Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and most of the Chinese east coast are first class, first rate cities with a very high standard of living and modern infrastructure

Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and most of the Chinese east coast are first class, first rate cities with a very high standard of living and modern infrastructure. You'd think you were in Japan, South Korea, or the US. It's really come a long way since the 1970s. It's not at all as I pictured it growing up. It does get poor outside the cities however. It does have its issues that we all know about. But in terms of appearances, it's 9/10 at least. And if you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. China has almost always been a power base through its entire history.