Rise of a More Well-Liked Dragon: What Reforms are Needed in China to Make Her More Internationally Accepted?
In the day and age when the economic and international political power of a rising China is no longer doubted, the image of the country abroad has, at the same time, been declining steadily. While her economic freedom has increased, there is increasing criticism regarding a lack of a corresponding increase in political freedom. And what's more worrisome is the fact that the continued strict social controls are bound to make her proud export- and investment-led economic growth to ground to a halt as people get both wealthier and older in age.
So, as someone who has been keeping a close watch on foreign sentiments against China as well as increased social problems in China during the past few years, I would like to use this chance to opine on what I feel are the necessary reforms China may take to thwart increased internal conflicts and further tainting of an already horrible international image. The reforms I believe are necessary will ensure continued stability and development without risking catastrophic radical political changes in the country.
The first set directly concerns the image foreigners have about China's strict political controls. The fact is that the Chinese government, with strong economic growth on her side, should worry little about a repeat of 1989 even if political controls are greatly loosened. There should be little social turbulence but will cause massive benefits for the international image of China as an open, tolerant country. Even by a few moves, China can immediately shut up anti-China protesters and increase soft power.
The reforms will directly target what is most talked about. First, China will apologize for the crackdown of 1989 and allow all dissidents' freedom and the right to return to China without harm. Falun Gong is to be reinstated and all practitioners freed. Both Tibet and East Turkestan will be granted true autonomy under the frameworks of "one country, two systems" (like Hong Kong and Macau) while all Tibetan and Uighur exiles like Dalai Lama are invited back and allowed to lead the newly formed "special administrative regions."
Furthermore, to silence foreign criticisms for human rights. All prominent human rights activists, including Liu Xiaobo and Gao Zhisheng, should be freed. All Internet censorship should be dropped. Underground churches should be legitimized. NGOs, both domestic and foreign, of all purposes and nature, should be allowed to establish and operate freely. Media in China, including Internet sites, newspapers, radios, TV stations, magazines, should be privatized and foreign investment allowed without censorship or restrictions.
The loosening of political controls, especially in the field of media, is also directly related to China's economic transformation. By employing more people in services such as the media and NGOs, the reforms will steer China away from manufacturing-based growth. To complement the expansion of "free" media, several key government-controlled industries, such as transportation, telecommunications, and to some extent, insurance, should be opened to private and foreign investments.
These new investments should bring able greater growth and employment without really hurting national interests. Especially since I am an adamant believer that the government does not have the right to define what is moral for the people, I can see several other new industries for economic, employment, and even government revenue growth. One is to end Macau's monopoly in gambling by issuing gambling licenses on the mainland. The other is opening up the sex industry, establishing completely legal red-light districts in all cities (to replace informal, underground ones), and legalizing an adult video industry just like in Japan.
Finally, to take full advantage of newly created economic engines, the greater needs of both consumers and employees must be fulfilled. On the consumer side, foreigners should be taken advantage of. Visa-free travels for people from the EU, US, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and other developed countries should be instituted. They should be given complete freedom to travel and stay in wherever they would like in China (even to protest the government or undertake missionary activities) and be given incentives to spend as much as possible on everything from fake goods to sex.
On the employment side, greater migration to major nodes of growth is encouraged. The hukou system should be even more trivialized (to be made much more like Japan's easily revised household registration system) so that more long-term internal migration is possible. People should be given the titles of the land they "leased from the government" (farms or housing plots) so that they can more comfortably move without worries of losing the land. And lastly, the one-child policy should be scrapped so that cheaper young workers can be available for a largely expanded economy...
So, as someone who has been keeping a close watch on foreign sentiments against China as well as increased social problems in China during the past few years, I would like to use this chance to opine on what I feel are the necessary reforms China may take to thwart increased internal conflicts and further tainting of an already horrible international image. The reforms I believe are necessary will ensure continued stability and development without risking catastrophic radical political changes in the country.
The first set directly concerns the image foreigners have about China's strict political controls. The fact is that the Chinese government, with strong economic growth on her side, should worry little about a repeat of 1989 even if political controls are greatly loosened. There should be little social turbulence but will cause massive benefits for the international image of China as an open, tolerant country. Even by a few moves, China can immediately shut up anti-China protesters and increase soft power.
The reforms will directly target what is most talked about. First, China will apologize for the crackdown of 1989 and allow all dissidents' freedom and the right to return to China without harm. Falun Gong is to be reinstated and all practitioners freed. Both Tibet and East Turkestan will be granted true autonomy under the frameworks of "one country, two systems" (like Hong Kong and Macau) while all Tibetan and Uighur exiles like Dalai Lama are invited back and allowed to lead the newly formed "special administrative regions."
Furthermore, to silence foreign criticisms for human rights. All prominent human rights activists, including Liu Xiaobo and Gao Zhisheng, should be freed. All Internet censorship should be dropped. Underground churches should be legitimized. NGOs, both domestic and foreign, of all purposes and nature, should be allowed to establish and operate freely. Media in China, including Internet sites, newspapers, radios, TV stations, magazines, should be privatized and foreign investment allowed without censorship or restrictions.
The loosening of political controls, especially in the field of media, is also directly related to China's economic transformation. By employing more people in services such as the media and NGOs, the reforms will steer China away from manufacturing-based growth. To complement the expansion of "free" media, several key government-controlled industries, such as transportation, telecommunications, and to some extent, insurance, should be opened to private and foreign investments.
These new investments should bring able greater growth and employment without really hurting national interests. Especially since I am an adamant believer that the government does not have the right to define what is moral for the people, I can see several other new industries for economic, employment, and even government revenue growth. One is to end Macau's monopoly in gambling by issuing gambling licenses on the mainland. The other is opening up the sex industry, establishing completely legal red-light districts in all cities (to replace informal, underground ones), and legalizing an adult video industry just like in Japan.
Finally, to take full advantage of newly created economic engines, the greater needs of both consumers and employees must be fulfilled. On the consumer side, foreigners should be taken advantage of. Visa-free travels for people from the EU, US, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and other developed countries should be instituted. They should be given complete freedom to travel and stay in wherever they would like in China (even to protest the government or undertake missionary activities) and be given incentives to spend as much as possible on everything from fake goods to sex.
On the employment side, greater migration to major nodes of growth is encouraged. The hukou system should be even more trivialized (to be made much more like Japan's easily revised household registration system) so that more long-term internal migration is possible. People should be given the titles of the land they "leased from the government" (farms or housing plots) so that they can more comfortably move without worries of losing the land. And lastly, the one-child policy should be scrapped so that cheaper young workers can be available for a largely expanded economy...
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