07.04.2022 Views

Australian Polity, Volume 10 Number 1 & 2

March 2022 issue of Australian Polity

March 2022 issue of Australian Polity

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS
  • No tags were found...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Humpty Dumpty’s reflection in Lewis Carroll’s

Through the Looking Glass that words mean

what you chose them to mean clearly applies

to the Chinese Communist Party. Having previously

informed the world that freedom, democracy, and human

rights are not universal values, Xi Jinping’s regime now

insists that democracy ‘with Chinese characteristics’

contains none of the principles that constitute it. This

should be the final confirmation, if still required, that the

CCP is a totalitarian regime dedicated to preserving its

own existence, rather than the dignity and freedom of

the Chinese people.

Speaking recently, Li Zhanshu, the Chairman of the

Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress,

enunciated in detail what Xi had outlined previously.

Regarded as the number 3 official in the CCP, Li listed

five ideas that are rejected by the CCP, namely, “so-called

‘constitutionalism’, multi-party elections, the division of

powers, the bicameral system, and the independence

of the judiciary.” What remains of democracy after the

removal of these foundational pillars?

The answer is the same one to most questions about

the Chinese regime: the CCP leadership is supreme and

must be protected at all costs. Li spelt this out clearly

in enunciating six doctrines of Chinese ‘democracy’,

insisting that adherence to ‘the Party’s overall leadership

as the highest political principle’ and ‘firmly upholding the

authority of the Party Central Committee and centralised

and unified leadership.’

The second doctrine is the rejection of western democracy.

The other doctrines reveal how undemocratic the regime

is. The Chinese people must believe and promote the

notion that the system empowers them and makes them

the master of their own destiny. As usual, the principles are

circular. The CCP leads the People’s Congress according

to the fifth principle. Finally, the Chinese people are

instructed to ‘tell good stories about Chinese democracy’!

Not that any other narratives are permitted in China.

The Party is implementing regulations to ban all media

not funded by the CCP. Only officially approved ‘news’,

including about financial and economic issues, will be

permitted. Already severe restrictions on foreign media

have been tightened. Journalists seeking to cover the

Winter Games are being obstructed. In addition, all

Chinese media personnel are now required to undertake

90 hours ‘continuing education’ each year to retain their

accreditation. Anyone who attempts an independent

voice, such as the former Hong Kong media proprietor,

Jimmy Lai, who is on trial this week, is silenced. Human

rights organisations such as Amnesty International and

Human Rights Watch are withdrawing from Hong Kong,

citing the draconian new security laws as the reason. The

digital platforms, LinkedIn and Yahoo, have abandoned

operations in China and others may follow. Even Wikipedia

has drawn a line, banning seven pro-Beijing editors and

removing the administrative powers of another 12. The

only narrative allowed in China is Xi Jinping thought.

The time has come to actively promote real democracy.

First, the Chinese regime should be called out continually

for what it is. The aphorism - wrongly attributed to Mark

Twain - that ‘a lie can have travelled half-way around

the world before truth get its boots on’ is pertinent.

Democratic nations are tiring of the CCP’s bullying

behaviour and rejecting its ‘wolf warrior‘ diplomacy. A

recent EU Parliamentary resolution encouraged ‘the EU

and Member States to deepen cooperation with Taiwan

in confronting disinformation from malign third counties’

specifically naming China.

Secondly, democracies must support each other when

confronted by the CCP. Again, this is increasingly occurring,

as nations realise that strength lies in cooperation.

Collaboration has increased militarily. Canada, for example,

which has been somewhat ambivalent towards China,

engaged in a right of passage naval exercise with the

US in the China Sea recently. The UK, the Netherlands

and even Germany have participated in naval exercises

in the Western Pacific.

Perhaps the most interesting shift is occurring in Europe

as the political elite slowly realise that the lure of trade has

its limitations. Led by smaller nations, such as Lithuania,

Slovakia and the Czech Republic, the EU is waking to

the reality of the CCP. Last week, an inaugural European

Parliamentary delegation visited Taiwan. ‘We came here

with a simple message: Taiwan is not alone. Europe is

standing with you in the defence of freedom, democracy

and human dignity,’ said Raphael Glucksmann, Chair of

Australian Polity 31

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!