【新唐人2011年9月16日讯】中共喉舌媒体《人民日报》发表了一篇文章，对中美物价高低做了一个比较。其中举例北京的奢侈品比纽约高出不少，公共交通纽约却比北京贵很多等，中美物价对比引起不少读者质疑，他们认为文章故意忽略或回避一个最重要的对比基础——那就是中美居民的收入水平，差距巨大。一些经济学家认为，中美物价不能相比，因为生活水平相去甚远。
《人民日报》9月13号的一篇文章说﹣《北京物价真比纽约高吗》，文中提到国外品牌的普通消费品，在北京的确比纽约贵，要是被国人视为“奢侈品” ，售价更是贵得离谱；但文章话锋一转，指纽约的市内公共交通以及涉及人工、知识产权的产品和服务，明显比北京贵很多。
文章一出，就有网友批评，“任何一个稍有统计学常识和社会观感的人都会觉得，这个物价水平是牛头不对马嘴。”
《新唐人》特约评论员杰森表示，中国人和美国人生活方式不同，拿城市之间来比较物价的话，不符合实际。
评论员杰森：“相对来说的话，就是说中国人拥有的汽车数量比较少一些，中国的住房面积比较小一些；目前，美国人生活的，不管是吃的、穿的、住的、还有饮食，还有平时的这种生活质量，旅游什么的，他完全是不能跟中国比较的。就是说以中国和美国是不同的，美国他实际上是持续在这样一个高的生活水准上已经过了很多年了。”
《人民日报》另外还附注了一份表格，列举中美产品项目的对比价格。
纽约市立大学经济学教授陈志飞认为，这种对比没有说服力，如果要做物价对比，应该找一个北京人，一个月的收入在1万元人民币左右，看看这个人如果比照美国的生活水平过活，一个月需要花多少？这才能看出差距。
纽约市立大学经济学教授陈志飞：“你按绝对的那个汇率换过来的话，实际上你是不可相比的。那还是中国的钱低，可是跟他的食物中占的比重来看，他占的比重还是相当大的。你说一样，在中国他有1万块一桌的酒席是吧？那换成美国的话，那大概就算是1千美金一桌酒席。”
现在定居纽约的白小姐住过北京，她说等值的钱在北京买不到东西。
纽约白小姐：“当然是纽约的便宜啊，纽约你20块钱，还可以拿出去到超市买点什么，你在北京的超市100块钱大概都买不到什么。”
北京民众贾小姐去过三次美国，她认为美国和中国物价差距太大，中国吃的、用的相对太贵，质量差别也很大。
贾小姐：“中国吃的东西太贵了。我对这个物价反正是比较有，就是印象特别深，对我的印象。比如说，在中国一个人的生活费，就吃饭呀，什么这些，要1000块钱（人民币）一个月，当然在美国呢150块钱（美元）吃饭就够了。”
《钜亨网》的一篇文章指出，《人民日报》的比较没有涉及两国的收入情况，令人遗憾。文章说，美国一个毕业一二年的普通职员，月薪大约3000美金，折合人民币大约2,0000元，这绝不是中国大学毕业生的一般工资水平。“美国物价稳定，中国物价高涨，居民收入相差巨大，在这样的情况下，只简单地比较两国的商品价格显然有失公允。”
有网友认为，衡量百姓生活负担，比单纯比价来得更实际一些。
新唐人记者梁欣、唐睿、薛莉采访报导。
Huge Gap in Chinese and American Commodity Prices
The Chinese state-run newspaper, People’s Daily,
published an article comparing the commodity prices between China and America.
It said that the price of luxury products in Beijing
is generally higher than in New York.
However, public transit in NYC is a lot more expensive
than in Beijing.
Thus, this newspaper’s comparison raised doubts among many of
its readers, as they realized that the article purposely ignored and
avoided a very important basis of comparison, that is, the large gap
between the income level of Chinese and American citizens.
An economist knows that Chinese and American commodity prices
cannot be compared, because the standard of living is vastly different.
On September 13, People’s Daily published an article titled,
“Is Beijing’s Commodity Prices Higher Than New York?”
The article claimed that foreign consumer goods sold in Beijing
were higher than in New York,
due to the fact that they are seen as luxury items
by Chinese locals, thus they sell for higher prices.
But the article turned around and said that public transit,
labor, services, and intellectual property in New York are a lot more expensive than in Beijing.
The article was criticized by Chinese netizens,
after it was published, with one saying netizen saying,
“Anyone with a little basic statistical knowledge and
social wherewithal will notice that the examples used in the comparison are not equal.”
NTD Commentator Jason said that,
Chinese and American have different life style.
It is not realistic to compare prices between cities
in America and China.
Commentator Jason: “Relatively speaking,
Chinese own less cars and they live in smaller homes.
American’s way of life, their food, clothing, the way they live,
and the quality of their lives, like travelling, cannot compare to the Chinese at all.
Frankly speaking, China is different than America.
America has maintained this higher standard of living for many years, now.”
People’s Daily also included a table in the article,
comparing prices between some Chinese and American products.
New York City University economics professor, Chen Zhifei,
said, “This kind of comparison lacks cogency.
You should first find a Beijing local with a monthly income
of 10,000 yuan (US$ 1,565),
and see how compelled he feels to live the American lifestyle.
In this way, you can see the difference.”
New York City University economics professor, Chen Zhifei:
“If you use exchange rates to compare, it is not possible, since the Chinese yuan is still worth less than the U.S. dollar.”
New York resident, Ms Bai, who used to live in Beijing,
said you couldn’t buy anything in Beijing with an equivalent amount of money.
Ms. Bai: “Of course it is cheaper to live in New York.
With $20, you can buy a few groceries at the supermarket; with 100 yuan (US$ 15.65), you cannot buy much.”
Beijing resident, Ms Jia, went to America three times and
said that there is a big difference between commodity prices in China and America.
In China, food and consumer goods are very expensive and
there’s also a big difference in quality.
Ms Jia: “It is so expensive to eat in China. I am very aware of
the difference in commodity prices in the two countries.
A person in China spends 1,000 yuan (US$156) per month
on food expenses, while in America, you could get by with only $150.
News Cnyes (cnyes.com) reported that,
unfortunately the People’s Daily (of China) didn’t mention people’s income between the two countries.
It reported that an ordinary clerk who finished education
just for one or two years in America, the salary is about $3000 per month,
it equivalent RMB 20,000 yuan(US$212),
this absolutely can’t compare with a Chinese student in the same circumstances.
In America the price is steady, the price is higher in China,
people’s income are totally different, under such a conditional comparative, obviously it is unjustified.
Netizens believe that it would have been better to compare
the living standards between China and America in the article—not just commodity prices.
NTDTV Liang Xin, Tang Tui and Xue Li
