Scholars push for moderate political reform
BEI J ING – More than 70 prominent Chinese scholars and lawyers have urged the country’s new Communist party leaders to undertake moderate political reforms including separating the party from government, though they avoid any mention of ending one-party rule.
The petition drafted by Peking University law professor Zhang Qianfan calls on the party to rule according to the constitution, protect freedom of speech, encourage private enterprise and allow for an independent judicial system. It also calls for the people to be able to elect their own representatives without interference from the Communist party.
Zhang said there is an urgent need for change to better address the widespread problems the country faces, such as social inequity, abuse of government powers and corruption.
“China runs the risk of revolution and chaos if it does not change,” Zhang said.
The document echoes some requests made in a 2008 manifesto that made an unusually direct call for an end to singleparty rule and other reforms. Its lead architect, dissident writer Liu Xiaobo, is still in jail for inciting subversion.
The petition, released Christmas Day, adopts a milder tone, asking the party leadership to rule within existing laws.
“We hope it can be accepted by the government and will kick off conversations between the government and the people and among the public,” Zhang said Wednesday.
China’s communist leaders have not tolerated challenges to their authority since the military crushed pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989.
The petition, made public 40 days after the party installed its new leadership for the next five years, is the latest effort by Chinese intellectuals to push for political reform in a country that many believe is in urgent need of change but also has become more divided. Zhang said he wants to build consensus among people from various factions with often conflicting views.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying did not comment on the petition during a routine briefing but said China does not suppress media freedom.
But by mid-afternoon Wednesday, the petition had been scrubbed off Zhang Qianfan’s profile on the popular microblog site, Sina Weibo.
Beijing scholar Zhang Lifan, one of the signees, is less optimistic that China’s ruling party will initiate political change, but is not giving up.
“We are treating a dead horse as if it were still alive,” said Zhang, referring to the prospect of political reform.
It is important for the public to let its will be known, said Zhang, not related to the Peking University professor.
“The content of the letter is not new to the country’s rulers ... The question is whether they will take action or not,” said Zhang Sizhi, an eminent human-rights advocate.