In a 1996 interview with CNN, after nearly 50 years in China, she stated "[we] never intended to stay in China so long, but were too caught up to leave."[8] Hinton described the changes she and her husband had witnessed in China since the beginning of the economic reforms of Deng Xiaoping in the late 1970s. They stated they "have watched their socialist dream fall apart" as much of China embraced capitalism. A 2004 MSNBC interviews noted her critical assessment of economic change as "betrayals of the socialist cause."[9] She noted what she describes as a rise of exploitation in Chinese society.
Hinton lived alone following the death of her husband in 2003. Her three children moved to the United States, with Hinton noting that "They probably would have stayed if China were still socialist." Hinton retained her American citizenship, which she considered "convenient for travel." [9] Her son, Yang Heping (Fred Engst) moved back to Beijing in 2007 as a professor at the University of International Business and Economics.[10]

人家喜欢向往的是共产主义，结果对邓小平搞起来的开放失望透顶了。。。。。。。如果中国坚持搞共产主义，她的3个孩子都会留在中国。保留美国护照是为了旅游方便。

来自留园官方客户端

这说明时代在不断进步，而个人有时代局限性。这不能说明她不是一个可敬的人，也不能说明中国走的是错误的道路。