

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International relationships

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and ethnic studies, American politics, thus people,

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and we happen to be caught in between, right?

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Those Chinese American, Taiwan Americans, you know,

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Asian Americans for a personal journey of curiosity,

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understanding, and happen to be able

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to participate in a relatively new survey that is

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by the Asian American Foundation, which is relatively new,

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founded only, during the COVID-19 period

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because of the perception

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of Asian American were under attack, that we need

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to do something as a community.

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And so this survey, the, the, the,

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social tracking survey,

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of Asian American in the us so-called status survey.

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I happen to be serving on the advisory board.

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And, we, so I help actually, construct some

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of the questions in the survey, asking American public.

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And so this is survey not just about Asian American,

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so Asian Americans were curious of how American think of us.

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And actually the, idea

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of the Asian American Foundation is try to help change,

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help educate, help,

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provide a more accurate understanding

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of Asian American Indian American public perception.

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So the survey is actually majority non-Asian American,

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even though Asian American is part of that,

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you know, respondent group.

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And so in the survey, we're very interested in,

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in the relationship of how people think of the us you know,

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China relationship

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and in different spheres of the relationship, you know,

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the foreign policy,

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security threat health culture and those things.

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And to what extent it actually can tie into the Asian

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American treatment, such as employment opportunity

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and whether or not they were perceived as more royal

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to the United States or to the homeland origin countries.

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That is the one of the survey.

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However, this survey actually didn't really ask,

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specifically of Chinese American

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or Asian American about the impact,

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particularly the possible negative impact of this,

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US China relationship.

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Therefore, I look into another survey which happened

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to be concluded a little bit earlier, which is actually,

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in late, 2022.

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And that is actually commissioned by the committee of 100,

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which is a very elite, I impactful group, I would say,

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in the Asian American community,

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but also in association with Columbia University Social,

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work, scholars.

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Uh, so try to add, add then some kind of scholarship

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to the legitimacy, the methodology of the survey

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and which basically is a community-based survey.

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Uh, and therefore, the opinion, I would say,

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it is more credible, more valid,

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because it is actually also using languages

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other than English.

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It's also using Mandarin Chinese

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and simplified Chinese just to make sure, that those

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who opt in to take the survey, who were actually recruited

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by over a hundred community organizations.

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So it is not a probability random survey,

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it is actually at the,

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it is actually a targeted survey, quota survey.

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However, the results certainly,

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was adjusted by waste, right?

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So therefore both survey actually

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need to be adjusted by waste.

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So I would say they were somewhat representative

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of the opinion, the perceived, perceived China

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relationship, just the, you know,

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Asian American and others.

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They are all very much consistent, in terms

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of American public opinion, the, a lot of foundation,

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whatever they already investigated.

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So this, we actually have a lot of survey on

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how American think of the US China relationship,

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how American think of China as a nation, I I say as a,

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a threat, to the NA US national security.

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So this survey actually is constant findings

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of the predominant right over up to 80% of the respondents,

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of a different group.

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Actually. They all think that yes, China is a threat.

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Yes, there's rising tension between US China

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that seemed to be consistent.

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That is actually one of the curiosity drew me

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to do this research.

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So first of all, all these incidences such as by a API hate,

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which is an organization founded

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after, the, onslaught of the COVID-19,

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and with the report, individualized report

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of all these harassment, oral physical attack,

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mostly actually is microaggressions,

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rather than the criminal act,

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but that's sufficient enough to put the oral fear right,

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of the Asian American

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and Chinese American, you know, others,

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community in community, you know, on alert, in terms

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of we are under threat ourself as a community,

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a community in the United States, in part

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because, you know, our president at

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that time was actually President Trump.

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He called the coronavirus the China flu, right?

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The China virus. So attribute immediately to China

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as a threat, the health threat

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to the American public health.

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Uh, yes. And so there's still, all these reports

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and actually all this documentation of the rising incidences

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of report of hate crimes or, or quote unquote hate crimes

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Against Asian Americans, right?

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Simultaneously, there is also corresponding rising tensions,

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within US China or perception or so, and

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therefore, is there a relationship, that

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that is the resource, the, the major question.

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And, just in terms

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of analyzing public opinion within using the social track

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story, which ask the questions about the two relationship,

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the answer is actually no, there is no relationship, right?

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The American public who think China is a threat,

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do not think Chinese American, is a threat.

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And they also do not think that Chinese

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and Asian American need to be deprived of the opportunity

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to serve the country, particularly in the highly

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sensitive high tech industry.

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They do not think so.

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Uh, and so you see a disconnect in public opinion

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between the two, right?

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Uh, and, and so, well, I know the immediate reaction

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for me and for my colleagues, that good, he should American

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or not actually consider a threat, good,

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the interest seem to be protected.

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On the other hand, all these report,

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particularly from the other survey asking Chinese American,

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do you feel, do you feel being attacked or psychologically

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or physically even being attacked by these, you know,

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talk of threat of China being, you know, something

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that's threatening American interest?

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Do you feel that? And actually 90%, right?

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90% is actually a total of 90%, you know,

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have than not say severity.

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The other say moderately,

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but they all saying that, yes, we felt a negative impact.

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And then they talk about different incidences at workplace

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and living places, and on the street

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and different loca location that they have encountered.

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Uh, you know, either incidents of hate

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or something that is, can, you know, basic close to

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that kind of, you know, discrimination,

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basically you're talking about accent, right?

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Even you talk about accent when you get it together,

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people think that, okay, you're speaking a language,

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that we do not understand,

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but you are talking about something bad about us.

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So there is always that suspicion.

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Uh, we are the alien, that is sense of alienness

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and tr cannot be trusted.

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You know, that, that is something that bothers me.

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And, and that is actually what the Chinese American felt.

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One thing is actually there is a different

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spheres of public opinion.

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That's one actor just looking at a public opinion.

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People's ideas of foreign policy matters, that seem

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to be driven by those Washington base elite, no,

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that is very much remote from the ordinary people, okay?

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The ordinary people, as you do not know and judge

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or learn anything or say anything, you know,

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in any informed matter other than

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what the politicians upon this would

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let them to think about.

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So that's much, they're, they're much driven

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by the China threat is about that.

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On the other hand, how about perception

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of the Chinese Indian United States

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or Asian American, United States?

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I would say they're very much driven also by two stereotype,

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longstanding stereotype against use to describe,

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Asian American and, and Chinese American included.

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One is called D model minority,

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that we are always good, we're problem free.

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We are minority, but we are good.

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We are much better than the other minority, okay?

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Therefore, we are trustworthy in that, okay?

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On the other hand, we are also the perpetual foreigners

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or forever foreigners, right?

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We never can be belong and never can be trusted.

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So you can be good, but not part of us.

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So that seems to describe our co that

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that's it's contradictory in and of itself.

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But that, that has been a longstanding observation.

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And we can also have many surveys, that even this survey

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that reflect that, to explain why people do not seem

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to see the connection, because their dream ideology,

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the stereotype that has been instituted in people's mind,

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even, you know, may, may not know it,

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events happen, right?

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Events happening, certain attacks, certain embargo,

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certain, you know, the, the trade, you know, deal.

219
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It's very much in, in influenced by

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event rather than by ideolog.

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Even though there is also a longstanding ideology in the US

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I will say as a Chinese American,

223
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it is called xenophobia.

224
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It's called xenophobia, right?

225
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The fear of China and that China is a mythical thing, right?

226
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We still do not know enough of it,

227
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but we know it's a threat.

228
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We cannot be trusted and it's an enemy, right?

229
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And therefore, for those who are of the Chinese descent, and

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because also US Pap doesn't really separate

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Chinese and other Asian.

232
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Chinese is Asian, right?

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And therefore often use Chinese

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and Asian Americans together, you know, interchangeably,

235
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because indeed it is, they don't separate the two,

236
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the in public mind, and

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therefore whatever happened to China

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that impact other Asian American and,

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and Chinese American as well, and China represent Asia, and

240
00:10:59.245 --> 00:11:02.245
therefore when China is a threat, a lot of Asia also know,

241
00:11:02.355 --> 00:11:03.605
feel like we got, you know,

242
00:11:03.605 --> 00:11:05.205
they got a flu and we got a cold.

243
00:11:05.875 --> 00:11:07.445
That that is, that, you know,

244
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that analogy there about the relationship,

245
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there's power conflict as well.

246
00:11:12.065 --> 00:11:14.805
You know, the US has always positioned itself

247
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as the world leader globally, right?

248
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In every aspect, particularly power, right?

249
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Uh, we, when we speak, you have to listen.

250
00:11:22.705 --> 00:11:26.525
But then China used to be very weak, very corrupt,

251
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you know, backward.

252
00:11:28.475 --> 00:11:32.245
However, it has changed very rapidly over time.

253
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And I mean, I'm been in the US for so long, so I also have

254
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to know those observation about China remotely.

255
00:11:39.345 --> 00:11:43.325
But I was personally amazed by the pace, the,

256
00:11:43.555 --> 00:11:44.565
yeah, the progress.

257
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And because there is a national machine

258
00:11:47.625 --> 00:11:50.605
or, government behind it in terms of all this in Denver,

259
00:11:50.945 --> 00:11:55.885
to try to, make China look great,

260
00:11:56.185 --> 00:11:58.125
and you know, to sell its product, of course,

261
00:11:58.185 --> 00:11:59.765
but also to influence, right?

262
00:11:59.945 --> 00:12:03.365
Africa, right influence, middle East, whatever, they try

263
00:12:03.385 --> 00:12:04.925
to exert its power,

264
00:12:05.225 --> 00:12:08.365
but not in the way, that us, would like,

265
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or particularly what us think.

266
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It's, it's a threat. And so

267
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therefore this, the, the talk of the threat is more than any

268
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statistic can support it's psychological,

269
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and there's a political purpose as well.

270
00:12:21.255 --> 00:12:24.405
Media to me, can play a very important role.

271
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Uh, first all the good thing is the media has improved in

272
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terms of its coverage of China.

273
00:12:29.665 --> 00:12:32.125
And here I'm ob observing only from the United States

274
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perspective, but I have been in US for over 30 years.

275
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So I can see the change, right?

276
00:12:37.565 --> 00:12:39.565
I can see the change, particularly in New York Times,

277
00:12:39.565 --> 00:12:43.885
Washington Post, they used not to have a journalist,

278
00:12:44.155 --> 00:12:47.365
that New York Times probably had one for longstanding one,

279
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but it, but it's actually has

280
00:12:49.445 --> 00:12:50.485
wife who's Chinese product.

281
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I mean, basically it's the US media.

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Mainstream media has been very interesting, wanting

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to cover China, but they do not have the means.

284
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They do not talk the language, understanding,

285
00:13:00.385 --> 00:13:03.885
not the culture, get the access, to the people

286
00:13:03.905 --> 00:13:07.325
who actually have some say in terms of their politics.

287
00:13:07.425 --> 00:13:09.365
So they did that connection that

288
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that network together there.

289
00:13:10.865 --> 00:13:13.725
But I can see now you have reporters positions, right?

290
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Uh, in, in Beijing, in Taiwan, when you cannot go

291
00:13:17.445 --> 00:13:18.845
to China, you still can stay in Taiwan,

292
00:13:18.845 --> 00:13:20.365
particularly during the Covid, right?

293
00:13:20.545 --> 00:13:23.005
And you have reporters who are actually of the Chinese

294
00:13:23.265 --> 00:13:26.205
and Asian descent, they can actually speak the language,

295
00:13:26.345 --> 00:13:29.925
get local connection to get some insight, knowledge,

296
00:13:29.925 --> 00:13:31.405
you know, who knows China better,

297
00:13:31.605 --> 00:13:33.765
I would say probably people, a lot

298
00:13:33.765 --> 00:13:35.845
of scholars in think tank in Taiwan probably

299
00:13:35.845 --> 00:13:36.885
study a lot of them.

300
00:13:37.275 --> 00:13:40.205
Just like we also know in China, they know Taiwan better

301
00:13:40.205 --> 00:13:41.805
because they also very interested in that.

302
00:13:41.805 --> 00:13:45.285
So, so basically we're talking about local expertise there,

303
00:13:45.585 --> 00:13:48.685
and, and the in network, people in the network

304
00:13:48.905 --> 00:13:51.445
to be able, to report more, you know,

305
00:13:51.445 --> 00:13:53.645
more authentically and more realistic.

306
00:13:53.745 --> 00:13:55.605
And that's why the journalist is actually

307
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that's trained going there.

308
00:13:56.785 --> 00:14:00.285
But we need to do more, in terms of this kind of,

309
00:14:00.285 --> 00:14:03.525
try to build the, rely on that local knowledge,

310
00:14:03.675 --> 00:14:05.845
rely on those who already have the language

311
00:14:05.905 --> 00:14:08.925
and cultural skills, to be able to understand better,

312
00:14:08.925 --> 00:14:11.565
interpret better actually about what's going on in politics.

313
00:14:11.835 --> 00:14:13.165
It's all very good questions.

314
00:14:13.345 --> 00:14:14.445
And give me the opportunity

315
00:14:14.545 --> 00:14:17.685
to say something about the importance of in the areas of

316
00:14:17.685 --> 00:14:18.845
what I'm really caring about.

317
00:14:19.345 --> 00:14:23.645
Uh, it is about the ties between the,

318
00:14:23.905 --> 00:14:27.005
the home land we call homeland, the Asian homeland,

319
00:14:27.265 --> 00:14:29.045
and what happened in the United States.

320
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A lot of things happen, in Asia

321
00:14:31.945 --> 00:14:34.725
and whatever may be remote, most Americans,

322
00:14:34.725 --> 00:14:36.405
but for Chinese American, particularly

323
00:14:36.425 --> 00:14:39.565
for the immigrant majority Asian Americans,

324
00:14:39.785 --> 00:14:41.725
we have personal relationship there.

325
00:14:41.875 --> 00:14:44.765
Therefore, we feel an obligation,

326
00:14:44.765 --> 00:14:48.525
but also a liability actually, to, to try

327
00:14:48.585 --> 00:14:50.885
to improve the relationship, between

328
00:14:50.885 --> 00:14:52.685
The two countries to try

329
00:14:52.685 --> 00:14:54.725
to help educate the American public

330
00:14:54.865 --> 00:14:58.685
and our students on our community in terms of,

331
00:14:59.225 --> 00:15:00.285
the interest,

332
00:15:00.345 --> 00:15:02.845
the Asian American are actually American first.

333
00:15:03.065 --> 00:15:04.285
We are American citizen.

334
00:15:04.625 --> 00:15:07.125
Our interest is part of the American interest.

335
00:15:07.545 --> 00:15:11.405
We are not faults, we are not the enemies within, right?

336
00:15:11.405 --> 00:15:13.645
Unfortunately, there is talk about, you know, those

337
00:15:13.645 --> 00:15:17.125
who are not citizens may actually be more loyal to,

338
00:15:17.125 --> 00:15:19.325
and then the Trump administration may wanna do, you know,

339
00:15:19.545 --> 00:15:22.245
invoke the something called alien enemies act, right?

340
00:15:22.245 --> 00:15:24.485
Which allow the president to arrest, to detain

341
00:15:24.625 --> 00:15:26.045
and to deport right?

342
00:15:26.725 --> 00:15:30.165
Nationals, that, that that come, that are suspected of

343
00:15:30.915 --> 00:15:34.245
with Enemy Nation in China would be the number one on

344
00:15:34.245 --> 00:15:35.845
that list in terms of elimination.

345
00:15:36.345 --> 00:15:38.285
And so therefore there's a lot of public,

346
00:15:38.745 --> 00:15:40.525
public education need to be done.

347
00:15:40.865 --> 00:15:44.845
Uh, but on both what is China, China politics and Asian

348
00:15:45.065 --> 00:15:47.485
and Asia and Asian American politics,

349
00:15:47.705 --> 00:15:50.765
and the two are actually, closely connected.

350
00:15:50.905 --> 00:15:54.165
Uh, but they do, have, you know, separate, experts

351
00:15:54.185 --> 00:15:56.245
or scholarship, to wanna do that.

352
00:15:56.505 --> 00:15:57.765
And we also,

353
00:15:57.845 --> 00:16:00.205
I know our government had do something about intercultural

354
00:16:00.205 --> 00:16:03.165
international exchange, scholar exchange,

355
00:16:03.165 --> 00:16:06.645
wish we do more, the training of speaking Chinese language

356
00:16:06.645 --> 00:16:08.445
and whatever the class is being offered.

357
00:16:08.745 --> 00:16:10.125
All these things all can do

358
00:16:10.225 --> 00:16:13.685
and can actually, help improve public understanding

359
00:16:14.065 --> 00:16:18.445
or knowledge of the relation of, of China, as in, by south

360
00:16:18.505 --> 00:16:21.885
of the relationship, but also of Asian Americans community.

Exploring the Impact of US-China Relations on Asian Americans

00:00:00 - As an Asian American of Chinese descent, I myself has been personally interested in whether or not there's any relationship. It's always talked in the press, in the press, reported in the media, you know, the president's office talking about the China threat. And I wonder to what extent it actually gonna impact Asian Americans, particularly people of Chinese descent, particular people like me who were born and raised in parts of China, and therefore I have personal ties and family ties still with people, you know, back in Asia

00:00:32 - And so it's a personal question for me, and I was actually surprised, but seems like there's not much research about the relationship at all, in part because I realize I'm a political scientist, I realize people treat this as two separate field, right? International relationships and ethnic studies, American politics, thus people, and we happen to be caught in between, right? Those Chinese American, Taiwan Americans, you know, Asian Americans for a personal journey of curiosity,

00:01:06 - to participate in a relatively new survey that is by the Asian American Foundation, which is relatively new, founded only, during the COVID-19 period because of the perception of Asian American were under attack, that we need to do something as a community. And so this survey, the, the, the, social tracking survey, of Asian American in the us so-called status survey. I happen to be serving on the advisory board.

Survey Insights on Asian American Perceptions and US-China Relations

00:01:39 - of the questions in the survey, asking American public. And so this is survey not just about Asian American, so Asian Americans were curious of how American think of us. And actually the, idea of the Asian American Foundation is try to help change, help educate, help, provide a more accurate understanding of Asian American Indian American public perception. So the survey is actually majority non-Asian American, even though Asian American is part of that,

00:02:09 - And so in the survey, we're very interested in, in the relationship of how people think of the us you know, China relationship and in different spheres of the relationship, you know, the foreign policy, security threat health culture and those things. And to what extent it actually can tie into the Asian American treatment, such as employment opportunity and whether or not they were perceived as more royal to the United States or to the homeland origin countries.

00:02:39 - However, this survey actually didn't really ask, specifically of Chinese American or Asian American about the impact, particularly the possible negative impact of this, US China relationship. Therefore, I look into another survey which happened to be concluded a little bit earlier, which is actually, in late, 2022. And that is actually commissioned by the committee of 100, which is a very elite, I impactful group, I would say,

Enhancing Credibility through Community-Based Surveys

00:03:13 - but also in association with Columbia University Social, work, scholars. so try to add, add then some kind of scholarship to the legitimacy, the methodology of the survey and which basically is a community-based survey. and therefore, the opinion, I would say, it is more credible, more valid, because it is actually also using languages other than English. It's also using Mandarin Chinese

00:03:45 - who opt in to take the survey, who were actually recruited by over a hundred community organizations. So it is not a probability random survey, it is actually at the, it is actually a targeted survey, quota survey. However, the results certainly, was adjusted by waste, right? So therefore both survey actually need to be adjusted by waste. So I would say they were somewhat representative of the opinion, the perceived, perceived China

00:04:14 - Asian American and others. They are all very much consistent, in terms of American public opinion, the, a lot of foundation, whatever they already investigated. So this, we actually have a lot of survey on how American think of the US China relationship, how American think of China as a nation, I I say as a, a threat, to the NA US national security. So this survey actually is constant findings of the predominant right over up to 80% of the respondents,

Rising Tensions: The Impact of Perceptions on Asian Americans

00:04:44 - Actually. They all think that yes, China is a threat. Yes, there's rising tension between US China that seemed to be consistent. That is actually one of the curiosity drew me to do this research. So first of all, all these incidences such as by a API hate, which is an organization founded after, the, onslaught of the COVID-19, and with the report, individualized report of all these harassment, oral physical attack, mostly actually is microaggressions,

00:05:17 - but that's sufficient enough to put the oral fear right, of the Asian American and Chinese American, you know, others, community in community, you know, on alert, in terms of we are under threat ourself as a community, a community in the United States, in part because, you know, our president at that time was actually President Trump. He called the coronavirus the China flu, right? The China virus. So attribute immediately to China as a threat, the health threat to the American public health.

00:05:50 - and actually all this documentation of the rising incidences of report of hate crimes or, or quote unquote hate crimes Against Asian Americans, right? Simultaneously, there is also corresponding rising tensions, within US China or perception or so, and therefore, is there a relationship, that that is the resource, the, the major question. And, just in terms of analyzing public opinion within using the social track

Public Perception: Disconnect Between U.S. Views on China and Asian Americans

00:06:19 - the answer is actually no, there is no relationship, right? The American public who think China is a threat, do not think Chinese American, is a threat. And they also do not think that Chinese and Asian American need to be deprived of the opportunity to serve the country, particularly in the highly sensitive high tech industry. They do not think so. and so you see a disconnect in public opinion between the two, right? and, and so, well, I know the immediate reaction

00:06:53 - or not actually consider a threat, good, the interest seem to be protected. On the other hand, all these report, particularly from the other survey asking Chinese American, do you feel, do you feel being attacked or psychologically or physically even being attacked by these, you know, talk of threat of China being, you know, something that's threatening American interest? Do you feel that? And actually 90%, right?

00:07:23 - have than not say severity. The other say moderately, but they all saying that, yes, we felt a negative impact. And then they talk about different incidences at workplace and living places, and on the street and different loca location that they have encountered. you know, either incidents of hate or something that is, can, you know, basic close to that kind of, you know, discrimination, basically you're talking about accent, right?

Perceptions of Alienness: The Chinese American Experience

00:07:53 - people think that, okay, you're speaking a language, that we do not understand, but you are talking about something bad about us. So there is always that suspicion. we are the alien, that is sense of alienness and tr cannot be trusted. You know, that, that is something that bothers me. And, and that is actually what the Chinese American felt. One thing is actually there is a different spheres of public opinion. That's one actor just looking at a public opinion.

00:08:25 - to be driven by those Washington base elite, no, that is very much remote from the ordinary people, okay? The ordinary people, as you do not know and judge or learn anything or say anything, you know, in any informed matter other than what the politicians upon this would let them to think about. So that's much, they're, they're much driven by the China threat is about that. On the other hand, how about perception

00:08:56 - or Asian American, United States? I would say they're very much driven also by two stereotype, longstanding stereotype against use to describe, Asian American and, and Chinese American included. One is called D model minority, that we are always good, we're problem free. We are minority, but we are good. We are much better than the other minority, okay? Therefore, we are trustworthy in that, okay? On the other hand, we are also the perpetual foreigners or forever foreigners, right?

Contradictory Identities: The Perception of Chinese Americans

00:09:27 - So you can be good, but not part of us. So that seems to describe our co that that's it's contradictory in and of itself. But that, that has been a longstanding observation. And we can also have many surveys, that even this survey that reflect that, to explain why people do not seem to see the connection, because their dream ideology, the stereotype that has been instituted in people's mind, even, you know, may, may not know it, events happen, right?

00:09:59 - certain, you know, the, the trade, you know, deal. It's very much in, in influenced by event rather than by ideolog. Even though there is also a longstanding ideology in the US I will say as a Chinese American, it is called xenophobia. It's called xenophobia, right? The fear of China and that China is a mythical thing, right? We still do not know enough of it, but we know it's a threat.

00:10:29 - And therefore, for those who are of the Chinese descent, and because also US Pap doesn't really separate Chinese and other Asian. Chinese is Asian, right? And therefore often use Chinese and Asian Americans together, you know, interchangeably, because indeed it is, they don't separate the two, the in public mind, and therefore whatever happened to China that impact other Asian American and, and Chinese American as well, and China represent Asia, and

Shifting Perceptions: Power Dynamics Between the US and China

00:11:02 - feel like we got, you know, they got a flu and we got a cold. That that is, that, you know, that analogy there about the relationship, there's power conflict as well. You know, the US has always positioned itself as the world leader globally, right? In every aspect, particularly power, right? we, when we speak, you have to listen. But then China used to be very weak, very corrupt, you know, backward. However, it has changed very rapidly over time.

00:11:36 - to know those observation about China remotely. But I was personally amazed by the pace, the, yeah, the progress. And because there is a national machine or, government behind it in terms of all this in Denver, to try to, make China look great, and you know, to sell its product, of course, but also to influence, right? Africa, right influence, middle East, whatever, they try

00:12:05 - but not in the way, that us, would like, or particularly what us think. It's, it's a threat. And so therefore this, the, the talk of the threat is more than any statistic can support it's psychological, and there's a political purpose as well. Media to me, can play a very important role. first all the good thing is the media has improved in terms of its coverage of China. And here I'm ob observing only from the United States perspective, but I have been in US for over 30 years.

Enhancing Media Coverage of China: The Need for Local Expertise

00:12:37 - I can see the change, particularly in New York Times, Washington Post, they used not to have a journalist, that New York Times probably had one for longstanding one, but it, but it's actually has wife who's Chinese product. I mean, basically it's the US media. Mainstream media has been very interesting, wanting to cover China, but they do not have the means. They do not talk the language, understanding, not the culture, get the access, to the people who actually have some say in terms of their politics.

00:13:09 - that network together there. But I can see now you have reporters positions, right? in, in Beijing, in Taiwan, when you cannot go to China, you still can stay in Taiwan, particularly during the Covid, right? And you have reporters who are actually of the Chinese and Asian descent, they can actually speak the language, get local connection to get some insight, knowledge, you know, who knows China better, I would say probably people, a lot of scholars in think tank in Taiwan probably study a lot of them. Just like we also know in China, they know Taiwan better

00:13:41 - So, so basically we're talking about local expertise there, and, and the in network, people in the network to be able, to report more, you know, more authentically and more realistic. And that's why the journalist is actually that's trained going there. But we need to do more, in terms of this kind of, try to build the, rely on that local knowledge, rely on those who already have the language and cultural skills, to be able to understand better, interpret better actually about what's going on in politics.

Bridging Homelands: The Asian American Experience and National Identity

00:14:13 - And give me the opportunity to say something about the importance of in the areas of what I'm really caring about. it is about the ties between the, the home land we call homeland, the Asian homeland, and what happened in the United States. A lot of things happen, in Asia and whatever may be remote, most Americans, but for Chinese American, particularly for the immigrant majority Asian Americans, we have personal relationship there.

00:14:44 - but also a liability actually, to, to try to improve the relationship, between The two countries to try to help educate the American public and our students on our community in terms of, the interest, the Asian American are actually American first. We are American citizen. Our interest is part of the American interest. We are not faults, we are not the enemies within, right? Unfortunately, there is talk about, you know, those

00:15:17 - and then the Trump administration may wanna do, you know, invoke the something called alien enemies act, right? Which allow the president to arrest, to detain and to deport right? Nationals, that, that that come, that are suspected of with Enemy Nation in China would be the number one on that list in terms of elimination. And so therefore there's a lot of public, public education need to be done. but on both what is China, China politics and Asian

Strengthening U.S.-China Relations Through Education

00:15:47 - and the two are actually, closely connected. but they do, have, you know, separate, experts or scholarship, to wanna do that. And we also, I know our government had do something about intercultural international exchange, scholar exchange, wish we do more, the training of speaking Chinese language and whatever the class is being offered. All these things all can do and can actually, help improve public understanding or knowledge of the relation of, of China, as in, by south

00:16:18 -

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