An Overview of What’s Happening in China.
What Topics at the Two Annual Conferences Concern the Chinese People the Most?
Just before the “Two Conferences” (the Chinese National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference), Xinhua News Agency and Economic Information Daily conducted a joint survey on the most concerned issues among Chinese people. The poll started on February 7, 2005; and ended on March 5, 2005. 218,754 people cast their votes. Each participant could select 8 to 10 items from the questions listed below. The vast majority of people (75%) would like the government to save the stock market, as China has had a prolonged bear market since 2001.
On the Iraq Election
[Editor’s Note: On January 30, the curtain of “the first free election in last 50 years” in Iraq fell. Four hours after the polls closed, the U.S. President Bush said excitedly that the election was a success. The following are two commentaries by Xinhua, China state news agency on the election.]
On North Korea’s Nuclear Program
[Editor’s Note: The following are two reports from Xinhua, China’s state news agency, commenting on U.S. and Japan on dealing with North Korea’s nuclear program.]
Practicing Law in China: Chinese Lawyer Punished for Defending Human Rights
Practicing law, a profession that was eliminated after the Communists took power, was reinstated in the 1980s and has now become a hot career in China. According to the All China Lawyers Association, which was founded in 1986, there are 110,000 lawyers practicing in China today. However, when Chinese lawyers defend their clients’ human rights in accordance with Chinese law, they often find themselves at odds with the communist government.
Hong Kong Democrat’s Trip to the Mainland Ends in Detention
When Alex Ho made a business trip to Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China last August, he did not expect to stay in Dongguan for 168 days. Ranked number three as the Democratic Party candidate running for the Hong Kong Legislative Council (LegCo) election, Mr. Ho was considered to be a key force in his party’s victory in the upcoming election less than one month away. However, in China, Mr. Ho was charged with soliciting a prostitute and was sentenced, without trial, to six months in detention.
Secret Document (distribution within Changchun Municipality): Work Plan to Ensure Security on Appeal
[Editor’s note: The annual “Two Conferences” (the National People’ s Congress and People’s Political Consultative Conference) were held in March in Beijing for the representatives to report their local residents’ concerns to the central government and to discuss national policies. The “Two Conferences” provide an opportunity for those with issues unresolved at local government levels to voice out to the higher authorities. In recent years, conflicts between people and local governments have been on the rise and so are the numbers of people who go to Beijing to appeal. In order to ensure a “peaceful environment” and a good international image, government at each level tries to minimize the appeals during this sensitive period of time. Below is a secret document from the Changchun municipal government detailing the strategies on how to prevent local petitioners from going to the Appeal Reception Offices in Beijing during the “Two Conferences.”]
The Fourth Force: Change in China Has a New Face
With the passage on March 14 of a new “Anti-Secession” law by its rubber-stamp National People’s Congress, China moved one step further in its designs to attack Taiwan. The legislation vows to use “non-peaceful means” to prevent independence by Taiwan. China’s State Council and Central Military Commission now may declare war on Taiwan, the first democratic Chinese state.
The maneuver should confirm doubts in the free world as to communist China’s self-professed “non-threatening rise.” As the Taiwanese and others around the world angrily protest the new law, we do well to remember that the problem is not so much one of China or its people per se. Rather, the problem lies in Beijing’s communist dictatorship itself. The lasting peace and stability we so earnestly wish to see in East Asia is only possible when this, the deeper problem of the CCP, is uprooted.