People's Democracy

Eight Days In The People’s Republic Of China

   Subhashini Ali Sahgal

Karat meeting with wu Guanzheng, member of the Standing Committee of the Polit Bureau of the CPC 

and secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, in Beijing

A PARTY delegation headed by Prakash Karat, the general secretary of the CPI(M) was invited to visit China by the Communist Party of China (CPC). I had the good fortune of being the second member of the delegation. During our eight-day visit, we spent two days in the capital, Beijing; four days in
the fast-developing province of Shandong which lies roughly between Beijing and Shanghai; and two days in Shanghai.

In Beijing, discussions were held with the International Department of the CPC, at the Central Party School, at the Rural Development Institute, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), at the Institute of Marxism-Leninism Studies (CASS) and at the All China Women’s Federation. We were also received by a member of the Standing Committee of the Polit Bureau of the CC of the CPC, Comrade Wu Guanzheng, in the Great Hall of the People. All the comrades who spoke to us were very forthcoming and did not hesitate to discuss the problems they were dealing with. In fact, they described these in great detail and invited us to ask them as many questions as we wanted to. They were also very interested in our Party’s activities, in its understanding of ideological issues and in its participation in the electoral politics of our country which had led to formation of state governments under its leadership. They were especially impressed by the performance of the West Bengal unit of the Party and by the fact that it had been leading a coalition government in that state for more than 28 years.

 
We visited the Rural Development Institute, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), and had a very informative discussion about the situation in the rural areas and the policies that had been formulated and were being implemented to improve conditions of life there. An important point to
remember is that there are very large variations in the conditions of the peasantry in different parts of China. While the Western and Northern regions are poorer and more backward and also less industrialised, the Southern and Eastern regions are much richer and the coastal areas are the most developed, the most industrialised and the richest.

Many of the problems of the farmers have been redressed in the last decade.  To begin with the land-lease was for ten years but then the farmers’ demanded this period be extended. So in most places it is 30 year lease and is being extended to 50 years also. The taxes levied on them by the central government have now been removed and many of the provincial governments have also followed suit while by next year all of them will have completed this task.  Fees levied by the counties and township areas are also being reduced. Grain prices have also gone up in the recent period bringing further relief to the rural people.

Five years ago, direct elections to the village councils were held for the first time. Any resident of the village can stand for election.  This is a novel experiment that has been carried out all over the country and while there have been some negative features like dominant families being able to dominate the elections also, efforts are being made to give the councils an effective voice.  A law has now been passed that ensures that village land-use can only be changed if the elected council and the central government approve.  This has put an end to ‘grabbing’ of village land by enterprises and property dealers.

Now not only is proper approval required but the farmers losing their land are also being compensated in more than one way.  For example, for the payment of compensation, the value of the land is being computed according to its enhanced value after the land-use has been changed; then if a factory is going to be set up on the land then the farmer’s family members will be given jobs if they are of the correct age; in many cases, they are also being given a share in the profits of the enterprise that is to be established on this land. Medical and educational facilities in the rural areas are also being extended. While nine years of education are compulsory under the law and also free, remote and far-off villages did not always benefit equally from this.  Now efforts are being made to see that more village schools are built and that children from the poorest families are helped to send their children to school by making textbooks and uniforms (which have to be paid for) available to them.

Similarly, wherever there are no nearby hospitals, mobile hospitals are being pressed into service.  Not only the government but also agencies and organisations of different kinds are co-operating in this effort.  For example, the All China Women’s Federation has a large number of mobile hospitals that it sends to rural areas.  In the more remote areas, there are also a large number of trained midwives who have been equipped with proper kits. 

Later in the day we visited the Central Party School which is a set of impressive buildings set in beautiful and large grounds full of trees, gardens and small, ornamental lakes.  Here we were given an account of the extensive training and education programme that the CPC conducts for its cadres and
leadership.  Starting in January 2004, one-and-a-half years are being devoted to this programme.  Leaders upto the district committee levels and also some selected promising young cadres have to undergo six months of this training and education.  In addition to classes on Marxism-Leninism, there are also sessions on the modern world economy, science and technology and military matters.  The Party School also does a lot of research work and hosts a number of research scholars every year.  It also has post-graduate and doctoral students studying on its premises.

The next morning we paid our respects at the mausoleum dedicated to Mao Ze Dong.  Thousands of people, including many young men and women and lots of children, had lined up, braving the hot sun, to pay their homage.  It was inspiring to see the love and respect that they have for their leader.

Later in the day, we met with comrades at the International Department and held discussions with vice-minister, Cai Wu. He expressed warm appreciation of the fact that members of our Party had always supported good relations between India and the People’s Republic of China and had made sacrifices for this cause. They told us in great detail of the many policies that they were implementing to take their people forward.  They told us that they are making every effort to see that by 2020, China becomes a ‘moderately prosperous society’ where the per capita income is 2000 dollar per annum, i.e. double of what it is now.  They also emphasised the many measures that they are taking to ensure that this development is a harmonious one in which the interests of the rural and urban working people, the middle classes and the various kinds of investors and entrepreneurs are protected while they are also able to make the fullest utilisation of their creative and productive energies.  We also heard about the campaign being conducted within the Party to maintain the advanced nature of the CPC. The entire Party at all levels is involved in this campaign which is meant also to strengthen the capability of the CPC.

In the afternoon there was a meeting with Comrade Wu Guanzheng, member of the standing committee of the Polit Bureau of the CPC and secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. In the discussions both Wu Guanzheng and Prakash Karat stressed the great potential for developing all-round relations between China and India consequent to the visit of prime minister Wen Jiabao to India in April this year. They noted the decision to upgrade relations to a strategic level to be a good augury. Wu Guanzheng emphasised the importance of cooperation between China and India, the two biggest Asian countries.

On July 14, we had an interesting meeting with members of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism (CASS) before we left for Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province.

(To be continued)