【新唐人2011年9月16日訊】中共喉舌媒體《人民日報》發表了一篇文章，對中美物價高低做了一個比較。其中舉例北京的奢侈品比紐約高出不少，公共交通紐約卻比北京貴很多等，中美物價對比引起不少讀者質疑，他們認為文章故意忽略或迴避一個最重要的對比基礎——那就是中美居民的收入水平，差距巨大。一些經濟學家認為，中美物價不能相比，因為生活水平相去甚遠。
《人民日報》9月13號的一篇文章說﹣《北京物價真比紐約高嗎》，文中提到國外品牌的普通消費品，在北京的確比紐約貴，要是被國人視為「奢侈品」 ，售價更是貴得離譜；但文章話鋒一轉，指紐約的市內公共交通以及涉及人工、知識產權的產品和服務，明顯比北京貴很多。
文章一出，就有網友批評，「任何一個稍有統計學常識和社會觀感的人都會覺得，這個物價水平是牛頭不對馬嘴。」
《新唐人》特約評論員傑森表示，中國人和美國人生活方式不同，拿城市之間來比較物價的話，不符合實際。
評論員傑森：「相對來說的話，就是說中國人擁有的汽車數量比較少一些，中國的住房面積比較小一些；目前，美國人生活的，不管是吃的、穿的、住的、還有飲食，還有平時的這種生活質量，旅遊甚麼的，他完全是不能跟中國比較的。就是說以中國和美國是不同的，美國他實際上是持續在這樣一個高的生活水準上已經過了很多年了。」
《人民日報》另外還附註了一份表格，列舉中美產品項目的對比價格。
紐約市立大學經濟學教授陳志飛認為，這種對比沒有說服力，如果要做物價對比，應該找一個北京人，一個月的收入在1萬元人民幣左右，看看這個人如果比照美國的生活水平過活，一個月需要花多少？這才能看出差距。
紐約市立大學經濟學教授陳志飛：「你按絕對的那個匯率換過來的話，實際上你是不可相比的。那還是中國的錢低，可是跟他的食物中佔的比重來看，他佔的比重還是相當大的。你說一樣，在中國他有1萬塊一桌的酒席是吧？那換成美國的話，那大概就算是1千美金一桌酒席。」
現在定居紐約的白小姐住過北京，她說等值的錢在北京買不到東西。
紐約白小姐：「當然是紐約的便宜啊，紐約你20塊錢，還可以拿出去到超市買點甚麼，你在北京的超市100塊錢大概都買不到甚麼。」
北京民眾賈小姐去過三次美國，她認為美國和中國物價差距太大，中國吃的、用的相對太貴，質量差別也很大。
賈小姐：「中國吃的東西太貴了。我對這個物價反正是比較有，就是印象特別深，對我的印象。比如說，在中國一個人的生活費，就吃飯呀，甚麼這些，要1000塊錢（人民幣）一個月，當然在美國呢150塊錢（美元）吃飯就夠了。」
《鉅亨網》的一篇文章指出，《人民日報》的比較沒有涉及兩國的收入情況，令人遺憾。文章說，美國一個畢業一二年的普通職員，月薪大約3000美金，折合人民幣大約2,0000元，這絕不是中國大學畢業生的一般工資水平。「美國物價穩定，中國物價高漲，居民收入相差巨大，在這樣的情況下，只簡單地比較兩國的商品價格顯然有失公允。」
有網友認為，衡量百姓生活負擔，比單純比價來得更實際一些。
新唐人記者梁欣、唐睿、薛莉採訪報導。
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