"Only socialism can save China"
New Delhi: It is estimated that about 60-70 million people in China have died as a result of the communist party's policies since it came to power in 1949.
More than what was said in Xi Jinping's powerful speech on the occasion of 100 years celebration of Chinese Communists Party (CCP) on July 1, the real message lay in the song sang by the huge crowd - "Without the Communist Party, There Would Be No New China".
Essentially this shows the confidence of a leadership but also the latent nervousness also stands betrayed.
About one million Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang have been allegedly rounded up into internment camps. And China has repeatedly faced accusations of forced organ harvesting from prisoners.
These are crucial issues for analysts globally including in India to understand that China has extreme 'nervousness' syndrome revolving around the apprehension that would their country also turn 'susceptible' to a break up as was the case in the erstwhile Soviet Union.
Ram Madhav, a senior RSS functionary, says, "Not a single important speech of Xi Jinping ends without reference to the collapse of the Soviet Union".
In his speech on July 1 marking 100 years of Communists party, Xi Jinping, praised his country and people for the "new world" they had created.
Firstly, Xi is already designated as President for life and is regarded the most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. China in 2018 approved the 'removal' of the two-term limit on the presidency, effectively allowing Xi to remain in power for life. He is 68 years old now.
What is that 'new world' ?
A world where the Chinese leadership feels that their 'debt trap' mechanism with several countries including some in Latin America, Africa and also Pakistan and a few other India's neighbours has been successful.
Xi has pledged to promote BRI, he has indicated towards continued 'expansionism' and in the context of conflicts like Galwan valley with India, he said, "We need more heroes".
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| Mao and his admirers ? |
Standing at the Gate of Heavenly Peace above a portrait of Mao Zedong, Xi said: “We will not accept sanctimonious preaching from those who feel they have the right to lecture us....Anyone who dares try to do that will have their heads bashed bloody against the Great Wall of Steel forged by over 1.4 billion Chinese people".
He also said: "Only socialism can save China, and only socialism with Chinese characteristics can develop China" perhaps in reference to the system wherein 'party (Communists) is supreme' but also an endorsement of a methodology under which markets economy reforms were embraced.
The centenary celebrations of July 1 have been a highly orchestrated affair as an art performance titled 'The Great Journey' was staged at the Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing. The history of the party and country were depicted but the Cultural Revolution purges, the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, and the pro-democracy episodes in Hong Kong were missing.
Xi asserted that China maintains an "unshakeable commitment" to unification with Taiwan and added: "No one should underestimate the resolve, the will and ability of the Chinese people".
Analyst Craig Singleton says: "There was a clear effort to hammer message that the party (Communists) itself has saved China from poverty and other challenges... and the future is by showing loyalty to the party and loyalty to Xi".
Thus, do we come to believe in today's world that the so-called 'Chinese model' has worked. Techno-authoritarianism is a reality even as individual liberty would be crushed.
In this debate we should not forget the 'hard working' generation of Chinese who ensured Chinese industrialisation.
This scribe has visited China in August 2019 and at Shenzhen one was impressed to sea the huge transformation made possible since 1978.
A Chinese foreign ministry official had told us with a sense of satisfaction and national pride that - "The development and accomplishment of Shenzhen highly epitomises and vividly reflects the historical reform and great achievements of China".
However, on the condition of anonymity many Chinese common citizens in Beijing and Shenzhen admitted that the old generation has been 'aging'.
The problem in China like in India or other parts of the world is the younger lot know only the 'benefits' and 'prosperity'.
To then, even loyalty to communists party is not out of sheer commitment. The young people are perhaps different. Asked to comment on 'politics' of the communists party, they were not quite interested to hear or talk only good things; and thus would only shrug their shoulders.
Xi's problems vis-a-vis protest culture and democracy would be to handle this younger lot and the middle class.
Numbering about 400 million they want 'more power', so there can be a full blown tension brewing on this score in future. It is the second-largest political party in the world after the BJP, which has around 180 million members.
The party claims 95.1 million members, but a complete list of names is not made public.
In 2011 China saw pro-democracy protests in over a dozen cities starting on 20 February inspired by and named after the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia.
The online appeal for the protests through Twitter and website Boxun.com called for protests to take place each weekend arguing that "sustained action" will show the Chinese government that its people expect accountability and transparency that does not exist under the current "one-party system".
So all that glitters need not be gold or 'Red' as the colour of communism is.
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| Two ambitious Asian stars |
India lodges protest with Pak as Drone spotted over Indian mission in Islamabad
New Delhi: Amid drone attack probe in Jammu and Kashmir, India on Friday, July 2 alleged that a drone was "spotted on June 26 over the Indian High Commission in Islamabad" and urged Islamabad to investigate the incident.
MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi also urged Pakistan "to take credible, verifiable and irreversible action against terrorist networks and proxies operating from territories under its control".0
Answering questions he said: "A drone was spotted on June 26 over the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
This has been taken up officially with the Government of Pakistan. We expect Pakistan to investigate the incident and prevent recurrence of such breach of security".
At the weekly media briefing, the MEA spokesman said, "As far as terrorism and terror financing is concerned, we have a zero-tolerance policy. We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. All countries must take credible action against terrorism including by putting an end to cross-border movement of terrorists, terrorist safe havens and infrastructure and their financing channels".
In this regard, he underlined, "...we call upon Pakistan to take credible, verifiable and irreversible action against terrorist networks and proxies operating from territories under its control and to bring the perpetrators of terrorist attacks including 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot to justice".
It may be mentioned, the drone activity over Indian High Commission in Islamabad occurred hours before the twin blasts took place at Jammu Airbase which were carried out with the help of drones.
On the intervening night of June 26 and 27, two blasts took place within a gap of 5 minutes inflicting minor injuries on two Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel.
The probe so far has called the attacks 'a well-planned conspiracy to target national aerial assets NIA has taken over the probe.
Pakistan has of course denied the charge.
Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said : “We have seen the Indian MEA’s statement and reports in certain sections of the Indian media alleging a drone flying over the premises of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These preposterous claims have no basis in facts and no proof whatsoever has been shared with Pakistan to substantiate these allegations".
At the media briefing in Delhi on certain media reports about Indian side reaching out to the Taliban in Afghanistan, MEA spokesman Mr Bagchi said: "We have seen some media reports based on a tweet by some journalists. Since you have raised the issue, let me categorically deny claims that Minister Dr S Jaishankar met any Taliban leader.
"Such stories are false and mischievous."
He further said: "You would have seen the detailed statement by the External Affairs Minister on June 22 at the UN Security Council, where he spoke extensively about various issues, including India’s support for a durable peace driven by an inclusive, Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled peace process".
India supports all peace initiatives, and has been engaged with various stakeholders, he said adding, "As regards the security situation in Afghanistan, we are obviously concerned by the increased violence there, based on which we have issued a security advisory for Indian nationals in Afghanistan".
On border talks China :
MEA spokesman said, "As you are aware, the 22nd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held on June 25, 2021. Both sides agreed to maintain
dialogue and communication through the diplomatic and military mechanisms to reach a mutually acceptable solution for complete disengagement from all friction points so as to ensure full restoration of peace and tranquillity to enable progress
in the bilateral relations".
Both sides also agreed that in the interim, the two sides will continue to ensure stability on the ground and prevent any untoward incident. The two sides also agreed to hold the next (12th) round of the Senior Commanders meeting at an early date, the spokesman said.
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| Blogger in Chinese Bullet train run: 2019 |
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