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Journalism of Courage
Burma8217;s saviour
While India largely ignores the unfolding political drama in Burma, where Buddhist monks and nuns have given a new boost to the pro-democracy movement in recent weeks, China seems to be rapidly repositioning itself.
For more than a decade, China and India have defied international attempts to isolate Burma8217;s armed forces, which have ruled with an iron hand after crushing a popular uprising in 1988, in their relentless rivalry to expand their influence.
With two large neighbours courting them, the Burmese generals could easily ignore pressures from the
Western countries as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that has sought to embark on a 8220;constructive engagement8221; of the dictatorship.
As renewed protests in Burma galvanise the United Nations to consider new sanctions against the regime, New Delhi is in the danger of being caught flat-footed while Beijing is projecting itself as a potential mediator in the gathering crisis.
China, along with Russia, had successfully toned down a resolution of the United Nations Security Council a few months ago. It is now beginning to shift its weight in the other direction by nudging the Burmese generals to respond. A few months ago, China facilitated a meeting between American and Burmese officials in Beijing. In a rare move, earlier this month, Beijing went public with its efforts to push Burma towards political reform.
The former Chinese foreign minister and current state councillor, Tang Jiaxuan, met the Burmese Foreign Minister U. Nyan Win and urged him to promote internal stability through national reconciliation.
8220;China whole-heartedly hopes that Myanmar will push forward a democracy process that is appropriate for the country,8221; Tang told the minister, according to the Chinese media. As Beijing presents itself as a 8220;responsible stakeholder8221;, New Delhi8217;s move to send the Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora this week to Burma is being seen as 8220;too crude8221; by the Burmese dissidents.
Nuclear sub
While India talks in whispers about its long-delayed national programme to build nuclear powered submarines, China was showing off its second generation nuclear powered attack submarine. Last week, official Chinese media published pictures of the Type 093 nuclear submarine.
The Type 093 subs, known as 8220;Shang8221; class in the West, will replace five first generation Han-class attack submarines Type 091 8212; widely described as obsolete and noisy 8212; that were first seen in the late 1970s. Construction of Type 093 submarines began in the mid-1990s and the first two vessels were launched in 2002 and 2003. The images of the 6,000-tonne nuclear-powered boats have been a closely guarded secret until recently.
Fifth generation
As Beijing prepares for next month8217;s 17th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, a likely political heir to President Hu Jintao has already emerged. There is growing speculation that Hu, in charge of the CCP since 2002, favours Li Keqiang as his successor.
Li, who currently runs the north-eastern province of Liaoning, is expected to be promoted to the powerful Standing Committee of the CCP politburo. Li, 52, holds a Ph.D in economics and represents the young and well-educated fifth generation of the CCP leadership.
Hu8217;s capacity to ensure the smooth succession of Li, however, remains in doubt. Hu was fortunate enough to be chosen by the paramount leader Deng Xiaoping. Hu, who does not have the political authority of Deng, has faced continuous resistance from other factions in the CCP, especially the one led by his predecessor Jiang Zemin.
The other contenders to succeed Hu are said to include Shanghai Party Chief Xi Jinping, Commerce Minister Bo Xilai and Li Yuanchao, party boss in the eastern province of Jiangsu.
Returning bribes
This happens only in China. Thanks to the CCP crackdown on corruption many officials across the country have chosen to 8220;confess8221; their crimes and 8220;return8221; the booty. According to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CCP, a total of 140,660 Chinese officials have 8220;voluntarily8221; turned in bribes they had accepted over the past few years. The 8220;returns8221; were valued at about 90 million US dollars. In the last five years, 6,828 officials have been punished for accepting cash and other gifts and another 16,411 were punished for gambling, Xinhua reports.
The writer is a professor at the
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological
University, Singapore
