China's reform hands fail to clap

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China's reform hands fail to clap

By Willy Lam
Asia Times Online
Friday, May 24, 2013

A near-schizophrenic bifurcation has informed Chinese-
style reform as implemented by the six-month old
administration of General Secretary Xi Jinping and
Premier Li Keqiang.

On the one hand, the preserving stability (weiwen)
apparatus has pulled out all the stops to shackle
dissidents and stymie other "destabilizing elements" in
society. With the same strong-armed efficacy with which
he has consolidated his hold over the military and police
forces, supremo Xi is imposing a quasi-Maoist
straitjacket on the ideological arena.

On the other hand, more signs have appeared that the Xi-
Li leadership is mapping out a package of economic and
financial reforms that will be unveiled at the Third
Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee scheduled
for October or November. Big questions, however, hang
over whether genuine and comprehensive economic
liberalization is possible in a climate of political
repression.

Xi, who is also president and commander-in-chief,
indicated soon after taking power at the 18th Chinese
Communist Party (CCP) Congress last November that party
authorities will do whatever it takes to firm up the
people's "self-confidence in the road" (daolu zixin) of
socialism with Chinese characteristics. There was no
bigger threat to the CCP's status as China's "perennial
ruling party" than a "calcium deficiency of the spirit"
among certain party members.

Continues at:

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/CHIN-02-240513.html

Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti

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