The government dominated the life of earlier generations of Chinese people. But the younger generation has been enjoying more freedom in comparison to their parents and grand parents were used to.

Look at the life of Zou Zhaojun, 57, Chief of Nepali section, China Radio International (CRI). In her early age, she was asked to learn Nepali language by the Chinese government and she obeyed. At that time she didn’t have any knowledge about Nepal and its language and where to learn it. She learnt the language anyhow, because her government had ordered her. That became her lifelong profession.

Unlike Zou, Zhang Yue, 26, has a different experience. She went to college to learn Nepali language on her own. The Chinese government did not instruct her to learn Nepali for a profession. The decision was based solely on her desire. Once she got a glimpse of Machhapuchre Himal on a TV programme, which ignited her interest in Nepal and Nepali language. After she learnt Nepali language, she got an opportunity to work in CRI as a reporter and a programme host.

Zou and Zhang are only two examples. Millions of Chinese people have seen big changes in their lives because of timely policies taken by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government. Taking lessons from the failure of former USSR and East European countries, the government further opened up the country and provided more economic freedom to the people.

No wonder outsiders are surprised by China’s rapid prosperity. After the turmoil of Tienmen Square in 1989, Jiang Zemin took the rein. He successfully followed the policy of Deng Xioping to further open up the country. After 13 years of successful power exercise he handed over the rein of the party to younger generation leaders. With this, the party has set a wonderful example of peaceful transfer of power in a Communist regime. Actually, Zemin took power during troubled times. The West had been accusing China of human rights violations. Now, China has silenced them with its economic liberalisation policies.

“It is a matter of great satisfaction to Zemin, who successfully handed over the power to the younger generation,” says Rajeshwor Acharya, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China.” He opened up the country without fear. Now he is going to handover a stable and prosperous nation to the fourth generation leadership.”

Zemin will quit in March next year as the President, paving way for the newly elected party secretary Hu Jintao to take over. Present international environment is also favourable to China’s smooth transition of power. President Zemin visited the United States of America last month before the National Congress began. At that time American President George W Bush assured Chinese president of respecting China’s stand on Taiwan. China’s role in global forum has increased tremendously in the past years. Hong Kong and Macao have already been integrated with the Mainland.

Though China has made rapid strides in development in the last two decades, disparity between the rich and the poor is starkly visible. Since China has been modernising, total equality is not possible. To be rich would be considered a sin in China in the past, not so anymore now. Now to be rich is a matter of pride. The state has granted the general public the rights to earn more money as they can and live their lives as they wish.

That might explain growing influence of western culture and proliferation of night clubs and prostitution in big cities like Beijing, though ban on prostitution is in place. “I witnessed various changes in China,” Wang Hongwei, professor, Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies & Graduate Institute of Chinese Academy of Social Science, says. “When I was a schoolboy China had no peace and tranquillity. We didn’t have proper food to eat and clothes to wear.”

China adopted Russian model of Communism in the beginning. At that time each person used to get 15 kilograms of rice and vegetables according to coupon system. Everyone would work under the government. Every thing was owned by the state, which was called “one big pot policy”.

“That didn’t work properly,” says a former staff of Chinese diplomatic mission to Nepal and India. “That was Russian pattern of distribution and development. Our leader Deng Xaioping put forward open door policy. We learnt a lot of good points from different systems as well as from our own. Now we are keeping the good elements of old days in modern day policies.”

Despite recession in the world, Chinese economy has grown four times in the last 20 years. The recent National Congress set an agenda for the next 20 years to further develop its economy, concentrating on western parts of the country. Here Nepali planners might take a cue. Chinese focus on its western parts might help Nepal to address the problem of underdevelopment of her northern parts.

“If we can tie up our development efforts with China’s western parts, our poverty will vanish like in a magic”, adds Acharya. “Our policy has not been favourable to tie up China’s development. Mostly our people want to trade with Beijing’s tycoons, but their trade volume is too big for us. So we have to make trade tie with the Tibet or other parts of the country.”

There is no doubt that the Chinese people are leading a better life now. That does not mean the party has diminished its pervasive role. So, young people want to join the communist party to grab opportunities. Two years ago China adopted a policy not to give authority to run business concern by the Army bosses and political figures. Before that it had a provision that the military, police and government bigwigs could be involved in various businesses, like hotels, power, IT and construction sector. To curb undue influence from such people the 15th National Party Congress of CPC cancelled that provision. They also started a system of self-declaration of private property aiming at purification in party rank and file.

China has adopted market economy in the name of ‘socialist market economy’ and opened party membership to businessmen. It shows the party’s dependency on private sector, which is at the cutting edge of the economy. China has now accepted the importance of private sector; the government does not provide government jobs for each and all as in the old days. Now, people have to find jobs for themselves in the competitive market.

On the political front, China has started practising grassroots democracy in selected provinces including Beijing. There was open canvassing like in any election of a country with multiparty democratic system. Chinese leaders are committed to bring more prosperity in future. People seem happy and busy to accomplish the goal set by the state. “We are happy and encouraged ,” says Wang. “We are confident about our future.”

(Originally Published here.)

The Kathmandu Post