APPENDIX 17
Memorandum submitted by Dr Jane Duckett,
University of Glasgow
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Relations between the UK and China have improved
since the Hong Kong handover in 1997. However there is a common
view in China that the UK punches below its weight in terms of
economic investment and trade. Cultural and educational exchanges
are increasing, and UK influence is already growing due to an
enhanced DfiD role. The UK could do more to promote human rights
and political development by continuing to criticise human rights
abuses while aiding legal institutionalisation and providing training
to improve bureaucratic capacity and good governance. The UK is
short of expertise on China and sustained investment and support
will be needed to ensure a firm foundation for the long term development
of Chinese studies.
INTRODUCTION
1. This submission is based on knowledge
and experience gained over 17 years of studying, researching,
teaching and writing about China. Since the early 1990s I have
researched Chinese politics and government, most recently focussing
on social policy.
2. General overview of the situation in
China. It is more than twenty years since China first embarked
on its economic reforms. The economic, social and political transformations
in this period cannot be overstated. Economic reforms were begun
in the late 1970s in part to revive the credibility of the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP) in China. However the deep social and ideological
changes have in many ways weakened CCP and party-state power.
CCP claims to rule are now largely staked on ability to deliver
economic growth and development, and economic recession would
bring both serious social problems and political instability.
Such problems and instability could only damage China's prospects
for international integration and domestic political development.
CHINA-UK RELATIONS
3. Overview of Chinese-UK relations. Relations
between the UK and China are commonly agreed to have improved
since the return of Hong Kong. Perceptions in China of the UK
generally remain good among the informed urban population: the
UK is respected for its economic strength, and has an image as
a cultured, civilised society. However there is a common view
in China that the UK punches below its weight in terms of economic
activity and investment in China. The UK is seen as closely allied
with the United States, and resentment toward the US (seen as
continually seeking to dominate and interfere in the domestic
politics of other nations) spills over on to Britain. The NATO
intervention in Serbia, and particularly the NATO bombing of the
Chinese embassy in Belgrade, has seriously damaged the image of
Britain and other Western nations for fairness and integrity.
Almost all Chinese people, even those living outside China, believe
that the attack on the embassy was deliberate.
4. Culturally and educationally, the UK
profile has been raised significantly in China in the last few
years. There is now much better awareness of and information on
educational opportunities in the UK. The British Council, though
underfunded, continues to do good work in promoting British cultural
and educational exchanges in China. The UK has benefited from
the EU Higher Education Programme, which has significantly increased
the numbers of Chinese academics visiting the UK and working collaboratively
with UK academics. An enhanced DfiD role in China has already
increased UK influence and status, and brought UK expertise to
China.
CHINESE DEVELOPMENTS
5. Politics. Chinese politics, despite their
very public veneer, are still determined by personal relations
within the top elite. Developments in even the near future are
therefore difficult to predict. Although Jiang Zemin is not considered
(inside and outside China) a particularly skilful or talented
leader, with no more "Long March" leaders left, it is
unclear whether there are any serious challengers. However with
no mechanisms in place for a transparent and institutionalised
leadership succession, current and future leaders will always
be les than secure.
6. With the death of Deng Xiaoping, China
has entered a new period in which the CCP is led for the first
time by a second generation of leaders who did not actually resist
the Japanese invasion in the Second World War and lead the CCP
to power. This generation of leaders is less respected in China
than its predecessor, and under greater pressure therefore to
demonstrate capacity to govern, provide leadership, deliver economic
growth and prosperity, and defend national interests. Rhetoric
of nationalism and national pride, long used by the CCP leadership,
has been particularly prominent since the 1990s. This nationalism
is increasingly reflected back in societal demands that the party-state
leadership be more assertive in international issues that affect
China's status and sovereignty. Media controls prevent real debate
over issues of national sovereignty such as Taiwan, Hong Kong,
Tibet and the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade. On all
these issues, it is commonly argued in China (perhaps more among
younger generations) that Chinese sovereignty and unity must be
protected. Using nationalism to generate support makes the leadership
vulnerable to accusations of weakness, and goes some way to explaining
the sabre-rattling in the Taiwan Straits. However, some among
the urban intelligentsia believe that war over Taiwan is now more
likely than it was five years ago, and that although undesirable,
may be necessary to prevent the humiliation of a Taiwanese declaration
of independence.
7. Human rights. Although some progress
has been made in China toward improving human rights in the 1990s,
infringements and abuses are still widespread. The concept and
principle of human rights has been officially accepted and there
is now greater awareness of it across society. Urban dwellers
in the largest cities readily speak of human rights, and of a
growing awareness of this as an issue to be addressed by "modern"
civilised societies. Awareness of human rights is less in the
poorer parts of rural China, where there is as a consequence,
for example, much more likelihood of brutality on the part of
the police and security forces and local officials. Such brutality
is of course also present in urban China, but it is now less acceptable
there and more likely to be challenged. However, human rights
abuses continue to be widespread and serious. Political activists,
labour organisers, and protestors against religious and ethnic
repression, are regularly arrested, beaten and imprisoned without
fair trail. Capital punishment in China continues to be used for
a wide range of criminal offences and in a large number of cases
(running into the thousands) each year. However, these commonly
reported human rights issues are only the tip of the iceberg.
Because there is no guarantee of free and fair trial, there are
many more miscarriages of justice, often affecting the poorest
and weakest in society.
8. Any progress toward improving the human
and other rights of the Chinese population needs to be founded
on the institutionalisation of the rule of law. There has been
an enormous amount of new legislation in China over the last twenty
years, some of which makes legal provisions for equality and rights
(for example for the elderly, disabled, women). This has gone
some way forward creating a better environment for the protection
of certain rights. However, legislation is often not implemented,
and people cannot always safely pursue complaints against abuses
in power or challenge infringements of their legally-stipulated
rights. Better monitoring of the implementation of laws and the
independence of the courts, and enhancement of an awareness of
legal rights, are needed to strengthen the rights of the population.
It would also promote better government, and create a firmer foundation
for democratic political institutions.
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
9. The inroads in establishing human rights
principles are largely due to international pressure and publicity.
This shows that international pressure can work. It should continue.
Given the growing social inequalities amid economic growth and
prosperity, the Chinese government's claims that as a developing
country economic and social rights take precedence over civil
and political rights sound increasingly hollow. However, attention
should be focussed not only on the release of prominent political
activists, but also on strengthening the legal system and the
independence of the courts. This would aid both the activists
and the many ordinary citizens who suffer miscarriages of justice.
10. Both human rights and political stability
would be aided by better governance and public administration.
The UK could provide training and education to improve the civil
service, combat corruption, and strengthen government capacity
in economic and social policy. Currently, emphasis is placed on
training of central government officials and experts. However,
decentralisation has placed much of the power to develop and implement
policy in the hands of provincial, city and country officials,
and these people are much less likely to be well-trained. Central
government bureaucratic expertise does not always percolate down
to even the larger cities. More advice and training should be
targeted at the sub-national levels of the state bureaucracy.
11. Regional and social inequalities hinder
social and economic development and increase political instability
in China. Poverty alleviation and redistribution among regions
should therefore be supported and encouraged. International attention
to poverty alleviation in China over the last decade has been
important in maintaining this as a priority, and should continue.
12. The UK continues to be hampered in its
relations and trade by a shortage of knowledge and expertise on
China. China is taken much more seriously in the United States,
Australia and Asia, and in other parts of Europe, and the UK lags
behind in terms of numbers of academics engaged in research and
numbers of students graduating with Chinese language skills. The
recent Higher Education Funding Council initiatives to develop
Chinese studies in the UK are welcomed and will be highly beneficial,
but they will need strong support and continued investment to
establish a firm foundation for the future growth of the field.
22 May 2000
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