CHINA’S POLITICAL FUTURE

CAN CHINA INITIATE POLITICAL REFORM?

Frank Ching

The Korea Herald, September 12, 2010

Thirty years ago, China’s paramount leader Deng Xiaoping designated Shenzhen, a sleepy fishing village next to Hong Kong, as the country’s first special economic zone. Today, it is the fastest growing city in China with a population of 14 million people.

On Sept. 6, Shenzhen celebrated the 30th anniversary in grand style, with President Hu Jintao complimenting the city on its achievements in economic reform and calling on it to continue playing its role as a forerunner, including in political reform.

The anniversary is providing the occasion for renewed discussion of the need for political reform in the country, a very sensitive subject.

While China has made great strides in economic development in the last 30 years and is now the world’s second largest economy, this has not been matched by similar progress in political reforms, largely because the ruling Communist Party is fearful of instability and desires to ensure its own monopoly of power.

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