For the last 4 years, Howard W. French has served as the journalistic bridge between Shanghai and the rest of the world. Following posts in Africa, the Caribbean, Central America and Tokyo, French became the Shanghai Bureau Chief of The New York Times in 2003 and has covered China's drastic economic, political and social changes of the 21st century, what many have called "The Chinese Century." As well as regular reporting for the Times and International Herald Tribune, French wrote the acclaimed non-fiction work, A Continent for the Taking, in 2004 and is an accomplished photographer. His recent New York Times photo essay, "An Outsider's Camera Provides a Ticket Into a Secret World," examines the hidden pockets of old Shanghai tucked between "flashy new neighborhoods composed of jostling skyscrapers or roped off by looping expressways." Howard W. French talked to Small Swords about photographing Shanghai, the future of English-language journalism in China and sharing a middle initial with America's president.
 

Your recent piece published in the New York Times, "An Outsider's Camera Provides a Ticket Into a Secret World," expands into photojournalism to literally show a current paradox of China: while it is distressing that so much of "authentic" China has been bulldozed in favor of glittering skyscrapers, at the same time, the "Secret World" that remains reveals the incredible hardships of (modern) Chinese history. In your opinion, what is it that attracts us as human beings to seek out, attempt to preserve and disseminate knowledge about these pockets?

I think that things that have texture are inherently more interesting than things that don't. The neighborhoods that I've been documenting for the last three years through my photography are dripping with texture. They are not perfect places in the material sense by any means, but they are jewels from the standpoint of community and in terms of their makeup.

Shanghai is hurtling toward a vision of what I call Hong Kong without the hills. There's nothing wrong with Hong Kong per se, except that the last thing the world needs is another city stamped from that same mold. Shanghai has made unique contributions to the history of urban life in China, as the earliest, most persistent and most thoroughgoing hybrid of Chinese and foreign influences.

What was most precious and unique about this city is fast disappearing, though, and I've done my best to make a record of it out of love and in homage.

What are your thoughts on the sheer amount of space and resources the Times has dedicated to Chinese politics, economics and culture?

One could argue that even this is not enough. China represents one-fifth of humanity. It has been the fastest growing major economy for many years. It is transforming international relations and economics as it transforms itself. It's hard to think of a more important story.

Can you talk about the nature of foreign correspondence in China? In particular, last year the Chinese government announced that they would loosen restrictions on foreign journalists. In your experience, have restrictions actually been relaxed? If so, what (if any) effect has this had on your work?

I have not yet noticed a difference. Two weeks ago one of my NYT colleagues was detained while reporting in a factory in Guangdong. I am trying to go to Tibet right now, and it is anything but clear to me that as a journalist this will be possible.

Having said that, other than the places like Tibet, where travel by foreigners is restricted, I have usually felt fairly free to do my work in China. The most important thing is writing what I wish to write and having no one here interfere with that. This has always been the case.

You spent more than two decades living in and writing about Africa. In terms of covering a region, are there parallels between Africa and China or are they completely unique journalistic experiences?

The more I travel the more I am struck by the things that unite us as human beings. I took a Chinese colleague with me on part of my trip to Africa, in part because I wanted him to overcome some of the parochialism that weighs very heavily on people here. The government has long encouraged Chinese people to see themselves in distinction to other people. There is much about daily life in Africa that reminds one of daily life in China.

Journalistically, I cannot say they have been completely different or completely similar experiences. A lot of my time in Africa was spent covering conflict. I have covered very little conflict in China, and none of the scale of what I saw in Africa. At the same, I have spent a lot of time covering the emergence of democratic societies in Africa, and I have yet to find much of that thread to knit with here in China.

What brought about your move from Africa to China? Why are you based in Shanghai (as opposed to Beijing)? How long do you plan to stay here?

I am based in Shanghai because of complex posting system that governs the movements of foreign correspondents for the Times. Every four or five years you move, and a year or so in advance you begin looking seriously at what will be coming open. Not everyone moves at the same time, so your choices are governed to an extent by what is open.

I was in Japan prior to working here and having worked very hard to acquire Japanese, I wanted to stay in East Asia, where I could continue to use Chinese characters, and hopefully keep my Japanese alive. I've managed to do that, fortunately. I expect I'll be here another year or so.

Your topics are varied. How do you decide what you will write about? Do you have a particular goal in mind for your oeuvre of work on China?

When doing feature writing, I have almost total freedom over my subject matter. I wish I could say I had some master plan in mind, but I don't and I confess to not having a very clear image of the shape of my work in my own mind. I let my own curiosity guide me in picking my topics. I am very interested in people; in seeing lives close up, and in being able to tell big stories through the experience of real people.

What is your view about the rumored boycott of the 2008 Olympics on account of the crisis in Darfur?

I don't expect the Olympics will be boycotted, and as much as I abhor what is going on in Darfur, I am not sure that would be helpful, either. The Chinese have a big responsibility on Darfur, which they have yet to fully accept. So do we in the West, and we haven't really accepted our responsibilities, either.

Is there any way for Africa to benefit from China's presence in the continent, and if so, how can this be affected?

I think that China's interest in Africa will have a mixed impact on the continent, but the potential exists for it to have a generally positive impact. This requires the development of more of a conscience about global affairs from the Chinese government and people. It requires that African countries be demanding of their foreign partners, insisting on meaningful job creation, on real capacity development and technological transfer and on environmental protection. That is a tall order.

What are your thoughts about the potential of English-language journalism in China?

English-language journalism is largely invisible within China, and one should not expect it to have much of an impact here.

Has American foreign policy made life difficult for people with the middle initial W?

All three of my names are old family names. I hated the W as a child. In fact, I didn't like Howard very much, either. I embraced the middle initial shortly after I joined the Times (in 1986) to please my grandmother. It represents her maiden name.

As for the other W, all things will pass.
 

Visit howardwfrench.net to view the photography of Howard French. Personally made and signed prints of old Shanghai are available there for sale.
 

-Melanie McGanney & David Flumenbaum


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