CCTV: Steve Dickinson On China's Grassroots Democracy
Got the following email yesterday from a client:
When I checked into my old, Soviet-style Moscow hotel the other night, I was tired from a day of Aeroflot and decided to surf the TV for something to numb my brain. The only English-language channel on the hotel's TV was CCTV9 from China. The first image that flashed on the screen was Dickinson on a talk show discussing grassroots democracy in China! It was a bizarre Russian travel moment!
I then did an internet search and found this video of CLB co-blogger, Steve Dickinson on CCTV, described by CCTV as follows:
Guests: Wang Xuewen, Former Deputy President, International Business DailySteven M. Dickinson, Harris & Moure
After the success of village elections in China's rural area, the talk about grassroots democracy in China's cities is also attracting a lot of attention.
During the show, Steve talks about elections in rural Shandong province and how interest in democracy is greater in China's rural areas than in its cities. Steve sees the committee elections as nothing really new for China, having been around in some form or another since the Han Dynasty and notes that the concern of the West is that those elected have very little power beyond the power to receive instructions from the top.
Steve was previously on CCTV speaking on intellectual property rights (IPR) and that video can be found here.
Comments
This is outrageous. Steve appearing on CCTV, the mouthpiece of the Chinese government does nothing but touting the party line, echoing CCP and Chinese propaganda!! Remember Edwin Maher?!
Just kidding. :-)
Posted by: Pffefer | December 23, 2007 8:50 PM
Dang, those CCP segments need to be juiced up and made more exciting for viewers to watch, but having said that, Steve did a very nice job and offered a thoughtful analysis. He also held his ground well, and did so like a gentleman. Good job, Steve!
Posted by: Chris Carr | December 23, 2007 9:35 PM
Pffefer,
Funny. I was actually surprised at how deep they let Steve go on this most sensitive of topics.
Posted by: China Law Blog | December 23, 2007 10:16 PM
Chris C.,
Yeah. I watched the last episode of Extras last night and I have to say it was a lot more exciting. But, at least there were some fireworks of sort, which for CCTV is something....
Posted by: China Law Blog | December 23, 2007 10:18 PM
Thanks for not including the links to more information. Of course, as neither of the speakers on the program was an expert on the subject, one shouldn't be surprised.
Posted by: Therese | December 25, 2007 6:06 AM
Westerns who characterize local elections as a sham due to a preconception regarding the top-down power structure in China have it backwards. Much of what affects the Chinese people on a daily basis are rooted in local power structures that are influenced by, but not alway directed by, the central government.
Posted by: David Campbell | December 25, 2007 11:07 AM
@DC
And it is those local authorities that have the power, and use it, to bend and direct local elections to their will. Power flows from the barrel of a gun and the end of a stick, which are wielded by local police, PAP and PSB units. And the provincial authorities will back the local authorities to maintain harmony. So there may be local elections, but the candidates are approved by the powers that be and afterwards their decisions are guided by those same powers.
Posted by: nanheyangrouchuan | December 29, 2007 12:11 AM
the note of the democracy in china
Posted by: rambaran singh | January 1, 2008 10:27 AM