Ordie
03-10-2009, 04:46 AM
In China, No Plans to Emulate West’s Way
By MICHAEL WINES (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/w/michael_wines/index.html?inline=nyt-per)
BEIJING — China (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/china/index.html?inline=nyt-geo)’s second-ranking Communist Party official issued a terse and complete disavowal of interest in Western-style democracy on Monday, saying that China would never adopt a multiparty political system, separation of powers, a bicameral legislature or an independent judiciary.
The remarks by Wu Bangguo, the chairman of China’s parliament, established a hard line against political reform at a time when China’s leaders are notably worried about the possibility of public protests.
They also follow a public demand last December by more than 300 intellectuals and dissidents for China to abandon Communist rule and move toward a more democratic system.
Addressing the parliament, the National People’s Congress, Mr. Wu warned legislators that they should maintain “the correct political orientation” and that the party’s leadership would not tolerate being weakened.
“Although China’s state organs have different responsibilities, they all adhere to the line, principles and policies of the party,” he said.
Without a single Communist Party in control, Mr. Wu argued, a nation as large as China “would be torn by strife and incapable of accomplishing anything.”
His statements echoed those of other Chinese Communist leaders, who have frequently asserted that Western-style democracy is unsuited to China.
Mr. Wu’s remarks were especially tough, however, in that he not only ruled out adopting Western-style political institutions, but he also argued that China’s one-party system was superior to the democratic model.
China, he said, would never adopt a system of “multiple parties holding office in rotation,” or hold elections without government-chosen candidates on the ballot.
China has experimented in recent years with elections at low levels of government, permitting some villagers, for example, to choose among carefully chosen candidates for minor posts.
But the government has rejected moves toward free elections, even in nongovernmental bodies like the Chinese bar association.
Mr. Wu argued on Monday that China’s system of representation already gives a voice to even the smallest ethnic minorities.
In contrast, he said, the Western model of government guarantees representation only to candidates who are chosen by the majority.
He also appeared to dash hopes that China would liberalize along Western lines its legal system, which is closely tied to the Communist Party.
Rather, he said, China would establish “a legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics” by 2010, allowing the Communist Party to establish legal doctrine instead of relying on Western-style court rulings to continually shape the law.
“The Western model of a legal system cannot be mechanically copied in establishing our own,” Mr. Wu told the legislators.
The National People’s Congress, whose 3,000 members meet annually to approve the government’s policies, has been holding a nine-day session in Beijing.
Source:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/world/asia/10beijing.html?pagewanted=print
By MICHAEL WINES (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/w/michael_wines/index.html?inline=nyt-per)
BEIJING — China (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/china/index.html?inline=nyt-geo)’s second-ranking Communist Party official issued a terse and complete disavowal of interest in Western-style democracy on Monday, saying that China would never adopt a multiparty political system, separation of powers, a bicameral legislature or an independent judiciary.
The remarks by Wu Bangguo, the chairman of China’s parliament, established a hard line against political reform at a time when China’s leaders are notably worried about the possibility of public protests.
They also follow a public demand last December by more than 300 intellectuals and dissidents for China to abandon Communist rule and move toward a more democratic system.
Addressing the parliament, the National People’s Congress, Mr. Wu warned legislators that they should maintain “the correct political orientation” and that the party’s leadership would not tolerate being weakened.
“Although China’s state organs have different responsibilities, they all adhere to the line, principles and policies of the party,” he said.
Without a single Communist Party in control, Mr. Wu argued, a nation as large as China “would be torn by strife and incapable of accomplishing anything.”
His statements echoed those of other Chinese Communist leaders, who have frequently asserted that Western-style democracy is unsuited to China.
Mr. Wu’s remarks were especially tough, however, in that he not only ruled out adopting Western-style political institutions, but he also argued that China’s one-party system was superior to the democratic model.
China, he said, would never adopt a system of “multiple parties holding office in rotation,” or hold elections without government-chosen candidates on the ballot.
China has experimented in recent years with elections at low levels of government, permitting some villagers, for example, to choose among carefully chosen candidates for minor posts.
But the government has rejected moves toward free elections, even in nongovernmental bodies like the Chinese bar association.
Mr. Wu argued on Monday that China’s system of representation already gives a voice to even the smallest ethnic minorities.
In contrast, he said, the Western model of government guarantees representation only to candidates who are chosen by the majority.
He also appeared to dash hopes that China would liberalize along Western lines its legal system, which is closely tied to the Communist Party.
Rather, he said, China would establish “a legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics” by 2010, allowing the Communist Party to establish legal doctrine instead of relying on Western-style court rulings to continually shape the law.
“The Western model of a legal system cannot be mechanically copied in establishing our own,” Mr. Wu told the legislators.
The National People’s Congress, whose 3,000 members meet annually to approve the government’s policies, has been holding a nine-day session in Beijing.
Source:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/world/asia/10beijing.html?pagewanted=print