The World Awaits Beijing and Wang Yang

choi

Please try to read (1) and (2). There is no need to read the rest of (3) or (4).

(1) Jamil Anderlini, Foreboding Builds in Wukan; Revolt in China; Protesters worry about what happens when foreign journalists lose interest. Financial Times, Dec 19, 2011.

(a) Excerpt in the window of print: 'It's possible there are people in the central government supporting what's happening here'

(b) Quote:

"Residents in besieged village of Wukan, in southern China, govern themselves in an atmosphere reminiscent of the early days of the Paris commune. Villagers pitch in and are assigned tasks by the temporary committee that has replaced the communist party officials who fled

"For now, the villagers hae been able to evade the blockade and smuggle in decent quantities of rice and other staples. The narrow streets have taken on a festival atmosphere tinged with a sense of foreboding as a build-up of armed police continues in a steadily tightening cordon around Wukan.

"With Christmas approaching, most of reporters who have sneaked into the village past the police checkpoints by motorbike, boat and on foot are already making plans to leave.

'Even if we and all our buildings were made of steel they could blow up away in one breath,' said Lin Zuluan, a village elder and spokesman for Wukan.

(c) Note:
(i) This piece was published ONLINE yesterday under the title Wukan Villagers Form Own Administration.
(ii) Xiaogang  安徽省滁州市凤阳县 小岗村
(iii) The end of the piece in print points:
"FT VIDEO  View the standoff between the villagers and police in Wukan
www.ft.com/wukantensions
"

(2) Rahul Jacob, Village Protest Offers Reformer a Chance to Show His Mettle; Global Insight. FT, Dec 19, 2011.

(a) Excerpt in the window of print: 'You don't open the box. There 's too much dirt in it. That is the political reality' [by HAN Dongfang]

(b) Quote:

"People are questioning the governance of the Communist party. The biggest potential loser from that shift is Wang Yang

"The escalation of events [since September], espeially after the death in police custody of villager Xue Jinbo * * * has undermined Mr Wang's stanfing among party liberals because, inexplicably, he has not intervened. Chang Ping, a respected Guangzhou journalist, says police brutality in Wukan suggests Mr Wang and Mr Bo [Xilai] are indistinguishable.

(c) My comment:
(i) Take notice quotation 1 says "governance"--not legitimacy--was questioned.
(ii) The commentary states, "Four weeks ago he [Wang] gave--by Communist standards--a table-thumping speech * * * The provincial leader has called reform 'the soul' of Guangdong: 'A growing problem is that some of us have lost that daring spirit.'"

(A) I can not find the text of that speech.
(B) The "table thumping" can be done by the speaker (as in Khrushchev at United Nations) or by the audience (meaning 叫好). "  "[B]y Communist standards"--because the speech may be viewed as liberal by CCP standards, but not necessarily so by outsiders.
(C) 英媒称中国民众质疑中共管理能力. 多维新闻, Dec 18, 2011
http://china.dwnews.com/news/2011-12-18/58418145.html
, translates Mr Wang's statement into "问题是我们之间的一些人失去了勇气." However, googling the Chinese translation can not find anything, creating the impression that the above translation is just a translation without double checking.

Further, 多维 later uses "野猫式罢工(wildcat strikes)." Though Mr Jacob does say "strikes," he does not say "wildcat strikes." It seems to me that 多维 is taking liberty, maybe a bit too much, in the trnaslation.
(iii) Judging from the context, Mr Jacob talks about Mr Wang's standing among China's--or party's--liberals, not that among party elders who will decide political fortune of Mr Wang.
(iv) I know nothing about China's governance. In Taiwan, however, Minister of the Interior 內政部長 controls police forces from the central government down to local governments. By control, I mean every aspect: transfer, promotion or demotion, hire or fire. Heads of local government have no say. That is why when a Taiwanese singer 白 冰冰's daughter was kidnapped and murdered despite ransom payments, many Taiwanese blamed the President LEE Teng-hui.
白曉燕命案
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7 ... 5%E5%91%BD%E6%A1%88

(3) Jamil Anderlini, Defiant Mood in Village That Shook China; Under siege; Jamil Anderlini witnesses the eerie calm in Wukan, where the locals are bracing themselves for a fresh assault. FT, Dec 17, 2011.

Quote:

"On all roads leading into the village in Guangdong province, a growing number of armed police stood guard. They searched everyone who tried to enter and turned away foreigners, journalists and teh trickle of Chinese citizens who have started to travel there to show their support.

"An atmosphere of foreboding, tinged with jubilation, hung over groups of young villagers as they took photographs with foreign reporters and worried about when the police might come again.

"Local authorities told the Financial Times they had already largely resolved the villagers' complaints and detained 'a number' of local officials as a result. But these assurances were met with scorn from many Wukan residents.

"On Wednesday [Dec 14] a small rally in support of Wukan also raised calls for democracy in Guangzhou, before it was halted by police--the sort of copycat protest that rattles Beijing.

"The image of thousands of Wukan villagers, including the elderly, brandishing home-madeweapons has captured the imagination of many Chinese. 'Truly wish Wukan could be independent,' said one typically supportive comment on the internet yesterday. 'This country doesn't deserve to rule such outstanding civilians.'

(4) Brian Spegele, Chinese Villagers Vow Protests Will Persist. Wall Street Journal, Dec 19, 2011.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB ... 06460571205408.html

Quote:

"Residents of this besieged southern village * * * showed signs of settling in for a protracted standoff with Chinese authorities, even adid indications that the government has stepped up security efforts in te region.

"On Sunday, residents from other villages donated bags of rice and other supplies to Wukan, according to locals.

"the village--a collection of squat stone homes--has been essentially governing itself. Villagers have set up barricades to keep police out and an impromptu media center where foreign reporters can get electricity. One local dealing with visitors carries the title 'foreign minister.'

"With local offices of the Communist Party and public security bureau--China's police--unoccupied. the atmosphere over the weekend was almost giddy. Youths wondered the streets. Some carrying bottles of beer. Some residents are spending gathered together watching movies on an outdoor screen. Residents leave open the doors to their courtyard homes, where many sip tea in their living rooms.

"On China's Twitter-like microblogging services, witnesses said five sympathizers in the nearby metropolis of Guangzhou were removed by police for protesting in support of the Wukan uprising. The microblog posts were later deleted, as has been much of what has been reported about Wukan on the Chinese internet.