January 24, 2025
On January 20, while waiting at the gate at New York's JFK airport, I met a Korean couple. The man, 79 years old, was remarkably healthy and full of energy, chatting animatedly with me. He mentioned how, in Korea, it’s common to see elderly people like him who are active and healthy. The couple was visiting the U.S., having already toured the Washington, D.C. area. Curious about my travel choice, he asked why I chose Korean Air. I explained that there are very few direct flights between the U.S. and China, so travelers often rely on airlines from Korea, Japan, or Taiwan. These countries are critical "connectors" for international travel from the U.S. and China—a role reminiscent of how Vietnam, Mexico and other connector countries play the same trade function between China and the U.S.
One cultural observation stood out to me: on the Korean flight, when I said “thank you” to the service personnel, they didn’t respond. I’m certain they heard me, but their silence felt different from the customary acknowledgment one might expect.
The next day, while transferring at Incheon Airport, I struck up a conversation with two Chinese travelers from Toronto. We discussed China's rapid technological advancements. One senior Chinese posed an intriguing question: “But who invented these technologies?” The implication was clear—she believed many of these innovations originated in the West. While it’s true that the West has historically been the pioneer in many fields, moving inventions from "0 to 1," I added that China's strength lies in taking those ideas and scaling them up to unprecedented levels—turning "1 into 1,000 or even 1,000,000." An invention, no matter how groundbreaking, cannot reach its full potential if it remains confined to a lab or niche market. China has demonstrated unparalleled efficiency in bringing technologies like robots and electric vehicles to the masses in record time, transforming innovation into global impact like never seen before.
On my flight from South Korea to Beijing, I sat beside two young Chinese men, both born in 1998. One, from Yunnan, was a businessman with extensive activity in South America. He remarked that “90% of the goods people use daily in South American countries are made in China.” However, he shared frustrations about the challenges Chinese businesses face due to U.S. sanctions and trade restrictions, which is the major challenge for Chinese international operations.
The other young man, originally from Beijing, had a different story. He attended high school in Connecticut in 2013, completed college in Vancouver, and worked there after graduation. However, he recently lost his job and was now returning to China to celebrate the Spring Festival with his family. He said, I don't mind right now going back home and not returning to Canada. Job markets are not good anyway. Their journeys reflect the diverse paths young Chinese people are taking in an increasingly interconnected yet politically complicated world.
Reflections
These encounters highlight the interplay of culture, economics, and global dynamics. From a Korean elder’s pride in his nation’s health and vitality, to debates over innovation and its reach, to the resilience of young Chinese professionals navigating global challenges, every conversation offered a lens into how individuals experience and interpret the shifting tides of our interconnected world. While crossing physical borders when we travel, it also offers opportunity to understand the complexities of culture, opportunity, and progress.