The Chinese admiration for Germany, especially "Made in Germany" products, has been around for years. This European country and its people are believed to possess a perfect combination of a bunch of good qualities, such as punctuality, precision, responsibility and reliability.

These are important contributing factors to Germany's salient tenacity and capability to recover and sustain prosperity after WWII and during the financial crisis.

Of course, not every German or German product is endowed with all these good qualities, but its achievements still prove the nation deserves its reputation.

The problem is, when the Chinese laud these qualities, they are basing their evaluation on distorted and fabricated facts. Just as Carolynn Look mentioned in the Global Times Thursday, some widespread stories online, like how Qingdao was protected from a flood by a German-designed drainage system, are false.

However, accusing some Chinese people of the blind deification of Germany and telling them about the truth is not going to eliminate the self-deception on this issue. To some extent, Germany serves as a symbolic channel used by many people to vent their disapproval of poor quality and counterfeit "Made in China" products.

Therefore, it could be Germany admired, and it could be Japan. It could be any country that is famous for good-quality products, first-rate services and a high level of public morality. In fact, a rush to purchase Japanese-made products, even toilet seats, grabbed headlines during the just concluded Spring Festival holidays.

Compared with developed countries that have taken up an upstream position in the global industrial chain, China is still much less competitive in high-end fields, although a handful of local brands have managed to squeeze into the upper tiers. Consequently, long-term dominance in the low end has imposed restrictions on the nation from developing a healthy culture that can nurture honesty, liability and integrity.

Thus, to some extent, it is not rumors that mislead these people into a kind of obsession with Germany or Japan; it is frustration and shame that produce these rumors and give rise to the worship.

So the key rests on how the Chinese can get themselves out a state of disappointment and low self-esteem. The government needs to assume a major responsibility in this regard. Making the Chinese recover their confidence in "Made in China" products is part of the country's endeavor to reinforce the cohesion of the nation.

China should insist on the ongoing economic transformation under the "new normal" situation, and employ tougher approaches to refurbish the label of "Made in China," such as cracking down on fake goods. But the people also need to learn to enjoy benefits brought by a radically changing and advancing society. China's high-speed rail has greatly facilitated people's travel, and few people will think of Germany's advanced inter-city express as the Chinese ones are comfortable and convenient as well.

Liu Ximing, a business analysis based in Shanghai