China and the Realities on the Ground

The realities on the ground in China discussed in this article from Sunday's New York Times (see: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/19/world/asia/19beijing.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=China%20Beiijing%20journal&st=cse ) stand in stark contrast with the supposed goals of preservation behind the recent MOU with China, publicised in Saturday's paper and linked previously on this blog. (See: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/17/arts/design/17arti.html?_r=1&scp=7&sq=China%20Kennedy&st=cse ) Yet, included amongst the restrictions imposed are those on wall art over 250 years old. Most outside of academia and the State Department bureaucracy would ask, what gives?