The racial homogeneity of China, their aversion to the Foreign, their control over the information age domestically, and their new "outreach"--that is a troubling combination for foreigners. I have read that American intelligence has the hardest time penetrating China, because of that combination. The only way, the only way, to be confident that one is getting the truth about China is to eavesdrop. Chinese, ordinary and official, are not going to tell foreigners the truth if it does not suit China's interests. When records are kept, and often they are not, they are sometimes later destroyed. A later party leader destroyed the investigation records on the Lin Biao affair. Chinese also will lie. MacFarquhar and Schoenhals dedicated their introduction to Mao's Last Revolution to all the people who had spoken to them, including "the liars." The only way to get the truth of China's intentions is to eavesdrop. Even then there is always some concern that people will be "talking for the mic." We have to get candid, unguarded comments. It all makes me paranoid. China does that to you.
