Chinese Govt’s sacrifice of dynamism for control eroding trust, transparency
Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, chats with Chinese Premier Li Qiang after the opening session of the National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on March 5, 2024.
Even as China strives to be a major power with equivalent responsibilities, is it closing the door on international understanding and communication?
China’s National People’s Congress has commenced. However, starting this year, the premier’s customary closing day press conference has been cancelled. For over 30 years, these press conferences provided a platform for foreign media to ask questions, often garnering attention for their candid remarks.
While there are plans to increase media interactions with ministers, the loss of Premier Li Qiang’s direct responses to domestic and international inquiries raises concerns about transparency setbacks.
As power is increasingly concentrated in the hands of President Xi Jinping, the Chinese Communist Party is getting more involved in government policy decisions, and Premier Li’s authority has diminished. All of this is certainly not unrelated to the cancellation of his news conference.
The decision-making process within the party is even more opaque than that in the government. President Xi advocates for a development model distinct from the West that he calls “Chinese-style modernization,” but this raises questions about the kind of major nation China aims to become and likely intensifies international apprehensions.
The “Xi-centric” regime casts a shadow over the economy. Li unveiled a growth target of around 5% for 2024. It is imperative to expand consumption and attract foreign investment by tackling challenges like the real estate downturn and stock market slump.
To achieve this, China needs to disseminate accurate information and wipe away public and the market concerns, but we have seen some contradictory actions. Last December’s Central Economic Work Conference, discussing economic management for 2024, decided to intensify propaganda and public opinion guidance, promoting the “bright prospects of the Chinese economy.”
Beijing’s publicly released statistical data has previously raised doubts, and these opinion-shaping policies only undermine trust further. Meanwhile, the Ministry of State Security has apparently deployed a “discourse trap” for mentions of “China’s decline,” hinting at a potential crackdown on speech critical of the Chinese economy.
Policies prioritizing national security, exemplified by amendments to anti-spy laws, have diminished foreign investment enthusiasm, with direct investment in China dropping by 82% in 2023 compared to the previous year.
While tightening control may bolster one-party rule, it risks draining economic vitality and damaging international trust. The Xi leadership group should seek cooperation rather than turning inward.
Maniachi
