Showing posts with label Zhang Lijia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zhang Lijia. Show all posts

Saturday, March 02, 2024

Can China fix its inequality? – Zhang Lijia

 

Zhang Lijia

Inequality has been one of China’s central problems, writes author and journalist Zhang Lijia in the South China Morning Post. There is no shortage of efforts to fix it, she argues, and while China has dealt with poverty successfully, getting to common prosperity, as it is called, seems much harder to achieve.

Zhang Lijia:

Last month, Panzhihua, a city in western China’s Sichuan province, announced this would be its “breakthrough” year in establishing itself as a common prosperity pilot zone. It is following the example of Zhejiang province in the east, another such pilot zone which was set up in 2021. The idea is to push for a high-quality development that focuses on closing the economic gap between regions, between urban and rural areas, and in income.

This is encouraging news, but will such efforts work? Will there be more pilot zones like these? Will China really achieve common prosperity, or is it mainly a political slogan? The truth is still emerging.

The concept of common prosperity is not new. It first appeared in 1953 during the Mao era as he pushed China towards socialist collectivisation.

Around 1979, shortly after paramount leader Deng Xiaoping had introduced economic reforms and opening up, he declared that China’s path to common prosperity would be to let some people and regions get rich first to help the rest. The term gained new significance in 2021 when President Xi Jinping vigorously promoted it as a way to guard against economic and political polarisation.

Since 1978, some people and regions have indeed become rich. China has transformed from one of the world’s poorest countries to its second-largest economy, and from a relatively equal society to one of the most unequal in the world.

The structural flaws inherent in China’s political system – from state-controlled capitalism to corruption – have all contributed to the problem. The top 10 per cent income share rose from 27 per cent in 1978 to 41 per cent in 2015, approaching levels seen in the United States, according to research by economist Thomas Piketty and his colleagues.
Xi clearly realises the risk of such income and wealth disparities, which could stifle growth and erode confidence in the leadership. Defining common prosperity is complicated as it has many implications and associated aspirations. In one sense, China’s pursuit of common prosperity seeks to build up the middle class so it can become more of an engine of consumption.

More in her opinion piece at the South China Morning Post.

Zhang Lijia is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more political experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

Monday, January 29, 2024

A plea for solid labor relations – Zhang Lijia

Zhang Lijia

Former rocket factory worker and author Zhang Lijia discusses labor relations in China in an opinion piece at the South China Morning Post after a video about a dismissal of a worker caused an online uproar. “The government’s commitment to protect its workers is on the line here,” she argues.

Zhang Lijia:

This month, a short video attracted a huge amount of attention on China’s social media. In the clip, a female executive was seen sacking a male employee. When he protested that she had violated the country’s labour law, she spoke rudely to him, admitting: “I’ve violated the law – so what?” He could go ahead and sue her, she said, but he would never get anywhere because she “knew people” in labour arbitration.

The video has caused a public outcry and widespread condemnation. There is heated debate over how she could blatantly disregard the law, whether China’s labour laws were working well enough and how China can better protect worker rights.

Having once been a factory worker for 10 years, I maintain a keen interest in labour relations; I also feel for my fellow workers.

China enacted comprehensive labour legislation only in 2008, with the Labour Contract Law, the Labour Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Law, and the Employment Promotion Law – all important legal milestones aimed at addressing workers’ grievances and protecting their rights. In particular, the Labour Contract Law states that companies must provide each employee with a written contract and stipulates guidelines on termination: there should be a 30-day notice or an extra month’s salary in lieu.

After outraged netizens started digging around for the identity of the woman and the company, the Beijing-based chip design company issued a statement on January 8, apologising for causing the furore. It said its executive had been reprimanded and suspended from work. It also said the sacked worker was let go about five months into his six-month probation because of a lack of competence, and that the termination was lawful.

Labour disputes in China are a relatively new phenomenon and it is not uncommon for companies to fire workers just before the end of their probation. As economic and social inequalities increased with China’s opening up, so have labour tensions

Given the circumstances, the authorities must try harder to protect workers’ rights to fulfil their duty of care. They should thoroughly investigate the latest allegation of unfair dismissal and severely punish those who violate labour laws.

They should also introduce more legal aid, work to simplify the arbitration procedure, and ensure all verdicts are obeyed and wronged employees are properly compensated.

The government’s commitment to protect its workers is on the line here. China is a socialist country, built as a state for and of the workers. A failure to protect workers undercuts the Communist Party’s credibility, especially if the poor enforcement of labour laws is allowed to continue and cases start to mount.

More at the South China Morning Post.

Zhang Lijia is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more political experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

Plea

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Why China and Japan need closer ties – Zhang Lijia

 

Zhang Lijia

Relations between China and Japan have been tense since the end of World War II, and the annual remembrance of the rape of Nanking,  this year 86 years ago, marks those tensions. Author Zhang Lijia argues that nowadays both countries need better relations, she argues in the South China Morning Post. “An amicable Sino-Japanese relationship is vital for regional stability and prosperity. If the two remain hostile, it will play into the US’ hands,” she writes.

The South China Morning Post:

Back in the 1990s, plenty of Japanese politicians would have liked to befriend China as they saw that their future was in Asia. Beijing’s hostility, however, pushed them to embrace America wholeheartedly.

It’s time for Beijing to walk out of the past and forge closer ties with Tokyo. Beyond the fact that China is Japan’s largest trading partner, it has many reasons to be on good terms with this neighbour. As an Asian country with a long history with China, Japan can potentially play a role in softening crises, such as over Taiwan.

Reduced tensions would lessen the overall threat perception and allow a relaxation of all actors’ security positions in the region. An amicable Sino-Japanese relationship is vital for regional stability and prosperity. If the two remain hostile, it will play into the US’ hands…

I am not suggesting that Chinese people should forget the pain we suffered at the hands of the imperial Japanese. I, for one, shall not forget. As a Nanjing native, I still remember the harrowing stories my grandma told me. Back in 1937, as she tried to flee the city, her infant daughter in her arms, a bomb fell nearby. A neighbour only metres away disappeared, blown to pieces by the blast.

Tokyo should apologise unequivocally and unreservedly for the atrocities committed in China and apologise specifically for the Rape of Nanking.

While it is understandable that so many Chinese feel resentful towards Japan, it is unwise to let this anti-Japan sentiment spiral out of control. National interests should come before personal feelings, and it is in China’s best interests to improve its relationship with Japan.

More in the South China Morning Post.

Zhang Lijia is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more political experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

Monday, October 16, 2023

China should improve position of single mothers – Zhang Lijia

 

Zhang Lijia

While fixing the dropping birth rate in China might be challenging, improving the current position of single mothers should be a no-brainer, says author Zhang Lijia in the South China Morning Post. Some provinces have started to deal with the Sishengzi, or “secretly born child”, as a growing number of women do not want to marry, but still want to have a child, she writes.

Zhang Lijia:

Sishengzi, or “secretly born child”, is a derogatory term to describe children born out of wedlock. For a woman to raise such a child in China used to be as difficult as climbing up the sky. To start with, without a marriage certificate, this child would not be able to get registered, which meant they could not go to a state school, take a flight or get vaccinated.

However, there are signs that suggest the Chinese government has begun to loosen control to a certain degree. In recent years, provinces such as Sichuan, Guangdong, Anhui and Shaanxi have issued new regulations that allow unmarried mothers to register their children. More governments are likely to follow suit.

In July, the authorities in Xian announced that single mothers could now apply for child subsidies and insurance. These developments are encouraging, but in my view, the central government needs to go much further.

The new regulations were developed amid increasing concerns of a plummeting birth rate. China allowed couples to have two children in 2016, with the limit going up to three children five years later, but not enough couples have taken up the offer. China’s fertility rate dropped to a record low of 1.09 last year. The enormous cost of raising a child and changing values have also contributed to this alarming trend.

More in the South China Morning Post.

Zhang Lijia is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more experts on cultural change at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

Friday, September 15, 2023

On banning clothes that offend national feelings – Zhang Lijia

 

Zhang Lijia

The draft law banning clothes deemed offensive to national feelings in China has triggered much debate. Author and journalist Zhang Lijia dives and looks back at the campaigns from her youth at the Nanjing rocket factory, and more recent incidents, for the South China Morning Post.

Zhang Lijia:

Last summer, a young woman doing a photo shoot in Suzhou was detained by the police simply because she was wearing a kimono. Last month, people wearing shirts with rainbows, seen as a pro-LGBTQ symbol, were not allowed to enter a concert in Beijing.

The Chinese authorities have always liked to behave like a parent, offering citizens all sorts of advice on matters minor and major. In 2019, they issued “morality guidelines” which directed people to be polite, travel with a lower carbon footprint and have “faith” in the Communist Party.

But the latest proposed law goes a bit too far. Some have speculated that kimono wearers are likely to be the target. Anti-Japan sentiment has long run high in China because of imperial Japan’s war atrocities, such as the massacre at Nanjing. After police detained the kimono-clad woman in Suzhou last year, netizens debated whether donning a kimono was unpatriotic.The debate has flared up again. If wearing a kimono went against the proposed law, one netizen wondered, what about Western-style clothing? Another responded by noting that Western-style clothing is a symbol of Western culture and can be seen as a symbol of Western invaders, so why wouldn’t wearing Western-style clothing constitute hurting national feelings?

The problem is that the draft law is vague. The proposed change does not specify the kinds of clothing that would constitute a violation…

An incident in Wuhan has only reinforced people’s concerns. About a week ago, video footage emerged of a group of young people in hanfu at Panlongcheng National Archaeological Site Park, a public park, who were repeatedly told to leave by security guards who thought they were in kimono – even though they explained they were in Tang dynasty costume.

I am delighted to see the outpouring of criticism over the contentious draft amendment. Hopefully, if opposing voices are loud enough, the authorities will listen and rethink going ahead with it. Personal freedom should be respected.

More at the South China Morning Post.

Zhang Lijia is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more political experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

Monday, August 14, 2023

TV drama on rape victim blaming, triggers a much needed debate – Zhang Lijia

 

Zhang Lijia

A star-studded Chinese TV drama delving into workplace sexual harassment titled Imperfect Victim recently ended but the debate it triggered rages on. Journalist and social commentator Zhang Lijia dives into the debate for the South China Morning Post.

Zhang Lijia:

A star-studded Chinese TV drama delving into workplace sexual harassment titled Imperfect Victim recently ended but the debate it triggered rages on. The show, which ran to 29 45-minute episodes, centres on a rape case: beautiful, young personal assistant Zhao Xun accuses her powerful and handsome boss, Cheng Gong, the company president, of raping her. But the case is complex, and so are the characters involved.

Within three months, Cheng, a married man, promotes Zhao from a trainee to the position of senior assistant, multiplies her salary and showers her with gifts worth 880,000 yuan (US$122,170). She makes little attempt to stop him. Then one rainy night, the police turn up at the company’s apartment suite, having received an anonymous tip-off about rape. Zhao, traumatised and confused, denies she has been violated. Five days later, she files a lawsuit against him.

The popular and high-quality drama led to a heated discussion among the audience about the nature of sexual harassment, gender inequality, the unbalanced power play in the office and, interestingly, who is really the victim…

Zhou Xiaoxuan, a prominent face in China’s #MeToo movement, was also sued for defamation after she accused Zhu Jun, a high-profile TV presenter, of sexual assault. She countersued, demanding an apology and compensation, and failed. Last year, her appeal was dismissed after a court in Beijing ruled that she lacked sufficient evidence. This was hardly a surprising result. High legal barriers and social stigma have silenced many victims.

I am delighted to see a TV drama like Imperfect Victim dealing with such serious social issues head on. For centuries, Confucianist ideas that women are inferior dominated Chinese society. It is partly due to the deeply rooted patriarchal culture that sexual harassment is prevalent in the workplace, so much so that on International Women’s Day this year, the government issued a guidance specifically to combat the problem.

But I do find the title Imperfect Victim problematic in that it might further encourage a victim-blaming culture. Let’s not focus on the weaknesses of the victim but examine the perpetrator with a critical eye. A victim is a victim, whether she is perfect or not.

More at the South China Morning Post.

Zhang Lijia is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more media experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

Thursday, July 13, 2023

A low in US and China’s public opinion about each other – Zhang Lijia

 

Zhang Lijia

Public opinion in both China and the US about the other country is at a low, and political analyst Zhang Lijia fears those opinions might push both adversaries into a new cold war, she argues in the South China Morning Post.

Zhang Lijia:

Does public opinion matter in an authoritarian country such as China, where there is no democratic voting system? The answer is yes, even though the correlation between public opinion and government decision-making is perhaps less strong compared to that of the US. There have been suggestions that Xi sharpened his rhetoric because he didn’t want to be seen as weak by the people of China.

The Chinese government does respond to public opinion as it cares about its political legitimacy, as shown in its sudden abandonment of its zero-Covid policy. The increasingly negative public views of the US could encourage its leaders to take a harder line against the US. This vicious circle is dangerous as the dramatic deterioration of the relationship will not be good for either country.

Disturbing as it is to see views of China in the US resembling those of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, I am not surprised as American politicians often lump Russia and China together. The difference between China and the Soviet Union is as wide as that between heaven and earth, though.

More in the South China Morning Post.

Zhang Lijia is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more political analysts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

Monday, January 30, 2023

Why China’s low fertility rate is a serious problem – Zhang Lijia

 

China saw for the first time its population drop. Journalist and author Zhang Lijia explains in the South China Morning Post why the government should take this development seriously and what actions it could take. “Leaders will have to learn to treat citizens with respect,” she adds.

Zhang Lijia:

The low fertility rate is China’s long-term time bomb. In the past, the Chinese economy benefited from an abundant and youthful labour force. Now the sharply declining fertility rate, compounded with a rapidly ageing population and longer lifespan, will inevitably cause labour shortages and an economic downturn.

The authorities have to take the matter extremely seriously. A good starting point would be offering better legal protection to working mothers and introducing measures that help them balance work and life, such as longer maternity leave and good childcare facilities while severely punishing those who mistreat them. Pregnant workers are still frequently sacked by employers, and the perpetrators are rarely punished.

I also hope the Chinese government will deal with the matter humanely instead of using coercion or force, such as the forced sterilisation and abortion that supported the one-child policy. Back then, local officials competed with each other in coming up with excessive measures. As a factory worker in the 1980s, I had to visit the “period police” every month to show I was not pregnant.

“China’s current political and economic model is a typical legalist model of ‘powerful government and weak families’,” said Yi Fuxian, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and author of Big Country with an Empty Nest.

“The legalists can enable the country to rise rapidly. But this rise is unsustainable because it undermines family values and unduly restricts individual freedom, which can lead to a decline in population and socioeconomic vitality.”

Legalism, an ancient school of philosophy, emphasises strong state control and absolute obedience to authorities. I doubt the legalists’ heavy-handed way can work well in the long run given that today’s youth are more individualistic and aware of their rights.

The recent protests against excessive anti-pandemic measures are a case in point. It might be difficult for the authoritarian regime to give up the legalist model, but leaders will have to learn to treat citizens with respect.

Yi has this word of warning: “The Chinese authorities need to accept this difficult truth. China is not facing a rise but an existential crisis unseen for thousands of years.”

More in the South China Morning Post.

Zhang Lijia is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more political experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

Monday, December 05, 2022

Jiang Zemin: An unprecedented charmeur at China’s helm – Zhang Lijiang

 

Zhang Lijia

Former president Jiang Zemin was not only known for his relaxed way of dealing with foreign leaders, he is also fondly remembered by many of the Chinese who met him, recalls author and journalist Zhang Lijia at China File. “Now he is gone. Amid economic downturn and political repression, the Chinese public are remembering his positive side, his warmth and color, and his many talents, such as singing. Nostalgia, like old wine, tastes better as time goes by,” Zhang Lijia writes.

Zhang Lijia

In February 1998, then Chinese leader Jiang Zemin and his wife visited my hometown of Nanjing during the Lantern Festival, which marked the end of the Chinese New Year. My sister, an official in charge of the Confucian Temple where the festival was held, got to meet Jiang.

“He was so easygoing as he happily went along with all the arrangements, even though he held the lofty position of leader of the whole nation. A benevolent leader!” she gushed to me in a telephone interview after Jiang died. Jiang shook hands and cracked jokes with everyone present. When they passed the former residence of Li Xiangjun, a well-known beauty of the early 17th century, he began to talk about the opera The Peach Blossom Fan, inspired by her story. A huge fan of opera, he started to sing a few lines, winning enthusiastic applause. “I was deeply impressed,” my sister said. “He was a man of knowledge, charm, and sophistication.”

Then she added: “If we still had him as our leader, or someone enlightened like him, then we probably wouldn’t have to endure the excessive lockdown measures.”

This kind of nostalgia is very common right now. Many Chinese citizens have left messages on social media, remembering Jiang fondly, or posted videos of memorable moments, such as Jiang conducting a choir singing “Graduation Song,” a popular patriotic tune. There is an implicit contrast with greyer figures (or leaders?) like Xi Jinping. People can’t help but compare the former leader with Xi, who is behind the increasingly unpopular zero-COVID policy, and who is seen as authoritarian and power-thirsty.

Jiang served as China’s leader from 1989 to 2002. During his reign, he stabilized the country, repaired the damage caused by the brutal crackdown on the pro-democracy movement, and sought a warmer relationship with the West, especially the United States. It was a period of economic growth, which paved the way for China’s rise on the world stage. It was also a period of relative tolerance.

But it was not all a bed of roses. In the 1990s, to increase the efficiency of state-owned enterprises, economic reform measures were introduced which resulted in some 60 million urban workers being laid off. Many of my former colleagues at the rocket factory I had worked for lost their jobs. There was an undercurrent of resentment towards Jiang.

Now he is gone. Amid economic downturn and political repression, the Chinese public are remembering his positive side, his warmth and color, and his many talents, such as singing. Nostalgia, like old wine, tastes better as time goes by.

As they think of the past, many Chinese worry about their future. Ms. Yan, an old friend from Nanjing, is concerned that China will become isolated in the world and the yuan will devalue, eating up her modest savings. “Why can’t we have a sensible leader like Jiang?” she lamented. “When will we be able to choose our own leader?”

More stories about Jiang Zemin at China File.

Zhang Lijia is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your (online) meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more experts on cultural change at the China Speakers Bureau? Check out this list.

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Comparing Covid-uprisings with Tiananmen – Zhang Lijia

 

Zhang Lijia

Author and journalist Zhang Lijia answers questions from viewers at Sky News on the protests against China’s zero-covid policies and the Tiananmen uprising in 1989 when she organized protests in Nanjing. Also joined by political scientist and economist Francis Fukuyama.

Zhang Lijia is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your (online) meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more experts on cultural change? Do check out this list.

Monday, March 14, 2022

The fake news in China’s media on the Russian invasion of Ukraine – Zhang Lijia

 


Zhang Lijia

Author Zhang Lijia is shocked by the fake news in China’s media on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, she reports while traveling in Northern Africa. “The first casualty of war is truth.” How true!”, she writes on her weblog.

Zhang Lijia:

“The first casualty of war is truth.” How true!

I’ve been following China’s coverage with fascination and disgust. Although China claims to be neutral on the matter and even offers itself as a peace maker, its media coverage has more or less been following the Russian line. To start with, instead of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, it is termed as ‘Russian and Ukraine conflict’. It hardly mentions the immense suffering of the civilians in Ukraine or its people’s incredible courageous resistance, which moved the people around the world.

When Russia made false claim that Pentagon has been financing biological weapons labs in Ukraine, China reported it as truth. How dangerous it is! Putin may use it as a false flag to use biological weapons. Here’s NYT’s report on the issue.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/10/us/politics/russia-ukraine-china-bioweapons.html

How ridiculous that China now blames the U.S and Nato for the invasion. See attached the screen shot of the Chinese article.

A professor Zhang Wenmu from Beihang University, a nationalistic academic, penned a piece “Why has Ukraine Nazi-ized”. There’s a lot of discussion on the topic on the internet. Again, it is ridiculous! The Ukraine president Zelensky is a Jew. Why would he want his country to Nazi-ized?

There’s been a lot of fake news. From a group on Wechat called Friends in London, someone posted a video clip about a week ago, showing Putin crying over the death of Russian soldiers and when their bodies were carried back to Russia, the ordinary people knelt down on the road side, to show their respect. Completely false! If Putin cares about his soldiers, he wouldn’t have sent them over to Ukraine. He is a narcissistic who is utterly indifferent to human sufferings.

Zhang Lijia’s weblog.

Zhang Lijia is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your (online) meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more experts on cultural change at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.