The real-life murder mystery unfolding at the highest ranks of the Chinese government—featuring, so far, homicide, MI6, poison, Party infighting, and a police chief whose hobby involves organ transplantation—is not only a political opera that makes Berlusconi’s antics look like community theatre. It’s also the largest Communist Party convulsion since the arrival of the Web, and the juxtaposition between Party orthodoxy and today’s information culture has laid bare a fault line in the future of “enlightened authoritarianism.
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Breaking News- Bo Xilai, party secretary of Chongqing has been fired. Chongqing is one of the largest cities in China and is sometimes referred to as “China’s Chicago”, for its booming industry and central location. This is unexpected. Bo was a charismatic character and a rising star in the CCP. His firing signals a rejection of the Neo-Maoist ideology he vigorously promoted through the state media. Hopefully removing Bo and his protégés is an indication that the Chinese leadership is considering slow but incremental steps towards political reform.
Good piece on Ai Wei Wei in the Financial Times. Despite being under extralegal house arrest he has maintained both his sense of dignity and humor. He also exhibits a remarkable willingness to speak honestly about his imprisonment and more generally the human rights situation in China, especially given the risks that defying a gag order on political speech carry.
Good article in the New York Times on the NBA’s struggle to make inroads in China beyond merely marketing sneakers and drawing a large TV viewership. The article focuses in part on former Denver Nuggets small forward, Wilson Chandler and his efforts to adjust to life in China.
During the NBA lockout many players were concerned about being out of work. Some players looked overseas for work opportunities. Unlike the European and Turkish leagues the CBA did not offer NBA players an opt-out clause if the labor-stoppage was resolved. Three former Nuggets players J.R. Smith, Kenyon Martin and Chandler signed deals with Chinese teams. Since arriving in China Smith and Martin have behaved petulantly and have done whatever possible to try to get out of their respective contracts. By contrast Chandler has embraced life in China, and is doing his best to make the most of this new experience. Despite the NBA season beginning anew he has stood by his choice ““I made a decision. You make a decision, you live with it.” I like Chandler’s attitude much better than his former teammates.
The annual flood of migrant workers travelling home for the Spring Festival (lunar year) in China is the largest mass migration on the planet.
What drives these migrants? They wait in line for hours to buy tickets. They endure interminable delays. They stand on packed trains, sometimes for as long as 24 hours in a row. They endure all this to spend a few precious days with their families. As the trains slide out of cities like Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Shenzhen the migrant begins what is akin to a journey back in time. The skyscrapers disappear from view, and another world emerges. At night the skies are pitch black and the stars are unrivaled in their intensity. As the sun rises, farmers emerge to work the fields. Out here, people’s ski n is leathery, grins are full of gaps, and hands are calloused from years of labor. These places are much as they have always been, with each sleepy little hamlet instinctively following the unceasing rhythm of the ages. But even here there is change. A few farmers clutch chintzy cell phones, billboards alert motorists of upcoming gas stations and solar panels dot the roofs of some houses. And perhaps most of all, one notices a dearth of young people. Many have moved on to the cities.
2012 marks a milestone in Chinese history. For the first time, more Chinese will live in urban areas than in rural areas. Although the majority of Chinese now live in cities, China’s cultural values remain thoroughly grounded in its agrarian past. Chinese culture still strongly emphasizes loyalty to one’s family, deference to authority and respect for one’s elders. Although China’s brain and brawn may reside in the city, its soul remains firmly embedded in the countryside.
In many ways the journeys the migrants undertake each year are like pilgrimages, it is there chance to pay homage to family and tradition, and to reaffirm values that sometimes seem alien to materialistic, Western-influenced city dwellers. Still, one wonders if these age-old agrarian values will maintain their hold on society indefinitely. As more and more migrants have children in the cities, their links to the farms and villages of their ancestors will become more and more tenuous. But until then, the annual mass migrations home will continue.
Angry mobs in central Beijing. Brawls in the street. Egg throwing.Is it a revolution? Are China’s urban masses finally rising up and decrying their lack of political freedoms? Are these enraged crowds driven by long simmering tensions over growing social and economic inequalities? Wrong on all counts. No, the masses were gathering this Friday morning eagerly awaiting the release of Apple’s iphone 4S. The Western media has done a good job of covering the unrest, but has not fully elucidated why Apple products, especially smart phones and tablets are in such high demand in China. The primary reason for Apple’s popularity is that it’s seen as both a luxury item and a status symbol, but why?-
Scarcity- There are five Apple stores in China. All of the stores are located in Beijing and Shanghai, respectively. This makes Apple products less easy than other electronic products to acquire. It also makes them less common. The ultimate kiss of death for a luxury item in China is to be deemed “too common”. Witness the recent demise of Louis Vuitton (LV). For years an LV handbag or purse was the ultimate status symbol for young urban socialites in Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou. Because of LV’s status many young, middle class Chinese women would save for months just to be able to afford a single handbag (which can cost over a thousand dollars). I remember speaking with one 18 year old college student, who had literally saved up several years’ worth of allowance just to afford one bag. But in the long run the popularity of LV ended up cheapening the brand. Wealthy Chinese women did not want to be seen toting the same bags as secretaries and hostesses. The perception that LV was “too common” ultimately ended up favoring other luxury brands such as Hermes and Prada.
Difficult to Counterfeit- Apple is religious about protecting its technology. This combined with the distinct look of all its products makes Apple an extremely difficult brand to counterfeit. I have seen a few attempts at counterfeits of ipods but they were shoddy replicas, easily discernible from the original. In China counterfeits are ubiquitous. Since people are buying the brand and the status it confers, they want to be sure that they are buying the real thing. Unlike Nike, North Face or LV, it’s much more difficult to make a counterfeit iPad.
The future is now- Their sleek edges, touch screens, and shiny colors give Apple’s products a futuristic look. Certainly more so than their clunky Asian rivals such as Samsung and HTC.
Cost- iPhones and iMac’s prices put them way out of reach of even many middle class Chinese, increasing Apple’s scarcity, which in turn increases the brands status as “elite”. In China higher cost is almost always associated with better quality.
Former national security advisor to President Carter, Zbigniew Brzezinski makes a compelling case against excessive nationalism in 21st century China- “a more assertive Chinese nationalism could arise and damage China’s international interests. A swaggering, nationalistic Beijing would unintentionally mobilize a powerful regional coalition against itself. None of China’s key neighbors — India, Japan, and Russia — is ready to acknowledge China’s entitlement to America’s place on the global totem pole. They might even seek support from a waning America to offset an overly assertive China. The resulting regional scramble could become intense, especially given the similar nationalistic tendencies among China’s neighbors. A phase of acute international tension in Asia could ensue. Asia of the 21st century could then begin to resemble Europe of the 20th century — violent and bloodthirsty. “
How ironic. The New York Times reports that Chinese President Hu Jintao is decrying the weakening of Chinese culture at the expense of Western influences. He says that China must “always sound the alarms and remain vigilant, and take forceful measures to be on guard and respond” to Western cultural infiltration. The article refers to oft-cited official laments that Chinese backed films often fare poorly against their Western counterparts. For example Avatar did remarkably well in China. An officially sanctioned biopic of Confucius, showing at the same time, did not fare nearly so well. But this is a faulty comparison. Of course a mega-blockbuster like Avatar is going to outshine a stale, state sponsored film, full of platitudes about filial piety and obedience. If the Chinese government would take its foot off the throat of its literati class, I have no doubt that its talented directors could produce films every bit as appealing to the Chinese public as Avatar.But obviously cultural development and achievements are not the main priority of the authorities. The main priority is silencing any dissent. If that means snuffing out the voices of China’s most talented citizens, if it means censoring artists, poets, musicians, writers and directors, so be it. As a result Hu’s words do not signal any sort of shift to a new cultural openness or tolerance. If anything they merely signal a crackdown on Western influences. OK so maybe Lady Gaga’s CDs won’t be sold in stores and people will have to buy them on the street instead. Maybe CCTV will show a few less NBA games on TV. But for the most part Hu’s words are just that, empty rhetoric.
Perhaps if Mr. Hu had not done all within his power to stifle freedom of expression, Chinese culture would be in a more robust state to respond to Western challenges. Technocrats like Hu need to understand that art does not exist in a vacuum; it cannot be neatly isolated from society at large. Good art almost by definition pushes boundaries. China has some of the most talented, creative people in the world. The Communist party’s reactionary nature and intransigence aside, conditions in China are ripe for a cultural renaissance. There is great wealth in the cities and myriad potential patrons of the arts. Furthermore Chinese artists have a deep, millennia-old reservoir of culture and tradition to draw upon. If the authorities would only loosen things up, I believe we would see a cultural flowering in China the likes of which has not been witnessed for centuries.
This week’s Economist cartoon totally hits the mark. Elections for central leadership positions such as President can be pesky “formalities” for non democratic states. Both Ahmadinejad and Putin have found this out the hard way. Hu Jintao and his anointed successor, Xi Jinping, are no doubt relieved that they still have the charade of the “Marxist-Leninist” system to shield them from indignities like having to stuff ballot boxes.
Its all over the news- “Christian Bale roughed up by Chinese security forces.” But what does that mean? I’ll tell you what it means. Bale was attempting to visit and honor Chinese activist and lawyer Chen Guancheng. He was not able to visit Chen. Instead he was beat up by the Chinese government’s hired thugs. Goons. Burly guys with buzz cuts and cigarettes dangling from their lips. The guards immediately stopped the CNN crew accompanying Bale from filming.
It seems so often that the CCP resorts to Tony Soprano style tactics to silence its critics. Bale encountered a fate depressingly familiar to people like the man he was trying to visit. Chen has become something of a cause celebre in the international community for his work to bring attention to forced sterilization and abortions in rural Shandong province. Chen, who is often referred to as the blind lawyer, is a unique character. He has been courageous in his unrelenting efforts to hold officials accountable for their heinous action in service of the one-child policy. He is also currently under house arrest. His house is indefinitely surrounded by nine or more guards. In China dissidents, activists and bloggers are routinely, chased, harassed and detained by plain clothes “security forces”. Sometimes local officials will go so far as to hire muscle to prevent disgruntled subjects from petitioning the central government in Beijing. Its not unheard of for would be petitioners to get followed to Beijing and beat up. I wish the media would put more attention on Chen’s plight and this type of thuggery rather than solely focusing on the Hollywood connection.
There is a tendency to think of revolutions as acts of desperation. The logic goes that when people are at the end of their ropes they snap. The revolution in Tunisia is a classic case- an indigent, frustrated fruit seller immolated himself in an act of protest against a corrupt and kleptocratic state, sparking mass protests among the underemployed youth and the working poor. What is happening in Moscow is very different. Most of the protestors are firmly ensconced in the middle class. They are well-educated and mostly employed. If protestors in the Middle East took to the streets largely because the state failed to facilitate economic opportunities for them; protestors in Russia are angry because the government affords them a decent economic livelihood, but little else. Yes there is some frustration with corruption and the failure of the Russian economy to develop and diversify away from commodities and energy production.Still these failures fall disproportionately on poorer, less educated Russians, not well to do Muscovites. Russian urbanites have education levels and a standard of living roughly commensurate with their American and Western European counterparts. The reason urban Russians are protesting, is because A) they lack a voice equivalent to their social status/ wealth and B) despite their relative economic prosperity, they lack any legal protection of their property and assets from a predatory and venal state.
How does all this relate to China? Like Russia, China has a burgeoning middle class that is acquiring both property and wealth. Also like Russia, in China there is little legal protection from the rapacious actions of the state.For example in the run up to the Olympics the government sought land to expand Beijing’s overstressed highway system. People in the construction zones were forced to move from their homes; in exchange they were offered compensation in the form of government payouts or housing on the outskirts of the city. Unfortunately for the displaced, this compensation was worth only a fraction of their original land, which had appreciated exponentially in Beijing’s recent housing boom. Obviously this type of action breeds antipathy and fosters feelings of insecurity on the part of property owners. What makes China potentially even more combustible than Russia is that this resentment is not exclusive to urbanites. Local officials, especially in rural areas, have a long and egregious record of arbitrary land seizures. For example villagers in Wukan have been staging protests against land seizures by local officials since September. (http://behindthewall.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/14/9438025-rebellious-chinese-village-under-siege-by-police ). This is not an uncommon occurrence, there are tens of thousands of such “disturbances” all over China, and many occur over issues of property seized by governments. Property rights are one of the rare areas where middle-class city dwellers and rural farmers have shared interests. Both groups would benefit from legal protection of their property, ensured by an independent judiciary. The Communist Party has two choices: Allow for the gradual development of an independent legal system not beholden to the communist party or a continuation of the status quo, which means cracking down on any dissent. If they opt for the latter they risk stirring up the same type of fury that Vladimir Putin is now confronting on the streets of Moscow.
It’s good to see that at least one media outlet is holding Apple Inc. responsible for its atrocious labor and environmental practices in China (link above). It also got me thinking about the double standard that a lot of so-called “liberal” people apply to Apple versus other companies-
Ask the average person on the streets of New York or Washington what they think of Wal-Mart and they are sure to respond derisively. They will rightly point out that Wal-Mart and it’s suppliers benefit from cheap, often exploitative labor and loose environmental standards in China. Still if you ask the same person what they think about Apple Computers, they are likely to respond glowingly, perhaps breaking out their shiny, new I-Phone as a talisman of loyalty to the California-based computer giant. But isn’t Apple doing exactly the same thing as Wal-Mart? Aren’t they taking advantage of cheap labor, minimal worker’s rights and lax environmental standards by doing business in China? Why are so many people unwilling to criticize Apple and more than willing to criticize other multinationals, who do business in China? I’ll tell you why, because while most New Yorkers and Washingtonians own Apple products, they sure as hell don’t shop at Wal-Mart.
There were moments when Yao Ming offered us tantalizing glimpses of what might have been. There was the last meaningful game of his career, the night he went nine for nine against the future champion LA Lakers. It was just Yao’s luck that he broke his foot the next game, essentially ending his career. He shot 85 % from the free throw line, which is unheard of for a player over seven feet tall. He shot fifty percent from the field making him the premier offensive center in the NBA during the mid 2000’s. Like Ken Griffey Jr. in baseball, we can only guess how dominant Yao would have been had he only managed to stay healthy.
Still to focus only on what Yao might have accomplished does him a great disservice. It’s easy to think that the 7’6 Yao was a slam dunk at the number one pick, but he had his doubters. Charles Barkley famously told Kenny Smith that he would “kiss his a%& if Yao scored more than 19 in a game his rookie year”. Yao proved Barkley dead wrong, averaging 19 points and 9 rebounds a game throughout his career, cementing himself as one of the best big men in the game.
Furthermore Yao was an ambassador for the game. For a generation of young Chinese hoopsters, who grew up watching Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, Yao was an affirmation. He proved that not only could Chinese players compete in the NBA, they could excel.
Yao adapted well to life in America, getting on famously with his teammates, enjoying life in Houston but still maintaining strong connections in his homeland. He became a cultural ambassador of sorts, a link between America and China. In many ways his cultural significance outshone his great play on the court. There will be other Chinese players, but there will never be another Yao. In the end he was so much larger than life. “Zai Jian Yao” We will miss you.
It was undoubtedly a great relief to see Ai released from detention yesterday. Nonetheless, even though Ai is no longer being kept under physical confinement, he is still not free. Why? The conditions of Ai’s release have been prescribed by his former captors.Under the Chinese equivalent of bail, he has been effectively muzzled. Charges against Ai have been dropped, after he pleaded guilty to tax evasion and promised to mend his ways. Basically he was released on the caveat that he would keep silent and wouldn’t step on anyone’s toes. It is very likely that his travel documents have been confiscated, and that his movements will be monitored by authorities. I have no doubt that if Ai resumes his protests against the government he will be detained again. The question is can Ai keep silent. His best bet may be to flee China and go to Europe or America, where he would be free to speak his mind. Still given Ai’s devotion to his fellow countrymen and his courage in the face of oppression this is unlikely.
So why was Ai released?I think there are several reasons for the timing of his release. Authorities effectively succeeded in their goal of silencing Ai. He was arrested in April, which was an extremely sensitive time for the government. Autocracies the world over were reeling in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. China had just announced Xi Jinping as heir apparent to Hu Jintao, so leadership was already very sensitive entering a transition period.At that time Ai was becoming increasingly vocal about human rights violations in China, and was coming to be seen as the spiritual leader of a grass roots movement.
Authorities probably figured that by keeping Ai in prison they were only increasing his cache as a dissident. By tying Ai up in legal proceedings, they’ve effectively found a way to silence him without adding to his status as a martyr for human rights.
Finally, there is certainly a face saving element to Ai’s release. Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao will travel to Europe in the upcoming week. Ai is very popular and well known in Europe. I’m sure authorities don’t want Wen to be greeted by angry crowds demanding Ai’s freedom, in addition to the usual Free-Tibet, Greenpeace and Falun Gong protesters, who regularly harangue Chinese leaders when they travel abroad.
