Video: 61 yr old British diplomat jumps into Chinese river to save drowning Chinese girl as nobody else would step forward to do it.

[Goenitz]

This is probably more likely due to China having a long history of being poor and undeveloped as most people learn how to swim in the numerous public or private recreational swimming pools not some local river or pond.

It may be a behavioural thing... South asians also don't teach their kids that.

 

[beijingwalker]

The report says no one there knew how to swim and this British diplomat is a triathlon champion for his age group. A very commendable deed indeed.

 

[beijingwalker]

I can't swim myself.

Same here. I fell through the ice into a lake once in Beijing 后海，fortunely my thick down jacket kept me afloat like a lifejacket.

 

[Uguduwa]

This is probably more likely due to China having a long history of being poor and undeveloped as most people learn how to swim in the numerous public or private recreational swimming pools not some local river or pond.

There's over 300,000 public and 10Million residential swimming pools in the US. So having a large group of people with nobody knowing how to swim is about as likely as having a large group of people where nobody has a cellphone.

I grew up in the UK and still don't know how to swim. I went to swimming classes but had to give up because I had to focus on studies.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

I grew up in the UK and still don't know how to swim. I went to swimming classes but had to give up because I had to focus on studies.

Give up?
LOL! It isn't rocket science. Just a 5 minute explanation/demonstration of physics. Learning how to swim laps properly is not a requirement.

 

[Uguduwa]

Give up?
LOL! It isn't rocket science. Just a 5 minute explanation/demonstration of physics.

I don't know. I did classes for at least 4 months with a kickboard. Don't know what went wrong. I was 11 back then.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

I don't know. I did classes for at least 4 months with a kickboard. Don't know what went wrong. I was 11 back then.

Before the kickboard they spent a whole 5 minutes teaching you how to tread water. That is all you need to know for that river situation as you wait for a rope.

4 months is excessive for a kickboard.