Chinascope – Page 1180

Sixty Years of Political Construction and Development in the New China

The central theme of the conference was systematically summarizing the experience of 60 years of political development in the new China and comprehensively envisioning the direction of China’s political future. The participants agreed that the achievements of China’s political construction and political development have been enormous since the founding of the new China 60 years ago. Although there have been significant setbacks and mistakes in the exploration, the road of political construction and political development that has been adapted to China’s national conditions is basically clear. Some experts have summed up the basic experience of 60 years of political development and political construction in the new China as six unities: The dialectical unity of adherence to the basic principles of Marxism and innovation; adherence to the unity of socialism with Chinese characteristics for the state system and the government system; adherence to the unity of the Party’s basic unwavering line and the flexibility of policy; the unity of the party’s leadership, and the rule of law, with the people being the masters of the nation; adherence to the unity of working for the people, trust in the people and reliance on the people; and adherence to the unity of strengthening and improving the Party’s leadership, maintaining the Party’s advanced nature, and strengthening the Party’s ability to govern. Other experts have summarized the successful experience of China’s political development after the founding of the new China, particularly after the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, as the path of progressive political development with Chinese characteristics. … China’s future political development must stick to the path of socialist political development with Chinese characteristics.

The development of socialist democracy was the main content of the new China’s political construction and political development, which was also the important topic of this conference. Since the founding of the new China, the Chinese Communists have been constantly exploring the development of socialist democratic politics and have gone through a tortuous process. This entered a period of steady progress after the Party’s Sixteen National Congress. Some experts believe that, from the founding of the new China until 1989, democratic developments were the continuation of all democratic movements following the May Fourth Movement. These were mobilization-style democracy, the objective being to change the existing political order in the manner of mass movement by means of empowering the masses with master status. After 1989, with the development of the market economy and with civil society taking shape, China’s political life gradually began to show "normal politics" and "democratic actions." That is, inner-party democracy and grassroots democracy have been gradually promoting the democratic process in China. Experts have pointed out that movement democracy and action democracy cannot be completely separated. The orderly development of participatory democracy is critical to China’s future democratic development.

The adherence to, and improvement of, the CPC-led multi-party cooperation and political consultation system is an important part of, as well as a means to, the development of socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics. In this connection, the participants had a lively and in-depth discussion. The participants believe that new China has achieved rapid economic development over the past sixty years. Politically it has also achieved relatively stable development. One of the secrets is the multi-party cooperation system under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. China’s non-symmetrical political party system maintains the stable ruling status of the ruling party as well as ensuring a certain degree of influence by other political parties. The multi-party cooperation system has created a new system and space for activities of the political parties and has established a new relationship between the political parties.

…

Another topic discussed at the conference was that the political system reform and government management reform is the form of socialist political development with Chinese characteristics. … On the historical course and direction of the new China’s government, some experts have suggested that in 60 years of the new China the government has gone through three forms of government: totalitarian governance, regulation-based governance, and joint governance. The future direction of government is the development of a form of service-oriented governance. …

Research into the ruling party’s development was also an important topic of this conference. The participants agreed that the establishment of the Chinese Communist Party’s ruling status was not accidental. It was the product of the development of the political parties in modern China. It was the result of the historical development path’s selection over sixty years of the new China. Only by strengthening self-development and promptly resolving issues of the restriction of the Party’s power and corruption can the Chinese Communist Party ensure its ruling status. Some experts pointed out that, in order for the Chinese Communist Party to ensure its ruling position, it must also improve the effectiveness of inner-Party supervision and meet the needs of the middle class to participate in politics.

Endnote:
[1] Study Times, November 9, 2009
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=1&id=3039&nid=11065&bid=3&page=1

Reports | | March 3, 2010 | Report

Largest Chinese Manmade Modern Canal to Be Constructed

The State Council recently approved the Yangtze to Hanjiang Project, with an investment of RMB 6.2 billion. It is estimated that the construction work will start in March at the earliest. The project is to build a canal between the Yangtze River and the Hanjiang River in Hubei Province. It will be the largest modern canal in China and the largest water resource adjustment facility in the province. The canal will be around 67 kilometers in length and 3.7 billion cubic meters in annual water volume. The central governement will fund the entire project.

Source: Xinhua, February 26, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-02/26/content_13051910.htm

Briefings | | March 3, 2010 | Economy/Resources

China Took Up the Matter of the Dalai Lama with CNN

China News, a state owned and internationally oriented Chinese news agency, recently reported the fact that the Chinese Embassy complained to CNN about Larry King’s interview of the Dalai Lama. The Chinese Embassy reiterated its position against the Dalai Lama’s visit to the U.S., as well as against CNN’s interview. The Embassy asked the news network to abide by the U.S. government’s acknowledgement of Tibet being part of China. CNN was also asked not to provide a stage for the Dalai Lama. CNN did not cancel the show as the Chinese Embassy had requested, but a Chinese announcement was presented during the show.

Source: China News, February 28, 2010
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2010/02-28/2142660.shtml

Briefings | | March 3, 2010 | US-China Relations

Xinhua: China has enough tools in its toolbox to deal with the United States

Xinhua recently republished an article by a commentator of Phoenix Satellite Television, a pro-government TV station based in Hong Kong. The article suggested that the latest visit to Hong Kong of a U.S. aircraft carrier demonstrated China’s weakness, since the United States hardened its position in the relationship between the two countries. It considered this “proof” of China being a “paper tiger” in the “cyclical game” played by the U.S. The author believes China has enough “tools” in its toolbox to punish the United States when President Obama is taking a tougher position with the recent arms sale to Taiwan and meeting with the Dalai Lama in the White House. The Chinese leadership did not deliver on what it talked about. That seems to be a sign of a lack of “political will.”

Source: Xinhua, February 26, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2010-02/26/content_13051853.htm

Briefings | | March 3, 2010 | US-China Relations

PRC Ministry of Culture: Improve the Cultural Product Content Inspection and the Monitoring Systems

According to Beijing Youth Daily on February 17, 2010, the Department of Cultural Marketing, which is under the PRC Ministry of Culture, recently issued the “Department of Cultural Marketing’s Key Jobs in 2010” to each cultural marketing administrative and law enforcement division. The document lists 9 key jobs for the Department of Cultural Marketing in 2010. The development of “Online Games Regulations” and the drafting of “Mobile Phone Entertainment Regulations” are among these 9 key jobs. In addition, improviing cultural product content inspection and monitoring systems are also included as key jobs.

Source: Beijing Youth Daily, February 17, 2010
http://bjyouth.ynet.com/article.jsp?oid=63386597

Briefings | | March 2, 2010 | Information/Technology

Ming Pao Daily: China & U.S. Need to Cooperate More While the Importance of Tibetan Issue Declines

Ming Pao Daily reported on February 20, 2010, that the high-profile protest made by China against the U.S. President Barack Obama’s meeting with Dalai Lama will not affect Sino-US cooperation.

Radical messages such as resisting U.S. goods and reducing China’s holdings of U.S. Treasuries have appeared on Mainland China’s websites. Some scholars claimed that China would not rule out “bigger moves” in retaliation. However, according to AP, one expert, professor Jin Cairong of Renmin University in Beijing, believes that the Sino-US bilateral ties are more important than the Tibetan issue. With the approaching date of Hu Jintao’s visit to the U.S. this year and the new round of Sino-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue, China and the U.S. need to cooperate more.

Source: Ming Pao Daily, January 20, 2010
http://www.mingpaotor.com/htm/News/20100220/tcab1.htm

Briefings | | March 2, 2010 | US-China Relations

China News Agency: Obama’s Meeting with Dalai Lama Will Not Affect Overall Sina-US Relations

A reporter from China News agency in Washington DC interviewed 3 American Chinese experts regarding U.S. President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s meetings with the Dalai Lama. According to China News Net on February 19, 2010, all of the 3 China experts thought that the meetings would not affect Sina-US relations in general.

Shen Jiyao, a retired professor from the University of Washington DC, pointed out that the fact that Obama kept the meeting closed from the media showed the United States’ intention to reduce the impact of this meeting on the bilateral relations. Xue Haipei, President Obama’s former campaign consultant, said that the meetings will not shake the fundamentals of Sino-US relations. Zhu Zhiqun, a professor of Bucknell University, does not think the meetings will mortally damage Sino-US relations.

Source: China News Net, February 19, 2010
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2010/02-19/2125944.shtml

Briefings | | March 2, 2010 | US-China Relations

Xinhua Commentary Series: Spotlight on the U.S. Presidential Election

Wu Guoguang: Xi Jinping’s Reversal of the Course, Will China’s Transition be Peaceful or Marked with Bloodshed?

Cheng Xiaonong: U.S.-China Strategic Relations Have Crystallized

Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”