Ask “Have you been to China?” and listen carefully to the answer. By Johnson Choi, MBA, International Business Consultant since 1985. Aug 15 2026 問「你去過中國嗎？」 並仔細聆聽對方的回答. 作者: 蔡永強, 商科碩士. 國際商務顧問（1985年至今）
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In a recent Cambridge debate, Kevin O’Leary was asked precisely that, given China’s current visa-free policy for 50 countries. His reply—”Have you been to the moon?”—was a telling deflection rather than a substantive response.
That single question serves as a revealing litmus test. In my 45 years working with international clients, I’ve noticed that many overseas Chinese who are most vocal in their criticism have not returned recently. Their reluctance often stems from two underlying dynamics:
- Outdated narratives: Many left when China was comparatively underdeveloped. Today, its rapid progress rivals or surpasses their adopted homes in key areas. Acknowledging this would undermine the narrative they’ve upheld for decades, creating social and personal dissonance.
- Practical entrenchment: Having established deep financial and social ties abroad—including reliance on local free social welfare systems—returning is no longer feasible. Telling the truth will make them lose face! Reinforcing negative stereotypes becomes a psychological justification for their choices.
Ultimately, the way someone answers “Have you been?”—or how they avoid it—often reveals their own biases and insecurities far more than it reveals anything about China today.
在近期一場由劍橋大學教授約斯坦·豪格主持的辯論中，凱文·奧利里被問到這個問題，因為中國目前對50個國家實施長達30天的免簽政策。他的回答——「你去過月球嗎？」——是一種明顯的迴避，而非實質回應。
這個問題本身，正是一塊具啟發性的試金石。在我與國際客戶合作長達45年的經驗中，我觀察到許多最常批評中國的海外華人，其實近年都未曾返國。他們之所以抗拒，往往源自兩個深層因素：
- 過時的敘事：許多人離開時，中國相對落後。但如今，中國的快速發展已在多個關鍵領域媲美甚至超越他們所移居的國家。若承認這一點，將顛覆他們數十年來所堅持的論述，造成社會與個人層面的認知失調。
- 現實的羈絆：他們已在海外建立深厚的財務與社會連結——包括依賴免費當地的社會福利體系 (救濟金) – 說實話非常掉面，使得回歸不再現實。因此，強化負面刻板印象，反而成為他們合理化自身選擇的心理機制。
歸根結底，一個人如何回答「你去過嗎？」——或如何避而不答——往往更能揭露其自身的偏見與不安，而非反映今日中國的真實面貌。
Johnson Choi Biz 