Klex Wu

This was one of those rich, dense conversations where I wish I would have recorded the whole thing because he taught me so much.

Age 32. Grew up here, right next to where I'm staying.

He's fascinated with history and philosophy, but majored in law at college since that's the major that was available. Did a few trips to USA (at his father's encouragement) as a teen, but went to university in Wuhan, where the local accent sounds like anger and the bus drivers drive insanely fast.

His chosen English name was originally Alex but then a colleague was Alex so he changed the A to K to become Klex, which sounds better, and more unique.

Chengdu, surrounded by mountains, has always been a safe from invasion. Relaxed culture. Mahjong on a table floating in the river.

Taiwan is inevitable. Many are certain war is coming. Hong Kong will stay as-is, like an airlock, a cross-culture meeting point, a neutral zone for investment and commerce.

US/EU, initially friendly, wanted China as a manufacturing partner, but when China started competing on high-end service industries, the tone changed as China became competition.

He's interested in learning Arabic next, and we talked about Arab culture, the shifting of world power, how we're all cousins.

I asked why most people that have reached out to me from China are age 30-32, he suspects it's the age that older people weren't really into the international internet, and younger people are more into short videos.

I asked why people here seem more graceful than 14 years ago. He quoted a Chinese saying: "Abundance breeds manners and etiquette."