Live Talk Transcript: China and Hong Kong

Most of the time when I hear from readers about the Yangtze, they are considering a trip through the Three Gorges, so I assume that's your interest. Much has been made of the controversy surrounding the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. The world's largest construction project did force the relocation of a huge number of people along the river as well as the flooding of numerous towns, including many that were popular stops on the Three Gorges cruises. Before the dam was completed, we were treated to all kinds of stories about the end of these cruises, and a kind of hysteria to see the sights before they were supposedly gone. My feeling is that, for most visitors, the consequences have been greatly exaggerated. True, the river did rise (and is still rising; the full depth of about 175 meters won't be reached until 2009), and many sights are now gone. But after the dam was completed and cruises resumed, we saw a whole new industry selling the "new sights" of the Three Gorges, including the dam itself, which cannot be discounted. When your enormous six-story cruise ship is swallowed up inside one of the locks (each longer than a football field), that's an incredible experience.

Many no doubt are coming largely just to see the dam and pass through this massive engineering achievement.

Far more, though, come for the scenery, more than 20 million visitors a year in fact. I think the overall impression is very positive. It's all personal taste. If you want to take a break from the pressures of traveling in China, and just sit on a dock and watch scenery scroll by, the cruises won't disappoint. A minority of visitors say the trips take up too much time, and don't like all the programmed entertainment. In both cases, the pluses and the minuses remain unaltered. The canyons and gorges are just as magnificent -- or monotonous -- as they have been for eons.

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Utica, NY: I know that the large coastal cities are benefiting enormously from the new economic policies, but what about the rural areas? Is there any change in the standard of living and opportunities for the rural poor, and if not, how long will it take until those areas are able to catch up economically?

Ron Gluckman: This is a matter of constant study and regular reporting, and I have done my share. I think it's fair to say that the lion's share of the benefit of the reforms has remained in urban areas of China, as anywhere else. Aid groups warn of growing disparity between the haves and have-nots, and this is something I've seen myself. This year, I went on a tour with representatives of the World Bank, to the poorest parts of China, in southern Guangxi. The poverty is suffocating, but even there, as everywhere I've been in China in 15 years, I'd have to say the opening up and reforms of the economy have brought visible improvement and greater living condition to all. Not equally, by any means. And not satisfying, which Beijing is properly concerned about. But I'd have to say the entire country, everywhere I've been, has improved and is still improving, at least in materialistic terms.

Will the rural areas ever catch up? No chance, in my mind. Some areas, like Chongqing, just down the road from me and the launching pad for those Three Gorge trips, have been targeted for special programs that have helped lift millions from poverty. But the government cannot finance a path to prosperity for all 1.3 billion people. Just like in rural America or Europe, lifestyles will lag behind the cities. You only need to look up the road from yourself towards the Canadian border, and you see similar disparity of wealth right there in New York.

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Shakopee, MN: Is it true that if you are staying in Hong Kong, you will need to get a visa before leaving Hong Kong to travel to mainland China? Where are the best places to get jewelry, tailored clothing and other personal specialty items while in Hong Kong?

Ron Gluckman: While visitors to Hong Kong from most countries including the US can travel to Hong Kong visa free, everyone needs a visa for China. If this seems a contradiction since everyone knows the former British colony of Hong Kong has been a part China since 1997, one can only imagine the absurdity of having to check in hours early for the flight from Shanghai or Beijing to Hong Kong, and then pay the "international departure tax" and have to check through customs; more so if you happen to be a resident of both places in the same country and carry independent travel documents for each!

China, to its credit, has maintained much of the quality of life in Hong Kong (and the former Portuguese colony of Macau) through stringent border controls. These are being increasingly relaxed. Tourists from China now for the top category of visitors (and are the biggest spenders) in Hong Kong, which I think is a positive and logical development.

For shopping in Hong Kong, I cannot say enough about getting good information and Hong Kong is probably the world's best place for free information. Start with the user-friendly Hong Kong Tourism Board, which dispenses free maps, brochures, bus routes and timetables, and all manner of useful advice from a variety of locations -- at Star Ferry and the lobby of the airport. They also have a great website: discoverhongkong.com. Wonderful shopping advice can be found here.