Mongolian Land Seize

A recent news story from Inner Mongolia has me questioning if there’s a difference in Chinese policy towards minorities like the Mongols. The story, is about Wu Bao-quan, a man from Inner Mongolia (some articles just referenced him as a Mongol, which from what I can tell refers to his ethnicity) who has been tried and jailed for what the government deems slander. Wu has learned through a friend that the people in the Habagexi village and Zhaizida village within Ordos Prefecture of Inner Mongolia had their land appropriated by the government at a rate far below the national standard policy. He further alleged that while the people had only received 250rmb per mu that the government was able to turn around and sell it for 820,000 RMB per mu. Wu felt that people needed to know about this and published an article on the internet condemning the practice in the hopes that the attention would push the local government to properly reimburse the people.

Instead, Wu was arrested and tried. He was convicted of “’fabrication of facts and slander’, and ‘creating a malignant influence on the people of the area and the area itself, and threatening local development.’” He was sentenced to one year in prison which, he appealed. He was granted a new trial and the people from the villages came out to testify on his behalf. Despite the official court records citing that the ‘’facts are unclear,’” his sentence was re-imposed and extended to two years.

So, this begs the question if this is just the normal corruption rampant in China, or have Wu and the people of Habagexi village and Zhaizida village been treated differently because of their ethnic background?

Progress in China is measured in terms of GDP and development. The land that was taken was to be used for the Kangbashi New District, a new modern city to be a model for progress in modern China. Similar projects have affected people, especially those in rural villages, around China for projects such as the Three Gorges Dam. However, the Chinese government established a proper rate at which people whose land was claimed should be reimbursed. Irrigated land should be paid a rate of 25,000 RMB per mu, dry land 20,000 RMB per mu, and uncultivated land should be paid a rate of 10,000 RMB per mu. However, Wu and the people of Habagexi village and Zhaizida village contend that they only received 5757 RMB per mu of irrigated land, 800 RMB per mu of dry land, and 250 RMB per mu of uncultivated land.

It is easy to assume that these people received less than the standard simply because they are Mongolian. However with the rampant corruption, especially at the local level, across China this could just be another example of a policy that takes advantage of the powerless. Wu’s imprisonment emphasizes the lack of power the people have to seek justice.

Coal Miners Lost Voice...

“We don’t have the grass-roots democracy; we don’t have independent labor unions; we don’t have checks and balances; we don’t have any system of official accountability.” -Hu Xingdou, economic professor, Beijing Institute of Technology

An article published this week in the New York Times addresses the issues of worker safety and government cover-up surrounding coal mining in China. This article ties together much of what we have learned in class about life in modern China.

China's quest to turn into a global economic power has consequences. China's communist party has abandoned the basic principles of communism.... the quest for equality among the classes... in favor of a capitalist approach to economic growth by encouraging foreign investment and holding even state owned enterprises accountable for economic success. In my opinion, this is fine. I would argue that in no state in the world should the government be expected to provide for its people. The role of the government should be to protect and defend its people and it's here where China is letting its people down.

Governments should establish laws that protect the people. In order for government to protect the best interests of the people, it needs to be also formed of the people. Here is where modern Chinese government contradicts the new freedom expressed in modern Chinese economy. A one party system, where only the party has a say in who leads and how they lead can only lead to corruption. There is no system of checks and balances. No means for other thought to challenge the prevailing thought or offer counter-thought. Modern Chinese "socialism with Chinese characteristics" is merely a catch phrase to justify authoritarian rule through threats and corruption.

The coal industry in China is a perfect example of the issues surrounding modern China. China's economy is growing and it's reliance on energy and electricity grows with that same fervor. Modernization in today's global economy means technological advances and these advances rely on energy. For China, coal has been the answer. It's the most abundant fuel source in China and the means to create energy from coal were the most affordable to implement. Just like other enterprises, China's coal industry is made up of state and privately owned mines competing with each other for production and wealth. And just like everything else in China, the most disposable commodity seems to be the Chinese people.

Where China lacks in fuel sources, food sources and natural resources it does not lack in population. So while it may seem like the sheer number of people could stand up for itself, that's not always the case, not in a one party system that controls the people through fear and corruption and where for the great many, opportunity has grown. The Chinese people seem to be relying on the hope that they too can achieve success, if not for themselves then for their children because for the first time they see opportunity around them, even if for the individual it appears completely out of reach.

Here is where the Chinese government can change. In order to fully integrate into the world economy, they need to not only accept a capitalistic approach to production but also to government. By allowing the people a say, they can elect people who will represent them, not just look out for the best interests of the party or like many tend to do, the best interests of themselves and justified through the party by the means of corruption. Remove the corruption and worker's conditions and safety standards can improve. As it stands now, the people lack the voice because they are expendable and the party simply doesn't care.

清明節- Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day)

104 days after the winter solstices marks Tomb Sweeping Day in China which falls either April 4th or 5th (depending on Leap Year). Traditionally this is a day to visit the graves of your ancestors to pay homage to them. People would leave gifts like favorite foods or paper gifts and recently burning paper money to remember the dead. An article online at China View addresses how the celebration of this event is changing.




Celebrations of the festival can cause traffic issues as people flock to cemeteries. The government and others have encouraged people to celebrate "cyberly" by leaving virtual memorials on websites as opposed to visiting the cemetery. As China's younger generation has fully adopted the internet there was an influx of people using the internet to memorialize their dead ancestors. People were able to leave picture messages of traditional tributes like food or flowers in a blog like format. They could light a virtual candle to honor their dead.

This is just another example how China, lead by its youth, is becoming increasingly hi-tech and progressive even in how they handle very traditional events like Tomb Sweeping Day.