China’s Social Injustice is Potential Time Bomb–Chinese Premier

China’s Social Injustice is Potential Time Bomb–Chinese Premier
6/5/2007
Updated:
6/5/2007

Currently, China’s problems of bureaucracy and special privileges have resulted in polarized differences and confrontation in Chinese society. Chinese premier Wen Jiabao recently stated, “Looking at the current situation, if this inequity is not improved or solved properly, crises may arise any time, leading to disastrous consequences.”

Two Reports Discussed at the State Council Meetings

Recently Wen Jiabao presided over a series of meetings including the Executive Meetings of the State Council and the Extended CCP Organizational Meeting of the State Council, as well as other workshops. Two reports were presented at the meetings; “The Investigation Report on the Compensation and Fringe Benefit Systems for Staff of Local CCP Offices and Government Employees,” jointly made by the National Auditing Office and the Ministry of Supervision, and “The Investigation Report on Non-administrative Expenditures of CCP Party Offices, Governmental Agencies and Departments,” compiled by the National Auditing Office, the Research Office of the State Council and the Policy Research Office of the State Council. The reports were discussed, during which time, ideas of solutions were made so that these problems could be formally reported to the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the CPC Central Committee for Discipline Inspection.

These two reports shocked the leadership of the CCP, including Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, the Vice-premier of the State Council, the Deputy Secretaries of CPC Central Committee for Discipline Inspection and some other CCP patriarchs, all of whom wrote official comments on related issues.

Wen Jiabao’s Many ‘Whys?’

At the Joint CCP Organizational Meeting of the State Council, Wen Jiabao expressed, “Regarding the contents the reports, I feel deeply distressed and sorry. I’ve often asked myself why this terrible situation has not been rectified even though issues had been reminded time and again. Why are these problems apparently going against laws or regulations still there or even getting worse? Why have no disciplinary actions been taken to deal with these illegal practices in accordance to the relevant laws, regulations or disciplinary ordnances? Why hasn’t the State Council resorted to legal actions or administrative approaches to deal with these illegal practices and violations? Why? Why?”

Wen added, “To a large extent, we cannot turn a blind eye to the faults and responsibilities. Many issues are apparently extraordinary, so why didn’t we point them out or correct them immediately?”

Wen admitted, “At present, the most outstanding and serious problem is the tense relationship among the Party, government and the people, due mainly to the extremely uneven and polarized distribution of social wealth increases from recent economic development.

Bureaucracy And Special Privileges Do Exist in the Society

Wen also pointed out, “Bureaucracy and special privileges are what society has accused of the CCP leadership. And taking a closer look at that, not only do they exist, but they are also very serious and extensive problems.”

Social Injustice And Polarized Differences

As for the serious injustice, polarized differences and confrontation in the Chinese society nowadays, Wen Jiabao concluded as follows:

1. The central government’s directions, policies and practices have been interfered with and impaired by human barriers and habitual thinking;
2. When going ahead with the open and reform policy, as well as economic development, the rights and interests of the extensive scope of the people, particularly farmers and laborers, have been ignored to a certain extent, which has led social problems to become even more complicated.
3. Interference at bureaucratic level within the governmental departments has resulted in negative impacts.
4. Existence of inflexibility and problems within the current organizations and mechanisms.

The research report on compensation and fringe benefit systems for staff of local CCP offices and government employees, made by the National Auditing Office and the Ministry of Supervision, didn’t look past the problems of social injustice and polarized differences. The above issues, were it to happen in another developing country or area, would amount to political unrest, and were it to take place in a highly industrialized country or area, the administration would have been replaced long ago.

The Government Employees’ Compensation Reform Was A Failure

At a State Council meeting in October 2003, Wen Jiabao already conceded, “The government employees’ compensation reform system has been a failure, and has caused polarized differences and confrontation in the society. With such a destructive effect on the social system, it has become a potential political time bomb. If not eliminated or dealt with properly, it may become one of the major factors of social unrest.”