A Chinese Maverick
Li Ao is a rabble rouser from Taipei. He is a strong advocate of reunification with China and was perceived as friendly towards the Reds. It was on that basis that Beijing invited Mr. Li to the mainland for a lecture tour. They have learned to regret their decision. On national television Li blasted the party and its threats to academic freedom. The lecture tour is drawing to a close and Mr. Li has been asked to cut out the political talk - he's not making any promises.
The Reds are currently hyper-sensitive to any semblance of opposition. The Chinese government is continuing to clampdown on the net. Hu Jintao appears to have solidified his grip on the party and his country. China has tried to throw critics a bone by inviting Hong Kong's Legco for a visit. NYT makes a big deal about the visit and it is but Beijing backed interests control the Legco with democracy advocates holding a puny minority. It must also be mentioned that China has proposed some changes that would open up the elections a bit. Protests from Beijing's lackeys that democracy advocates could hold a majority are insane. It may be theoretically possible but so is Jessica Alba being our next Secretary of Defense.
posted by theCardinal @ 10:40 PM
2 Comments:
Firstly, the idea of 'reunification' begs definition. The current idea associates 'reunification' with a return to a prior and natural state of being. Given that every state of being is 'natural' given a particular moment in time as the national self is a work under construction in perpetuity, the call for 'reunification' is a denial of this fact and can be based on nothing but the most superficial of characteristics that are often based on the facts of a pre-globalised world which are as irrelevant now as one's childhood is relevant in determining what an adult ought to be.
Secondly, an equally inappropriate is the idea of 'reds' or 'communist' in relation to China just as the idea of 'Christianity' in relation to the 'Christiandom' of the 'Holy' 'Roman' Empire is appropriate in understanding the true nature of Christianity. It is the coincidence of 'intent' and 'content' that may determine which authority is 'red' or 'communist'. China fails in both. A 'command' economy is as definitive of 'communism' as the collection of alms is of Christianity in church. Whilst this may be a means to realise a 'communist' state, it is only one of the means and not the defining means as far as the 'human' component is concerned.
Thank you for your thoughtful comments. Ditto on reunificiation - I think if you ask advocates on both sides of the Straits you would get different answers. It is a concept that begs a new definition.
Reds is used to distinguish Beijing and Taipei, Blue. I confess that I use "Reds" mockingly and to describe an authoritarian regime not necessarily one that advocates a communist or command economy.
I recognize the absurdity of referring the Chinese gov't based in Beijing as communist or even socialist, which is why I try to avoid those terms. It is an absurdity however that the "Reds" have as of yet completely repudiated. So until they renounce their Red roots that is what they'll be for me.
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