China rejects political reform calls but softens rhetoric in sign of confidence

China rejects reform calls but rhetoric softens

BEIJING — China’s top lawmaker rejected calls to open up the communist political system to reform Tuesday, but his milder rhetoric indicated confidence among Chinese authorities that a crackdown on dissent has been effective.

China will stick to the “socialist path of political development with Chinese characteristics,” Wu Bangguo told the nearly 3,000 National People’s Congress delegates gathered in Beijing for their annual full session.

While such statements are routine in speeches to the legislature, the tone varies depending on how threatened the communist government feels by its critics.

Wu, the ruling Communist Party’s second highest ranking official, used much more strident language last year, when the party was beating back a bold call for sweeping political reform known as “Charter 08,” which drew considerable attention among intellectuals and on the Internet. On that occasion, Wu spoke at length about the unique suitability of the Chinese system, declaring: “We will never simply copy the system of Western countries.”

More than one year later, Charter 08’s most illustrious signatory, Liu Xiaobo, is in prison serving an 11-year sentence for incitement to subvert state power. Others who signed have been threatened and intimidated into silence, along with activists for religious and ethnic minority rights.

The apparent success of the harsh response has left the leadership secure enough to tone down the tough rhetoric, which many better educated and cosmopolitan Chinese find alienating.

“They feel they’ve conveyed the message,” said Michael C. Davis, a law professor and China expert at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Davis said he also saw in the toned-down rhetoric a realization that audiences at home and abroad were growing less receptive to China’s more aggressive approach on political and economic disputes.

“The leadership had the sense that people didn’t understand them and had to drive home the message, but there’s now a certain weariness of this message,” Davis said.

Since sending troops to crush 1989 pro-democracy demonstrations, China’s leaders have shown zero tolerance for political dissent, while pursuing sweeping economic reforms that have brought thriving growth but exacerbated social inequalities.

In his address, Wu said legislative priorities this year would focus on improving social security and fostering more equitable economic development.

Uneven economic growth, skyrocketing home prices, limited and expensive medical care, and sparse pension plans have provoked widespread discontent and raised huge concerns in China about social stability.

Elsewhere in his address, Wu said delegates would put the final touches on a draft social security law and make adjustments to the legal system to “dispel the people’s worries and better maintain social harmony and stability.”

“China is in an important period of strategic opportunities for its economic and social development as well as a period of serious social problems, and its tasks for promotion reform, development, and stability are arduous and formidable,” Wu said.

The social security law broadly aims to establish a safety net of pension, health care and unemployment benefits, provide free primary and secondary education, and assist the migration of rural residents to cities.

Wu’s speech comes midway through the session, which ends Sunday.

The delegates meet once a year in full session to approve decisions already made at the top levels of the ruling Communist Party. Most of the business of the congress is handled by a standing committee that meets year-round.

Wu said the congress backed efforts to accelerate economic and social development in Tibet, Xinjiang and other ethnic minority areas.

Tibet was hit by violent anti-government riots two years ago, and ethnic riots in July left nearly 200 dead in the Xinjiang capital of Urumqi.