In a report for the Washington Times, Ariana Eunjung Cha asks if gestures such as Wen Jiabao’s recent online chat are reflective of increased governmental openness.
China’s economic growth is slowing at an alarming pace and it is facing anti-government protests in some of its largest cities. Wen’s online comments reflect the two-pronged approach Beijing is taking toward growing public unease as more companies collapse and unemployment grows.
Even as they continue harsh crackdowns against critics, China’s leaders are expanding opportunities for discussion and debate as a way of allowing the country’s citizenry to vent without taking to the streets. Academics disagree over whether these are the first tentative steps toward a new openness or whether they are just techniques for suppressing dissent.
As China’s leaders meet this week to discuss how to get its economy back on track, implement more social welfare programs and raise the standard of living for rural residents, the discussions are expected to revolve around whether the government can do so in a transparent and accountable way.
