Government/Politics - 309. page

On October 13, Li Chenyan, Director of the Governance Research Center of Beijing University and Ren Jianming, Director of the Anti-Corruption and Governance Research Center of Tsinghua University hosted an online forum session on the topic of the party’s anti-corruption measures.

Both of them disagree with the opinions held by western scholars that one party rule is the cause of corruption in China. They referenced a number of countries in Asia which have serious corruption issues despite the democratic system and concluded that one party rule does not necessarily lead to corruption. Both of them, however, agree that the supervision and balancing of those in power is the key to controlling corruption. They think that as long as there is system for supervision and the development of democracy within the ruling party, the corruption issues can be solved.

Source: Huanqiu, October 13, 2009
http://china.huanqiu.com/roll/2009-10/601923.html

Though the communist party has strong control over the ideology ground and media, occasionally there are still voices from the mid- or lower-level party officials against the party’s corruption and authoritarianism. Zhou Jinrui, former deputy editor of People’s Daily recently published an article on China Elections and Governance titled “Be Courageous in Solving the Issues Resulting from Growth – on the 60th National Day Celebration.” The article summarized the lessons learned from China’s Reform and Opening up policy. It alerts that the top level party leaders must cut their close ties with those “special interest groups” in order to promote democracy, prevent power loss at the local levels, and maintain long term stability.

Source:
China Elections and Governance, October 12, 2009
http://www.chinaelections.org/newsinfo.asp?Newsid=158450
Zaobao, October 15, 2009
http://www.zaobao.com/special/china/cnpol/pages2/cnpol091015.shtml

For a long time, China’s political system has had the problems of excessive power concentration, power imbalances, and lack of a power constraint according to an article published on the website of Study Times on October 12, 2009. Just as some scholars put it, “In the decades-long period of time after the founding of new China, the actual operation of China’s politics is the administrative system under the leadership of the Party.”

The communications between the Chinese people and their representatives are loose or superficial, resulting in the great amount of political information being forced into the channel of the petition.

At present the petition system is based on the “Petition Regulations,” a law promulgated by the State Council. The petition office has a low legal hierarchy, little power to control, and poor operation capacity, which means that the petition agencies only operate intermittently.

Source: Study Times, October 12, 2009
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=1&id=2981&nid=10812&bid=12&page=1

The Party went through three transformations in its understanding of socialism, says Study Times. The first change was from building a new democratic state and society to a socialist model following the Soviet Union (1949-1956). The second shift took place in 1957 with the goal of surpassing the Soviet Union (1957-1978). The third occurred in 1979 with socialism with Chinese characteristics (1979-2009). The article states, “during the ten year catastrophe of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, the State and nation suffered from an unprecedented disaster with in its extent and damages far exceeding the purge in the Soviet Union in the 1930s.”

Source: Study Times, October 5, 2009
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=1&id=2955&nid=10775&bid=3&page=1

The Symposium in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Council (CPPCC) concluded in Beijing on October 14, 2009. Wang Gang, Politburo member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Vice-Chairman of the CPPCC spoke at the closing ceremony. Wang stressed the need to effectively bring thinking and action in line with the major plan that the CPC set for the CPPCC. He called for closely following the agenda and the interests of the CPC and State under the themes of unity and democracy.

Source: Xinhua, October 14, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-10/14/content_12231999.htm

The number of UN employees from a nation is determined by that nation’s membership fee, membership and population. The number of UN Chinese employees has increased 7 times in the past 24 years with an increasing number of Chinese employees becoming high ranking UN officials. At the same time, more UN employees from other countries are learning Chinese. This past summer, the United Nations worked jointly with Nanjing University to once again open a Chinese language class. About 50 UN employees joined the class.

Source: China Economy Net, September 22, 2009.
http://www.ce.cn/xwzx/gnsz/gdxw/200909/22/t20090922_20065988.shtml

The article “China Confidence”, written by a “Xinhua Perspective” reporter, was published on the main page of the Xinhua News Agency website on October 8, 2009. Three major points were highlighted in blue within the article:

• The Grand National Day Ceremony tells the people:  Only socialism can save China; only reform and opening up can develop China, develop socialism, and develop Marxism.
• The Grand National Day Ceremony tells the world: Chinese people have the confidence and competence to build up our own country, also have the confidence and competence to make our due contribution to the world.
• The Grand National Day Ceremony inspires the people: Unswervingly walk on the road of socialism with the Chinese characteristics and ultimately rejuvenate the Chinese nation. 

Source: Xinhua, October 8, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-10/08/content_12194716.htm

Upholding Chinese-style socialist theory means genuinely adhering to Marxism, said a People’s Daily editorial commenting on the October 1 National Day. “Through 60 years of development, progress and brilliant achievements, the Chinese people have come to deeply understand that only socialism can save China and only reform and opening up can develop China, socialism and Marxism; in contemporary China, adhering to the socialist road with Chinese characteristics is truly upholding socialism; and adhering to Chinese-style socialist theory is truly upholding Marxism.”

Source: Xinhua, October 7, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-10/07/content_12188853.htm