JMSC6027: CHINAS POLITICS

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• JMSC6027 CHINAS POLITICS
• Thomas Hon Wing Polin,
• Journalism and Media Studies Centre, HKU
• February 12, 2003

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Power Structure (1)

• FIVE KEY COMPONENTS
• The Communist Party
• The Central Government
• The National Peoples Congress (NPC)
• The Chinese Peoples Political Consultative
  Conference (CPPCC)
• The Peoples Liberation Army (PLA)

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Power Structure (2)

• THE PARTY (65 million members)
• Politburo Standing Committee (5-9 members) Hu
  Jintao, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Zeng Qinghong,
  Luo Gan, Jia Qinglin, Huang Ju, Li Changchun, Wu
  Guanzheng
• Politburo (20 members)
• Central Committee (300 members)
• Central Secretariat (half a dozen members)

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Power Structure (3)

• CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
• State Council Premier, Executive Vice
  Premier/Vice Premiers, Ministers
• Ministries and Commissions (2-3 dozen)
• PLA Central Military Commission Half a dozen
  members civilian head, all others uniformed men

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Power Structure (4)

• NPC (3,000 members)
• A Chairman, 6-8 Vice Chairs
• The national legislature
• Highest organ of power -- or rubber stamp?
• CPPCC (2,000 members)
• Chairman, Vice Chairs
• Nations top advisory body

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Leadership (1)

• 1G -- Mao Zedong (Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De)
• 2G -- Deng Xiaoping (Hu Yaobang, Zhao Ziyang)
• 3G -- Jiang Zemin (Li Peng, Zhu Rongji, Li
  Ruihuan)
• 4G Hu Jintao (Wen Jiabao, Zeng Qinghong)
• Patronage politics Deng-Chen Yun Jiang-Li
  Peng-Zhu Rongji, etc.

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Leadership (2)

• Evolution from authoritative, one-man rule to
  collective leadership
• More stable, peaceful transitions of power
• Younger, more technocratic top leaders
• Politics in command of Maos era giving way to
  economy first in Deng, Jiang periods Premiers
  duties and qualifications
• This evolution likely to continue in new era of
  reform and opening up under WTO

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Covering the 16th Party Congress (1)

• Party Congresses, held every 5 years, are the
  most important events in Chinas political
  calendar
• 16th Congress especially pivotal as it marked a
  generational change of leaders only peaceful
  on in PRC history. How did media cover this?
• In mid-November 2002, surveyed 9 independent HK
  papers (8 Chinese, 1 English) and 3 major foreign
  papers (IHT, AWSJ and WP)
• A quick run-through of notable features --

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16th Party Congress (2)

• APPLE DAILY
• Headlines critical Jiangs continuing power,
  Jiang vs. Hu
• Contents critical party betrays workers
  peasants by admitting capitalists, secretive
  voting for new leaders, Jiangs dominant power,
  lack of democracy, new leaders ignorance about
  HK affairs, etc. Even gloomy Beijing weather
  linked with Congress

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16th Party Congress (3)

• Quoting criticisms of Western media Hu may be
  toppled, etc.
• But, covered/probed HK angle new leaders links
  with HK, phone interviews of HK citizens re
  Congress and new leaders
• More named, credited sources than other HK papers

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16th Party Congress (4)

• ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS
• Many anonymous sources, few named ones
• Lack of analysis of events reported
• A focus on atmosphere of opening and closing
  sessions, facial expressions of leaders

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16th Party Congress (5)

• MING PAO
• Virtually all anon. Sources, very few named ones
• Basically reported the Congress, little analysis
• But did provide coverage of more substantive
  themes and issues The 3 Represents, one country
  two systems, Partys embrace of capitalists as
  well as workers and peasants

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16th Party Congress (6)

• HK ECONOMIC TIMES
• Only anon. sources, no credited ones
• Basically reported the Congress, little in-depth
  analysis
• Descriptions of leaders facial expressions

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16th Party Congress (7)

• HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL
• Brief reporting, mostly anon. sources
• But heavy on analysis background of new
  leaders, in-depth discussion of Jiangs role,
  etc.
• Ironically, Economic Journal had little analysis
  of economic issues relating to the Congress

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16th Party Congress (8)

• SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
• Extensive coverage, using both anon. and named
  sources generally fair and balanced
• Unlike most HK papers, covered implications for
  foreign investors as well as private domestic
  businesses (more like foreign papers)
• Omits issue of Jiangs residual power (a fairly
  speculative topic)

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16th Party Congress (9)

• WASHINGTON POST
• Both anon. and named sources
• Positive on Chinas economic reforms freedoms
• But also critical -- apathy of masses, people
  joining Party for self-interest, little political
  freedom, mystified by most new leaders, Hu unable
  top pick own team, etc.

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16th Party Congress (10)

• INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE
• Both anon. and credited sources reasonably
  balanced coverage
• Noted Jiangs accomplishments, but also his
  clinging to power
• Economic boom, but leads to social inequalities
• Critical of voting secrecy, lack of political
  reform
• Focus on how new policies affect foreign and
  private domestic businesses

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16th Party Congress (11)

• ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL
• More named than anon. sources
• Looks in depth at economic issues impact of new
  policies on foreign and domestic enterprises,
  legal implications, obstacles facing private
  sector and capitalists who want to join Party
• Explores social impact of new policies and
  initiatives

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16th Party Congress (12)

• TO SUM UP --
• Local papers focus more on new leaders and their
  personalities, foreign papers focus on issues
• Foreign papers have more named sources. They have
  accredited correspondents in China
• Foreign papers focus more on human rights,
  repression issues Falungong, Tiananmen, lack of
  democracy. No local paper covered this, except
  Apple Daily
• Foreign papers more critical than local ones

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16th Party Congress (13)

• IHT and WP give impression that younger
  generation apathetic. Implication is that they
  dislike the Party and the Congress, and dont
  care about political and social issues. Is this
  really true?

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Prospects?

• Things are beginning to get better. Reasons
• Chinas rising status and influence makes it
  imperative for political and business leaders
  worldwide to have a more accurate, dispassionate
  understanding of the country
• International media have to respond by improving
  the quality, accuracy and sophistication of their
  China coverage

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Prospects (2)

• That leads to better-qualified journalists
  covering China
• Also, a new generation of Western journalists may
  be more open-minded about China
• Politically, China is now again a partner to
  the U.S. administration, rather than the
  competitor of not so long ago

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Parting Words

• My point in sharing all this is to help you
  become a more discriminating, critical and
  therefore effective reader of news about China
• Most people dont question the interpretations
  they encounter in the media, especially in the
  supposedly authoritative international media
• Being aware of some of their inherent flaws and
  biases will enable you to get more out of the
  news you consume about China