"It's just the real process of development. "

..and the real cost of development.

I learned that when America was developing in the early 20th century, the situation was far worse than that! Workers were working in the extremely bad working condition, and the environment was badly polluted. You can get more pictures about what it was real like when America was developing. And you will know what I mean "It's just the real process of development." The same things appears in every country, not only in China.

Oh my god! Are you dreaming??!! I'm a Chinese, and I can tell you responsiblly, ABSOLUTELY NOT!!
We have the "One Child policy", but the government just encourage families have only one baby, they never, and will never kill babies for population control! You're crazy...
We live very happy life here. It's very safe and harmony. Not like America, we don't have access to guns, and murdering and robbing is rarely happend. Our Communist Party government treat us really good. Schools, hospitals, roads and every other facilities are well built. Some negative information was filerted, that's true. But this just make us more united. Our government did really good contribution when the financial crysis came. We didn't lose our jobs or have any financial problem, not at all. BUT, look at America... Look at YOUR DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT! IT SUCKS. Your government is so impotent at this financial crysis time. So, Communist Party is good at most time. You just saw the very little and mean view of it, and your knowledge of China is really limited, gentleman... You're dreaming...

I agree with your idea, but not totally.
You should consider that the population is really high,and that led to extremely high competition. Some less-educated workers have no choice, for some reasons, but to do some dangerous and less-paid job. That's true. But there will be great changes in a few years. Because China is developing very fast, and this developing-stage will be a history.
Look at your American old photos, you will find the same view happend in your developing time. It's all the same. So it's meaningless criticizing China. It's just the natural developing process. And China is more beautiful and harmonious than you thought. I'm a Chinese guy and I know what's my home country really like.

And in addition, your photo works are really good.

Thanks for your messages.

By the way I lived in China for a year and a half and I have been traveling there since 1995 at least once a year. So, far from disliking China or perceiving it to be something negative, I actually am very fond of it and have had more than a passing interest with it. I think China and its people have many great qualities. America and Europe on a per capita basis produce far more CO2 than the average Chinese so the West can hardly point its finger, but there needs to be an awareness of the issues and its cost to its own people, its environment and the world. After all, it is only when we are aware of a problem that we can correct it. I think its appropriate and necessary to document and express these concerns. I wouldn't hesitate to do the same in my country or any other for that matter but it just so happens I am very interested in China. Just because the work does not show China in its best light in this context it does not have to mean that its whole image is tarnished. Nor should you think that I am American and hate China. In fact its quite the opposite. It might interest you that I am Chinese by descent and that my wife is a Chinese from China but I don't really think that any of that should really matter.

You're right...
Maybe I just overreacted because of the other comments appeared in this page...
Looking forward to your new works...
Best wishes to you and your wife.

I like the words "the candles who burn themselves in order to give light to others", typical saying that I heard since in elementary school. The photographs Ian shows us are definitely truth, in Shanxi, one of main coal-mining centers, we have to admit this, what you people usually saw is the specious development of China, however, the country has a population of 1.3 billion, what you saw just a small part, 2008 Olympic Games gives china a good chance to show its best view to all the world, but we have to admit there are plenty of places like Ian's photos of Shanxi in China, poor people have to be burning candles for a living, this is the inevitable situation occurs in a 1.3 billion population developing country. And I think it's unfair to discuss this case with high developed countrys' standard. I like these photos but the background music is too depressing, I will embed this video in my blog to share it to more people. Thanks.

Yes and No. I mean it had its moments but for the most part I was lucky I never came across anything I couldn't cope with...so sometimes I feel I wasn't tested beyond what I could deal with thankfully. Overall it had its moments but for the most part I felt fine and I met some amazing people.