VZCZCXRO9421
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0620/01 0261111
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 261111Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4194
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 000620 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2032 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KCUL SOCI CH
SUBJECT: "DEMOCRACY IS A GOOD THING" ARTICLE IGNITES DEBATE 
AMONG CHINESE MEDIA, SCHOLARS 
 
REF: A. FBIS CPP20070108332001 
 
     ¶B. 06 BEIJING 24430 
 
Classified By: Political Section Acting Internal Unit Chief Chris Klein 
.  Reasons 1.4 (b/d). 
 
¶1.  (C) An article in the influential weekly Study 
Times strongly endorsing democracy as "the best" 
political system has stimulated sharp discussion in 
Chinese media and intellectual circles.  Our contacts 
speculated that "Democracy Is a Good Thing," by 
progressive scholar and author Yu Keping, is a trial 
balloon meant to create a positive atmosphere for 
(modest) political reform at the 17th Party Congress 
this fall.  The Propaganda Department has handed down 
no guidelines on how to handle the article or the 
dynamic public discussion that has followed.  Such 
discourse should not be seen as a harbinger of growing 
openness, media insiders said, as censors are 
redoubling efforts to keep a lid on controversial 
content.  An editor at Study Times told us that one 
aim of printing "Democracy Is a Good Thing" was to 
create Internet buzz.  In this respect, the paper has 
succeeded, as colorful commentary about the piece has 
filled online forums.  End Summary. 
 
"The Best Political System" 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) "Democracy Is a Good Thing" appeared in the in 
the December 25, 2006 edition of Study Times, an 
influential weekly published by the Central Party 
School (CPS) that has consistently presented a 
reformist editorial slant.  The author, Yu Keping, is 
head of a progressive Party-affiliated think-tank 
called the Center for Comparative Politics and 
Economics and is a prominent advocate for political 
openness in China.  Based on Yu's book by the same 
name, the piece is brief and straightforward.  It 
opens with the declaration, "Democracy is a good 
thing."  After outlining democracy's merits and 
shortcomings, Yu contends that it is "so far the best 
political system in human society."  The article goes 
on to emphasize that a healthy democracy gives its 
citizens a say in the decisions that affect their 
lives.  At the same time, veiled criticisms of China's 
current system dot the text.  Economic advancement 
alone does not make for a perfect society, Yu argues, 
writing that "Even if people have the best food, 
clothing, housing and transportation means but have no 
democratic rights, then people still do not have 
complete human dignity."  Near the end of the article, 
Yu argues that "if the government mainly relies on 
coercive means to force the people to accept a system 
they do not select themselves, then that is a domestic 
tyranny." 
 
Media Maelstrom 
--------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) The Mainland media have taken "Democracy Is a 
Good Thing" and sprinted with it.  Although staid 
Party organs such as The People's Daily and the 
Guangming Daily are ignoring it and have printed no 
reaction pieces, several influential weeklies, notably 
Southern Weekend, Oriental Outlook and China Newsweek, 
have been vocal in their support for Yu Keping's 
arguments, giving pride of place to opinion pieces 
praising the article.  The high-circulation China 
Newsweek's lead editorial in its January 15 edition 
delivered a ringing endorsement, stating that one of 
the lessons of the recent smash hit "Rise of the Great 
Powers" television miniseries (ref B) is that 
democracy and rule of law are part of what makes a 
great power truly great.  "'Democracy Is a Good Thing' 
once again raises the most important question 
concerning the future of the nation," the editorial 
concluded.  "All responsible Chinese people should be 
thinking about it." 
 
An Influential Bellwether 
------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) That Study Times, which has a subscription- 
only circulation of just over 2 million, has published 
such a story should come as no surprise, said Deng 
Yuwen (protect), a staff editor.  Beyond its CPS 
affiliation, Study Times enjoys high-level backing, 
said Deng, particularly from Zheng Bijian and the 
China Reform Forum, the quasi-governmental think-tank 
that Zheng heads.  The editor in chief, Zhou Weiming, 
 
BEIJING 00000620  002 OF 003 
 
 
is an open-minded advocate for more political openness 
in China.  Deng said the publication of "Democracy Is 
a Good Thing" is in keeping with Study Times' role as 
"a theoretical paper, one where we float political 
ideas with a view to generating discussion and 
debate."  He added that the newspaper aims its content 
primarily at two audiences: a) foreign observers of 
China, in order to give a sense of what is going on 
among the most influential Party scholars; and b) "our 
adversaries within the country," Deng said, meaning 
conservative elements who might oppose expanding 
reforms.  Without elaborating, he said former 
Government officials who retain influence are 
particular targets. 
 
Goal: To Create a Stink 
----------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) The timing of the article was not left to 
chance, conjectured Wu Jiaxiang (protect), an author 
and former aide to Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang who 
maintains connections with current officialdom.  In 
Wu's view, the Study Times piece amounts to a trial 
balloon meant to test, and perhaps set, the climate in 
the run-up to the 17th Party Congress this fall.  Wu 
described editor in chief Zhou as wanting to "create a 
stink," or stimulate discussion among people with 
differing viewpoints, especially online.  If the 
voices backing Yu's article drown out negative 
reactions, then it will help create a positive 
atmosphere for political reform, Wu said. 
Nonetheless, he cautioned that it is important to keep 
Yu's piece in perspective.  The kind of reform being 
discussed does not involve sweeping change to the 
system.  Rather, Wu theorized that senior leadership 
is focusing on two limited areas.  One is intra-Party 
democracy, that is, slowly introducing a system in 
which Party members compete for certain positions and 
where ordinary Party members participate in decision 
making.  The other reform push would center around 
expanding grass-roots democracy, permitting government 
elections to jump a level or perhaps more, from the 
village to the township and beyond. 
 
Propaganda Department Stays Mum ... 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) The Propaganda Department has handed down no 
guidelines on how to handle the piece and the ensuing 
media commotion, said Zhou Qing'an, Assistant 
Professor at Tsinghua University's School of 
Journalism and Communications and a free lance writer. 
Both the Study Times piece and the China Newsweek 
article flirt with the censors' red line but do not 
cross it, he assessed.  Were either article to give 
specific examples of a lack of democracy hurting a 
society or more democracy helping chieve progress, it 
would almost certainly atract unwelcome attention 
from the authorities  Deng of Study Times peculated 
that if "emocracy Is a Good Thing" had appeared in 
the opinion pages of a large circulation daily such as 
The Beijing News, which has regularly teste the 
censors with controversial content, it might have set 
off alarm bells among Propaganda authorities.  But 
Study Times so far has had no repercussions from the 
Propaganda Department, Deng confirmed, noting that the 
paper has traditionally enjoyed more leeway to run 
sensitive stories than other papers. 
 
... But Controls Remain In Place 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (C) Even against the backdrop of open discourse on 
an inherently sensitive topic such as democracy, our 
contacts said they expect no imminent relaxation of 
controls as preparations for the 17th Party Congress 
progress.  "It is a sensitive time," Zhou said, 
remarking that the Central Propaganda Department is 
under pressure to perform well as the political 
jockeying heats up.  Deng of Study Times commented 
that the Propaganda Department is now taking a two- 
pronged approach to controls.  On one hand, censors 
are increasingly issuing prescriptive guidelines at 
the beginning of the year or, in some cases, the 
month, presenting editors with lists of verboten 
topics and guidance on handling sensitive 
anniversaries or other events.  On the other hand, the 
old system remains in place of individual officials 
keeping an eye on publications and issuing reprimands 
after the appearance of content they deem 
inappropriate.  The results of the censors' enhanced 
 
BEIJING 00000620  003 OF 003 
 
 
approach have been mixed.  While print outlets more or 
less continue to color within the lines, "no one can 
control the Internet," Deng remarked. 
 
Vibrant Internet Commentary 
--------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (C) Mindful of this, editors at Study Times hoped 
"Democracy Is a Good Thing" would stimulate animated 
online discussion, Deng said.  Their wish has come 
true.  Chat room debate has flourished, with the 
Mighty Nation forum hosting vibrant, occasionally 
pointed, back and forth.  "I have a bit more to say to 
the Central Government," one netizen wrote. 
"Democracy is a good thing and leftism is a bad 
thing."  In response, one forum participant shot back, 
"Dumb fools speak in such simple terms."  As a rule, 
however, the bulk of the postings have been favorable. 
"Of course democracy is a good thing," one chatter 
wrote in a typical entry.  "Supervision and courts are 
much better than tyranny." 
SEDNEY