A poem that has been circulating on the Internet lately offers insight into the frustrations that many Chinese -- including those studying in the United States -- feel in reaction to criticisms that have been leveled against their country in recent times. An excerpt is below:

When we have a billion people, you said we were destroying the planet.
When we tried limiting our numbers, you said it is human rights abuse.

When we were poor, you thought we were dogs.
When we loan you cash, you blame us for your debts.

When we build our industries, you called us polluters.
When we sell you goods, you blame us for global warming.

When we buy oil, you call that exploitation and genocide.
When you fight for oil, you call that liberation and democracy.

The full poem, whose origins are unclear, is here. There's also a video version that uses historical images, magazine covers, and political cartoons to reinforce the point: