BEIJING: Chinese President Hu Jintao declared yesterday that China would never turn back from its policy of reform and opening up, but it would also not go down the path of a Western liberal democracy.
Actually, I still have some problems defining what a Western liberal democracy is. That speech by Hu seems to be intentionally crafted to mean 'I make no promises as to what I want to do to China'.
Does it mean that China will remain communist only in name (as in the current situation, where China has adopted so many capitalist ideas, from having stock markets to fostering entrepreneurship)? Does it mean that China will not go down the path of a Western liberal democracy, but will go down the path of Western 'conservative' democracy (whatever that means)? Does it mean that China will go down the path of Eastern liberal/conservative democracy instead (whatever that means)?
Anyway, I don't see the Chinese Communist Party(CCP) allowing democratic elections in China anytime soon. I think it's more about absolute political power, rather than political ideals (communism vs western democracy). After all, modern China is pretty 'Westernised'(at least for the city folks), from the clothes the Chinese people wear, the products they buy, and the capitalist ideas they have adopted.
But elections like those in the West would mean that there exists the possibility of the CCP being voted out of the government, losing absolute power over China. CCP is not about to take that risk of losing power in a democratic election.
Not the same. Chinese communism is a religion. All other religions are persecuted and denounced. And Chinese are brainwashed to believe that CCP leaders are gods. Even though they are just a bunch of corrupted power crazy beasts.
This Christmas is certainly not as merry as many wish it to be. I work in Mount E in Orchard Road and I can testify that most shopping centres including Paragon, Takashimaya, and even Robinsons are very quiet.
Even my better half chose to get christmas gifts for my parents from Mustafa this year -(.
China's style is continuiously "change" to adapt. In Chinese point of view, there is no western or eastern ways of doing thing; it is only about best practices. The Chinese will continue adopt best practices; irregardless of it being from the East or West.
The west believed in "Western liberal democracy", unfortunately, they do not have Taoism to teach them how to use it. That's why current financial crisis fully expose this short coming in their culture.
December 19, 2008 Friday, 05:25 AM
