Xi Dumps Deng for Mao

Police detained this supporter of Xu Zhiyong who had gathered with other activists outside the court

Human Rights Watch accused China on Tuesday of failing to meet its people’s demands for political reform and for its pursuit of anti-corruption activists — despite its declared crackdown on graft.  The New York based organization accused the Chinese government of introducing only partial reforms, such as Re-education Through Labor and the one-child policy, while simultaneously cracking down on internal dissent.  Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, believes Beijing is “using hardline rhetoric to make clear they have no intention of liberalizing the political system.”

In its annual world report, Human Rights Watch said that China had “yet to embark on fundamental reforms that adequately respond to the public’s increased demands for justice and accountability.”  The group is particularly concerned with the arrests of anti-corruption activists like Xu Zhiyong, who is currently on trial for his campaign for officials to publicly disclose their assets.  Xu’s “New Citizens’ Movement” advocates working within the system to press for change, including urging officials to disclose their assets.  Xu is charged with “gathering a crowd to disturb public order,” which is punishable by up to five years in prison.  Other areas of concern cited in the report include a government campaign to stifle online rumors through arrests, and long-standing repression of ethnic minority groups in Tibet and Xinjiang.

China has sought to defend its human rights record, pointing to its success in lifting millions out of poverty, and arguing it guarantees its people wide-ranging freedoms.

When Xi Jinping became president in 2012, there had been hope among many China watchers that he would renew efforts for political reform and take a softer line on government critics.  In his first trip after taking power, Xi spent five days in Guangdong province, drawing parallels to the “southern tour” of paramount leader Deng Xiaoping taken over 20 years ago that ushered in a new era of economic reform.

Deng engineered China’s economic rise after the death of Mao Zedong in 1976, through championing the idea of “crossing the river by feeling the stones,” or testing reform locally and, if successful, adopting it more broadly.

During Xi’s “southern tour” he was shown on local television telling his entourage, which included retired officials who had accompanied Deng on his trip, that China must deepen reforms to perfect its market economy.  Xi also met local officials, and promised to “resolve the issues by strengthening the rule of law.”  His trip also coincided with an apparent easing of internet search restrictions, as Sina Weibo, China’s largest microblog service, unblocked searches for the names of many top political leaders. Xi even displayed a confident maturity in dealing with thorny issues, stating “We should not avoid conflicts or cover up problems.”

Yet one year later, Xi appears to be backtracking on his promises, covering up China’s problems through increased censorship of the internet, arrests of those accused of spreading online rumors, the detention of anti-corruption activists, and the repression of minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet.

Xi’s southern tour a year ago had given reformists hope for the future, but the talk has proven cheap, as repressive actions by a stability-obsessed party leadership have spiraled.  Unless decisive action is taken to implement stalled reforms, the party risks continued economic malaise and growing social unrest that could threaten its grip on power.