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Walking in the shadow of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

 

Ðằng Vân

Point of View

While leaders of the Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP), clearly frightened by the prospect of people’s power of the new century, have elected to timidly walk in the shadow of the CCP, the Chinese empire is rapidly changing.

Contrary to the expectations of VCP leaders, the Chinese Empire is much larger than mainland China, and is already much more integrated into the world community than they could imagine.

When we talk about this Greater China, it includes the following components:
  1. Mainland China (or People’s Republic of China) under the one-party Communist system. The population in mainland China is about 1.3 Billions
  2. Taiwan (or Republic of China) under a multi-party democracy. The population of Taiwan is about 23 millions.
  3. Hong Kong (or a special administrative region) under the Basic Laws of Hong Kong which is a mixture of multi-party democracy and Communist administration, but the rule of law has been enshrined with a completely independent judiciary. The population of Hong Kong is about 7 millions.
  4. Macau (or another special administrative region) under the Basic Laws of Macau which is similar to those of Hong Kong, with a population of 500,000.
  5. The Chinese Diaspora at about 40 million people

In the inexorable march of East Asian nations towards true democracy, Mainland China has a clear edge over Vietnam on two strategic fronts:
  1. Within the context of the Greater China, multi-party democracy has already taken root and prospered. Although the CCP reigns supreme in the mainland, Taiwan is the domain of true democracy with the Chinese Nationalist Party and other political parties taking turn to govern this prosperous island nation. Despite the fact that in Hong Kong and Macau, the Chief Executives are tantamount appointed by Beijing, the legislatures are elected. Both the legislature and judiciary in these two administrative regions are clearly independent of the executive. A large proportion of the Chinese Diaspora comprises citizens and residents of advanced democracies in the world and their economic and intellectual influences on the mainland are considerable.
  2. The economic and social integration of Mainland China into the world beyond the confines of Communism is much more advanced than the case of Vietnam. Such integration has taken place in two crucial respects:
  1. Integration between the above four component entities of Greater China, to the extent that the economic prosperity and social stability of each and all are now completely dependent on this continued integration.
  2. Then the integration between Mainland China and the world is much deeper than the eyes can see.

Vietnam with a much smaller Diaspora and, regrettably the complete eradication of all opposition political parties by a myopic CPV, from Vietnamese soil, is so much behind China in political reforms.

The most conspicuous evidence of the relative political backwardness of the VCP compared to the CCP lies in two crucial respects:

In the way the CCP has allowed its judiciary to punish more severely corrupt elements within its ranks. According to the BBC 3 August 2007):

“Last week, the Communist Party's former leader in Shanghai, Chen Liangyu, was expelled from the party, and may now face charges, after he was linked to a pensions fund scandal that has also implicated other senior officials.

His expulsion follows the execution last month of Zheng Xiaoyu, the former head of the country's food and drug watchdog who was convicted of taking bribes to approve products.”

While in Vietnam, Bui Tien Dung receives a much lesser sentence for an extremely serious case of corruption.

According to AFP (7/8/07) The Hanoi people's court Tuesday sentenced Bui Tien Dung, the former head of the so-called Project Management Unit (PMU) 18, to 13 years' jail, six for illegal gambling and seven for bribery in his attempts to cover up the crime.

On the front of political reforms, Vietnam is also clearly behind China in local government elections, in so far as the ability of non-party candidates to stand for elected office.

All indicators are pointing to the fact that China intends to keep its promise to grant full democracy to Hong Kong.

According to BBC News (12/7/07) No less than the current Chief Executive Donald Tsang has pledged to create a more democratic system for Hong Kong. The Chief Executive was elected by a pro-Beijing electoral committee of 800 members and half of Hong Kong’s 60 member legislature was elected by the public and half by special interest groups. It goes without saying that the latter are influenced by Beijing.

It appears that the day Hong Kong becomes a true democracy with direct universal suffrage, not only for the Chief Executive but also for its legislature, is not far.

The CPV may choose to walk in the shadow of the CCP. CPV leaders may wish to be forever the loyal lap-dogs of CCP leaders. But their masters may not be in a position to return any favors any time soon. CCP leaders in the past have treated their lap-dogs with treacheries and insolence. Considering the mediocrity of such running dogs and the relative greater political visions of CCP leaders, one suspects that masters and servants will soon part company.

On balance, Nguyen Tan Dung, Nong Duc Manh and clique have a much greater chance of facing the wrath of people’s power, while Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao and their comrades have a greater chance of going down in history as political reformers for China.

The traditional and historic rivalry between China and Vietnam encompasses not only military, border disputes, but also the more subtle cultural, economic and political reform spheres.

It appears that in every respect, the CPV is clearly behind, and at times, outwitted by the CCP. All the CPV ever desires is to protect its self-interests and monopoly of political power, at huge expenses to the Vietnamese national interests.

For this they deserve the just wrath of the people.

Ðằng Vân

11 August 2007