Asia Times reports on the debate over political reform in China which is being aired in the media and academic journals, but which may be put to rest once the 17th Party Congress approaches in the fall:
For now, Chinese leaders do not want to alienate either side in the increasingly heated battle over the country’s political direction, but after they consolidate their power at the congress, they may very well change their tune. It would not be the first time in Chinese politics that a refreshing period of openness had been followed by heavy-handed suppression.Publication this month of two articles – one a nostalgic tribute to controversial ex-premier Zhao Ziyang and the other a harsh criticism of the sluggish pace of democratic reform for the past 18 years – has raised the political temperature in Beijing to a new level. [Full text]
Read more about how the debate is playing out in the media, from CDT’s Jonathan Ansfield.
