Asia Inc

AS CHINA recovers from the devastating Sichuan earthquake and prepares itself for the Olympics in Beijing, how the country reacts to the influx of all sorts of visitors and interest groups with more than just sports in mind will be a test of its continued experiment with openness and gradual liberalisation.

 

China observers say it is an “open” secret that in the wake of the 17th party congress last October, former Chinese president Jiang Zemin reportedly boasted to foreigners that he was still playing a key role behind the top party leadership reshuffle and that current Chinese president Hu Jintao continues to report to him every day. However, a recent political experiment in the southern province of Guangdong may prove to be a test of mettle between the “hardliners” and the modernising Hu-Wen duo as the latter step up efforts to promote further democratisation and openness in the polity.

After taking the helm in 2002, the Hu-Wen team was said to be toeing a conservative line and it was not until the 17th Party Congress that Hu was able to apply himself to a wide range of social and political reforms for the coming years. Now, he plans to expand his power base and project his vision of China’s democratic future by launching a “freeing mindset” campaign nationwide which will rally his political supporters in a move to rein in the old pro-Jiang faction that has continued to stymie further openness and democracy.