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¡¥Liu effect¡¦ emboldens reformers
By Wang Dan ¤ý¤¦
Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo (¼B¾åªi) has attracted the attention of every media
outlet after winning this year¡¦s Nobel Peace Prize. Every word he ever uttered
has become an indicator of China¡¦s political direction. However, if we really
want to judge the impact of Liu¡¦s award on Chinese politics, we must look into
other changes in China. Some other news might be even more significant and
should not be ignored.
For example, Boxun News Network reported that some former senior officials
within the system, led by Li Rui (§õ¾U), a former secretary to Mao Zedong (¤ò¿AªF),
and Hu Jiwei (JÁZ°¶), a former president of the People¡¦s Daily, submitted a joint
open letter to the Standing Committee of the National People¡¦s Congress on Oct.
11. The letter was titled ¡§Implement Article 35 of the Constitution, abolish
pre-publication censorship and implement citizens¡¦ speech and press freedom.¡¨
There is nothing special in the letter itself, since such calls are often heard,
but a look at the cosigners implies that things are indeed changing.
In addition to Li and Hu, the signators include some former Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) officials who have constantly advocated democracy, such as Jiang
Ping (¦¿¥), a former president of People¡¦s University of China, and Zhong
Peizhang (ÄÁ¨K¼ý), a former director of the Theory Bureau of the Publicity
Department. More deserving of our attention, however, were the names of some
former high officials that also appeared on the list. They were all new faces
that had never before participated in such calls for political reform.
These included Zhou Shaoming (©P²Ð©ú), a former deputy director of the Political
Department of the Guangzhou Military Region; Zhang Zhongpei (±i©¾°ö), a former head
of the Palace Museum; Hu Fuchen (J¨j¦Ú), a former director and editor-in-chief of
the China Worker¡¦s Publishing House; Wang Yongcheng (¤ý¥Ã¦¨), a professor at
Shanghai Jiaotong University; and Yu Yueting («\¤ë«F), a former director of Fujian
Television.
Perhaps the appearance of these new faces was a result of the ¡§Liu Xiaobo
effect,¡¨ greatly encouraging the pro-democracy camp in China. Thanks to the
international community¡¦s firm support, they now have great confidence in their
call for democracy and have greater courage to achieve it.
We know that totalitarian regimes use the trick of spreading fear among the
public. Following this line of reasoning, if the public one day loses its fear
and tears off its mask, that would be the end of the totalitarian regime.
This is why Liu is so important: He has bravely sacrificed himself to win global
support, and by doing this, he encourages and inspires others. This letter is a
sign of it.
Wang Dan is a visiting assistant professor in the College of
Humanities and Social Sciences at National Tsing Hua University.
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