everest north side climber - how well do you know china?

(MountEverest.net) Wonder economy? Booming Tibet? Chinese billionaires?

46.7% of China's population survives on less than $2/day.

This spring we will see happy Tibetans wave the Chinese flag from the summit of Everest, all broadcasted to world media from Everest North Side BC. Xinhua will provide western news aggregators with cute stories and some climbers will nod in approval, but before you do - check the following facts.

No Democracy in China

Many western climbers seem unaware that China is not a free country.

In 1949 the Communist Party of China (CPC) took control over mainland China and since then there has been only one power, the CPC, in control. Where America worries about a few votes lost in Florida for a party candidate; there are no direct elections in China, making it effectively a single-party state.

Perhaps they all agree you say?

70 million, or only 5% of China's population are members in the communist party. 95% of the Chinese population has no influence on the political process at all.

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::via topix