Report Calls Communist Party Rule Essential to Democracy in China - New York Times

Report Calls Communist Party Rule Essential to Democracy in China

By JIM YARDLEY
Published: October 20, 2005
BEIJING, Oct. 19 - China issued its first white paper on democracy on Wednesday, but included no initiatives for political change and left little doubt of the Communist Party's determination to maintain its grip on power.

The report, "Building of Political Democracy in China," emphasizes the importance of economic development and social stability in establishing a democracy. It says the continued rule of the Communist Party is "the most important and fundamental principle for developing socialist political democracy in China."

The timing of the report coincides with growing protests in the countryside and recent calls by American officials for more openness and political change in China. Last month, Robert B. Zoellick, deputy secretary of state, used a major address on China to urge the Communist Party to expand the use of direct elections and pursue further political change.

This week, World Bank President Paul D. Wolfowitz visited China and, while offering praise, urged the government to grant more political rights to China's 1.3 billion citizens. Mr. Wolfowitz, the former American deputy secretary of defense, said in a speech during his visit that allowing more public participation in governance helped reduce corruption. But the new report offers little to suggest that China plans immediate or significant changes. President Hu Jintao, who also leads the Communist Party, has disappointed those who had hoped his rise to power would bring greater political liberalization. Instead, he has tightened controls on the media and emphasized the predominance of the party.

Even as the economy continues to grow at almost double-digit rates, tensions are rippling through Chinese society. Rural protests are rising over corruption, pollution and land seizures, while recall petitions in different villages have taken aim at corrupt local officials. Often, such petition movements are met with brute force by local government. Mr. Wolfowitz also noted that roughly 150 million people in China still live in "acute poverty." Other studies have shown that more than 500 million people live on less than $2 a day.

The white paper, issued by the government's State Council, or cabinet, alludes to China's problems without delving deeply into the specifics. "The democratic system is not yet perfect," the report conceded. Later, it added, "there is still a long way to go in China's building of political democracy."

But, mostly, the tone is self-congratulatory. The report proclaimed that the country's current political system had allowed the Chinese people "to become masters of their own country and society, and enjoy extensive democratic rights."

Richard Baum, a China specialist and political science professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, said the report illustrated the leadership's unwillingness to embrace political change. "There are simply no new ideas here," he said.

He said Chinese leaders appeared unwilling to expand political freedoms partly because they feared unleashing social upheaval before the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

"They are coming up against a number of uncomfortable facts," Mr. Baum said. "There is a great deal of repressed demand out there for political expression." Of the government, he added, "there is a fear that if you give an inch, they will take a mile."

Recently, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao raised hopes when he said China was planning to expand direct, competitive elections for local officials to the township level. But the report mentions no new township elections.

It makes clear that the Communist Party has no plans to relinquish power and deems its grip on power essential to China's development.

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2005年10月20日08:22 【字号 大 中 小】【留言】【论坛】【打印】【关闭】

　　全国整顿和规范市场经济秩序领导小组办公室（简称“全国整规办”）副秘书长马恩中昨日说，当前，我国企业的信用问题仍然十分突出，很多企业因被他人拖欠和赖账，严重影响了企业的正常运转。

　　据有关研究资料显示，美国企业坏账率是0.25%-0.5%，而我国企业坏账率是5%-10%；美国企业的账款拖欠期平均是7天，我国平均是90多天。

　　据国家统计局公布的数字，我国企业的无效成本包括管理费用、财务费用和销售费用占销售收入的14%，而美国只有2%-3%。

　　马恩中昨日在出席“第二届中国国际信用和风险管理大会”新闻发布会时指出，信用与企业竞争力有着密切的关系。西方企业把信用赊销当作主要的销售手段和竞争手段，美国企业的赊销比例高达90%以上；我国只有10％左右的企业建立了信用管理制度，而这10％中又有93％是三资企业。社会信用体系建设方案已上报国务院

　　全国整规办副秘书长马恩中日前透露，《社会信用体系建设总体方案（征求意见稿）》已上报国务院办公厅，目前正在审定，起草部门同时还在继续论证中。草案由全国整规办会同人民银行、发改委、国务院法制办共同起草。全国整规办信用组组长王胜利在接受《每日经济新闻》采访时表示，该草案对企业和个人信用服务体系建设的指导思想、基本原则、主要任务以及建设步骤等几方面进行了规定。“出台时间还不能确定。”他称。（杨良敏）

　　（杨良敏 每日经济新闻） 来源：每日经济新闻