Chinese director has 7 children

[Barun Mitra]

SIFL INSTITUTE
1902, Building 1, No. 1199 Minsheng Road, Pudong, Shanghai, China
SIFL Weekly Report: No. 60, Nov. 26, 2013

No need to support Zhang Yimou’s birth-right privileges
By LIU Yuanju

It was exposed more than half a year ago that Zhang Yimou, a famous
Chinese director, violated China’s one-child policy, and he is the dad
for 7 children. Under great pressure from the public, the Wuxi Family
Planning Committee has carried out investigation. However, up to now,
they said they still can’t track him down after doing everything they
can.

The matter has triggered wide attentions and also disputes. Many
people believe that, “no matter who is, as long as his or her
behaviors belong to the basic human rights, they should be supported.”
Therefore, the privilege of having additional babies for Zhang Yimou
has been supported by many people. In fact, such an opinion is too
simple, and the social reality has not been considered, we can’t
ignore the privilege brought by fame, wealth or political identities.

According to the saying of the family planning departments, they have
tried their best to find a very famous person, but haven’t got a
response from him, so they have no other way. In fact, it is indeed
possible that Zhang Yimou has not given a reply. But it is unlikely
that he is really unable to be found. As long as the authority can use
one percent of the enthusiasm for dealing with common people, it is
not hard to find a very famous person.

Such a farce has crashed the wishful thinking of relying on
celebrities’ extra births to impact on unreasonable rules. It’s rather
ridiculous that the farce of “where has Zhang Yimou been” is put on
the stage while common Chinese people are encountering sterilizations
and forced abortions. In fact, the different treatment to Zhang Yimou
roots in privileges which cannot help the common people at all.

Such softness of law enforcement varies with each individual. Because
the privileged groups are no longer bothered, for the other people,
the law enforcement becomes rigid. Let me give a simple example, if
the family planning policies have no enforceability for NPC members
and members of the CPPC, then China’s family planning policy is
impossible and not necessary to be softened for the common people.
Obviously, this is the extreme reinforcement instead of the
disintegration for the family planning policy. This is just like “the
bureaucrat profiteers” 30 years ago, and they were absolutely not for
the Chinese to fight for economic freedom; officials who have
transferred the registered residence of their children to Beijing are
absolutely not for the Chinese to fight for the freedom of movement.

Exactly on the contrary, many problems in China are just caused by
such kinds of privileges. When the power of certain groups has
exceeded the boundary of individual rights and has invaded the scopes
of individual rights of citizens, from the angle of those who have
been violated, this has led to the problems of social justice and
equity. Therefore, privileges are the initiators for various social
problems and various unreasonable laws and regulations. When the
privileged class may not be restricted by these regulations,
unreasonable regulations can be further solidified and enhanced,
leading to more serious problems on social justice and equity.

As a member of the national committee of CPPCC for two sessions, Zhang
Yimou can surely defend his birth right by criticize China’s
unreasonable family planning policy, and put forward the related
reform suggestions. This is a reasonable duty within his capacity. By
doing this, he can not only strive for his rights, but also help more
people. Besides, it is also safe to do so -- in the Third Plenary
Session this time, the gradual perfection and adjustments for
childbearing policies have also been put forward. Only at this point,
he needs public supports. However, Zhang hasn’t made such efforts.

Originally, Zhang Yimou as a public figure, as a person being a
suspect of extra births and as a member of the national committee of
CPPCC for two sessions, he has some responsibilities for appealing the
reform of current family planning policy on behalf of the public. But
Zhang has never thought about taking this opportunity to do something
for the public and for social justice. On the contrary, supports from
the public for Zhang’s one-child policy violation are a kind of
pressure that he tries to avoid. Since it is so, the so-called
supports for him seem to be a very wishful thinking.

Originally published on Southern Metropolis Daily | 2013-11-22