China and the Sword of Damocles

By Colin (Huaizhi) Chen

To the imagination of many western observers, the mentioning of China does not conjure images of large modern metropolises with skylines of pearling beauty. Nor does it spark imagery of China’s vast unique natural reserves. As ever, it does not propel China’s cultural basis deeply rooted on justice and tradition. Instead, those westerners are reminded of China’s peasant workers, polluting factories, and an obfuscated ruling class. Despite its status as an economic power house and an undeniable key player in the world’s political stage with an ever growing middle class, China has been unable to shake off its image as a heavy handed communist regime and the fears that accompany such descriptions. Several commentators have remarked the anachronism of a twenty-first century modern economy thriving in a nineteenth century political system. Yet, if no political system is perfect, (one can readily name the costs and benefits of an American style democracy), is not China’s ruling technocracy a brave new experiment, worthy of the coming age? In order to continue its remarkable growth and calm the fear of many outsiders, China will have to face challenges in its regulation of its media, and its dealings of its people.

The power China wields in its party controlled media has lost its purpose – to quell unrest and fuel stability. Instead, as one can observe in the recent days, it is an unruly monster, condensing public opinion into a sword of Damocles. Mob rule hangs in the air as the public, fueled by a one-sided coverage of Hans hurt by the recent riots, threatens to clash against China’s ethnic minorities. To a keen spectator, this is nothing new. The same zealousness was seen in the anniversary of the Nanjing Massacres, as student protests against the Japanese government became eruptions. To this day, the Cultural Revolution remains a symbol of how far the lack of any public dissent and legitimate discourse could lead.

In terms of its people and its minorities, China will have to learn when to confront. As Jim Rogers remarked in his book, A Bull in China, nothing pushes an otherwise rational Chinese to madness than the bare mentioning of Taiwan (Not his exact words, but something like that). China has claimed a history of statesmanship and non-aggression. It is time to prove it to the world.

The coming 2008 Olympics presents a unique opportunity for Beijing. It can put on a show of wealth and power fitting its rise in the twenty first century; or it could go deeper, and display the flexibility and the courage of a modern regime ready to evolve and confront the difficulties of the times. Investors are hanging on its every word.

- H