Sheersho Zaman
People’s Republic of China is without a doubt a global economic leader. Many years have passed since the reign of the Mao Zedong, China’s “Great Helmsman.” Many things have changed since that time. Over the past three decades, on its way to reach the status of “global economic superpower,” it had to shake off the stigma of the “Maoist craziness” that had left it an isolated state.
In an interview with “The Nation” newspaper, Chinese-born British author Jung Chang talked about the good and the bad of present day China, along with other things such as her experience with the Cultural Revolution.
“There are many things that I feel extremely happy and excited about. Just by coming to Bangkok you see how there are so many Chinese tourists here,” she said as she spoke to her interviewee. She further added, “Middle-class Chinese families being able to go abroad is tremendous for them and for me also. I think, in this way the country is going in the absolutely the right direction. Living standards are giving people good lives and I feel very happy about that.”
Present day China is almost incomparable to its former self. The capital city of Beijing now hosts plenty of high-rise buildings, each one with more challenging architecture than the last. The streets of the city boast nightclubs, fast food chains, and restaurants. Traffic gridlocks would further show the vast variety of luxury vehicles sprawling through the city. The neon advertisement for Western products further light up the metropolis during the nighttime rush hour. Shanghai is not far behind, as it is now a financial center for the world.
However, praise is not all that the best-selling author had for her home country. When asked about its current leader, President Xi Jinping and his premier, she said “I have no comments on those individuals because I haven’t studied them. However, I feel intensively unhappy with the ideological side – books being banned and even more repression than before.”
Jung also feels that the country had not stepped too far from its communistic roots. “While using every capitalistic method (to boost economy), the country is also using communist ways of control. It’s currently a mixture between the two regimes,” she said when asked about the country’s current state.
Banning of books when they express views that differ from what the government wants is but one example of China’s repression. The social media is on tight controls too. “‘Mao: When the Untold Story’ was published, they just deleted anything online about it,” said Jung when the social media control matter was brought up. The state of China is such that any form of public criticism, be it through social media or otherwise, faces punishment.
“The country is also making attempts (to improve), from environmental issues to narrowing social gaps. It is now doing its best,” the author further contemplated. Jung further mentioned how being a British citizen allowed her the right to vote, which a few people in China had the right to do, with the number being “as few as can be counted on two fingers of two hands.”
The question of whether repression will stand in the way of Chinese growth is one that has been asked for ages. The country did abandon its one-child policy and for development to ensue, there must be another look taken at other repressive policies.
To move forward, China has to learn to believe in its people. All this surveillance and attempts at controlling via communist means serve to only deter future development. There are good things that are happening, but it is only a matter of time before the repression leads to a downward spiral. So, time will tell whether China will be in a situation where they take one-step forward and two steps back.