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jointly constitute the complicated relationship between NGOs and the government,
which in turn greatly limits the room of the development for NGOs in China. He also
pointed out that the cooperative and mutually restraining situation can be formed if
NGOs win the trust from CPC and the government.
In the discussion part, Prof. Elizabeth J. Perry gave excellent comments to the
lecturers. She believed that there are still flexibilities in China's governance, which
are different to Prof. Yu Jianrong's "inflexibility stability." She thought highly of Prof.
Zhou Yi's research. Finally they had a warm discussion about the relation between
grassroots and the government.
After the coffee break, three scholars presented their exciting essays. Prof. Liu Chun
from the Chinese University of Hong Kong talked about culture in collective action
from a pragmatics point of view, using data gathered from two years' field research
on a neighborhood-based environmental dispute in the southern Chinese city of
Shenzhen from 2004 to 2006. She stressed that past experiences and current policy
settings are more important indicators to understand the rise and fall of a public
controversy.
Prof. Jeong Jong-Ho from Seoul National University gave the lecture "Restructuring
the Wenzhou Model: A Case Study on the Transformation of Zhejiangcun - A Migrant
Settlement in Beijing." Through a large number of data and pictures, he explained
the reasons of Zhejiangcun's transformation in Beijing during the past several years
by the "Wenzhou Model" and the "New Wenzhou Model."
Then, Prof. Yan Xiaojun from the University of Hong Kong presented his topic of
"Market Reform, Financial Hardship and Political Participation: the Government
Reform in Q County." By closely observing the fundamental transformation of village
leadership and governing structure in the villages of Q County during the past
decade, he pointed out that local cadres have to collaborate with the newly emerged
community leaders and change the way in which politics is run at the grassroots level
accordingly, in order to locate alternative financial resources, pacify social tension,
provide meaningful public services, and promote economic development.
Finally, Prof. Elizabeth J. Perry and Prof. Michael Herzfeld commented on the
essays respectively and initiated a round of discussion between speakers and the
audience. Besides Harvard, the universities of Berkeley and Stanford held penal
sessions in Beijing Forum 2009 as well.
Reported By: Su Juan
Edited By : Cai Ying, Seren
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