Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's praise for democracy

[GoFlyKiteNow]

Winds of change in Wen Jiabao’s words
Beijing, October 07, 2010


Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s latest praise for the ‘indispensable’ freedom of speech and people’s ‘irresistible’ wish for democracy has not been as freely reported in his own Party-backed media. “I believe freedom of speech is indispensable for any country, a country in the course of development and a country that has become strong,’’ Wen told CNN, in his first interview since two years to the western media.

For the first time, Wen has hinted that his views face ‘some resistance’. “I will not fall in spite of the strong wind and harsh rain, and I will not yield until the last day of my life,” he said when questioned about putting his speeches in action.

Wen said that he believes, and ‘all Chinese people have such a conviction that China will make continuous progress and people’s wishes for and needs for democracy and freedom are irresistible’. China’s idea of political restructuring and democracy is not defined with the same sweep as the west. But

Wen’s pro-reform comments, growing more persistent this year, aim to soften rising China’s image abroad and send a message to watchful netizens that the leadership is debating reform.

On an online chat in February, Wen said only democracy can help sustain governance. This year, he praised Hu Yaobang, an official booted out of the Party in 1987 for his pro-reform stance.

In August, to mark the 30th year of reforms in Shenzhen, he said modernisation would fail unless economic and political restructuring went together.

“I often say that we should not only let people have freedom of speech, we more importantly must create conditions to let them criticise the work of the government,’’ Wen said, adding that he surfs Chinese views about the Party. “Only when there is the supervision and critical oversight from people that the government will be in a position to do an even better job.”

Translations of the transcript are popping up on Chinese blogs more than official websites, sparking a debate whether the winds of change in China’s political system and promise of ‘political restructuring’ will amount to anything. On Thursday, a transcript belatedly landed on the Party’s People’s Daily forum.

 

[fivestars]

China shall return the power of people to China Citizen. China shall implement General Election for Lower House. The communist party will continue control President House and Upper House until new generation to take over.

A presidential system is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the name) separately from the legislature, to which it is not responsible and which cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss it.

The concept of separate spheres of influence of the executive and legislature is specified in the Constitution, with the creation of the office of President elected separately from Congress. (Maybe One Party System)

Although not exclusive to republics, and applied in the case of semi-constitutional monarchies where a monarch exercises power (both as head of state and chief of the executive branch of government) alongside a legislature, the term is often associated with republican systems.

The upper house is frequently given other powers to compensate for its restrictions:
Executive appointments, to the cabinet and other offices, usually require its approval.
It frequently has the sole authority to give consent to or denounce foreign treaties.

The National Assembly of the Republic of China ( 國民大會 )

The lower houses frequently display certain characteristics:
Given greater power, usually based on restrictions against the upper house.
Directly elected (apportionment is usually based on population).
Given more members.
Elected more frequently, and all at once.
Given total or original control over budget and monetary laws.
Able to override the upper house in some ways.
In a presidential system, given the sole power to impeach the executive (the upper house then has to try the impeachment).

Many communists said that Stalin was not a real communist, because the original idea of communism needed small groups of workers voting and deciding on things together, and Stalin in no way supported voting or democracy.

Today the Chinese government is called a mixed economy, and they have borrowed many things from capitalism. The government in China today does not follow Maoism.