Other Views: Limited reform agenda in China
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HONG KONG: Although President Hu Jintao enjoys a reputation as a moderate reformist, this is a comparison on a relative scale. The president clearly has no intention of leading China out of communism.
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There could still be a way to go in China's frothy equity markets.
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(InfoWorld) - The eyes of the world are looking towards Beijing for the Olympic Games that will be held here fewer than 11 months from now. But for real China watchers, an event next month will draw much greater attention and have a much greater impact on the country than 16 days of athletics. In mid-October, China's ruling Communist Party will meet for its regular five-year congress. Unlike the annual National People's Congress, the Communist Party Congress sets the nation's agenda for the next five years, and usually results in a shuffling of ministers and even military leaders. China's economy, despite major market reforms over the past 25-odd years, is still centrally planned, and operates on five-year plans with specific targets and goals that are approved during the meeting. Unlike the Olympics, for which most observers expect generallyÂ unfettered Internet accessÂ and the nation going out of its way to show that it's kinder and gentler, the party congress is a time of tension, especially in Beijing. Wikipedia's recent re-blocking in China is certainly no coincidence, and as the meeting approaches,Â more blockingsÂ and a network slowdown should be expected. A slew of new, anti-"vulgarity" policies have just come down from the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT), designed to keep sex and violence off the airwaves. Offline, visitors to Beijing can expect an increased police presence, possibly including roadblocks and inspections at night. China's government representatives work full-time and for the most part are specialists, not generalists. Policy pronouncements come from the respective ministries and state administrations charged with regulating those particular areas. For example, the Ministry of Information Industry (MII) handles technology in general, meaning IT and telecommunications. Those regulatory announcements come out at other points, and therefore more specific news, likeÂ the issuance of 3G (third-generation) licenses, won't be issued during the congress. What role technology will play in China's next five years will be clearer one month from now. Although the party congress is very much a broad-strokes event, the prominent mention of various aspects of the economy sets the tone for the coming five years. During former President Jiang Zemin's reign, science and technology were at the forefront of the nation's direction. However, current leader Hu Jintao, has attempted to reduce the corruption so prevalent during Jiang's time, and has tried to make rural reform and closing the gap between rich and poor a priority. As such, agricultural technology, rather than IT, may receive more public attention during the congress.
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Chinese President Hu Jintao moved shrewdly to strengthen his position at the Party Congress. But that won't necessarily make implementing his policies any easier
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China risks dangerous instability  unless it embraces democratic reforms to limit the power of the  ruling Communist Party, foster competitive voting and rein in  censors, the Party's top think-tank has warned in a new report.
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China&#39;s domestic demand remains strong but underlying inflationary pressures are limited. This reduces the possibility of further drastic macroeconomic measures to cool down the
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BEIJING  - The Chinese government's aspiration to see Chinese technology defining digital television is losing appeal among TV makers and broadcasters after Beijing failed to announce its standards, industry executives say.
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Chinese leaders appeared to make little headway in quelling Congressional anger over Chinaâs economic practices.
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BEIJING China&#39;s Communist Party chief, Hu Jintao, said Wednesday that Western-style democracy was a &quot;blind alley&quot; for China and that the one-party state would fight power abuse and corruption by policing itself better.
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Opinion in China remains divided on whether the government is leaping into deals without a clear investment strategy.
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President Hu Jintao ( è¡é¦æ¿¤ ) could ease China&#39;s hardline stance on Taiwan and Hong Kong now that his predecessor Jiang Zemin ( æ±æ¾¤æ° ) has retired but major policy changes are unlikely, analysts said yesterday.
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As Chinaâs Jiang Zemin steps down from his post as chairman of the Central Military Commission, many scholars and media are advocating further changes, including political reform.
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After a shift of power, there's little political will to finish incomplete agenda issues this session.
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Accused of turning a blind eye to misrule and corruption as it woos resource-rich nations, China is debating an overhaul of its foreign aid policy to mine its financial strength for greater diplomatic clout.
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For the first time in its 55 years in power, China&#39;s ruling communist party has made the &quot;ruling capabilities of the party&quot; a major issue to be discussed at a plenary session of its central committee opened here Thursday.
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By Joseph Kahn  China imposed broad new restrictions on the distribution of foreign news inside the country Sunday, beefing up state regulations on the news media and raising more questions on the freedom of journalists to report.
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A glance at the newspapers and glossy  magazines jostling for space on China's news stands shows how  much the media has changed since the Communist country embraced  market reforms more than 20 years ago.