Again, I have good news to report about the compassionate nature of the CCP. In Chengdu, political activist Zhao Xin was recently beaten, and Party members treated him with love and kindness.
[T]he attack on Zhao, which occurred in a remote corner of Sichuan province on Nov. 17, also opened a window on Communist Party officialdom as the country follows an uncertain road toward economic and political change. On Dec. 12, as Zhao lay in his bed at Bayi Orthopedics Hospital here in the provincial capital, four senior party and government officials showed up unannounced to offer their apologies — along with flowers, fruit and a promise to pay his medical bills.
The gesture, soon followed by others, came as a total surprise, Zhao said in an interview in the hospital room, and was the result of orders from high levels of the party bureaucracy. The visit cheered him up, Zhao said with a laugh, but he did not take it to mean that President Hu Jintao’s government had experienced a change of heart about his political activism.
Well, maybe not, but it’s at least a good sign that the officials took the time and effort to lend a helping hand. Unfortunately, if you read the article, you’ll see it was most likely the government that was behind the brutal attack in the first place – another examle of the increasingly popular tactic of local governments to employ hired thugs to do their dirty work.
Two assailants wearing black leather jackets repeatedly slammed him with lead pipes, Zhao Xin recalled, while a third swiped at his groin with a switchblade. Soon they were joined by four more toughs, also armed with pipes, and all seven pounded away. By the time they stopped, Zhao said, they had opened four head wounds, broken two ribs, ripped his calf muscles and shattered his right knee.
Zhao, a veteran political activist based in Beijing, was paying the price for advising Chinese farmers on how to fight back against local officials seizing their fields for economic development, according to his assessment and those of other activists. Increasingly, they said, China’s provincial, city and county governments are turning to small-time hoodlums to carry out violent repression without directly involving uniformed policemen or agents of the Public Security Ministry.
Zhao Xin remains hospitalized in Chengdu, China, after a Nov. 17 beating by armed thugs. He had been advising farmers on how to resist officials taking their land for development and giving me flowers,” he said. “But on the other, they keep trying to block my work. They send viruses into my computer, for instance, and interrupt my mobile phone conversations.”
Computer viruses were the least of Zhao’s worries; he very nearly got killed. This is another of those excellent articles that shines a spotlight on the dark side of the world’s superpower-in-the-ascendant. It’s also grimmer than coal dust.
1
By Gordon
I wouldn’t be so quick to call China a “Superpower-in-ascent”. China has come a long way since the days of the “Great Leap Backward”, but it still has a long way to go before it ever reaches Superpower status.
January 2, 2006 @ 9:15 am | Comment
2
By Sonagi
In a nation with heavy censorship and violent suppression of activists, how do these stories reach the outside world? Through people talking to reporters? Through blogs?
January 2, 2006 @ 10:40 am | Comment
3
By Raj
Sonagi
Yes, I believe it is through people talking to the media. For one this chap himself contacted the relevant journalists. And there are always officials that want to “explain” what went on I suppose, so as not to come off too badly.
January 2, 2006 @ 12:11 pm | Comment
4
By Keir
Sonagi,
The truth comes out, not because the government cares about its people’s exploitation and suffering, but because foreigners apparently care more. The stories reach the outside world because of the passion for justice and determination of the outside world.
January 2, 2006 @ 4:57 pm | Comment
5
By Ivan
I won’t believe this story until I see it on CCTV.
January 2, 2006 @ 5:58 pm | Comment
6
By Sonagi
Keir,
It’s not fair to say foreigners care more. China jails more reporters than any other country. Great statistic, huh? Foreign media and bloggers who report on bloody demonstrations and mistreatment of innocent citizens do not risk detention or torture. Even Westerners in China are likely to be deported at worst. Ordinary Chinese do care deeply about their country as any person would, but lacking freedom of speech and assembly, they risk far more than we do in bringing these stories to the world’s attention.
January 2, 2006 @ 7:23 pm | Comment
7
By China_hand
Re: Zhao’s problem of being attacked by thugs hired by the CCP, I don’t know if this accusation is true. I’m sure there are many instances where the government had taken the land of the peasants for other uses without due compensation. But many of the decisions are being made at the local level by unscrupulous local officials without the knowledge and consent of the higher level and in direct contravention of published laws. In fact there are indications that many local officials have been and are being punished for corruption for taking land from farmers to give to developer. Or some over-zealous officials may have taken the farmers’ land for needful uses without due compensation. These may include the land taken for building wind-turbines, etc.
The problem is that there are no genuinely good guidelines for China’s overall development. Therefore, the government is simply lurching around groping for development thus creating the kind of uncertain situations where unscrupulous officials can practice corruptions to enrich themselves at the expense of the farmers.
Unfortunately, it is increasingly clear to me that Hu does not have a good grasp of what China needs and is being brainwashed by greasy tongued foreign educated and foreign sponsored economists to sell out China while suppressing China’s internal development. And the confusion at the top then translates into murkiness at the bottom that emboldens the unscruplous officials to commit corruption for their own gains at the expense of the farmers.
In the end, the regret for the attack may be genuine. To that extent it may be a healthy sign of a government which strives to serve the best interests of the Chinese people. But those activists who are sponsored by foreign agents to create hatred among the people for China with the covert design to weaken China for foreign domination should also be recognized and eliminated. And the best way to secure China against the foreigners is to eliminate foreign presense in China by getting out of the evil WTO, reduce subsidized foreign trade, and expand China internal development through the urbanization of the farmers. Of course, those people who genuinely desire to promote a dynamic development of China must be supported. But you must be careful distinguish between the two types of peple.
January 2, 2006 @ 8:18 pm | Comment
8
By chester
I second Sonagi. THere are people who care, and yes, perhaps not at some critical mass which Keir would hope to see. And yet, the assistance and interest from outside are very crucial from time to time in elevating the awarness and pressure for improvements. If you ever examine say Taiwan’s own progress, you would see that the endemic actions and strong will have always been there to be the main driving force, but the various kinds of assistance and recognition from the outside, whether altruistic or otherwise, were also very important factors to push for reforms.
January 2, 2006 @ 8:22 pm | Comment
9
By Sonagi
from China Hand:
“Re: Zhao’s problem of being attacked by thugs hired by the CCP, I don’t know if this accusation is true. I’m sure there are many instances where the government had taken the land of the peasants for other uses without due compensation. But many of the decisions are being made at the local level by unscrupulous local officials without the knowledge and consent of the higher level and in direct contravention of published laws. ”
Aren’t local officials members of the CCP? The national government would like the masses to distinguish corrupt local officials from the national leadership, but we have a saying in English, “All politics is local.”
January 2, 2006 @ 8:35 pm | Comment
10
By richard
Sonagi, this is the excuse du jour – central Party good, local officials bad. As though they are two silos, each in a vacuum. Bullshit.
China Hand: But those activists who are sponsored by foreign agents to create hatred among the people for China with the covert design to weaken China for foreign domination should also be recognized and eliminated.
Yes, line them up against a wall and open fire.
Any proof that such “agents” even exist?
January 2, 2006 @ 8:41 pm | Comment
11
By richard
Sonagi: Even Westerners in China are
likely to be deported at worst.
Except if they are of Chinese ethnicity. Then, they risk being jailed.
January 2, 2006 @ 8:43 pm | Comment
12
By Other Lisa
China Hand: But those activists who are sponsored by foreign agents to create hatred among the people for China with the covert design to weaken China for foreign domination should also be recognized and eliminated. China_Hand, have you ever considered the possibility that China would be made stronger if it developed a legal system that protected people equally, and if the government actually served the people? You had 74,000 plus demonstrations last year, by the government’s own measure. This is not a sign of a happy, contented populace that is being well-served by its government.
Believe me, anyone who has thought this through does NOT want to see a “weak,” collapsing China (though I’m sure there are ideological extremists who would). Purely on a level of national self-interest, the amount of global chaos that would create isn’t something any thinking person wants to see. We are at this point so interconnected economically and environmentally that what hurts China hurts a lot of other people in the world as well.
January 2, 2006 @ 9:45 pm | Comment
13
By Sonagi
Richard, I know the imaginary divide between the central govt and local officials is B.S. That’s why I criticized it.
January 3, 2006 @ 5:35 am | Comment
14
By Jeff
it’s funny China Hand blames all of China’s problems on foreigners, yet seems to get so much out of reading and responding to ‘foreigners’ comments on this website.
January 3, 2006 @ 9:28 am | Comment
15
By Other Lisa
I disagree that the line between the central and local governments is utter bullshit – I think this is a big problem.
I also would not diminish the importance of the factions within the central government itself.
I think there are some more reformist factions in the government that understand the necessity for change, but I don’t see the government as a whole moving in that direction right now.
On the other hand, given the opacity of the process, it’s tough to know for sure what’s really going on. But signs aren’t positive, IMO.
January 3, 2006 @ 10:27 am | Comment
16
By richard
It’s not utter biullshit. But it is used too often as a black and white excuse, as though they are two separate universes. I think Hu really does want to fight corruption, but his own system fosters it. Both sides scratch one anther’s backs, and to paint one as bad and one as good the way Math and CH do is simplistic in the extreme.
January 3, 2006 @ 4:25 pm | Comment
17
By jeffery
as i observed and experienced, many local goverment officials are intending to use THUGS instead of polices or agents to repress unrests or disobediences. usually local officials doesn’t need take responsibilithy for this kind of behaviors because some outsider observors would not regard this behaviors as “officials’ behavior”.
so we can conclude that local officials are evolving to a “thug official”, ruling this country by using one THUG way.
January 3, 2006 @ 8:24 pm | Comment
18
By China_hand
This is the excuse du jour – central Party good, local officials bad. As though they are two silos, each in a vacuum.
This is also the reality. I am not here to sing praises for the CCP, but you cannot demonize the entire CCP government for the corruption at the lower level officials. In case you don’t know, tens of thousands of CCP officials have been prosecuted and punished during 2005. Does this sound like an excuse to you?
Furthermore, you must have heard about the Rodney King beating in America. It is more probable that the entire LA cops are brutal than the entire CCP government is in collusion to beat up the Chinese people. At least the CCP have prosecuted tens of thousands of corrupt officials while the American “justice” system is routinely letting brutal cops go free.
Any proof that such “agents” even exist?
Are you kidding me? It is America’s published policy to “contain” China. Who could be so stupid as to think that there are no American agent provocateurs in China subverting the Chinese people and undermining the Chiense government?
Have you ever considered the possibility that China would be made stronger if it developed a legal system that protected people equally, and if the government actually served the people? You had 74,000 plus demonstrations last year, by the government’s own measure. This is not a sign of a happy, contented populace that is being well-served by its government.
As I said above I’m not here to support every policy of the CCP. Obviously a fair and equitable body of laws dispensed with equal justice will strengthen the Chinese people’s support for the CCP government. China also needs such a body of fair and equitable laws dispensed with justice to maintain an orderly society no matter which political party governs or rules China.
That having been said, I must also point out that laws have never been dispensed with equal justice in America, the presumed land of the free. It is a well known scandal that the American death row is packed with blacks in overwhelming proportion to its general population. It is also well known that many blacks on the death row have been exonerated by DNA tests. It is obvious that many blacks have been rushed into the death row without regard to justice. It seems to me the Americans are the least qualified to accuse the CCP of unequal justice. They – the American – should put their shoddy “justice” system into real justice first before accusing the CCP of the lack of justice.
Believe me, anyone who has thought this through does NOT want to see a “weak,” collapsing China (though I’m sure there are ideological extremists who would). Purely on a level of national self-interest, the amount of global chaos that would create isn’t something any thinking person wants to see. We are at this point so interconnected economically and environmentally that what hurts China hurts a lot of other people in the world as well.
This is obviously true. It is certainly in the best interest of the Chinese people for the CCP to implement an effective justice system that punish the criminals while protecting the innocents. Only such an effective justice system will allow China to maintain an orderly society. And only when an orderliness prevailed will China be able to develop rapidly.
It is also beneficial to the international community for China to develop quickly. There is enough resources in the world to give everybody a comfortable life. And with advancing technologies, it is very likely that everybody will continue to have better lives. And when China is fully developed, it will be able to contribute to the advancement of science and technologies that will see better treatments for deadly diseases as well as better and cleaner means of producing energy such as the fusion of helium-3.
The American policy of “containing” China is simple not workable and will only create problems for America itself. Such a policy will only create danger into the indefinite future. And if America continued to treat China as its enemy, then it will surely become a self-fulfilling prophesy. And with China becoming the most advanced country in the world with more advanced technologies than America and with 5 times the economy of America, it will only put America in an untenable position. At least it will force America to allocate 20% of its GDP for military spending to keep up with China’s 4% GDP spending for military.
January 3, 2006 @ 10:19 pm | Comment
19
By richard
Repeat: Any proof that such “agents” even exist?
January 4, 2006 @ 12:38 am | Comment
20
By China_hand
s i observed and experienced, many local goverment officials are intending to use THUGS instead of polices or agents to repress unrests or disobediences. usually local officials doesn’t need take responsibilithy for this kind of behaviors because some outsider observors would not regard this behaviors as “officials’ behavior”.
so we can conclude that local officials are evolving to a “thug official”, ruling this country by using one THUG way.
It is unlikely to assume that the CCP has made it a policy to use thugs to beat the people. If thugs were used, it is most probably used by the corrupt officials in direct contravention of officials laws. If found out, these thugs and the corrupt officials who hire them will be prosecuted according to the established laws. I’m pretty sure HJT did not call up the local officials and said “bring in some thugs to deal with this.” And I’m pretty sure the provincial governor did not say “HJT said we can use thugs, so let’s use them”
If let’s assume thugs were used, it is a decision made by a local police officer (not even the police chief). And that probably infuriated his police chief and any higher provincial govenors.
January 4, 2006 @ 11:13 am | Comment
21
By TW
I second Richard’s question.
Chin Hand might plausibly respond that such agents would be operating so secretly that no-one would ever know about it, but frankly the CIA (or whoever does these things) seem to be incapable of running a tight ship.
For example, the English press is currently full of stories about the CIA selling plans for nuclear weapons to the Iranians. If we can read about this in the paper, why haven’t we ever heard anything about agents in China?
And also, is China really “becoming the most advanced country in the world with more advanced technologies than America” ?
I’m impressed. Ha.
January 5, 2006 @ 9:45 pm | Comment
22
By TW
Should be ‘China Hand’ obviously, although my mistake does conjure some amusing images
January 5, 2006 @ 9:46 pm | Comment