CHINA’S ARAB HEADACHE

Chinese Premier Wen Jia Bao has again turned out to be ‘an apostle of individual freedom’. Comrade Wen last year in an interview given to CNN had vociferously talked about sanctioning individual freedom to the citizens. Almost one year has elapsed since he made that comment. In the hierarchy of leaders Wen is considered to be a moderate leader in the Communist Party of China. During that time there were rumours prevailing across the world that on the question of individual freedom a chasm of difference was developing among the leaders particularly between Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen-Jia-Bao.
Be that as it may, up till now, the Status quo ante prevails. In the backdrop of Arab revolutions Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Libya et al, the freedom loving citizens of China grouped under a single umbrella to display solidarity with the rebels in those countries. Before snowballing into a major crisis, a vigilant and shrewd Chinese leadership took immediate measures to restrict the people from turning violent as a pre-emptive step. That step proved successful and a possible violent demonstration averted. In the meanwhile, the leadership slapped restrictions on the people from coming to know with updated developments going on across Arab countries.
Now that Comrade Wen has again come up with talks of extending individual freedom to citizens along with economic freedom. Economic freedom being already there, the talk and campaign for individual freedom is so far an anathema to leaders.
Now that Wen has in no uncertain terms stated that without individual freedom, economic freedom alone is insufficient and that both should go hand in hand. He has further stated that it should be a gradual process. First at the village levels, from village levels to township levels and in the end across the country as a whole. The Premier however has not ventured to declare a time-table rather a time-frame for the successful completion of the programme.
I don’t doubt his sincerity but I very much doubt his timing of the statement. A spark of rebellion in Tunisia has within no time engulfed the Arab world as a whole and the fire has not been extinguished rather flames of revolution have been spreading affecting more and more countries. Wen must be apprehending repercussions in his country since the citizens of China frankly speaking are a suppressed lot. Their pent-up emotions could burst out any time especially with the developments and progress on the internet. Internet revolution is one of the hallmarks of this century even a minor development would reach any corner of the world within seconds.
Hence, China too can’t prolong with suppression of individual freedom for a long period about which Chinese leaders are very much aware of. Mao’s China is not today’s China, today’s China won’t be tomorrow’s China, further progress and developments on various fronts will follow, ultimately China will transform into a democratic polity.
The dictatorial streak is very much evident in Wen’s words when he declares in no uncertain terms that if at all an election is conducted in future it would surely be under the auspices or supervision of Communist Party of China. As he had mentioned surely a step by step approach. The coming generation of leaders would go many more steps further that too is a gradual progress…..