Links » Crème » Chen Guangcheng is not a fan of Xi Jinping, says China needs “transformation,” not “reform”

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Chen Guangcheng is not a fan of Xi Jinping, says China needs “transformation,” not “reform” Posted: 04 Mar 2013 11:00 AM PST Everyone's favorite blind lawyer activist was interviewed recently by Global Viewpoint Network editor Nathan Gardels, carried by SCMP. Chen Guangcheng talks about freedom and says a lot of reasonable — if a bit idealistic — things: The law is a tool, and people should be treated equally under the law. This of course necessitates a supervisory system, which should have the power to counterbalance the party mechanisms that control the judiciary, and should have the power to demand improvements. This is a requirement for a pluralistic, multiparty system. Otherwise, no matter how strong your laws, it won't matter in practice. But in addition to opining that soon-to-be Chinese president Xi Jinping won't "change as a result of the Bo Xilai affair," there's this (Gardels's longwinded question in bold): The party now dictates who becomes the president and chief prosecutor of courts. To start down the path of an independent judiciary, Peking University legal scholar He Weifang recommends making this into a nomination process that requires approval of the National People's Congress. What are your thoughts on this proposal? Why would it be only the president and chief prosecutor? A democratic system depends on a lot more than a prosecutor. Direct elections should decide all level of administrative officials. And in any case I feel that this is what many people refer to as "reform". This is useless. What China needs now is a transformation. Pardon me for saying so, but in that last bit, one can almost hear Chen parroting the platitudes of China's proselyte dissidents. Even as he stops just short of explicitly equating "transformation" with revolution, he's headed toward that dead end where nothing short of a CCP implosion can be viewed with anything but cynicism and disgust. This is useless. Chen is too smart to let himself become a pawn in this game, and it's sad to see him drift, with each interview, a bit further out of the China conversation. Chen Guangcheng Q&A: 'China has good laws, but they should apply to party' (SCMP)

Top-of-the-Week Links: Liu Bolin at TED2013, Chen Guangbiao’s new campaign, and Chinese Super League preview Posted: 04 Mar 2013 05:09 AM PST Badly photoshopped Bo Xilai, via Boxun via Want China Times. These are better? Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang will take their places as president and premier at the Two Sessions. Meanwhile, the Beijing Ducks are through to the semis. Links time. Teacher behaves badly. "The bad behaviour of a first-grader was too much for one teacher in Dongguan, who proceeded to smack him, sending him to the hospital with two fewer teeth than he started his day with." (The Nanfang) David Beckham coming to China. "David Beckham's much discussed ambassadorial role for the Chinese Super League (CSL) will see him visit China three times this season. His Excellency will miss the league's opening ceremony on March 8 due to UEFA Champions League commitments with PSG (though he could appear by video link or recorded message), but Becks will likely come at the end of March (PSG don't play March 18-29 inclusive), then again at the end of May after the end of the French season on May 26, and finally in November towards the end of the CSL season." (The Li-Ning Tower) Chen Guangbiao with another campaign. "Chen hopped on a flight to Beijing Saturday to audit the National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference this year for the 13th time, although he is not a deputy. 'The "food-saving day" is my primary suggestion this year to improve awareness of widespread food waste,' he said." (Global Times) Raise your hand if this is a movie you even considered, for a second, watching. "21 and Over was the first film made under Relativity's Chinese co-production venture. The decision to film in the city in Eastern China was a result of Relativity's deal with Chinese authorities: In order to distribute in the People's Republic's hugely profitable market, the studio was required to produce an alternate cut of the film specifically for Chinese theaters. The Chinese version is a cautionary tale; it changes the main character to a Chinese native who travels to an American college campus as an exchange student, becomes ensnared in a world of objectionable youthful dissipation, and then returns to China having learned his lesson." (Mother Jones) The dark side of… "Every morning, workers need to fish out stones (for stone washing jeans) from sewage tanks. Hand sanding and bleaching, the two key processes for making vintage jeans, not only affect the lives of neighboring residents but also the health of the workers in the industry. All of the 10 fingers have been dyed blue and they suffer from continuous skin itching." (Sino-US) Attention, screenwriters: "On Sunday, the Cultural Assets Office of the Beijing municipal government announced the Beijing International Screenwriting Competition. Screenwriters who live in the United States are invited to submit feature film proposals or completed short film scripts in a contest that aims, ultimately, to get movies made from some of them. // The only condition: All of the stories must be about Beijing." (Media Decoder, NYT) Timelapse of the invisible man Liu Bolin at TED2013 interlude, via TED Blog: Finally… From the always-enjoyable Tom Scocca: "David Brooks Wishfully, Wrongly Believes the Chinese Have No Word for 'Nerd.'" (Gawker) "The WOW Awards Beijing will be held on Friday, March 8, 2013 at The Fairmont's Ballroom." (BJ Reviewer) Chinese Super League is kicking off already? A preview. (Wild East Football) Before Dennis Rodman, there was Muhammad Ali. He didn't do much in North Korea. (Austin Ramzy, Time) Pinning down the motives of Chinese hacking. (NY Times) Finally, finally… Bird walking…Only in China. Great catch by @frankyu #lol twitter.com/veterantravele… — Veteran Travelerさん (@veterantraveler) 2013年3月2日

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