BEIJING—Professor Shang Dewen at the Institute of Economics of Beijing University recently wrote to Chinese leaders calling for a reform of the country's political system, in order to save its economic progress.
Addressed to Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao, Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, Professor Shang's public letter notes the 30 years of tremendous achievement China has enjoyed in economic reform; but he stressed that reforming the country's political structure was vital to preserving and sustaining this hard-earned progress. Shang noted past Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping who once said that economic results won't be stable without political reconstructing.
According to Shang, the reform of China's economic system is almost realized, but the political reform has not yet started. This results in the dual structure of Chinese society—with a market economic structure on one hand and a political structure of Stalin and Mao Zedong style of centralized authority on the other.
Shang says this dichotomy has brought many problems to the country, such as embezzlement and corruption, theft and misappropriation of public funds, seizing farmers' land, and local government officials who virtually ignore national laws, harm innocent civilians to get whatever they want.
Everything is Hard in the Beginning
"For this reason, I am suggesting that central authorities launch a political system reform as soon as possible," wrote Shang. "Right now everything is in place and only determination is needed! As the saying goes, 'everything is hard in the beginning.' So it is extremely important to make the first step. It not only requires courage and determination but also political wisdom and strategy."
Shang suggested launching the political reform from a platform of safeguarding human rights. He appealed for the speedy implementation of the constitutional law in China and relevant international conventions on human rights in the terms and people's democracy, freedom and rights for publication, assembly, association and demonstration; rectifying the behavior of government officials that go against the constitution. Shang also proposed lifting the ban on media monitoring the government.
Rehabilitation for the 1989 June Fourth Movement
The third proposal in Shang's letter was an immediate rehabilitation of the 1989 Tiananmen Square democracy movement, and of the late Party General Secretary Zhao Ziyang who was opposed to the suppression of the students. "Without acknowledging the June 4th democracy movement, political system reform won't be able to even take its first step," said Shang in an interview. "Before the June 4th democracy movement, Deng Xiaoping, Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang were giving serious consideration to reforming China's political system—there is so much written about political reform in Deng's journals. After the June 4th democracy movement, this reform is never mentioned anymore. All we ever hear is that 'stability overrides everything.' This slogan of stability overriding everything can be only used for a short period of time. It can't last forever, since it is not the normal state of things."
The other recommendations in Shang's letter include: separation of the Party function from that of the government, where the Party leaves its leading post to assume an advisory post; letting the chief executives from all levels of government take charge of governmental affairs; revoking the Central Propaganda Department and the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the Central Committee; nationalizing the armed forces; institutionalizing civil servants; returning stolen land back to farmers, implementing private ownership of land in rural areas; stopping local officials from suppressing people's petitions.
Shang's letter also demanded respect for freedom of religion, legal status for the church, and called for more churches and less prisons. The public letter also appealed for the release of all political prisoners, such as Gao Zhisheng, Quo Feixiong, Hu Jia, Chen Guangcheng and others jailed for freedom of speech.
Piloting Free Elections
The public letter pointed out that China could soon launch pilot projects of free elections in China's eastern coastal region, establish a constitutional government, and return political power back to the people after over half a century of communist rule.
"Once we take the first step, there will be a second step and the third step, and we can just keep walking like this, as the reform unfolds in an orderly, non-violent and peaceful way," said Shang. "This is a long term task. It has taken 30 years to see results from the economic reform, so it might also take 30 years for us to see the achievements from the political reform—but I'm afraid it might take longer. However, in order for this change to occur, each step must be taken."
Intense arguments had developed late last year in the country's 17th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party regarding the issue of political reform. But Shang believes that the 17th National Congress didn't even set forth the fundamental principles of reform. He says that lawmakers merely balanced the viewpoints of the two camps and failed to solve the problem. Shang estimated that 2008—the 30th anniversary of China's economic reform and opening to the outside world—will be a very active year in getting theorists and officials to consider further reform.
In fact, many have already called for appeals related to political reform since the beginning of this year. For example, a former Standing Committee member of Anhui Provincial People's Political Consultative Conference issued a public letter calling for constitutional reform; more than 10,000 professors, lawyers, ordinary workers and farmers signed an open letter to the National People's Congress (NPC) for approval of the international conventions involving citizen's political rights.
China will hold its annual "two sessions" of the NPC and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in March. Many are hoping NPC deputies and CPPCC members will perform their duties seriously and speak for the people and the country.
Feeds