Will China One Day Rule the World?

Many of us in Singapore are transfixed by the events unfolding in Hong Kong. The protests are even more relevant because the city is a mere 4-hour flight away and many people here have connections to the region.

In the midst of the crisis, I can't help but think about the future of China, a country that's often predicted to one day rule the world. It well might, but it's hard to imagine after listening to some of our Chinese students.

I try to make it a habit not to discuss politics with teenagers, but I can't stop them from sharing their candid insights.

In particular, I'm intrigued by a Chinese boy I'll call Wong who seems to know more about popular American culture than me.

The student can't get enough of American music, movies, and, especially, television. Last week, Wong spent nearly an hour filling me in on all the details of the first four seasons of the popular drama The Walking Dead.

Today, I asked Wong how he manages to watch so many US programs in China and how he's able to access web sites like Facebook that are blocked by the Chinese government in his homeland.  Over the weekend, China also blocked Instagram, a popular photo-sharing ap, in an attempt to prevent citizens from viewing images from Hong Kong.

"It's no problem," he said. Wong told me there are many technological devices available that enable Chinese to surf restricted sites, so the flow of information might be slowed down but can't be stopped.

It doesn't surprise me that Wong would know ways around censorship. After all, he knew when the iPhone 6 was set to launch in both America and China, long before I did.

Ever since I met him, Wong has been reiterating his dream of attending a university in the United States and then staying behind to either live in California or New York City.

The key to any country's long-term prospects and prosperity is winning the hearts and minds of its young people. After talking with Wong and others, it appears that the leadership in China has an uphill battle.

And the kids aren't alone.

A survey released this month by Barclay's showed that nearly half of wealthy Chinese plan to move within five years. The number one reason cited - better educational and employment opportunities for their kids.

China is still an economic and military powerhouse, but the voices of the young and many of their parents seem to be telling us that it might be a bit premature to anoint China as Master of the Universe.

Note: I downloaded the above photo from the free media repository on Wikimedia Commons. I wish to credit the author  流璃

Singapore Buddhist Lodge

Within a capitalist system, there are those who achieve great wealth but also those who struggle to just secure the basic necessities. Singapore is no exception. Last month, I had an opportunity to visit one of the organizations here dealing with the problem of hunger.

I believe government has a responsibility to provide some sort of societal safety net, but I also believe private groups should lend a hand. The Singapore Buddhist Lodge is a wonderful example of the latter.

The group serves meals three times a day to anyone with an appetite, regardless of need. An administrator told me they welcome guests ranging from business people to backpackers to the truly destitute. All meals are free, but donations are accepted.

On average, 1,500 people dine at the center daily and as many as 3,000-5,000 on the weekend. The lodge is open seven days a week.

The vegetarian buffet is quite extensive. A full-time cook prepares the meal, while volunteers man all of the other jobs in the facility.  Many of the food items are donated.

Looking around, I noticed that about half of the crowd was elderly, but I also saw several young people and parents with kids, lending evidence to the idea that hunger can affect anyone at any time.

Although no money exchanges hands, guests are asked to pick up their own plates and utensils from the kitchen and wash their dishes afterward.

The lodge is not alone in offering food to the needy. Giving is an essential tenant of Buddhism, but the lodge is one of the few places that demonstrates kindness on such a wide scale.

Walking around the facility that consists of dozens of tables in an open, cafeteria-like space, I couldn't help but admire the smiles on the faces of the enthusiastic volunteers and the general feeling of peace permeating through the crowd like the scent of freshly cut flowers.

I had no intent of dining, but one of the volunteers insisted, so I found my place in line and loaded up on a plethora of tasty, vegetarian delicacies. It's not the kind of culinary fare one would expect to find at a food kitchen. Afterward, I was offered fresh fruit to take home, but I felt that someone else could put it to better use.

You won't find the lodge in any tourist guides, but I can assure you it's worth the trip.

The Singapore Buddhist Lodge is always looking for volunteers. If you'd like to help, you can drop by the office any day from 8-5. The lodge is located at 17 Kim Yam Road.

Note: Out of respect for maintaining the confidentiality of the guests I limited my pictures to just a shot of the building's exterior.