Red Flag Manuscript, the bi-weekly publication of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee’s Qiushi Journal, published an article that criticized Constitutional Governance, saying its ideals and key institutional elements “only belong to capitalism and the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie."

Yang Xiaoqing, a law professor at Renmin University of China, authored the article. He compared Constitutional Governance to the Chinese regime’s "Socialistic People’s Democracy." For example, the former is based upon private ownership and a market economy, while the latter is based on an economy of public ownership; the armed forces under Constitutional Governance are neutral and belong to the government, while the military in the "Socialistic People’s Democracy" is under the absolute leadership of the Communist Party. The author believes that "Constitutional Governance, as a comprehensive governance system, is not universally applicable" and that "its key institutional elements and ideals do not fit the socialist countries." The article also disapproved of Constitutional Governance as being deceptive. "The freedom and democracy on the surface cover up its essence, which is the freedom and democracy of the bourgeoisie and the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie." "Constitutional Governance boasts of a separation of powers with checks and balances, but, in reality, it is not a true separation of powers."

The article concluded that China’s "People’s Democracy" must not be called "socialist constitutional governance" because the people’s democracy and constitutional governance are two fundamentally different political systems. In the end, constitutional governance does not fit China’s national conditions.

Many Chinese Internet users criticized the article. One user responded, "It seems the people at high levels have never thought about really implementing the rule of law, democracy, constitutional governance, and human rights." Another said, "The root of China’s problems is the absence of constitutional government. Now someone blatantly claims, on one side, that a constitutional government does not fit China, but, on the other, it cannot really solve the increasingly serious social crisis. Either go for constitutional government, or go for the guillotine." Another one said, "The core of constitutional governance is democracy, the rule of law, and human rights. It is in favor of limiting the government to protect the rights of citizens. If one actually puts a capitalistic label onto democracy and human rights, that amounts to covering up the reality with its own ideology."

Source: BBC Chinese, May 21, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/05/130521_china_capitalism.shtml

According to Mainland media reports, the General Office of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee recently issued a circular called “About the Current Ideological Situation.” The circular pointed out seven areas in which problems exist in the field of ideology. It requested that local governments have meetings about applying the contents of the circular in practice. Reports seem to confirm the truth of existing “rumors” that “Talk about Seven Topics Is Forbidden” in universities and colleges. Teachers cannot discuss the following seven topics with students: universal values, freedom of the press, civil society, citizen’s rights, the Chinese Communist Party’s historical errors, the Bourgeois elite, and judicial independence.

Source: Mingpao, May 14, 2013
http://premium.mingpao.com/cfm/mem_Login1.cfm?SuccessUrl=%2Fcfm%2FContent_News.cfm%3FChannel%3Dca%26Path%3D100853875143%2Fcab1.cfm
http://news.sina.com.hk/news/20130514/-9-2968267/1.html