A Shift Witnessed: The Changing Global Landscape. By Johnson Choi, Dec 14 2025
親眼見證的轉變：全球格局的變遷 作者：蔡永強| 2025年12月14日

Recent conversations with dozens of friends, relatives, and clients who traveled to China in the past year have led to a strikingly consistent conclusion: we are witnessing the rapid rise of the East and the relative decline of the West, unfolding right before our eyes.

This sentiment resonates deeply with my own memories. I still recall 1985, when I traveled with a Honolulu delegation to Hainan to sign a Sister City Agreement. Sanya was essentially a virgin beach, untouched by major development. Our journey from Guangzhou, where we stayed at the iconic White Swan Hotel—then China’s only five-star hotel, developed by the Hong Kong patriot Mr. Henry Fok—felt like stepping back in time. Hainan and Guangzhou in the mid-80s reminded me of the Hong Kong countryside in the 1950s.

The transformation since has been nothing short of breathtaking. One of the most common reflections from those returning to the United States—particularly from places like San Francisco and Hawaii—speaks volumes:

“We left an advanced economy: safe, clean, with modern transportation, impressive infrastructure, and superior food and services. The moment we landed back in the U.S., we felt we needed time to readjust to what now, by comparison, feels like a developing country.”

This visceral reaction highlights a profound shift in everyday reality and global perception.

What has been your personal experience? Do these observations align with what you’ve seen or felt?

近來與數十位過去一年曾到訪中國的朋友、親人和客戶交談，得出了一個驚人一致的結論：我們正親眼目睹東方的迅速崛起與西方的相對衰落。

這種感受與我個人的記憶深深共鳴。我依然清楚記得1985年，我隨檀香山代表團前往海南簽署姊妹城市協議的情景。那時的三亞基本上是一片未經開發的處女海灘。我們從廣州出發，入住地標性的白天鵝酒店——當時中國唯一的五星級酒店，由愛國港商霍英東先生興建——整段旅程彷彿踏入了時光隧道。80年代中期的海南與廣州，讓我想起50年代的香港鄉郊。

自此之後的轉變，只能用「翻天覆地」來形容。從美國——特別是舊金山、夏威夷等地——前往中國公幹或旅遊後返美的人士，最常發出的感慨尤其值得深思：

「我們離開的是一個先進的經濟體：安全、潔淨，擁有現代化的交通、令人印象深刻的基礎建設，以及卓越的飲食與服務。但當我們一降落美國，便感到需要時間重新適應——因為相較之下，這裡現在彷彿像是一個發展中國家。」

這種直觀的反應，凸顯了日常生活現實與全球觀感的深刻轉變。

您的個人經驗又是如何？這些觀察是否與您的所見所感相符？