PRC selling a peculiar version of democracy

Three events can give Taiwanese a better understanding of China's contradictory and perplexing nature.

First, while US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was visiting Beijing, the Chinese government published a white paper entitled "The Building of Political Democracy in China," which aims to project an image of the country as open-minded and democratic.

But a review of China's first such white paper -- which includes 10 chapters and 30,000 characters -- shows that Beijing-style "democracy" is firmly under the direction of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The paper also emphasizes that China will not seek to emulate the political system of any other country. Such ideas obviously run counter to commonly understood democratic principles.

Second, while addressing his audience at China's Central Party School, the CCP's top training center, Rumsfeld pointed out that "Every society has to be vigilant against another type of great wall that can be a burden on man's talents and is born from a fear of them -- a wall that limits speech, information and choices."

Rumsfeld trying to drive home the point that any attempt to permanently isolate a group of people would be doomed to failure, and that people will eventually gain access to information they want to know.

Third, on April 30, Shi Tao (師濤), a Chinese journalist, was sentenced by the Chinese government to 10 years in jail on charges of "leaking state secrets abroad." The Committee to Protect Journalists presented its 2005 International Press Freedom Award to Shi. Such an award was simply a slap in the face to Beijing.

It is ironic that while vowing to pursue democracy in its recently published white paper, the Chinese government jailed a journalist championing political reform. Beijing argues that "only when the CCP is leading the nation can Chinese people have a say in national affairs and be able to practice the rule of law, thereby highlighting the characteristics of socialism, improving social stability and economy and the people's standard of living, consolidating national sovereignty and maintaining territorial integrity."

To the 800 million Chinese who live only so far from poverty, such a lofty statement must appear absolutely meaningless.

While was publishing its white paper, China spent 48 billion yuan (US$6 billion) on the launch of its Shenzhou VI spacecraft. Chinese media played their role dutifully, labeling the space mission and the government's drive to reform as a marvelous feat harking back to the halcyon days of the Han and Tang dynasties.

According to World Bank statistics, there are still around 200 million Chinese people living in abject poverty, with daily income of US$1.12. By contrast, the fortunes of the top 100 wealthiest people in China increased by 50 percent last year. However, China's media has never conducted a review of such an unfair phenomenon, for Big Brother will put whoever attempts to challenge national security behind bars.

Over the past 10 years, China's economy has grown at the rate of 9.5 percent per year. This has enriched some people and widened the gap between rich and poor.

Additionally, the number of protests in China increased to 74,000 last year from 10,000 in 1994, reflecting the country's unfair, unjust and corrupt development. That is, of course, the reason why the white paper stresses that economic development can only occur in a stable society. Put simply, a white paper trumpeting China's "democratic politics" is nothing more than a joke.

Hsieh Kuan-ying is a researcher in China studies.

TRANSLATED BY DANIEL CHENG