52 Unacceptable Practices « Wandering China

February 7, 2012 • 12:01 am 0

McCain: “Arab Spring Is Coming To China As Well” [New Tang Dynasty TV/Youtube]

From the American-Chinese funded New Tang Dynasty TV, here’s a close look at U.S. Congress Senator John McCain’s reasserting statement during the 48th Munich Conference on Security Policy that ’the Arab Spring is coming to China as well.’

In a meeting with an atmosphere reported the People’s Daily to be filled with the smell of gunpowder, the South China Morning Posts can also reveal that McCain and Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun had a spar at the major forum. They report that ‘The face-to-face confrontation also highlighted the two nations’ divergent views on human rights, Tibet and China’s territorial disputes in the South China Sea.’

Will China’s high-handed position of stability at all costs compounded by its struggle to contain corruption (think Wukan exemplar) intensify social conflicts and crises to the extent that the CCP will disintegrate?

That said, any suggestion corruption or communism will topple China discounts two facts. First, that new leader Xi Jinping is known for his extremely tough zero-tolerance stance on corruption. Second, that Wen Jiabao has been stressing unwavering reform and rural democracy as a first step toward the democratisation of China.

That aside, it is hard to tell if this move by Republican Senator McCain is short (joining in the Republican election playbook’s China-bashing train that China’s socio-economic conditions are completely different to those of the countries of Arab Spring) or far-sighted.

Is such a move leveraging on the PLA’s lead? The PLA have been forewarning of “increasing infiltration of rotten thoughts” from the West to position military politics at the forefront of China’s critical leadership transition later this year. A more militant China is surely fuel for the us-and-them US military industrial complex?

Filed under: 52 Unacceptable Practices, Beijing Consensus, Chinese Model, Corruption, Culture, Democracy, Government & Policy, Human Rights, Influence, International Relations, Mapping Feelings, Peaceful Development, Politics, Public Diplomacy, Reform, Soft Power, Strategy, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities, U.S., Wukan, Youtube

February 2, 2012 • 12:01 am 0

Wen Says China Should Allow People to Criticize Government [Bloomberg]

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao reaffirms his pledge that the Chinese people should be allowed to criticize their leaders during the State Council meet on Tuesday. His premise seems pretty clear – he believes that the creation of conditions for the people to ‘criticize and supervise the government ‘will aid in eliminating corruption.

Check out the official Chinese report here – China’s Cabinet seeks opinions on annual government work report, Jan 31 2012. Also, see the official statement published in Mandarin here.

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Wen Says China Should Allow People to Criticize Government
John Liu
Source – Bloomberg, published Jan 31, 2012

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said people should be allowed to criticize their leaders, echoing similar pledges he’s made in the past.

China should “create conditions allowing the people to criticize the government,” Wen said, according to a statement issued by China’s cabinet about a meeting today to discuss its annual work report.

Wen and other Chinese leaders have pledged greater transparency and more attention to disputes between citizens and local officials in an effort to reduce social unrest that could erode the Communist Party’s claim to power. Rights activists and U.S. officials have criticized the country for what they say is a worsening rights record.

In comments to the Charlie Rose show earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador Gary Locke said there was a “significant crackdown and repression going on within China.” Human Rights Watch said last year that China is seeing “the largest crackdown on dissent in over a decade.” Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: 52 Unacceptable Practices, Beijing Consensus, Charm Offensive, Chinese Model, Communications, Corruption, Culture, Democracy, Domestic Growth, Government & Policy, Mapping Feelings, Modernisation, Nationalism, New Leadership, Peaceful Development, Politics, Public Diplomacy, Reform, Social, Soft Power, Taiwan, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities, Wukan

January 19, 2012 • 8:29 am 0

China warned on corruption [The Age]

‘Red Princeling (reference to the offspring of party elders or retired generals) General Liu Yuan, sometimes depicted as the hardliner son of Liu Shaoqi (annointed successsor to Mao Zedong) is no stranger to ‘do or die’ scenarios. Will he be the public ‘executor’ of China’s 52 unacceptable practices?

Last year in 2011, he pressed for ‘a major shake-up of Chinese politics, including allowing open debate and ushering in a form of democracy within one-party rule.’

Here he warns of corruption so deep and widespread in the armed forces that it threatens not just the PLA, but the wider Communist Party as well.

Liu Yuan is the current political commissar of the General Logistics department (his previous post was at the Academy of Military Sciences 军事科学研究院 of the PLA 2005-2011) and believed to be politically close to Xi Jinping, China’s upcoming leader (see Liu Yuan: Archetype of a “Xi Jinping Man” in the PLA?).

In some measures, what he says, carries a useful frame of reference indicative of China’s next big moves.

He has reportedly accused Communist Party leaders of “betrayal”, and has been a proponent of more open debate within the party.

Rare: few senior military figures have the wide berth to speak out on publicly on domestic politics.

This number grows, and that itself is noteworthy. See - ‘Princeling’ General Attracts Notice with Criticism of Party (Wall Street Journal, May 23, 2011)

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China warned on corruption
John Garnaut
Source – The Age, published January 19, 2012

: General Liu Yuan is on the attack against corruption in the millitary. Photo – The Age

A RISING star of the People’s Liberation Army has promised a ”do-or-die” fight against powerful corrupt generals, bringing military politics to the fore in the middle of a critical leadership transition.

General Liu Yuan, son of former president Liu Shaoqi, warned corruption had grown so deep and widespread in the armed forces that it threatened the existence of both the PLA and the Communist Party.

”I’d rather risk losing my position than refrain from fighting corruption to the end,” General Liu told officers in his recent Chinese New Year address. ”No matter how high one’s position or how powerful their background, I will see it through,” he said, according to sources familiar with the speech. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: 52 Unacceptable Practices, Beijing Consensus, Charm Offensive, Chinese Model, Corruption, Government & Policy, Peaceful Development, Politics, Reform, Strategy, Tao Guang Yang Hui (韬光养晦), The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities

December 22, 2011 • 12:14 am 0

Tension simmers in blockaded China village after land protest [Reuters]

The social price of land grabs: Villagers in the Southern China city of Wukan protest against local government attempts to ‘secretly’ sell off their farmland to developers.

Issues arising such as China’s land reforms do suggest they need examination at the micro level; in particular, getting honest people to perform reform on local levels . I have witnessed personally my ancestral village literally half-built due to funds embezzeled by local officials.

A picture paints a thousand words: the photo below is a rare glimpse into the Chinese mind seldom perpetuated in western popular culture. Once injustice occurs, they will are not afraid to gather. With a little momentum and critical mass, we’ve seen them revolt and topple dynasties, not unlike Western liberal societies.

A demonstration in the centre of Wukan village, in south China's Guangdong province Photo: Malcolm Moore, Telegraph

For more, see

China must end land grabs amid protests over death in custody (Amnesty International, December 15 2011)

Chinese villagers protest over custody death (Financial Times, December 14, 2011)

Wukan siege: Chinese officials ‘hold village to ransom’ - Chinese officials have ratcheted up pressure on the rebel village of Wukan, as it entered its fourth day of a police siege, by allegedly ransoming four men who were seized from the village last week. (The Telegraph, December 15, 2011)

Empty police station in Wukan, with pic of Xue Jinbo, dead villager, posted on the gate
(also by Malcolm Moore, 14 December 2011)

** Latest update: seeds of democracy + rare signs of government relenting to citizen mobilization?
China village ends protests after government compromise [Telegraph, December 21, 2011)

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Tension simmers in blockaded China village after land protest
James Pomfret
Source – Reuters, published December 14, 2011

(Reuters) – Thousands of residents of a south China village rallied on Wednesday in defiance of police who sealed off the area to contain a long-running feud over land grabs and anger over the death of a village leader in police custody.

The death of Xue Jinbo, 42, fanned tension in the small pocket of export-dependent Guangdong province and came after riot police fired water cannons and tear gas on Sunday to disperse thousands of stone-throwing villagers on the coast of the booming province.

Residents of Wukan village say hundreds of hectares of land have been acquired unfairly by corrupt officials in collusion with developers. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: 52 Unacceptable Practices, Beijing Consensus, Chinese Model, Corruption, Crime, Culture, Democracy, Domestic Growth, Economics, Human Rights, Infrastructure, Mapping Feelings, People, Politics, Public Diplomacy, Reform, Reuters, Social, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities

December 19, 2011 • 12:41 am 0

Online purchase system boosts transparency [China Daily]

Contributing to transparency and social equity: A great leap forward to better days ahead stamping out unacceptable practices?

Reportedly, 3.8 billion yuan ($598 million) has been saved by the Shenzhen metropolis in a bid for local government to become more transparent and efficient.

Singapore’s equivalent geBiz has been doing the same useful job for years and there have been abuses from time to time.

China’s online purchase system seems more stringent, gleaned from the quote below -

“An evaluation normally includes four experts randomly generated from our expert database and the project leader; they carry it out inside one of our evaluation rooms, all monitored… Smaller evaluations take half a day, bigger ones several days.” - Zhao Qifeng, bidding evaluation administrator

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Online purchase system boosts transparency
By Huang Yuli
Source – China Daily, published December 19, 2011

SHENGZHEN, Guangdong – Eight years after this South China metropolis set up an online procurement system, official statistics suggest the city government has become more transparent and efficient.

Since the policy was introduced, the city has saved more than 3.8 billion yuan ($598 million), according to the Shenzhen procurement center’s work report to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China.

As one of seven pilot cities in the country’s procurement innovation project, led by the Office of the Central Leading Group on Financial and Economic Affairs, the city has made all purchases using its online system, said Ye Jianming, director of the procurement center. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: 52 Unacceptable Practices, Beijing Consensus, Charm Offensive, Chinese Model, Corruption, Democracy, Domestic Growth, Economics, Finance, Fraud, Government & Policy, Internet, Mapping Feelings, Media, Politics, Population, Public Diplomacy, Reform, Social, Technology, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities

November 22, 2011 • 10:24 pm 0

Dalai Lama questions wisdom of self-immolations [BBC]

Immolations in protest against Chinese rule to date: 11.

Perhaps the death of spiritual leaders resonate stronger within the populace. China has condemned the ‘immoral and inhuman’ self-immolation campaign and the response by the Dalai Lama, reportedly to be against the effectiveness of such a sacrifice: “Courage alone is no substitute. You must utilise your wisdom.”

For the alleged video - Horrifying video of Tibetan nun in flames on street in latest self-immolation protest against China (Daily Mail, 22 November 2011). For more by the AP wires: Video released by Tibetan rights group allegedly shows Buddhist nun burning herself in protest (Washington Post 22 November 2011)

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Dalai Lama questions wisdom of self-immolations
Source – BBC, published November 18, 2011

: The Dalai Lama speaks exclusively to the BBC about his worries for Tibetan monks and nuns

The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, says he is very worried about the growing number of monks and nuns setting themselves on fire to protest against Chinese rule in Tibet.

He told the BBC he was not encouraging such actions – saying there was no doubt they required courage, but questioning how effective they were.

There have been 11 cases of self-immolation so far this year. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: 52 Unacceptable Practices, Beijing Consensus, Censorship, Charm Offensive, Chinese Model, Culture, Domestic Growth, Economics, Greater China, Han, Influence, International Relations, Media, Migrant Workers, Migration (Internal), Nationalism, Politics, Public Diplomacy, Reform, Social, Territorial Disputes, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities, Tibet

November 8, 2011 • 12:11 am 0

Chinese teens sell sex for extra pocket money [AsiaOne]

Few parents would want to hear this: “I don’t want to be a normal worker like my parents, living a hard life to earn money… To me, it’s not even realistic or worthwhile to study hard, go to university and have a decent job.”

Is China’s domestic socio-economic reality of having such a wide income divide really hitting home, has consumerism become the guiding force for self-determinism in youth, or is the lack of sex education the key?

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Chinese teens sell sex for extra pocket money
Source – AsiaOne, published November 7, 2011

: Photo: AsiaOne

Police have taken in 20 teenage girls in Shanghai, China, who have been offering sex to earn pocket money.

Among those arrested are mostly students under 18 years old and two under 14.

Three of the suspects are believed to be the masterminds behind the “teenage prostitution ring” and face charges of offering sex services and inducing classmates and friends to enter the business, reported Shanghai Daily. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: 52 Unacceptable Practices, AsiaOne, Crime, Domestic Growth, Mapping Feelings, People, Population, Social, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities

November 2, 2011 • 12:01 am 0

Plan to teach a million kids filial piety [China Daily]

Can filial piety be taught? Is there a correlation between education and filial piety?

At the very least, China Daily acknowledges the heated public debate over the matter.

This is a another lesson on the Chinese mind. This time, it seems a pre-emptive rehash and solidification of its core collectivist nature/nurture as it increasingly interfaces with the global marketplace and its socio-economic pros and cons.

The China National Association for Ethical Studies announced Sunday its five-year plan to ‘help 1 million children between the ages of 4 and 6 learn about filial piety, which is deeply rooted in China’s traditional culture.’ The five-year plan will feature 30 to 60 selected pre-school pupils from each county receiving etiquette and morality lessons for 100 days. If they pass, they move to to receive an added three years of study to be deemed ’dutiful Chinese children’.

In conjunction with the Chinese Festival for Filial Obedience, a seven-day tour was launched in October at Renmin University to promote the Chinese traditional spirit of filial obedience by the China National Association For Ethical Studies and a district government of Ningbo, Zhejiang province. During the tour, ‘filial obedience models’ are invited to tell their own stories to university students.

Described as simply another new morality drive, the plans has been met with scepticism by HK’s SCMP - (Morality campaign aims to create ‘dutiful children’ – South China Morning Post, November 1, 2011).

Morality drives are not unusual in China. Past morality drives include:

- Vice and perceived immorality drive in 2010 TV matchmaking show runs afoul of China’s morality campaign (China Daily, July 6, 2010)

- Eight Honours and Eight Shames 八荣八耻 in 2006, developed by Hu Jintao to inculcate a ‘socialist core value system’ to provide the moral and ideological foundations for social harmony. Its purpose? To clearly define the boundaries of right and wrong for the Chinese, especially party cadres.

– Love the country; do it no harm – Serve the people; never betray them – - Follow science; discard superstition – Be diligent; not indolent – Be united, help each other; make no gains at other’s expense – Be honest and trustworthy; do not sacrifice ethics for profit – Be disciplined and law-abiding; not chaotic and lawless – Live plainly, work hard; do not wallow in luxuries and pleasures. (Image here)

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Plan to teach a million kids filial piety
By He Dan
Source – China Daily, published November 1, 2011

: A child helps her mother put on makeup during a thanksgiving event held in a kindergarten in Jiyuan city in Henan province on May 6. A plan to cultivate 1 million filial children in China during the next fi ve years has given rise to heated public debate. MIAO QIUNAO / FOR CHINA DAILY

BEIJING – A plan to cultivate 1 million filial children in the next five years has sparked a fierce debate over whether children can be taught to feel grateful to their parents.

The special committee of filial piety under the China National Association for Ethical Studies announced on Sunday that it aims to help 1 million children between the ages of 4 and 6 learn about filial piety, which is deeply rooted in China’s traditional culture.

“Our program will cultivate 1 million filial children and they will set a moral example for all the children in our country,” said Wang Haibin, head of the committee.

The 100-day training program will teach the children filial piety through stories and games. Volunteers will check on the children’s performance in three years to ensure that “filial piety can be a way of life”, said Sun Chunchen, secretary-general of the association for ethical studies. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: 52 Unacceptable Practices, Beijing Consensus, Charm Offensive, China Daily, Chinese Model, Culture, Domestic Growth, Education, Lifestyle, Mapping Feelings, People, Politics, Public Diplomacy, Reform, Social, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities

November 1, 2011 • 6:26 am 0

China orders artist Ai Weiwei to pay $2.4 mln for “tax evasion” [Reuters]

‘Tax evasion’: argued here to mean updated muzzler to handle internal dissent.

The dissident artist with a wide international appeal has often crossed the line of what the ruling party can tolerate when it comes to direct criticism. Ai Weiwei comes to the fore again after being released in June; reminding the world about the 15 million yuan fine slapped on him as he is set a 15 day deadline.

Apparently being told by authorities not to speak to foreign media, post messages on Twitter or leave Beijing for a year after his release, he’s already done two out of three on a regular basis.

“It appears that the government is set to destroy him, if not economically then at least by setting up the stage to later arrest him for failing to pay back taxes,” Songlian Wang, research coordinator for Chinese Human Rights Defenders.

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China orders artist Ai Weiwei to pay $2.4 mln for “tax evasion”
By Sui-Lee Wee | BEIJING
Source – Reuters, published November 1 2011

(Reuters) - China has ordered dissident artist Ai Weiwei to pay 15 million yuan (1.4 million pounds) in back taxes and fines allegedly due from the company he works for, Ai said on Tuesday, a case supporters said was part of Beijing’s efforts to muzzle government critics.

The 54-year-old artist, famous for his work on the “Bird’s Nest” Olympic Stadium in Beijing, was detained without charge for two months this year in a move that drew criticism from Western governments. He was released in late June.

Ai told Reuters he received the notice from the tax authorities that described his title as the “actual controller” for Beijing Fake Cultural Development Ltd., which has helped produce Ai’s internationally renowned art and designs. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: 52 Unacceptable Practices, Ai Weiwei, Beijing Consensus, Charm Offensive, Chinese Model, Communications, Culture, Democracy, Domestic Growth, Human Rights, Influence, Media, People, Politics, Population, Reform, Reuters, Social, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities

November 1, 2011 • 12:02 am 0

Foggy weather needs clear understanding [Global Times]

Breakthrough: Another case for a rethink of the allusion of tight-fisted media control? This commentary comes from the English (International) version of the Global Times, tabloid of the official Chinese Communist Party newspaper People’s Daily.

‘No one can neglect air pollution, but the condition in China is not mature enough to make eliminating air pollution its top goal in social development… It will probably be a main theme of China’s modernization at a higher level.’

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Foggy weather needs clear understanding
Source – Global Times, published October 31, 2011

Nine provinces and cities in northern China, along with Beijing and Tianjin, experienced heavy fog Sunday, and discussions over air pollution were ignited. The air pollution measurement taken by the US Embassy in Beijing was circulated online and became proof of the severity of air pollution in China’s capital.

It is necessary for the media to report the facts accurately and the government should be cooperative in avoiding confusing information and public overreaction.

First, it is a fact that air pollution in most areas with a dense population in China is severe. Solving air pollution is an important part in eliminating environmental pollution. Solving the problem requires time and breakthroughs won’t emerge soon. The public should know and accept this fact. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: 52 Unacceptable Practices, Beijing Consensus, Charm Offensive, Chinese Model, Communications, Culture, Domestic Growth, Economics, Environment, global times, Infrastructure, Media, Modernisation, National Medium- and Long- term Talent Development Plan, New Leadership, People, Politics, Pollution, Public Diplomacy, Quotable quotes, Reform, Resources, Social, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities

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McCain: “Arab Spring Is Coming To China As Well” [New Tang Dynasty TV/Youtube]

China warned on corruption [The Age]

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