Children are a blessing to parents and the hope of families and nations. In every culture on earth, people try to provide the best for their young. Its something we all share. I was born during the manic “Great Leap Forward.” The self-inflicted havoc of the period was coupled with a three-year spell of natural disasters that plunged the nation into famine. The hopeless panic of hunger haunts my memory of this time. Food was rationed, very thinly, and each of my family members was in a perpetual state of semi-starvation throughout those dark years. Every month we barely made ends meet. Most Chinese people at the time did not have enough to eat. Even if wed had extra cash, there was little chance of getting more food because store shelves were nearly always empty. The extent of our indigence at the time is wholly incomprehensible to youth today.

As a preschool girl I was among the lucky few that had enough to eat. Under the state policy to keep young children properly nourished, kindergartens offered three square meals a day plus snacks and fruits. Tormented by the plight of my parents at home, one day I didnt eat my portion of after-lunch cookies, and slipped them into my pocket. The act was spotted by other children, who told the teacher. Brought in front of the whole class, I was told there was nothing wrong in worrying about my parents, but that I should still not take my food home. Despite dire economic difficulties, the teacher said, the state managed to ensure sufficient supply for children in the hope we could grow up in good health and take up the mantle of building the nation in the future. Back home, I told my mom what had happened earlier that day. With misty eyes she agreed with my teacher, arguing that the tough times would be over sooner or later, and that it was of paramount importance for kids my age to get the necessary nutrition for growth.

As the first time in my life I had been “criticized” by a teacher, that incident has always stayed with me. When my daughter became old enough to comprehend, I told her the story, and she was perplexed. Why was taking a few cookies such a big deal? If you couldnt take cookies, just take them some cake, right? I suppose I shouldnt have expected her to understand. She and her generation were born in an economic boom in which people have money and easy access to all sorts of commodities from anywhere in the world. How could these children of globalized markets understand the significance of a few crackers to a kid half a century ago?

Chinas opening-up and reform, which commenced before my daughters generation was born, rejuvenated the Chinese economy. It transformed the country into a factory for the world that churns out large volumes of pretty much any product you can imagine, from screws to airplanes. China also produces the full gamut of childrens goods. But there remains the perception that imported childrens goods are superior in quality to the Chinese equivalent. In many cases, this perception is unfortunately valid.

A number of food scandals have exploded in China over the past few years, shocking the whole nation and annihilating trust in local brands. One of the most infamous must be the melamine-laced milk furor. Almost overnight the countrys parents unanimously turned to imported dairy products, and the most vigilant ordered their products directly from overseas. This trend stuck, and many families still order overseas.

For Chinese parents, a good education is just as important as good nutrition. To increase the odds of future success, they cajole, or in many cases coerce, their children into extracurricular courses in various subjects. Now the wealthier among them have upped the ante by sending their preuniversity-age children to expensive international schools or even abroad. This trend has led to a proliferation of such international schools in China and a spike in the number of Chinese minors going overseas for study.

Of course, people are fully entitled to choose the foods and schools they prefer, and the access to choice signifies the healthy development of a society.But choosing to import foodstuffs or shunning the public school system for private alternatives shouldnt mean that we abandon efforts to improve the safety record of domestic food and better the public education system. If we rely on imports and private schools, in the end it is the poor who will suffer.

Food safety and education quality are high on the government agenda. Education reform and increased investment in this field are part of the government plan for the 2011-2015 period. Given the importance placed on guaranteeing childrens future through education in China, the reforms are well supported throughout society. Children are our future; lets make sure we give them the best we can.