China

CHINA

Introduction

1.         The year 1999 was celebrated in China as the 50th anniversary of the formation of the communist state.  Incidently 1999 was also the 10th year of the infamous Tiananmen Square killings.

2.         In January 1999, the ruling Communist Party indulged in the widest crackdown against dissidents.  The crackdown was on a broad-based attempt to form the country’s first opposition party.  China’s President Mr. Jiang Zemin rejected suggestions of political pluralism.  This has put into doubt China’s resolve to sign the international convenat on human rights which had been promised during the Clinton visit to China.

Economy

3.         Economics of China is an example for all the developing countries.  In 15 years China has emerged economically stronger.  Certain attributes are highlighted in the succeeding sub-paras.

(a)       Economic Growth. Economic growth in China during the last two decades has been spectacular.  Chinese economy adopted the market system and opened up to trade and foreign investments.

(b)       Economic Reforms.  The economic reforms programme was started by the late leader Deng Xiaoping.  The past two decades of economic reforms have changed China dramatically.  The economy has been significantly liberalised with the introduction of capitalism as the basic economic system, the steady retreat of the state from economic, social and cultural life and the open door policy.

(c)       Constitutional Amendments.  In March 1999, the National Peoples Congress voted for three changes to the Chinese constitution that gave legal standing to the private sector.  The reformists headed by the Prime Minister Mr Zhu Rongji are moving towards restructuring and ultimately abolishing China’s public sector.

Human Rights

4.         China has indicated that it will sign a major UN treaty on civil and political rights.

129.    China’s Constitution gurantees freedom of speech, assembly and religion and other civil liberties, but in reality these rights are severely curtailed by laws and regulations.

130.    The authorities have argued that the rights of 1.2 billion people to economic security supersede other liberties.

5.         China has also emphasised that every nation defines human rights differently.

6.         China prohibits Roman Catholics from recognising the Vatican’s authority and Government campaigns are under way to tighten control over the Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and Islamic study groups.

Minorities in China

7.         The religious minorities have to contend with the dominance of the Han Chinese, the mainland’s main ethnic composite.  The minoriteis constitue about 91 million people.

8.         Minorities constituting 8% of the population are spread over 63% of the territory.  The largest minoritites are Muslims, with 18 million people followed by Zhung with 13 million people and four million Tibetans.

9.         Tibet has attracted attention over human rights issue but the main problems facing the ethnic minorities are their isolation, economic and social neglect and domination by other numerical superior groups.

10.       Xinjiang an autonomous province of China in the Northwest with a majority of Uighurs-Muslims of Turkish origin - has seen an escalation of violence in the last few years.

11.       The developments in Central Asia and Afganistan have influenced the Muslim minority and China is finding it difficult to curb the spillover of Islamic radicalism.

12.       Islamic groups have stepped up their ac                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                aggression or expansion according to Chief of General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), General Fu Quanyou.

15.       No Military Alliance.  While implementing a strategy of active defence, China does not seek military alliance with any country, nor does it station any troops abroad or establish overseas military bases, according to General Fu.  This contradicts its establishment of a monitoring station for movement of ships in Indian Occean for trade purposes, possibly in the disguise of an ulterior motive.

16.       PLA Mission.  The PLA mission is to strengthen the national defence, fend off aggression, safeguard territorial sovereignty and the rights and interests of territorial waters, and maintain national integrity and safety, according to General Fu.

17.       Defence Budget.  China’s defence budget for 1999 was increased by 12.7 percent.  Analysis feel that the increase would help the army to carry on with its modernisation plans and emerge as a lean but mean force.

18.       Nuclear Arsenal.  According to New York Times, China possessed roughly upto 20 missiles that could reach the US and about 300 nuclear weapons abroad medium-range missiles or bombers that could hit India Russia and Japan.

19.       Nuclear Strategy.  In the next decade China could fundamentally alter its nuclear strategy from being one that is largely defensive to one that could become a far more potent arsenal that could rekindle the kind of fears that shaped the Cold-War, according to the New York Times report.

China’s Role in Asia-Pacific Security

20.       Key Role in Asia-Pacific Security.  According to the US Defence Department lasting security in Asia-Pacific is not posible without a constructive role by China.  As a nuclear weapon state, a leading regional military power and global player with permanent seat in the UN Security Council, China plays a key role in Asia-Pacific security.

21.       Post-Cold War Regional Security. In the post Cold-War era, regional security is related to stability in ties among China, the US and Japan.  Worsening relations between these countries will have their fallout on the entire region, according to analysts.

22.       Unresolved Territorial Disputes.  There are a number of unresolved territorial disputes in the region involving maritime boundaries and possible mineral resources.  The disputes in the region include the Spartleys Islands, the Paracels, the Senkaku or the Takeshima islands and Russo-Japanese dispute over the Northern Territories.

23.       Resurgence of China.  China’s emergence as an economic power accomplished by a huge military modernisation programme has made its neighbour apprehensive.  In 1996 China launched missiles near Taiwan and practically stopped all shipping in the Taiwan Straits which are international waters.  The region is finding it difficult to adjust to a resurgent China.

24.       Counter Balance by the US.  Japan and Taiwan are trying to strengthen their alliance with the US because of China’s belligerent actions.  The US is consolidating its position in the region and has argued for a beefed up missile defence in the region to address concerns about China.