【经济学人】The People's Republic at 60--A harmonious and stable crackdown【评论待译】

xitaowu

【09.09.10 经济学人】The People's Republic at 60--A harmonious and stable crackdown

原文：http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14384368

我看外媒中没有关于中国国庆的报道文章，特找来一篇，没空翻译。不过这篇文章感觉好酸噢，但酸过度，文章到处都是没有什么证据支持的“谬论”词句，给人的感觉就是“专政”下，为了展示这个展现帝王强盛的60周年，一切都在压制。

The People's Republic at 60
A harmonious and stable crackdownSep 3rd 2009
From The Economist print edition
China celebrates a milestone with a new round of repression
IN THE West many people retire at 60. China’s Communist Party is still going strong. And strong is the word. Amid the global financial crisis, asserted one leading newspaper, a huge military parade due to take place in Beijing on October 1st to mark the 60th anniversary of the communist nation’s founding will be an “effective way of deterring hostile forces at home and abroad”. The event will certainly show that China is unafraid either to spend money or to risk spoiling celebrations with a massive clampdown.

Police in the capital, helped by hundreds of thousands of volunteers, are being mobilised in a security operation as stifling as that mounted for last year’s Olympic Games. Officials are under orders to stop people travelling to Beijing to complain about local injustices. Riot police have been put on heightened alert in restive Tibet and Xinjiang (though fresh protests involving hundreds of Han Chinese broke out in Xinjiang’s capital Urumqi as The Economist went to press).

The first rehearsal for the event passed off without reported incident. It involved some 200,000 people, all of whom, even the providers of mobile lavatories for the event, had been vetted to make sure they are loyal party members.

This will be Hu Jintao’s first national day military parade as president. The event takes place only once every ten years (and the 1989 one was cancelled because of the Tiananmen Square retributions). There will be the usual display of military might, with everything from intercontinental ballistic missiles to tanks and fighter jets. With the help of annual double-digit budget increases for most of the past two decades, China has a lot of new kit to show off.

The festivities will culminate in an evening performance and fireworks display where, says the government’s website, Chinese leaders will “sing and dance with Beijing residents”. But just in case some killjoys fail to catch the joyous mood, on August 27th, the government ordered local administrations to “create a harmonious and stable price environment” for the national day by stepping up monitoring of prices of food, liquid gas, tickets to tourist spots, transport and other things.

The government has tried to reassure citizens that recent increases in the prices of pork and eggs—sometimes precursors to general inflation—are just normal seasonal fluctuations. There had been speculation that it would put off increasing petrol and diesel prices until after the holiday but on September 2nd pressed ahead with them anyway, though it imposed smaller rises (about 4-5%) than some analysts had predicted. The Shanghai Daily said this “moderation” was an effort to spare consumers “too much pain in the pocketbook” as the holiday approaches.

Citizens might lift their spirits with a list of 50 officially approved slogans issued to mark national day (soldiers have been ordered to post them up and shout them in their camps). “Uphold the basic economic system with public ownership playing a dominant role and diverse forms of economic ownership developing together, and with the practice of distribution according to work being carried out as the mainstay alongside other forms of distribution,” goes a particularly snappy one.

渔音谦谦

这种酸文就更要翻出来给TX们看看西媒可恶的嘴脸了。。。

trsita

领了，领了，先翻译这篇

青衣紫萝

The People's Republic at 60
A harmonious and stable crackdownSep 3rd 2009
From The Economist print edition
China celebrates a milestone with a new round of repression
原文地址：http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14384368

IN THE West many people retire at 60. China’s Communist Party is still going strong. And strong is the word. Amid the global financial crisis, asserted one leading newspaper, a huge military parade due to take place in Beijing on October 1st to mark the 60th anniversary of the communist nation’s founding will be an “effective way of deterring hostile forces at home and abroad”. The event will certainly show that China is unafraid either to spend money or to risk spoiling celebrations with a massive clampdown.
Police in the capital, helped by hundreds of thousands of volunteers, are being mobilised in a security operation as stifling as that mounted for last year’s Olympic Games. Officials are under orders to stop people travelling to Beijing to complain about local injustices. Riot police have been put on heightened alert in restive Tibet and Xinjiang (though fresh protests involving hundreds of Han Chinese broke out in Xinjiang’s capital Urumqi as The Economist went to press).
The first rehearsal for the event passed off without reported incident. It involved some 200,000 people, all of whom, even the providers of mobile lavatories for the event, had been vetted to make sure they are loyal party members.
This will be Hu Jintao’s first national day military parade as president. The event takes place only once every ten years (and the 1989 one was cancelled because of the Tiananmen Square retributions). There will be the usual display of military might, with everything from intercontinental ballistic missiles to tanks and fighter jets. With the help of annual double-digit budget increases for most of the past two decades, China has a lot of new kit to show off.
The festivities will culminate in an evening performance and fireworks display where, says the government’s website, Chinese leaders will “sing and dance with Beijing residents”. But just in case some killjoys fail to catch the joyous mood, on August 27th, the government ordered local administrations to “create a harmonious and stable price environment” for the national day by stepping up monitoring of prices of food, liquid gas, tickets to tourist spots, transport and other things.
The government has tried to reassure citizens that recent increases in the prices of pork and eggs—sometimes precursors to general inflation—are just normal seasonal fluctuations. There had been speculation that it would put off increasing petrol and diesel prices until after the holiday but on September 2nd pressed ahead with them anyway, though it imposed smaller rises (about 4-5%) than some analysts had predicted. The Shanghai Daily said this “moderation” was an effort to spare consumers “too much pain in the pocketbook” as the holiday approaches.
Citizens might lift their spirits with a list of 50 officially approved slogans issued to mark national day (soldiers have been ordered to post them up and shout them in their camps). “Uphold the basic economic system with public ownership playing a dominant role and diverse forms of economic ownership developing together, and with the practice of distribution according to work being carried out as the mainstay alongside other forms of distribution,” goes a particularly snappy one.

j小蜜蜂

本文的评论共有96条，大家分工认领吧~辛苦哦~~~
回复请说明自己要翻译的是哪几条评论，免得重复了。
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【1】lylalyla wrote:
September 18, 2009 13:38

as far as i can see, the PRC is a peace-loving country. and has always been doing better and better,, other country also do this,, doesn't it?
dont be so serious about everthing that is happening in china.. that makes no sense..
if you wont accept it, jotust come to china to see by yourself, people are just happy ...


【2】austinohyoung wrote:
September 15, 2009 8:02

purely jealous


【3】zwyx wrote:
September 14, 2009 17:09

Lecra,
For me, I cannot say that there has never been any bias against China in stories reported by western journalists (I didn't read all of them anyway...). That's probably because the CCP has a bad reputation abroad. But why do you make such a big fuss with that? The fact is that those medias are completely free to report what they want in the way that they want. Look in the US : FOX news is strongly biased on the right and will report stories using that perspective. They have been denouncing Barack Obama all along since the election in 2008. On the other hand, PBS is somewhat biased on the left. What's the problem with that? You just have to look at both TV channels to get the whole picture.
Considering the Lhasa riots, you may think that the BBC coverage was biased. If so, then just read the coverage written by The Economist's journalist. Why do feel personally insulted when there is some bias? On FOX news, they sometimes picture Canada as a country almost populated with communists. They also depict our health case system as one where the dying must go to the US to get a proper treatment. That's ridiculous but I find it funny rather than annoying.
By the way, here is an example of what I told you in my previous post :
http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14442...
In that article, you cannot accuse The Economist of having a bias against China.


【4】lecra wrote:
September 14, 2009 14:19

zwyx
My last post on the following topics.
Torch relay protests - If the protests were free of "unusual" incident (for example, like in Paris where there was an attempt by a protester to snatch the torch from a torch-bearer in a wheelchair, and in London where a protester tried to put out the torch flame with a fire extinguisher), I would consider alloting more than 1/3 of the time to the protest as unreasonable.
Aborigine protests - I didn't see them on either CNN or BBC. They did show the protests at Taipei railway station. If you say the visit by mainland official has political implications, what about the Dalai Lama? The Dalai Lama was invited there by politicians. And I see the Dalai Lama himself as 90% politician and 10% religious leader - whenever he opened his mouth (at least on TV), it's always "Tibet autonomy", "democracy", "freedom"............
Lhasa riots - I said "many" western media, not all of them. And of course, there are western journalists who report the truth about China but from my observations, they are the exceptions rather than the rules. Most would report that the glass is half empty rather than it's half full.


【5】ford.fj wrote:
September 14, 2009 14:06

I do not understand why so many Chinese are pround of Leuxry 60years the celebration. No one fighting for their social welfare which is still so poor, breath the polluted air,etc.


【6】zwyx wrote:
September 13, 2009 22:37

Lecra,
"I was saying that they should not have alloted 95% of their time to the protests, especially in cities where there were only a few protesters."
Did they really allowed 95% of the coverage to the protests? Well, it's hard to say for me. All this makes me a bit confused ... Can you please tell me, in your opinion, what would have been an appropriate coverage of the torch relay? Should they have mentioned the protests at all?
"Dalai Lama's visit to Taiwan - Why have CNN and BBC suddenly become disinterested in covering protests, especially by the aborigines in typhoon-hit Hsiao Lin village? When a senior mainland official visited Taiwan some time ago, these two TV channels not only didn't miss one second of the protest scenes, but repeating them over and over again."
Concerning the arborigines protests, at least we can say that they mentioned it and the information was available. Was it so important to follow up on that story? I don't think so. Concerning the visits of the mainland officials, they probably insisted more because of the political implications.
"Many western media showed their true colours when they covered the Lhasa riots last year."
Then, what do yo think about the coverage made by The Economist? The journalist was on the ground during the riots.
http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10875823


【7】lecra wrote:
September 13, 2009 15:39

zwyx
Beijing Olympics torch relay - I was not complaining against western media covering the pro-Tibetan protests. I was saying that they should not have alloted 95% of their time to the protests, especially in cities where there were only a few protesters.
Dalai Lama's visit to Taiwan - Why have CNN and BBC suddenly become disinterested in covering protests, especially by the aborigines in typhoon-hit Hsiao Lin village? When a senior mainland official visited Taiwan some time ago, these two TV channels not only didn't miss one second of the protest scenes, but repeating them over and over again.
Beijing's pollution levels - I was not talking about the journalist's methodology. To begin with, it was wrong to take one reading at one location in a day. He displayed total lack of professionalism and ethics. I didn't draw conclusion from one example. Many western media showed their true colours when they covered the Lhasa riots last year.


【8】bluemerlin wrote:
September 12, 2009 23:50

Celebrating 60 yrs...when many always boast about her 5,000 yrs of history...
My take is, China is a very young country. This will explain feeling (aggressively) proud in her recent achievements whilst at the same time feeling insecure and wanting the approval of the West (wherever that is...).
We can even break the 60yrs into the 1st half and 2nd half, and really, you have a country that is 30yrs old!
Who said the USA is a young country with no history??


【9】freezing.point wrote:
September 12, 2009 18:44

Interesting title. It is apparently repression when no one feels any different except for happiness at the country surviving 60 years! Of course when people are being killed by Islamic terrorists, that is not repression, but rather peaceful demonstrations. I wonder if islamic terrorists went on a rampage in Los Angelos, would the LAPD stand by and say "oh that's just peaceful demonstrations?"
The United States has always had a double standard. 9-11 itself, if not faked, was surely a product of US policies in the Middle East. However, unlike China, the United States uses terrorist attacks as an excuse to attack sovereign nations, repress domestic dissent with the Patriot Act and create concentration camps overseas outside juristiction of U.S. civilian courts.
Happy Birthday, homeland. I'll be around for your next 60.


【10】zwyx wrote:
September 12, 2009 18:15

Lecra,
"What about the western media's coverage of the torch relay in other cities? For example, in Bangkok and Buenos Aires, there were at most only around 100-200 protesters. In Kuala Lumpur, there were less than 10. Why only focus on the protests even in these cities?"
I would say that perhaps it is because the torch relay passed in those cities after passing through London and Paris where some spectacular protests occured and thus, the media's attention became focused on the protests. That was indeed probably the intent of those protesters. Therefore, an important issue for the medias was to know if those protests would continue or stop in other cities. Consequently, they mentioned the protests in Thailand and other subsequent countries but underlining that the protests were much smaller.
"The Olympic torch relay appeared to go smoothly in the Thai capital Saturday amid heavy security and scattered protests along the route.
Organizers of the Bangkok leg of the relay said they did not have to divert the torch from its planned route, and they credited cooperation from demonstrators with keeping the event peaceful.
Groups of pro-Tibetan demonstrators holding banners and posters reading "Free Tibet" stayed behind police barricades along the route. Pro-Chinese demonstrators were also present, and toward the end of the route, they outnumbered the pro-Tibet demonstrators by about two to one."
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/19/thailand.torch/
"In Hsiao Lin village, the 50 or so protesters were mostly Taiwan aborigines, who were most affected by the typhoon. The Dalai Lama's visit was supposed to comfort the typhoon victims, but the protesters didn't want him there. Wasn't that newsworthy? But it was neither in CNN nor BBC."
I still think that a manifestation of 50 persons is marginal but it might have indeed be mentioned, especially in that interesting case involving arborigines. But what about the article that I provided to you in previous posting? It do mention it. It is an article from TIME in collaboration with CNN ... That information is available by simply googling for 1 minute.
I don't know in details about your story concerning the pollution level readings in Beijing but I thrust you on that. I think he should have provided the average (163 micrograms/cubic metre, still above the target of 150 micrograms/cubic metre). In that case, he did a poor job as a journalist by providing biased information. But can you draw conclusions on all the western medias with only that example?
About The Economist, I think that they are quite rigorous and they don't treat China unfairly. As an example, they published many articles siding with China in regard to trade disputes with the US. A search on their website will convince you about that. However, I think that are strongly (and rightly) in favor of democracy and you can expect them to publish many articles critical of the CCP.

j小蜜蜂

【11】lecra wrote:
September 12, 2009 15:38

"zwyx"
What about the western media's coverage of the torch relay in other cities? For example, in Bangkok and Buenos Aires, there were at most only around 100-200 protesters. In Kuala Lumpur, there were less than 10. Why only focus on the protests even in these cities?
In Hsiao Lin village, the 50 or so protesters were mostly Taiwan aborigines, who were most affected by the typhoon. The Dalai Lama's visit was supposed to comfort the typhoon victims, but the protesters didn't want him there. Wasn't that newsworthy? But it was neither in CNN nor BBC.
There wasn't much people could say about Beijing Olympics in terms of venues and organisation because they were superb. So they picked human rights, Beijing air quality, Tibet and Darfur. If they picked an issue, they should be honest and not resort to lies or "selective truth". Telling "selective truth" is as good as lying.
A classic example of telling "selective truth" was the way a BBC Beijing correspondent reported Beijing's pollution levels. About a month before the Olympics, he used a hand-held machine to measure Beijing's airborne particles known as PM10. WHO's air quality guideline for PM10 is a maximum of 50 micrograms/cubic metre. An interim PM10 target for more polluted cities is a maximum of 150 micrograms/cubic metre. In an article titled "Testing pollution levels" dated July 8, 2008 in his blog, he reported the readings as follows:
01/07/08: 121 micrograms/cubic metre
02/07/08: 172
03/07/08: 122
04/07/08: 351
05/07/08: 112
06/07/08: 27
07/07/08: 242
But in the BBC TV news on July 8, 2008, he reported that Beijing's PM10 reading was 351 micrograms/cubic metre, with the hand-held machine in his hand showing the digital reading "351". He took the tests for seven days but he only reported the highest reading!
Maybe that helps explain how some western media decide on newsworthiness.


【12】zwyx wrote:
September 11, 2009 16:36

Lecra,
Mmmm... this reasoning using ratios is a shrewd way of turning the argument to your advantage but unfortunately, I am not convinced.
Protests of 50 persons are marginal ones. Perhaps indeed that they could have been mentioned in The Economist's article. However, I don't think that it is fair to accused them of being outrageously biased because of that omission.
During the torch relay :
"In a fresh bid by protesters to use the Beijing Summer Olympics as an opportunity to highlight China's human rights record, thousands of demonstrators crowded into the streets of central London on Sunday and turned the Olympic torch relay into a series of angry scuffles and melees. The police said that at least 30 people had been arrested ....
What had been billed by the organizers as an occasion to celebrate Olympic sporting ideals turned instead into a daylong contest between China's supporters - many of them Chinese students and people of Chinese origin living in Britain - and groups and individuals who gathered to protest China's recent crackdown in Tibet and its wider human rights record, including its constellation of labor camps. To get the torch safely to its destination, more than 2,000 police officers were deployed along the route."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/world/europe/06iht-torch.4.11708672.html
That's only in London. I hope you will agree with me that those protests were quite spectacular and accordingly, they received a broad coverage. That's quite different from 50 or so protesters in Taiwan.


【13】lecra wrote:
September 11, 2009 14:16

"zwyx"
CNN reported that when the Dalai Lama arrived at Taipei airport, he was welcome by around 50 people. When he was at the Taipei railway station on his way to the south of the island, he was met with around 50 protesters. The ratio of people who turned up to welcome him and protest against him was 1:1.
When the Dalai Lama went to Hsiao Lin village, he was met with another group of aborigine protesters. Religious leaders in Taiwan also expressed misgivings about the Dalai's visit. Many western media including the Economist didn't say a word about such things. Perhaps they wanted to give their viewers/readers the impression that the Dalai Lama visit was welcome by all and sundry in Taiwan.
Beijing Olympics torch relay attracted hundreds of thousands peaceful spectators even in Paris, London, San Francisco, and Canberra. The ratio of peaceful spectators to protesters could be 100:1 or higher. The protesters didn't deserve to receive 95% of the TV coverage as if there was nothing else but protests.
In Buenos Aires, the ratio could be 20,000:1, and in Bangkok/Kuala Lumpur, 50,000:1. But still western media coverage of the torch relay was still almost exclusively focused on the few protesters.


【14】zwyx wrote:
September 10, 2009 17:02

Lecra,
You said : "Just compare how some western media reported the recent visit to Taiwan by the Dalai Lama with their reports on the Beijing Olympics torch relay last year. In the case of the Dalai Lama's visit to Taiwan, ptotests by Taiwanese against his visit were only briefly covered or not reported at all. The Economist's article in this week's print edition "The Dalai Lama in Taiwan - Splittists' reunion" makes no mention of any protests."
Don't forget that these protests in Taiwan against the visit of the DL were quite small.
"The Tibetan leader got a taste of the island's raucous democracy immediately after he arrived. Holding up banners and the Chinese flag, dozens of pro-unification protestors shouted lines like "Roll back home!" and tried to prevent him from boarding the high-speed railway to the south. The next morning, across from his hotel, aborigine protestors held banners saying he was just doing "lip service," unlike other religious volunteers who were helping them rebuild their homes. When reporters asked him what he thought of the protests, the Dalai Lama cheerfully responded, "Wonderful. These people enjoy freedom of expression and thought. I love that." "
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1919786,00.html
Dozens of protestors... hence the limited attention that they received in the medias.
In comparison, the protests on the Beijing Olympics torch relay were larger and the appropriately received a bigger coverage.


【15】emrosnec wrote:
September 10, 2009 14:50

APHK
You did mention something about viable alternative to one party rule. maybe you mean multi-party rule without democratic election?
RULE OF LAW, you can say it a million times as if you are the only one who knows what rule of law is. Curing the faulty system in the mainland is much more complicated than setting up ICAC in HK and sending almost all the cops and officials to jail.
And I believe the CCP leaders are saying "LETS CREATE a harmonious and stable society", this message should be repeated a million times if necessary so that everyone knows what to work towards.


【16】APHK wrote:
September 10, 2009 6:03

emrosnec wrote: "And the only solution you have is to get rid of CCP."
I never said that. In fact, I have stated before that I do not see democracy as a panacea.
One solution I do have is something as simple as RULE OF LAW.


【17】APHK wrote:
September 10, 2009 5:55

brvkwvd wrote "The problem is you’re being too sensitive. Same goes for the government of China, too sensitive to criticism, constructive or otherwise."
What has China to be proud of? Her glorious pre-17th century history and the last 5 years. Anything in between is best forgotten. The Chinese people have a collective chip on their shoulder that it is beyond them to hear criticism from abroad or at home.
The CCP knows very well that once an unhappy populace reaches a critical mass, all it needs is a catalyst in the form of some brave person and there would be revolution.
That's why there can be no dissent.
To address the problem the leadership has several levers. The first and most important is to tinker with the system to make sure that people do not become unhappy. However, given the many constraints with sustaining the CCP in power, there are only so much that can be done.
The other lever is to keep telling the people how happy they should be since everyone was so poor 60 years ago. That's why we keep hearing about the "harmonious and stable society" chant.
A finally, if one and two above does not work, there is always the PLA/paramilitary to keep things quiet.


【18】APHK wrote:
September 10, 2009 5:42

Dekoff wrote : "Without China, you will likely be mopping the floor in your virtuous country".
Obviously you seem to have forgotten that without the foreign investment over the past 3 decades you would still be queuing up for some pork with your state issued coupon.


【19】APHK wrote:
September 10, 2009 5:39

emrosnec wrote: "repeating it a thousand times like a parrot will not solve these problems".
Just like repeating "China is a harmonious and stable society" a thousand times will not make it so?


【20】David.Y wrote:
September 10, 2009 4:37

If china is so unkind as some guys talking about here ,just have a consederation of things that the US and Russion have done ,it's great of chinese people keep peace though they have so many opress made by western countries.
And what is essence of democracy ? just for love of people .See what the so-called west-democracy bring to our world ? War, unrest ,terrorist... My land ,guys druming for so-called freedom,please open your eyes wildly and tell me what those things bring to our world?
We just need peace and rest,in the leat price.
I dout the intention of those people who puff they own sense on chinese people !

j小蜜蜂

【21】lecra wrote:
September 10, 2009 4:15

"brvkwvd"
I agree that the Chinese people and government should take criticisms without being too sensitive. But they should demolish lies and disinformation forcefully or otherwise lies would be accepted as truths.


【22】lecra wrote:
September 10, 2009 3:59

"APHK" September 10, 2009 2:50
"....overseas riots are reported (by CCTV) while local riots are given scant coverage....."
That may be so in the past.
The Lhasa riots last year and Xinjiang riots recently were reported instantly and prominently by Chinese media including CCTV. One of the reasons for that could be to prevent misinformation, disinformation, and spinning by the western media. But in the case of the riots in Lhasa, many western media did just that, to the extent that many Chinese (both mainland and overseas) don't take them seriously any more when viewing/reading their news on China. But I still watch CNN, BBC, CNBC and Bloomberg almost everyday.
Just compare how some western media reported the recent visit to Taiwan by the Dalai Lama with their reports on the Beijing Olympics torch relay last year. In the case of the Dalai Lama's visit to Taiwan, ptotests by Taiwanese against his visit were only briefly covered or not reported at all. The Economist's article in this week's print edition "The Dalai Lama in Taiwan - Splittists' reunion" makes no mention of any protests. In reporting the Beijing Olympics torch relay, up to 95% of the time and contents of western media were on the protesters. In some cities like Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur where there were only a few protesters, the focus was still on the protests.


【23】brvkwvd wrote:
September 10, 2009 3:57

@Dekoff
The problem is you’re being too sensitive. Same goes for the government of China, too sensitive to criticism, constructive or otherwise. To be able to take a step back and say “I see your point”, or explain “this is why we do it this way”, or turn to your fellow countrymen and get their opinion, or even too laugh at yourself, is better than getting so wound up about it. If you get angry it shows insecurity.
I’m African, lived in China for 8 marvellous years, have many Chinese friends that I’ll have for life and have a lot of time for the Chinese people – but I do think that everything would be a bit more “harmonious” if the powers that be showed real confidence in their ability to cop some criticism, and use it, instead of sending the Chinese that dare to question off to re-education camps. Far from being insecure the country would definitely be one step closer to harmony
A display of confidence in the people of China by the Chinese government would be far more powerful than a show of weapons - frankly in this day and age China would never attack any other State anyway.


【24】emrosnec wrote:
September 10, 2009 3:43

@APHK
We Chinese know about all the social injustices you mentioned, and I can tell you many more you probably never heard of from foreign media. These problems take time and wisdom to solve, repeating it a thousand times like a parrot will not solve these problems. You are the kind of people we Chinese refer to as "Three Eight".


【25】the Cather in the Rye wrote:
September 10, 2009 3:29

Western media, as always, donot dare adimit the truth that China, even as a state with authoritarian regime combined with communist ideology, is indeed very POWERFUL. More importantly, Western society has been bothered with the undeniable fact that China is getting stronger and she has become one of the dominent powers in the world. President Obasa said during the US-China strategic taking that "the relationship between China and the United States will shape the 2st centry". There is no doubt about it should China continues to grow up, in terms of her political stability, economic prosperity, and military strength.


【26】democracysucks wrote:
September 10, 2009 3:28

@APHK
My heart also goes with those compatriots who were badly treated by a few corrupted officials.
But how many reports about them are made by Economist?
Economist and many other European media only love to praise Tibetan splitters, Uighur terrorists, and Falungong mental patients.
In contrast, New York Times deserves our respect. It cares more about the general Chinese. And it provides more balanced reports.


【27】emrosnec wrote:
September 10, 2009 3:23

@APHK
You watch CCTV! But most Chinese don't. The regional TVs and papers are much more critical of the government and more accurate in their reports. I watch Shanghai's Dong Fang satellite TV news everyday, one third of it is allocated to discussing social injustices and corruption, the hottest topic now is about how social security housing for low income families is becoming a new breeding ground for corrupt officials and how silly some of the relevant policies are. I guess you probably never heard about social security housing, all you care about is the less than one percent of very unhappy Chinese who will do anything to be detained and subsequently deported to the west. And the only solution you have is to get rid of CCP.


【28】APHK wrote:
September 10, 2009 3:17

Democracysucks wrote:
“Economist dares not reveal the fact that the approval rate of the Chinese Communist Party in China is above 90%, according to Pew, a Western survey company.
What Economist and many other European medias do is that they only report 1% of the unhappy Chinese people and then make it sounds like 100% of the Chinese people are unhappy with the Chinese Communist Party. That is how the general Westerners are brainwashed.”
Well I’m pleased for you that you are one of that 90%. You must be a middle class resident of a large city.
Meanwhile, my thoughts go to that 1%:
The compatriots living next to the factory slowing killing them.
The compatriots being forced to provide sex to cadres or forced into prostitution by their school principal.
The compatriots being run over by drunken cadres.
The compatriots having their farmland sold by their village head.
The compatriots brutally beaten by urban administrators (城?).
etc etc etc


【29】emrosnec wrote:
September 10, 2009 2:59

@natanss
"What really pisses me off is to see those volunteer teenagers wasting their time on inspecting their own colleagues, their own people, instead of enjoying their golden years... go enjoy freedom.. find a gf/bf to spend your time with.
I think Chinese teenagers would rather check bags than to be shipped to some middle eastern country to kill and be killed. Btw most of the teenager volunteers you are talking about are from university and they are to be stationed in various tourist attractions as guides for both Chinese and foreign tourists. The hundreds of thousands of security volunteers come from all walks of life and all ages but I suspect most of them are elderly citizens who love to marshal people and cars around.


【30】democracysucks wrote:
September 10, 2009 2:59

Western media, especially European media, always loves to emphasize that the Chinese Communist Party "crackdown" the Chinese people.
But wait, do you think that the general Chinese are so obedient when they are oppressed? Please keep in mind that the Chinese people have a long history of vigorously fighting against oppressions. When the British soldiers invaded China in the early 19th century, they found that they were risking their lives once they left their barracks. An example is that hundreds of Chinese farmers in Sanyuanli near Guangzhou killed couples of British solders when they insulted a Chinese girl there. So British dared not copy their British-ruled India model to China.
Economist dares not reveal the fact that the approval rate of the Chinese Communist Party in China is above 90%, according to Pew, a Western survey company.
What Economist and many other European medias do is that they only report 1% of the unhappy Chinese people and then make it sounds like 100% of the Chinese people are unhappy with the Chinese Communist Party. That is how the general Westerners are brainwashed.

j小蜜蜂

【31】APHK wrote:
September 10, 2009 2:50

Lecra wrote : "But western media do not report them like the way they report riots in China, which are repeated and recycled 24 hours for days if not weeks."
From my own experience (and yes, I do watch CCTV news) it is the other way round : overseas riots are reported whilst local riots are given scant coverage (unless already reported on the internet and hence the official news must also report).


【32】APHK wrote:
September 10, 2009 2:38

Dekoff wrote : "If China is so bad, then why do you caucasians come to our country. Just pack-up and get out!"
OK, in Dekoff's view of the world, all the westerners should leave China and all the overseas Chinese should return and everyone can live happily ever after. Great.


【33】APHK wrote:
September 10, 2009 2:29

RuDao,
What gets on my nerves is not just the monetary bribes : so many cadres seem to see themselves as being above the law and that they deserve better treatment.
In China, there are two types of people that you should not cross : triads and cadres.


【34】emrosnec wrote:
September 10, 2009 2:21

@ wackyintelligence
please read my comment again.


【35】RuDao wrote:
September 10, 2009 1:59

One more comment: I see from the various comments that a large group of readers assume ALL communist China officials are corrupt and unjust. As a foreigner doing business in China for 12+ years, this is not my experience. Surely, some officials are corrupt. However, a high percentage of officials (especially in central government) can not be bought by any amount of money (yes, I tried, representing a few major MNCs). This was not the same experience that I had during other MNC assignments to some other developing countries. My conclusion (disputable) is that the traditional Confucius teaching may have something to do with it.
My estimate is that maybe 50% of the officials are just trying to do the best they think for their country (espcially higher ranking ones, which explains in the post-Tiananmen era, Chinese government makes very few mistakes). Maybe 30% to 40% will take some bribe provided if they think it will not harm their respective duties and achievements. Only 10% to 20% are actively seeking to enrich themselves (or family and friends).


【36】Dekoff wrote:
September 10, 2009 1:49

If China is so bad, then why do you caucasians come to our country. Just pack-up and get out!
You and your caucasian governments come to us with hat in hand, begging China to help you. Yet you are foisting your ideology on us. What pompous, stuck-up, and ignorant attitude. If your way of life is so great, then why do you beg China for help?
BTW: The slogan is snappy when it is read in Chinese. I can think of hundreds of snappy English slogans that look tedious when they are translated into Chinese.
What sublime ignorance!


【37】natanss wrote:
September 10, 2009 1:45

It's so impressive how effective mind control can be. I wish I could open their minds with my own hand and put inside some pieces of freedom, of independence, autonomy and remove all the ignorance.
What really pisses me off is to see those volunteer teenagers wasting their time on inspecting their own colleagues, their own people, instead of enjoying their golden years... go enjoy freedom.. find a gf/bf to spend your time with.


【38】RuDao wrote:
September 10, 2009 1:40

Wow, this article attracts so many comments, the Economist.com must be pleased.
I see most of the comments are in goodwill, even criticizing comments are wishing China to become more democratic and transparent.
My view is that all the comments on Chinese Government should be welcomed by all the world's citizens, with the pre-condition of supporting stable, clean, peaceful and growth-oriented government. It will be a nightmare if the communist government should fail, we will have a problem 100 times more of that in Iraq or Afghanistan. More worryingly, a new regime which emerge afterwards will probably be very nationalistic in stead of democratic. What will be the consequences? (At least, the current regime supports in name or in fact (1) peaceful emergence of a major nation, (2) never first-use nuclear weapon in any situation, and (3) using peaful means to settle boarder disputes.)


【39】wackyIntelligence wrote:
September 9, 2009 23:16

emrosnec,
Peaceful protest? I'd like to see you stoned and decapitated after a peaceful protest, that is good karma. Yes only liars like you know the truth, all the pictures, videos, personal accounts were fakes by the CCP. Where is free media's support for your lies? Is it CNN?
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/07/06/china.uyghur.protest/index.h...
My goodness, for a moment I thought it was CCTV, is the Americans bought by the CCP? Why are they showing cuts of CCTV news?


【40】zwyx wrote:
September 9, 2009 22:24

Justlistenall,
In the end, stability comes by providing justice for all, not by adding more policen or security guards to keep the lid on the cauldron. Consequently, you ought to be concerned by the recent crackdown on activists who strive to make sure that the rule of law is applied everywhere and for everyone in the country (http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14098751). The crackdown shows that China under the CCP leadership is going in the wrong direction in that regard. This should be worrying for all chinese citizens who care about stability.

j小蜜蜂

【41】wackyIntelligence wrote:
September 9, 2009 22:14

I kind of doubt that there is a way to distinguish "loyal party members", the Economist must be still sleeping in the 70s. Today's "loyal party member" are the ones who will send their children to Canada with the stash of cash that they've taken with power. Does Britain's labor party have "loyal party member"? What, they wear that bandanna on their forehead?
That aside, to most Chinese who know the truth, the 7.7 incident is a wake-up moment about Hu/Wen's realm, who have enjoyed the highest popularity after Deng. It's difficult to support a government that does not protect its Han citizens, and thinks 65k USD per dead is good enough for the couple hundred that were stoned and decapitated. People will see in the coming days what kind of leaders these guys are, right now they seem to be without balls.


【42】McMilton wrote:
September 9, 2009 21:42

To justlistenall,
I agree that stability is very important for any country. But I can't agree the way Chinese government wants to create a harmonious society. It really ironic that on one hand, government aimed to build a harmonious society, on the another hand, conflicts and riots between people and local government are on the rise.
If you were an official of local government, you would come to realize how ridiculous a "harmonious society" is. Local governments are trying to fulfill the assignment from their boss. They are under pressure, however, they never think about how to take real responsibilities for local people. What they are concerned is just their own interest and how to favor their boss. Once there is a riot, the first response that local government can come up with is to hide it, repress it, block it, instead of revealing the truth and solving the problem. So the more pressure given from their boss, the more conflicts will be definitely raised. The whole society becomes more unstable under this slogan.
I've never seen that a nation can rise up while just repeating slogans. If China can make it happen, I will applaud for my motherland. But the reality tells us it can't without a courage to face the truth, and a determination to solve every problem we face.
As a top leader in China, he'd better keep quiet when he rule this country without democracy. Because the more slogans he speaks, the less harmonious our society is.
To sum up briefly, slogan doesn't work at all.


【43】facethetruth wrote:
September 9, 2009 20:57

"Officials are under orders to stop people travelling to Beijing to complain about local injustices". Is it true?


【44】facethetruth wrote:
September 9, 2009 20:50

Will the pretty face girl sing or the pretty voice girl get to show her face this time or is it going to be the same as Olympics where the singing girl was shown to the public because she didn't have a pretty face?


【45】justlistenall wrote:
September 9, 2009 19:56

A harmonious and stable crackdown is absolutely necessary, albeit the word “crackdown” is usually reserved for countries like China or Russia in place of less threatening words like “home security measures”.
As a developing country, China does not enjoy the kind of stability of the West already in place that allowed the West with more latitude in its nominal “rule of the law” maintenance. For a developing economy, it has less options.
Even so, extreme measures limiting civil liberties, otherwise known as “repression” if to describe China or Russia, are routinely deployed in the West to deal with situations like fighting terrorism, trafficking or riots. There, the “human right” issue was like a M&M candy, it melts in your mouth, but no hands.
It is well known tht in the terms of engineering, “stability’ is the most important criterion of any physical system (A bridge would collapse, a building would tumble, a communication network would went haywire, a person would become berserk, etc., without the respective system stability).
In fact “stability’ is also a most important criterion of any conceptual or mathematical model of a system in order to avoid the so called “singularity” of pitfalls. The same should apply to any political system as well.
Chinese government should therefore be applauded for stressing stability above all on which economical development was made possible and conducive to further sustainable growth that, as it turned out, proved its worth in the winding down of world’s financial crisis.
Happy Birthday!


【46】polarizer wrote:
September 9, 2009 17:54

re vinchang:
A harmonious and stable “crackdown”????????????????
As a Chinese,I don't think it's a crackdown!
Because it's harmonious and stable.


【47】zwyx wrote:
September 9, 2009 17:30

RuDao,
"Two points: (1) not sure if USA is holding its 200th anniversary celebration today, would they tighten or loosen security control?"
It's all a matter of scale. Obviously, there need to be security during that anniversary in Beijing. But hundred of thousands of volunteers? I find this rather paranoid. You can compare this to the security apparatus during President Obama's inauguration :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_Barack_Obama
As far terrorism is concerned, I think that the US faces greater threats than China.
Moreover, these volunteers are not trained personnels. Are they going to react properly in case that there is an emergency or are they going to make things worse? Are they going to behave like some kind of vigilantes who will interpellate anyone whom they feel is slightly suspicious (especially those belonging to non-Han groups)? The siege mentality caused by this huge security buildup could lead to those kinds of problems.
Combined with the very real crackdown on HR activists all over China, it leaves a bad impression.


【48】OneAegis wrote:
September 9, 2009 17:25

I am an American and had the pleasure of visiting China for the first time this summer, just prior to the 20 year anniversary of the Tianamen Square retributions, as this article refers to them.
It is a very interesting society, to say the least. The Chinese, rightfully so, have much pride in themselves, their country and their heritage. But it seems coupled with an insecurity that is self-fulfilling.
Another commentator mentioned 9/11 security vs this. You can see and feel the difference between 9/11 security precautions and the police presence in Beijing in Tianamen Square near the anniversary. Even more so in Tibet, when I visited Lhasa. You were not allowed to take pictures of the soldiers that were posted at literally every block on the main street and near the markets. 5-6 soldiers with shotguns, submachines guns or assault rifles stationed on each side of the street, block after block after block. This is the side of China that makes westerners nervous.


【49】emrosnec wrote:
September 9, 2009 17:16

@halula
they call the 7-5 incident in xinjiang peaceful protest met with deadly military crackdown. Too bad Chinese media was not shameless enough to call 9-11 peaceful protest by Islamic aviators that ended up in deadly accidents.


【50】haluha wrote:
September 9, 2009 16:40

RuDao, I think the logic is bash them if they tighten the security and bash them if they loose the security if some riot happens. Seems people are used to the tigh security after 9/11 but not feel comfortable regarding the tigh security after the deadly terrorist attack in Xinjiang on 7/5

j小蜜蜂

【51】haluha wrote:
September 9, 2009 16:33

I can feel the sour tone of the author. Holding military parade once a decade is fine, but will be too much if annualily


【52】-Jared- wrote:
September 9, 2009 16:17

I think it is interesting that mainland Chinese think that the western world is jealous of them. I'd like to know the basis of this jealousy.


【53】hdpxx wrote:
September 9, 2009 16:14

Clearly the western media is biased and therefore people in the west get fed more of the western bias. The issue is that the western media is FREE meaning anyone can voice his or her opinion.
In China, the media is either controlled by the government or self-censored to not displease the same.
Most educated people would prefer to have the choice of forming an opinion based on ALL information available, not only what it's non-elected government tells them.
Happy Birthday!


【54】val19 wrote:
September 9, 2009 16:10

As one who grew up in a communist country, I'm "impressed" to see the Chinese comrades have not slowed down in the slogans. That's quite a mouthfull, that one :-)) In the old days, one could get something more plastic, like the Cuban "Give me Marxism-Leninism or give me death!" Unfortunately, since now China is a capitalist country, that just calls itself communist, writing a good slogan became is much more of a challenge. But the unnoficial "Death to the imperialist western propaganda press!" seems still usable, though.
I guess we should be grateful to all these comrades from mainland China for showing us how brainwashed we really are by all this British/American/European/Indian propaganda...


【55】-Jared- wrote:
September 9, 2009 16:05

You would need a crack down too if you lived in a polluted wasteland surrounded by 1.3 Billion oppressed comrades. All they want is some rights.
At this time I would invite all my Chinese mainland friends and apologists to express some freedom by posting to Facebook or Tweeting. Unfortunately, the Chinese government doesn't trust you, so they blocked them.
This is the reason that the Western media is biased against the Chinese government. If you don't understand that, you never will. But, I hope that one day you will be able to experience freedom.


【56】Smiling Face Hooded Cobra wrote:
September 9, 2009 15:52

I can sympathize with the Chinese government's interest in social order. China's enormous population means that it has as many social deviants as many states have total populations. Were it not for internal security forces doing their jobs professionally, the level of turmoil within China might be unbearable. Certainly, it might jeopardize an important national holiday for the great majority of contented Chinese who have benefited measurably from the government's disciplined economic policies over the last two decades.
Congratulations, China. The barbs from your not-so-neighborly neighbors mean you have "arrived," are taken seriously, and are envied.
[While you are enjoying the parade, the street dancing, and the choral singing...I hope you'll enjoy a beer or two. After all it's a holiday and beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.]


【57】vinchang wrote:
September 9, 2009 15:51

A harmonious and stable “crackdown”????????????????
As a Chinese,I don't think it's a crackdown!


【58】[email=Law@HK]Law@HK[/email] wrote:
September 9, 2009 14:34

Every reporting, whether it is Western or Chinese, is biased. Unbiased reporting just never exists. Everyone's attention span is limited, and so everyone would obviously spend more time in the things he is interested in. What is wrong for a british newspaper reporting more in FA cup than NBA? Or similarly, what is wrong for a British paper reporting in detail how many British troops are killed in Iraq rather than how many innocent Iraqis are killed by British troops? What is really unfortunate is many western people who is "brainwashed" by their media and think their media is unbiased. These people are just completely igonrant.


【59】salkagga wrote:
September 9, 2009 14:12

happyface seems to have some sort of fecal obsession.
as for the *article* which is supposed to be under discussion - it's definitely contemptuous of the PRC government, as are most economist articles. so, it's attitude is arguable. i have trouble perceiving how it can be so offensive to Chinese readers, since i don't get worked up into obscenities whenever i read anti-Western press in, say, China Daily. that may just be my imperialist, racist Western perspective, though.
but, isn't the article absolutely factual? is it inaccurate in any way?


【60】Dulcita wrote:
September 9, 2009 13:21

Happy Birthday!

j小蜜蜂

【61】luiszhang wrote:
September 9, 2009 13:00

It is the best of times, it is the worst of times, it is the age of wisdom, it is the age of foolishness, it is the epoch of belief, it is the epoch of incredulity, it is the season of Light, it is the season of Darkness, it is the spring of hope, it is the winter of despair.
me? i believe the latter.


【62】Amenda Red Cowboy wrote:
September 9, 2009 12:40

As a Chinese, I feel proud of my country. I cannot quite understand why many western press media spare no effort to insult her. I was a litte bit hurt by the cynical tone of this article, but more amused by its obvious jealousy.


【63】emrosnec wrote:
September 9, 2009 9:05

To be fair, some chinese media can also be very biased when reporting on the west. but the difference is most chinese readers are intelligent enough to identify biased reports but western readers take in any shit their free press feed them. btw, I really like the way economist print edition placed this article on the same page as the one about that monk..ey with gucci shoes and rolex watch.


【64】RuDao wrote:
September 9, 2009 8:42

Two points: (1) not sure if USA is holding its 200th anniversary celebration today, would they tighten or loosen security control? (2) if there were bombing events in last year's Olympics and/or this years 60th anniversary celebration, how many readers will feel sorry for the dead and wounded, how many will be happy to see China loosing face? Can we all ask ourself this question?


【65】happyfish18 wrote:
September 9, 2009 7:45

Instead of listening to shit-throwers like BBC, it is time to celebrate a more Harmonious World.


【66】haldokan wrote:
September 8, 2009 20:25

Thanks for the humor. Who said economics can't be funny!


【67】lecra wrote:
September 8, 2009 13:28

"APHK" September 8, 2009 6:19
It would be unusual for a country of 1.3 billion not to have riots once in a while. There are always some people, though small in number, who like to create trouble.
There are also riots in developed countries like France, Greece, the UK, etc with a population only as big as a large Chinese municipality. But western media do not report them like the way they report riots in China, which are repeated and recycled 24 hours for days if not weeks.


【68】APHK wrote:
September 8, 2009 11:59

Smiling face tiger : you sound like a CCTV news-reader.


【69】AdityaMookerjee wrote:
September 8, 2009 8:07

China cannot use her military might, as she is a capitalist nation in practice. She has to foster good relations around the globe, so that she grows economically. Who are the enemies, who she needs to deter from unwanted aggression? China should not needlessly engage in such quests, because there are no enemies of China. What the Chinese Communist Party should see, is that there is no common unrest against itself. Let not the Communist Party absolve itself of it's responsibilities towards it's own people, by indulging in mindless talk.


【70】APHK wrote:
September 8, 2009 6:19

Lecra,
China will probably surpass America in having the world's largest economy within 20-30 years. But so what? Is size of economy the sole measure of a country's success?
There is a cost to all that economic growth. Much of the social unrest in China can be traced to inbalances (social, economic and environmental) caused by all that growth.
There has been a lot of empty talk from the Chinese leadership about harmonious and sustainable growth.
The growing number of "mass incidents" (aka rioting) is evidence that the citizens are not as happy as the government wishes us to think. (It is ironic that the more the leadership talks about a harmonious society the worse it gets).

j小蜜蜂

【71】lecra wrote:
September 8, 2009 4:50

"APHK" September 6, 2009 14:55
"But your statistics are for 1981-2004, i.e. the past.... but I am more interested on the future, and the more I see, the more I have concerns."
First, they are not my statistics, they are from the World Bank.
Secondly, one way to predict the future is to project using past and present data. And China's past and the present data have been good, as the World Bank's, Asian Development Bank's, and IMF's reports show.
China aims to become a middle-income country by 2020 and I believe it will succeed.


【72】APHK wrote:
September 8, 2009 2:15

Smiling face tiger.
Have you heard the words Jiang Zemin : "Too Simple. Sometimes Naive"?
Having a growing economy does not make a country great. The PRC does not have hard power. Outside of 3rd world countries, it does not have much soft power either.


【73】Ancient one wrote:
September 8, 2009 1:44

Smiley-face tiger,
"ONE WORD FOR CHINA's image,,,,,FANTASTIC"
Glad you think so.


【74】Jessie near the sea wrote:
September 8, 2009 1:05

China's ethnic-Uygur terrorists have been wanting to drive the Chinese Han out of the Uygur dominated province Xinjiang for decades. It's suspected that a terrorist attack such as a suicide bombing might take place in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang just before the national celebration takes place. Will the people of China really think it is a harmonious and stable state with such hostile multi-ethnic relation in the air.


【75】forsize wrote:
September 7, 2009 20:11

china, taking harmonious stability to orwellian levels for 60 years.


【76】zwyx wrote:
September 7, 2009 15:09

Dabai,
Are you still there?
I just read this article from the New York Times :
Uneasy Engagement: China and India Dispute Enclave on Edge of Tibet
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=25457&article=Uneasy+Engageme...
Excerpt:
"Few expect China to try to annex Tawang by force, but military skirmishes are a real danger, analysts say. The Indian military recorded 270 border violations and nearly 2,300 instances of “aggressive border patrolling” by Chinese soldiers last year, said Brahma Chellaney, a professor of strategic studies at the Center for Policy Research, a research organization in New Delhi. Mr. Chellaney has advised the Indian government’s National Security Council.
“The India-China frontier has become more ‘hot’ than the India-Pakistan border,” he said in an e-mail message."
Again, this kind of aggressive behaviour raises a lot suspicions in the mind of western readers. The CCP's insistence in keeping the position that it has held for 30 years on Tibet causes a lot of damage to China's image abroad.


【77】vrpatil wrote:
September 7, 2009 9:37

Whatever growth it has attained is ofcourse appreciable.But life style and opinions of public are still unknown to the outside world.Is it because of language difference or Govt has not given freedom to media?


【78】Riph wrote:
September 7, 2009 5:31

From my vantage point on China's east coast there have been plenty of military infantry running training exercises and patrols across major university campuses and large public squares. The illusion of social harmony is just as good as the real thing.


【79】The Mervin wrote:
September 7, 2009 5:12

True to form of one of the major totalitarian systems carried over from the last century, the well honed faculty of Communist China for pomps and propaganda could well be the envy of Madison Avenue in volume and sheer scale of dispersal. Comparably still rough around the edges, the productions have of late been conscientiously seen to with aesthetic make over to add values in the narratives and most of all in slicker visuals. The opening of the 2008 Olympics described a new height scaled on the learning curve. The two hours or so on that August evening saw the world largely captivated, and willingly so being it seems, in suspended disbelief and revelling in nothing short of a re-packaging, in much condensed form, of Chinese history which rolled out a tapestry of impossibly seamless grandeur and harmony. The real things had been very much a different proposition. It perhaps can be seen as reflecting a desire at what's regarded as a momentous juncture in time for an immaculate national rebirth.
With a country this size and of the attendant needs it can't be all picnic and pageantry. An outsize expectation of nearly 1.4 billion people for more corporeal and materialistic concerns looks to heighten further going forward. Not something that can facily be satisfied by feel good glammed up historic redux alone. The hard men in Zhongnanhai however can be counted on to be competent and tough minded enough to deliver on them and, alternately, manage any shortfall. This is the immovable rock of reality of the PRC. What's known as the Tiananmen Massacre hounded the collective cognition of the nation still in various versions and to differing degrees of unsettling-ness. But the one hard and fast constant to be had from whatever version of its telling is very likely the deservedly well burnished reputation of the central leadership; it's one of a fierce steel-like resolve the inexorable consistency of say, rolling tank treads.


【80】APHK wrote:
September 6, 2009 14:55

lecra,
That is all very well. But your statistics are for 1981-2004, i.e. the past...I am more interested on the future, and the more I see, the more I have concerns.

j小蜜蜂

【81】lecra wrote:
September 6, 2009 13:10

"APHK" September 4, 2009 2:46
"Er....how much does the 8% translate into money in the pockets of ordinary citizens?"
Between 1981 and 2004, the fraction of the population consuming below the poverty line fell from 65% to 10%, and the absolute number of poor fell from 652 million to 135 million, a decline of over half a billion people. (From the World Bank's report "China's poverty reduction agenda" dated 2009/03/05)


【82】zwyx wrote:
September 6, 2009 1:22

Dabai,
I appreciated your reply. I am a canadian (french-speaking) living in Montreal. For some unknown reasons, SFT keep saying that I am an Indian (sigh).
In the article, there are many aspects that I find annoying. Among others:
1) "However, the Dalai Lama promotes Tibet and Taiwan independence and wishes to stir up trouble."
The Dalai Lama said over and over again that he is not in favor of Tibet's independence. Instead, he advocates a real autonomy for Tibet within the PRC. As a chinese living abroad, I assume that you know that. Why does the CCP keep blatantly lying on this matter?
2) The CCP (and yourself in your reply) insinuates that the Dalai Lama and his entourage instigated the riots in Tibet. That's a very serious accusation. However, the CCP never gave any conclusive proof to back it's claim. Do they really think that we are going to believe them? The Dalai Lama is a revered figure in Tibet (and also in the West). Such a grave accusation against him without proof is deeply direspectful for the whole Tibetan population.
Lies, deceit and lack of respect. That's really a bad start. I hope that you will agree with me that from an outsider's perspective, such an attitude from a government inspires contempt rather than thrust or admiration.


【83】dabai wrote:
September 5, 2009 18:55

zwyx,
Thank you for providing me this article. I have always venerated religious leaders like Dalai Lama who should use his influence to promote peace and stability. I felt so disappointed and outrageous when I heard the misery of Tibet uprising in last year. The Dalai Lama has different political standpoints and he should use peaceful ways like Gandhi did in India. Violence will only damage his reputation. I wonder if he is utilized or manipulated by someone who uses his name to launch rebellions. The DaLai Lama is well respected by the western society and that's why he is a Nobel laureate in peace. We know that some western countries try to use him as a way to criticize the oppression and dictatorship imposed by the Chinese government. I think western countries realize the disillusionment of the earstern lion and they know China will be the biggest adversary in next decades so they use this excuse as a tool to be aggainst with China just like what they did with the Soviet Union. But I acknowledge that the Dalai Lama has enormous personal charm and he has done some accomplishments. So I feel ambivalented and confused for the Dalai Lama. But I will respect him anyway and maybe we should not add to much policital hue on him.


【84】zwyx wrote:
September 5, 2009 15:58

Dabai,
"I wonder why western society always have a contemptuous and scornful tone about Chinese Communist Party."
If you read this article carefully and are a bit open-minded, it will in part answer your question:
http://chinatibet.people.com.cn/96057/6748951.html


【85】YDu wrote:
September 5, 2009 2:30

APHK, even if half of the 8% goes to Chiese people's pocket, it is still better than the negative number of US. (people need to get money out of their pocket, by your logic?)
----------
APHK wrote:
September 4, 2009 2:46
"How can China not celebrate when it manages to achieve a hard-earned 8% GDP growth amidst a generally gloomy negative growth across the rich Western world!"
Er...how much does that 8% translate into money in the pockets of ordinary citizens?


【86】KING STONE wrote:
September 5, 2009 2:03

"It is complex, it is meaningless to conclude something just in one word."
One has to be careful that facts and figures can cause confusion differently to different people. There would be the inevitable mis-matching of realities if measure is taken of PRC's much lauded success story simply as an expression of the expected progression towards some desired social goals or even established democratic models.
The singularly overriding constant remains that the PRC is an one party authoritarian regime, its sole motivation the retention of the iron fisted monopoly of power for the Communist Party. Whether liberalising open door policy, or Chinese-characteristic capitalism, they are just means to the ends which is to ensure the non-starters of genuine opposition and dissension.
It may be that the languages used to cloak all these practices in are getting slicker and more sophisticated with increasing professional exposure, and even engender in some quarters false and probably naive hope for an alternate viable model.
Credit of course to the new generations of statesmen for ably clothing and feeding a vast handful of its citizens. Long term though when the external relations forged start to make real demand, or its well fed citizens getting carried over in more unsustainable material want, there exist still this immovable uncertainty over individual rights, always subordinated, to be abandoned without notice when the ship gets tight.


【87】Smiling face tiger_ wrote:
September 5, 2009 1:58

Trevor Woods
Check any encyclopedias & you will find out that THE DZUNGAR MONGOL were the ruler & majority in Xinjiang, from 1600-1755
The Qing Army sent to re-unite Xinjiang with the Chinese Empire exterminated the DZUNGAR MONGOLS in 1755-1757 wars
The UYGHURS were only brought in later to work as labourers.
THERE ARE and always have 27 different ethnic groups in Xinjiang,--- Kazakh, Mongols, Manchus, Khitans, Xibos, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Hui Hans etc
THE UYGHURS HAVE TO BE LESS SELFISH & THINK OF THE other 26 etnic groups & Uyghurs HAVE NO legitimate claim to Xinjiang
Today---ALL THE NATIONS OF the World that Xinjiang is a part of the PRC
...
...


【88】zwyx wrote:
September 4, 2009 22:53

SFT,
Mmmm... I have nothing against Indians in particular but I am not one of them. Where did you get take idea? The Indian security forces immediate response to the Mumbai attacks was indeed not inspiring. However, I was really impressed by the government's restrain in it's subsequent dealing with Pakistan.
"yes, if the Chinese Govt do not have a super good world-class security apparatus, then the Uyghurs terrorists who had threatened to bomb the Beijing lympics would have succeeded in their evil tasks"
A "super world-class" apparatus? I would qualify the CCP's security apparatus as pervasive and brutal but it is not particularly efficient. Emprisoning innocents and torturing them doesn't improve security. On the contrary, it stimulates unrest. Moreover, a "super world-class" security apparatus doesn't need to mobilize hundreds of thousands of people to ensure security. Such an approach instead reinforce paranoia for individuals like you.
"CRUSH the Uyghur-Taliban terrorist alliance"
The Talibans are ruthless bandits that have to be eliminated. Equating them with the discontent Uyghurs in Xinjiang is ridiculous. Most of them have legitimate grievances that need to be addressed. The CCP has proven pathetically incompetent in that regard.


【89】zwyx wrote:
September 4, 2009 16:51

"Police in the capital, helped by hundreds of thousands of volunteers, are being mobilised in a security operation as stifling as that mounted for last year’s Olympic Games."
HUNDREDS of thousands of volunteers in addition to the Beijing police??!? That's really crazy. What are they afraid of? They feel that they are besieged or what? It appears that they do.
It doesn't show a lot of confidence. Strange for a ceremony that it is supposed to celebrate their successes for the past 60 years ...


【90】Trevor Woods wrote:
September 4, 2009 14:24

Today thousand of citizens of Urumuqi, capital to the restive region Xinjiang, took to streets and continued their demonstrations. People demanded resignation of the provincial party chief, accusing him and his government of inability to control the deterioration of public security. It is rumored that Uyghurs, the minority Muslim group in Xinjiang, have been stabbing Han Chinese deliberately with tainted syringes for weeks, which sparked the latest wave of clashes in the city plagued by ethical violence. However activists of Uyghur separatists denied any wrongdoings and called for investigation. Armed security force was deployed to quell the unrest. They took key blocks of streets so as to separate Han from Uyghurs, and called for calmness via loudspeaker. Schools and most business were shut down amid the tough situation.
3 reporters from Hong Kong, two from TVB and one from NOW TV, got beaten by policy earlier today after hustled down and handcuffed for alleged ‘illegal reporting’. All video and electronic equipment were seized. HK government has questioned the legitimacy of this act. Chief Executive Ronald Tsang said he was ‘deeply concerned’ about the case and would pursue the matter in due course.
Historically Xinjiang has been home to many nomad civilizations. The area was converted to Muslim domination after the Saracen Empire defeated Tang China in mid eighth century. It was ultimately re-conquered by China in mid eighteenth century following the unsuccessful uprisings by Uyghurs against the then Manchu rules. A massive genocide against Uyghurs ensued, by orders directly from the Emperor, which became the root for present day’s ethical confrontation.

j小蜜蜂

【91】Rembrandt L wrote:
September 4, 2009 13:49

First of all, I am from China and lived in EU for 3 years. I hope most people here can think following questions and if you have time just come to china and have your own answer.
1)Question 1, why all countries develop economy? For me, the answers are to feed people, control the situation and for the interests of different groups/classes of the country.
2)Question 2, after 30 years of developing, which groups/classes in China benefit from the fruit of the development and how much did each group get? For me, the answer is majority of the society get more and more fortunes, like cars, houses and so on. Most people does not suffer from hunger anymore. However, in the mean time, Inequity and unjustness is very common all over country: less then 5% of the total population possesses 95% of the country's fortune. Some superior social classes have more social resource and they have better network in the hierachical political system just because they were born in a good family.
I have to go to bed and i just want to say, China is as big as europe. It is complex, it is meaningless to conclude something just in one word.
Just come here and see what is happening.


【92】adrian-89 wrote:
September 4, 2009 3:37

"if you commit genocidal crimes against other civilisations like what the West did in history..."
Unfortunately "The West" is not the only side of the globe to have committed genocide.
"be prepared to face retributions when your fortune vanishes."
To follow your "argument" the reason a lot of "Western" newspapers are skeptical of the Chinese GOVERNMENT, is that its track record is not too good either (much he same way it is skeptical of the Russia GOVERNMENT that has also committed these crimes). This skepticism could very well be the retribution. (To preempt your obvious rebuttal... yes they trust the German government now as it has, a) changed, and b) proved that it is not blood thirsty and tyrannical as it once was. This is consistent with their approach to other Asian countries such as Cambodia, that have also committed genocidal crimes, however has matured)
Also, in terms of economics, the "achievement" of 8% growth in developing country, while very good, is not necessarily better than an increase of (say) 4% in a developed economy. Also, though this will be much critiqued in this forum I am sure, growth is generally what the central government wants it to be. They can control the statistics, and things such as prices (keeping them artificially low to stimulate demand). This will overinflated demand temporarily, hence supporting the economy, though distorting the market growth rate of the economy.
NB: I used capital letters for "government" because people in these forums tend to take any criticism of the China as criticism of the entire country. They are criticisms of the GOVERNMENT. The first step to a democratic, transparent and internationally accepted state is the ability to criticise your government.


【93】APHK wrote:
September 4, 2009 2:46

"How can China not celebrate when it manages to achieve a hard-earned 8% GDP growth amidst a generally gloomy negative growth across the rich Western world!"
Er...how much does that 8% translate into money in the pockets of ordinary citizens?


【94】leeweeshing wrote:
September 4, 2009 2:40

After reading this article, I cannot help getting away with a gutsy feeling that, as usual as in most other anti-China biased Western journals including the Economists, there is definitely an air of strangely jealous arrogance/skepticism on everything which the Chinese people have cause for celebration. How can China not celebrate when it manages to achieve a hard-earned 8% GDP growth amidst a generally gloomy negative growth across the rich Western world!
The ancient mystical Feng Shui teaches us that when one's good fortune comes one's way, nothing can block/prevent it & conversely, when good fortune is slipping away nothing can arrest it. Everyone is blessed with an equal opportunity for acendancy & similarly cursed with decendancy for no one is destined perpetual prosperity/supremacy or poverty/downtroddeness. The West has achieved unchallenged primacy for more than 200 years & it may be China or Asia's mich-deserved turn this round. Who knows, it might have come a day when Africa will become the richest & most enlightened Continent in a distant future. So, if you commit genocidal crimes against other civilisations like what the West did in history, be prepared to face retributions when your fortune vanishes.


【95】APHK wrote:
September 4, 2009 2:14

60 years of rule under CCP.
A lot has been achieved.
A lot has not been achieved.
What will China be like on 70th anniversary?
Will there be an 80th? 90th? 100th?
For the sake of the people, the CCP will (I hope) have created a viable alternative to one party rule. But then, we would not be a people's republic would we?


【96】rep3 wrote:
September 3, 2009 23:55

People from Europe have too much free time on their hands that they will travel half way around the world to flaunt tibetan flags shout 2-3 word slogans then have themselves arrested in the name of "democracy". When there are too many lunatics like that running around, the police should step up to save everybody the trouble of going through the motions.

trsita

正文翻译完毕，地址http://bbs.m4.cn/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=198762&page=1&extra=

trsita

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