A Comment from China
My recent CNN column, "Is China's Rise Overrated?" brought a revealing response from one reader in China.
My recent CNN column, "Is China's Rise Overrated?" brought this comment from China:
I just read David Frum's "Is China's rise overrated ?" posted on the CNN website.
I fairly agree with your definition for the current Chinese situation that is "Capitalism Without Democracy": although China has achieved great success in its economy and overall strength, it still has enormous social problems that need to be tackled.
The most concerning for ordinary citizens is the skyrocketing price of housing. Housing cannot be afforded by normal people, especially the young. Housing prices are continuing on a hike trend despite the recent cooling-down regulations formulated by the central government. The housing problem cannot be resolved so long as the main revenue of governments at all levels depends on real estate transactions. Some of the local officials have dark deals with property developers and secure illegal benefits from them, that's why we have witnessed so many tragedies of "forceful house dismantlement" and many victims [are injured when they] protest against the property developer forcefully dismantling their homes without reasonable compensation, sometimes with no compensation at all. There is usually no penalty for those who commit these barbaric acts.
Another hot topic among ordinary Chinese is abuse of power by officials. There was an accident that attracted nation-wide attention not long ago in central China's Hebei Province: a male student drunk-driving on campus killed two girl students. The man did not so much as stop his car. When arrested he showed no remorse, shouting to the policemen: "My father is Li Gang and who can handle me?” "Li Gang" was the deputy head of the local district police station. People did not understand why a deputy head of the local district police station has such power. How could power produce a youth so indifferent to others?
The way to address the problem of official impunity is to create mechanisms of democratic supervision. Under the current system, all the members of the National People's Congress (Chinese Parliament) are selected by their boss or leader, which hardly reflects the real voice of ordinary Chinese citizens. Also, many officials do not worry about what they say and what they do so many cadres do as they want regardless of the feelings of the people. A direct election system could fundamentally change this abnormal phenomenon and there are also many ways to deal with these officials, such as slashing their budgets or ousting them from their posts. In this way, officials at all levels could really exercise the spirit of governance for the people.
The development of China cannot surpass the U.S even in a hundred years if social justice cannot be built. I don't intend to sabotage or subvert the government, I just hope our society and life might be better than yesterday.
- An ordinary Chinese.