Chinese and European academics, politicians and experts have met to discuss how involved China’s citizens are in the running of their country.

Shortly before the People’s Republic of China – run by the Communist Party - celebrated its 60th anniversary on October 1, conference organizer Professor Cai Dingjian talked of the need for democracy.

Professor Cai Dingjian from the Constitutionalism Research Institute (CUPL) (photo by CUPL)

“Public participation (PP) is an interactive process,” said Cai, from the Constitutionalism Research Institute at China University of Politics and Law. “The government should open it up more to the public. But leaders want to brainwash the public so people agree with what they say.”

He told his 60 or so listeners in Beijing that although PP had been prioritised by the Communist Party, there were problems with it.

“Leaders want to promote reform in the political system but don’t want free elections so we don’t have the right system for PP.  A lot of people are disappointed.  For PP to develop the government must be elected and held accountable. A colleague said to me, how can you have PP if you do not have representative democracy? Once we institutionalise PP and accept it, we will see real and concrete PP in China.”

The two-day August conference was also organised by British organisation The Rights Practice, which promotes human rights in China.

Being involved in urban planning is one method of public participation

The event heard that some Chinese people already play a role in decisions that affect their lives, such as participating in village meetings and city residential committees and getting involved in urban planning.

A scheme in Wenling in Zhejiang province includes people from all walks of life in public affairs, said Chen Yimin, a leading city official.  The conference was told that illiterate people and migrant workers are also now involved there. 

Chinese people working or volunteering in NGOs across the country also play a role, the conference heard, for example by improving bicycle lanes, reducing pollution and protecting plants and animals.

But many speakers said the current level of participation was not enough. The conference, funded by the European Commission, heard changes were needed like giving NGOs real legitimacy, opening up the media, involving people more at the grassroots level and stamping out corruption.

Chinese and European academics, politicians and experts at the conference (photo by CUPL)

Guo Guangdong, on the editorial board of the Southern Weekly newspaper, said “people are smart and want to make noise. There are a lot of violent gatherings.  Say residents suffer from pollution. They tell the local government but it says the company responsible gives a lot to the village, so nothing happens. The villagers go to lawyers, then court, but the court doesn’t accept their argument, so they go to the media, but if it is put on the Internet it is often censored. So the villagers do a petition then are told to take it to the local government! The problem is not resolved, so they go to the street. If this continues, it could be horrific; if this road becomes an expressway, imagine what society will be like.”

Professor Zhang Ming from Renmin University of China said the government should change its attitude towards the Internet. “It has changed the world. The government cannot block it totally. “

He added: “Voices now are different. We still use terms like Serve the People but we also see phrases like the Power of Citizens.  Replacing old terms means changing the mindset of the Party. People used to quote Chairman Mao but not many do now.”

French Professor Yves Sintomer from Paris 8 University explained how public participation is different from one European country to the next. 

Professor Yves Sintomer from Paris 8 University, right and politician Mr. Agostino Fragai from Tuscany, left, at the conference (photo by CUPL)

“There can be very different models and none is better. But public participation involves a lot of actors with different aims. There will be tough political discussions about which model is the best.”

Politician Agostino Fragai talked of Tuscany’s experience in promoting the first Italian PP law and said China’s massive population made no difference to the general principle.

“The problem is not the population size but whether there are the techniques of drawing more people in.  What are important are the tools you use.”

Mark Walton, a town planner from the UK, was on his first visit to China. He thought the growing use of the internet would lead to websites becoming the main method of public consultation.

Mark Walton, a British town planner on his first visit to China

“I would not be surprised if China develops new and innovative web-based systems of consultation in the coming years that the UK/Europe can share,” he said.

Liu Kaiming, director of the Institute of Contemporary Observation, asked why “the public pays tax to the government, so why does the government control them so much?” He said that in South Korea 20,000 graduates were involved in a movement for workers that helped the development of democracy. “But we do not see it in China; many students are obsessed with money. College professors are crucial and have an obligation to tell the truth so people have the opportunity to be engaged in public affairs.” (Helen Leavey)

 

 

Programme:
Public Participation in Decision Making