Erik Eckholm.

• Position: Journalist, stationed in China, describes the experience of living and working in China; the government and teenagers in China are described - Brief Article - Interview

PROFILE

PERSONAL: AGE: 49; married to Elisabeth Rosenthal, who is also a correspondent for THE TIMES in China. Two children, ages 7 and 4

EDUCATION: Occidental College in Los Angeles; master's degree in international affairs, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Fifteen years at THE TIMES, writing about science, the environment, and medicine. He was also the paper's deputy foreign editor.

PREPARATION: One year studying the Chinese language, and lots of reading.

DO YOU SPEAK CHINESE?

I'm still not totally fluent in Chinese--it's hard!--so I usually use translators for interviews and for reading Chinese newspapers and magazines. It's great to be able to speak enough Chinese to break the ice with people you interview, but with a really good translator, I find I can get what I need pretty well.

HOW IMPORTANT AN ISSUE IS HUMAN RIGHTS TO AVERAGE CHINESE PEOPLE?

Human-rights issues, like free speech and press, or the ability to organize political opposition to the Communist Party, which still rules with an iron hand, are not much on the minds of average people. They are just trying to get by, and enjoying new freedoms in their personal lives. Most Chinese really have no idea what it would be like to be more free.

WHAT'S THE BEST THING A TEENAGER CAN DO TO BECOME A FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT?

Read voraciously and concentrate on improving your...