Vol. 33, No. 2 January 8-14, 1990

China'sAgricultural Situation and Policy Singing for peace and friendsiiip—foreign students wearing minority Chinese costume, from Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the Philippines who are studying at the Chengdu Southwest Institute for Nationalities in Sichuan Province have a get-together with Chinese students. Photo by Zhang Pilian BeijingR-^r VOL. 33, NO. 2 JAN. 8-14, 1990

Improving the Enterprise Contract System • The enterprise contract system, an important reform measure taken to invigorate state-owned enterprises and increase profits for CONTENTS the state, begun in 1987, has resulted in significant economic benefits. Since this system was only recently adopted, however, the NOTES FROM THE EDITORS 4 evident defects and problems which have come to light need to be rationally resolved so that future contracts can be even more Improving the Enterprise Contract successful (p. 4). System China's Current Agricultural Situation and Policy EVENTS/TRENDS 5-9 • Vice-Premier Tian Jiyun recently spoke about China's current agricultural situation, its comprehensive development, rural work Jiang Stresses Stability as New in 1990, and rural economic policies. Beijing Review publishes the Year Begins main points of his speech in this issue (p. 15). Yang Visits Gulf Nations Faster Coastal Growth Urged Democratic Party Leader on Multi-Party Co-operation Chinese Premier Reviews 1989 e To make clear the role of China's multi-party co-operation Steel Output Tops 60 Million Tons system, Sun Qimeng, leader of one of China's eight democratic China Respects E. Europe's parties, explains why his party chose the Chinese Communist Choices Party to exercise primary political leadership in the country, how News in Brief it operates within the multi-party co-operation system led by the CPC, and the functions of democratic parties (p. 20). INTERNATIONAL South Africa at the Crossroads US Invasion of Panama a Glaring e South African authorities have several choices for the future Act of Hegemonism 10 —to launch a fundamental reform in preparation for the elimina• South Africa at the Crossroads 11 tion of the apartheid system, to continue reforms without shaking the fundation of the apartheid system, or to reject any further CHINA concessions to the black people. Each choice, is full of risks and difficulties (p. 11). China's Current Agricultural Situation and Policy 15 Faster Coastal Development Urged Democratic Party Leader On e Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Jiang Zemin Multi-Party Co-operation 20 urged China's coastal areas to speed up reform and opening to the Shoudu Iron and Steel Co. (6): outside world during a recent inspection tour of East China's Enterprise Merger and Fujian Province. Upholding the Four Cardinal Principles will Grouping guarantee the normal operation of foreign investment and prom• 25 ote reform instead of impairing the interests of foreign investors, he said (p. 6). BUSINESS/TRADE 27-29 m m FROM THE CHINESE PRESS 30-31 CULTURE/SCIENCE 32-33 BOOKS 34 COVERi Sun Qimeng, chairman of the China Democratic National Construction Association, talks about multi-party co• operation. Photo by Chen Zonglie p. 15 p. 20 Unless written by Beijing Review correspondents, the opinions expressed in signed articles do not necessarily reflect the view of the Beijing Review editorial board. General Editorial Office Published every Monday by BEIJING REVIEW Subscription rates (1 year); Tel; 8314318 24 Baiwanzhuang Road, Beijing 100037 Australia JV.$29.00 TLX: 222374 FLPDA CN The People's Reoublic of China New Zealand NZ.$39.00 FAX;8314318 Distributed by China International Book UK C 14.50 English Dept. Tel; 8315599 Ext. 546 Trading Corporation (GUOJI SHUDIAN) USA US$29.00 P.O. Box 399, Beijing, China Canada Can.$25.00 NOTES FROM THE EDITORS Improving the Enterprise Contract System by Han Baocheng r • Ihe spread of the enterprise contract system, an for the state treasury. The amount of profits retained important reform measure taken to invigorate by enterprises is linked to the total value of employ• T state-owned enterprises and increase profits for ees' wages and overall enterprise performance. Most the state across the country in 1987, has resulted in of the retained profits are used for the enterprises' significant economic benefits. According to govern• own reserves, the remainder for the workers' bonuses ment statistics, the annual growth rate of profits and welfare funds. The result is a wider gap between registered by state budgeted industrial enterprises well and poorly managed enterprises. Application of was 2.73 percent between 1979 and 1986 and that of this policy which strongly motivates the enthusiasm profits and taxes turned over to the state only 0.13 of leaders, workers and staff members of enterprises percent, but between 1987 and 1988, after the contract to their best, Jilin Province in northeast China, for system was introduced, the annual growth rate of example, was among the first to introduce the enter• profits from state budgeted enterprises was 11.1 per• prise contract system. In 1981, budgetary loss-making cent and that of profits and taxes turned over to the industrial enterprises accounted for 45.6 percent of state 11 percent. Most remarkable, however, was the the total, the value of losses reached 248 million yuan fact that the contract system has proved successful in and the financial deficit stood at 200 million yuan. more than 90 percent of the contracted enterprises. After the province pushed through the enterprise Practice has proved such success of the contract contract system in 1982, enterprises in the red were system in invigorating large and medium-sized enter• quickly transformed into profit-makers. Industrial prises owned by the whole people lies with conform• profits and taxes in 1988 rose 4.4 times compared with ity to China's conditions and its suitability to current 1981, an annual increase of 23.8 percent; profits and development levels. These objective conditions deter• taxes were up three times, an annual increase of 17.1 mine that we must uphold the four cardinal princi• percent;,the province's overall income went up 3.4 ples (adherence to the socialist 'road, the people's times, a yearly increase of 19.3 percent; and there was democratic dictatorship, the Communist Party lead• an annual increase in workers' income of 11.2 percent. ership, Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Some 80 percent of the enterprise investments were Thought), and persist in reform and opening to the generated by the enterprises themselves during this outside world. The enterprise contract system is in time, making them the main investment source. keeping with the enterprises' socialist nature of puW- ic ownership and imbues them with vitality and In 1989, 10 percent of contracted enterprises and, vigour by ensuring them with adminis-trative and in 1990, 80 percent of contracted enterprises were to management power. This change was necessary to expire. A decision adopted at the Fifth Plenary Ses• counteract the adverse effects of the former system sion of the 13th Party Central Committee held last which lacked management accountability. The cur• November, however, pointed out the need to contin• rent system, in addition to investing accountability ue and improve the enterprise contract system. What from top to bottom in management, is fully in accord changes are made will be the key factors determining with the theory that ownership can be separated from whether enterprises will go through the new contract the power of management. Since large and medium- period smoothly. Since the contract system was only sized state-owned enterprises are the foundation of recently adopted, the nation's experience is limited China's nations! economy, as well as the pillar of the and the relevant laws, administrative rtiles and regu• country's financial income, the importance of this lations are incomplete. Defects are evident in base change cannot be underestimated, and continuing to contract figures set too low, excessive profit retained stimulate large and medium-sized enterprises is the by enterprises, poor quality of enterprise contractors central task for economic structural reform. The and short-term business activity. Also, problems were basic premise is that by ensuring an increase in the seen in the overly rapid growth of welfare and bonus country's financial income, the contract system will funds in some enterprises, the high income of some encourage enterprises to earn and retain more in• managers which soured their relations with workers come, and by relying on their own efforts, increase and the use of contract to replace enterprise's inter• their development reserves. nal management. All these problems will need to be The contract system takes many forms, but in the rationally solved if the new round of contracting is final analysis, it is a guarantee of profits and taxes to be successful. •

4 BEIJING REVIEW, JANDAKY 8-14, 1990 EVENTS/TRENDS

"All actions that harm the Jiang Stresses Stability course of reunification go against the interests of China and the will As New Year Begins of the people of the whole coun• try," he said. "It is an unshirkable iang Zemin, general secre• ans unchanged. We are watching duty for all the Chinese people tary of the Central Commit• the developments in the world. In to work for the reunification and J tee of the Communist Party the meantime, all countries, espe• dignity of the motherland." of China (CPC), spoke of social cially third world countries, are In an interview with China stability on the first day of the also watching China's stability Central Television (CCTV) on 1990s. and development. the New Year's Eve, Jiang de• "Social stability is a matter of "We will continue to do our fined the next decade as the key prime importance in China," he part in safeguarding world peace stage in fulfilling China's over• said. "Only when society is stable and promoting the progress of all strategy of socialist moderni• can we concentrate our efforts on mankind. We will also persist in zation and a period vital to the our various tasks." following the socialist road and prosperity of the Chinese nation He said at a New Year tea party do our own jobs well." in the next century. sponsored by the Chinese People's He added, "This is not related "We'll consolidate and develop Political Consultative Conference solely to China's own future and the political stability and unity, in Beijing that China's political destiny, but it will also have a and double the GNP of the coun• try by the end of the decade. and economic situations are positive impact on the global si• We'll settle the question of Chi• stable at present. tuation." In his address to more than 300 na's sovereignty over Hong Kong Speaking about the reunifica• and Macao according to the Sino- noted figures from different non- tion of the country, Jiang said, British and Sino-Portuguese de• Communist parties and people's "We will stick to the policy of clarations. We'll continue to de• organizations, Jiang said, "1990 'one country, two systems' and velop friendly exchanges with will be a very important year for resolutely oppose all centrifugal people the world over and strive economic rectification and the tendencies attempting to split the to maintain world peace," Jiang deepening of reform, and it is also motherland. said. • the beginning of the new decade. This year's achievements will be of great significance to China's Yang VisitsGulf Nations progress." He said that China is effective• hinese President Yang sive implementation of UN Re• ly tackling its temporary difficul• Shangkun began the se• solution 598, which brought ties under the leadership of the C cond leg of his Middle about a ceasefire in the eight- CPC, and with the efforts of non- East tour in the United Arab year-long Iran-Iraq War in Au• Communist parties and organiza• Emirates on December 23 after gust 1988. tions, and the people of all nation• visiting Egypt for four days. The Chinese president voiced alities throughout the country. Both Yang and the president his appreciation for the United He noted that the guidelines of the United Arab Emirates Arab Emirates' help in promot• laid down at the Fifth Plenary (UAE), Sheikh Zayed Bin Sul• ing the Iran-Iraq peace talks and Session of the 13 th Party Central tan Al Nahayan, pledged to con• its positive role in safeguarding Committee held in November es• tinue their efforts to safeguard peace in. the Gulf. tablish the only means by which and promote peace in the Persian A further development in Chi• China can overcome the current Gulf. na's relations with the United difficulties and maintain econo• "As a permanent member of Arab Emirates is a policy China mic development in a sustained, the United Nations Security will continue to adhere to, Yang stable and co-ordinated way. Council, China will play its due said. Speaking of the international role in helping push forward the situation, the general secretary "The Sino-UAE relations are said that the world is not tranquil ^Iran-Iraq peace talks together based on the Five Principles of because it is experiencing some with the international communi• Peaceful Coexistence and com• major events with many contrad• ty," Yang told the UAE leader. pletely comply with the mutual ictions, disputes and unstable fac• China, Yang said, backs the interests of the two countries," tors. mediation efforts by UN Secre• the Chinese president said. However, he noted, "The gener• tary General Javier Perez de For his part, Al Nahayan al international pattern still remi- Cuellar to ensure the comprehen• praised China for its efforts to

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14,1990 5 EVENTS/TRENDS help bring about peace in the Explaining China's policy to• Gulf. He pledged to continue wards countries in the Persian working for everlasting peace Gulf, Yang said China pays great and security in the region. attention to its friendship with During their talks, the two the people of those countries. leaders expressed satisfaction Sino-Gulf relations have been Faster Coastal over the smooth and sound de• further developed in recent velopment of relations between years, he added. Growth Urged their countries. During Yang's visit, two eco• On December 24, Yang ar• nomic agreements between rived in Kuwait for a 45-hour China and Kuwait were signed. official goodwill visit at the invi• One was on Sino-Kuwait econo• hinese Communist Party tation of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh mic and technical co-operation General Secretary Jiang Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah. and the other on the avoidance C Zemin has urged China's The two leaders discussed bila• of double taxation. coastal areas to speed up reform teral relations and major interna• The Chinese president arrived and opening to the outside world. tional and regional issues of com• in Oman on December 26, his During a recent inspection mon concern, particularly the first visit to the Gulf state and tour of East China's Fujian Prov• Gulf situation and the Middle the last stop in his Middle East ince, Jiang said that China's pol• East problem. tour. icy of reform and opening to During talks with Omani Sul• the outside world will not be The Chinese president said tan Qabus Bin-Said the following changed because of last June's that Kuwait was one of the first day, Yang praised the Gulf Co• political disturbance and that countries in the Gulf to establish operation Council for its role in China's upholding the Four Car• diplomatic relations with China, international and regional af• dinal Principles will only guar• and the two countries have de• fairs, stressing that the affairs of antee the normal operation of veloped their relations in various the Gulf should be managed by foreign investment and promote fields smoothly. the Galf countries themselves. reform instead of impairing the Yang spoke highly of the poli• "The Chinese government sets interests of foreign investors. cies pursued by the Kuwaiti gov• store by the increasingly impor• Jiang visited western Fujian(a ernment in strengthening Arab tant role the Gulf Co-operation former revolutionary base area), unity, supporting the just strug• Council plays in international Xiamen Special Economic Zone gle of the Palestinian people, and regional affairs," Yang said. and the provincial capital of maintaining peace and stability Yang congratulated the six Fuzhou between December 22 in the Gulf region, and promot• council member states — Oman, and 25. ing economic development and Saudi Arabia, the United Arab technical co-operation among Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and At a meeting in Xiamen third world countries. He specif• Bahrain — on the success of with general managers of nine ically referred to the Kuwaiti their just-ended 10th summit. foreign-funded enterprises from Emir's active role in strengthen• Chaired by Sultan Qabus, the the United States, Japan, Singa• ing solidarity and co-operation council's 10th summit was held pore, Hong Kong and Macao, among Islamic countries since he in Muscat from December 18 to Jiang said that at the very be• was elected chairman of the Is• 20. It dealt with economic co• ginning of the opening process, lamic Conference Organization operation among the six nations, Deng Xiaoping, the chief archi• in 1987. security in the Gulf region, the tect of China's open policy, stipu• Yang lauded the proposal to Iran-Iraq peace talks, the crisis lated in no uncertain terms that reduce the debts of poor third in Lebanon and the Palestinian development should be in the so• world nations, an issue recently question. cialist orientation. raised by the Kuwaiti Emir at "We are happy to see the six Jiang, who had personally di• international conferences. This Gulf Co-operation Council coun• rected the planning and develop• proposal, Yang added, has prod• tries moving towards greater un• ment of the Xiamen Special Eco• uced positive influences in solv• ity and self-reliance, streng• nomic Zone, told the foreign ing the debt crisis of developing thened co-operation and com• investors that China's special countries and promoting North- mon development," the Chinese economic zones have excellent South dialogue, thus gaining the president said. prospects and great potentials, attention and favourable reac• At a press conference the same and he urged overseas investors tion from the international com• day, Yang called his Middle East | including those from the regions munity. tour "a great success." • i of Hong Kong and Macao to

6 BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 EVENTS / TRENDS open more factories there. ed in building the Communist lems should be viewed with a "In my view," Jiang said,"to Party and the people's army. He clear mind and ways for their make Sino-foreign co-operation underlined the importance of solution should be found. more fruitful, the two sides carrying forward the revolution• Li analyzed the current inter• should keep four principles on ary traditions and enhancing national situation, and said that mind — mutual understanding, ideological work. in foreign affairs China adheres mutual trust, mutual benefit and "Since the policy of reform to an independent policy of long-term considerations." and opening to the outside world peace, and is willing to develop During his visit to western Fu- was adopted, we have stressed friendly relations with all coun• jian, the general secretary met that efforts should be made con• tries on the basis of the Five with a group of former Red scientiously to resist the influ• Principles of Peaceful Coexist• Army soldiers, guerrillas and ve• ence of decadent bourgeois ideol• ence. No matter what happens in teran cadres at the site of the ogy while learning from the adv• other countries, China will not' Gutian Meeting, where Mao Ze• anced Western science and tech• interfere in their internal affairs dong presided over an important nology and management exper• nor in their party affairs. "China meeting on the political and tise," Jiang said. will respect the choice of their ideological work in the Red "Now we feel that it is not people," he added. Army in December 1929. enough to keep the influence at Despite the changes in the in• Jiang said the p'rinciples laid bay and remain defensive," he ternational situation, Li said, down in the resolution of the Gu• added. "We should occupy the China will maintain a firm belief tian Meeting are still applicable ideological front with Marxism." in itself, adhere to the socialist today and should be implement- o direction, adhere to the policy of reform and opening to the out• side world, and it will work in a down-to-earth manner. Chinese Premier Reviews 1989 The premier told a meeting of eviewing the year 1989, premier said China achieved a the national planning conference Chinese Premier Li Peng good harvest in 1989, the best on December 11 that there will R said his government suc• since the record year of 1984, be more difficulties for China's ceeded in dealing with two major though parts of the country have economic development in 1990. events. It has primarily imple• suffered serious natural disas• The repayment of domestic debts mented the policy of economic ters. will reach a peak, he said, and rectification and deepening of re• However, he said, difficulties repayment of foreign debts and form and it crushed a counter• have been caused in part of the interests will increase. Industrial revolutionary rebellion in Bei• country's industry, due to slug• growth has tended to slow be-' jing. gish sales of products from some cause of the present low efficien• On implementing the econo• enterprises. But the sluggish cy of businesses, and the slow• mic rectification policy, Li told a market also proveds a good op• down may eventually affect re• meeting of the State Council to• portunity for enterprises to read• venue, he said. wards the end of the year that just their product structure. Re• Problems that have accumu• rising prices had been curbed lated government departments lated over the years will also add and the inflation rate was expect• and financial institutions are to the difficulties, the premier ed to be slightly lower than the called to help enterprises tap said. previous year. their potential and produce However, he added that prom• He said the national economy goods with more market appeal. oting economic development in as a whole has developed in a Li also told the meeting that 1990 is vital to both the stability favourable direction — the con• the crushing of the counter• of national economy and to the tradiction between supply and revolutionary rebellion in Bei• political and social stability of demand has been alleviated; the jing last June has safeguarded the country. scope of capital construction and the leadership of the Chinese He noted that China should issuance of currency has been Communist Party, the socialist continue to curtail capital con• curbed; the demand for con• system and the People's Re• struction and consumption, sumption has declined to a cer• public. maintain a balance between sup• tain extent, and the ratio of While reaffirming the correct• ply and demand, and increase leading economic sectors has im• ness of taking firm measures in the capacity of macro-economic proved. dealing with tjie rebellion, the regulation and control. Concerning agriculture, the premier said the existing prob• He stressed that the depart-

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 EVENTS / TRENDS ments concerned and localities rent difficulties and guarantee Even during July and August should help those enterprises basic welfare for those workers when output was expected to which have stopped production waiting for new jobs. drop because of high tempera• The premier called on the na• tures, steel production was high• because of overstocking of prod• tion to work confidently to boost ucts to make it through the cur• the economy in 1990. • er than the same period in pre• vious years. From September through Nov• ember, the daily output of steel Steel Output Tops 60 Million Tons reached 180,000 tons. The output of pig iron, steel s of December 24, 1989, 1989, steel production dropped products and iron ore amounted China had produced more by 1 million tons compared with to 56.4 million tons, 47.8 million A than 60 million tons of the same period in 1988. Major tons and 162 million tons respec• steel for the year, making it the steel producers had just a third tively, also meeting their goals world's fourth largest steelmak• of the coal in storage they nor• ahead of schedules set by the er after the Soviet Union, Japan mally keep for production. state. and the United States. This drop in production Steel output has continued to Qi Yuanjing, minister of me• caught the nation's attention. increase at an average annual tallurgical industry, told a press And after Premier Li Peng rate of 2.6 million tons since conference that ordinary work• called for support of the steel 1978 when China turned out 30 ers in the industry have much to industry in March, supplies of million tons. But, steel is still one be proud of during a year when coal and electricity improved of China's largest imports. supplies of raw materials, energy and more transportation was "We'll work on product quali• and cash were thin. Steel output made available to steelmakers. ty and produce more products in 1988 was 59.4 million tons. Daily output reached 170,400 that are in short supply," Qi During the first quarter of tons in April, a record high. said. • China RespectsE. Europe'sChoices hinese President Yang sage to Premier Roman, "On be• Shangkun and Premier Li half of the government of the C Peng sent congratulatory People's Republic of China and messages on December 27 to in the name of myself, I congra• Chairman Ion Iliescu of the tulate you on your appointment Committee of the National Sal• as premier of Romania and vation Front of Romania and hope that the friendly relations Romanian Premier Petre Ro• between the countries and peo• man. ple of China and Rmania will Yang said in his message to continue to develop." Chairman Iliescu, "On behalf of The previous day, Yang, who the government of the People's was visiting Kuwait on the third Republic of China and in the leg of his tour of four Arab name of myself, I congratulate nations, told the local press that you on your election as chair• China hoped Romania would man of the Committee of the put an end to its bloody con• National Salvation Front of Ro• flicts and regain peace and mania. stability as soon as possible. ,. "May the friendship between China believes the recent his• the people of China and Ro• toric changes that have taken mania and the friendly relations place in Eastern Europe, in• The second largest continuous casting mill at the between the two countries con• cluding Romania, resulted from Shanghai Baoshan Iron and Steel Complex prod- oced its Htst batch of billets last December. The tinue to develop," he said. both internal and external caus• mill has an aimnal production capacity of 2 Premier Li said in his mes• es, he said. China is closely fol- million tons of steel billets. ZHANG HUA

8 BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 EVENTS / TRENDS lowing the developments there. NPC Approves Three Laws "We are not going to make News in Brief The members of the Standing any irresponsible remarks when Jiang on Sino-Soviet Committee of the Seventh Na• they are in extreme difficul• Relations tional People's Congress (NPC) ties," he stated. ended their 11th session on De• Yang said that no matter Sino-Soviet relations will de• cember 26 in Beijing, passing what happens, his country velop steadily on the basis of the laws on the urban residents' com• hopes East European nations Five Principles of Peaceful Coex• mittee, city planning and envi• will maintain friendly relations istence in line with the spirit of ronmental protection. with China. the Sino-Soviet summit held last During the meeting, State "It is up to the Eastern Euro• May and the agreement conclud• Councillor Zou Jiahua was ap• peans to choose the kind of so• ed then, said Chinese Party lead• pointed as the director of the cial system they want for their er Jiang Zemin. He made the State Planning Commission, re• countries, and China will res• remarks during a meeting with placing Yao Yilin, a vice- pect their choices," the presi• VaJentin Mikhailovich Falin, di• premier. dent said. rector of the International De• Zou, 63, a technician who had partment of the Central Commit• been serving as minister of Mach• In Beijing, Vice-Foreign Min• tee of the Communist Party of inery and Electronics Industry, ister Tian Zengpei notified the Soviet Union. was replaced by his assistant, He the Romanian ambassador to Jiang said relations between Guangyuan, 59, a mechanical en• China, Angelo Miculescu, of the two parties would also grow gineer. • the Red Cross Society of Chi• steadily on the basis of the four na's decision to provide emer• principles of inter-party rela• Crackdown on gency humanitarian aid to Ro• tions. Corruption Backed mania. China, Jiang streesed, must Liu Fuzhi, chief procurator of During the meeting, which stick to the leadership of the the Supreme People's Procurato- took place on the afternoon of Communist Party of China and rate, said in Guangzhou on De• December 26, Tian said that the socialist road. This has been cember 24 that greater efforts China, whose people have al• decreed by China's history and should be made to continue the ways cherished friendly feelings the road chosen by the Chinese fight against corrifjption and oth• towards the Romanian people, people, he said. • er crimes. is ready to continue its friendly Liu said that the procurato- relations with Romania on the Grain Output rates in China undertook two ma• basis of the Five Principles of Matches Record jor tasks in 1989 — to crack Peaceful Coexistence. down on corruption and to halt China's grain output in 1989 The same day, a Chinese For• other criminal activities. amounts to 407.5 billion kilo• These efforts cannot be relaxed eign Ministry spokesman had grams, equivalent to that of the this to say about the newly if the goals of maintaining social record harvest of 1984. • stability and unity and building a established National Salvation clean and honest government are Front Committee in Romania. Beijing Implements to be met, Liu said. • "As always, we do not inter• Law on Rallies fere in Romania's internal af• Taiwan Straits Oil Charted fairs, and we respect the choice No gathering, rallies or demon• made by the Romanian people. strations may be held in Tianan• The Nanhuanghai (South Yel• men Square without prior per• Now that Romania has founded low Sea) Petroleum Corporation mission from the State Council the National Salvation Front has completed a geophysical ex• or the Beijing municipal govern• Committee and formally ploration for oil in Taiwan ment. This is included in the Bei• Straits. The seismic survey re• briefed the Chinese side of the jing local regulations for the im• sults show that the Taixi Basin situation through its embassy plementation of the Law on Ral• has good oil and gas generating in Beijing, the Chinese govern• lies and Demonstrations of the conditions. ment is ready to maintain and People's Republic of China.- The geophysical exploration develop its friendly relations The Standing Committee of started early last year and com• with Romania on the basis of the Beijing Municipal People's puter processing and interpreta• the Five Principles of Peaceful Congress passed the regulations tion of the seismic data were coexistence." • on December 28. • completed recently. •

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUAKY 8-14, 1990 9 INTERNATIONAL

the country's political crisis, the United States has incited three US Invasion of Panama a abortive coup d'etats aimed at toppling Noriega. However, all Glaring Act of Hegemonism its attempts in the past two years have proved futile. In this case, by Rui Chang using the death of a US officer as a pretext, the United States un• arly on the morning of De• The United States has cited leashed its long-planned aggres• cember 20, 20,000 US three reasons for its invasion of sion. E troops, backed by aircraft Panama — protection of Ameri• US actions have caused many and tanks, invaded Panama City can lives in Panama, defence of casualties in Panama and great and the Panamanian port city US rights under the Panama losses to the Panamanian people. of Colon, openly violating the Canal treaty, and seizure for Facts have shown that it is a norms governing international trial in the United States of the glaring act of power politics. relations. "drug trafficker," a clear re• Central America is one of the The invasion of Panama ference to Panamanian defence world's "hot spots." As world marked the second time in the forces commander General Man• tensions ease, countries in the re• 1980s that the United States had uel Antonio Noriega. However, a gion are also seeking a peace• violated the territorial integrity closer look reveals that the true ful solution to their disputes of a sovereign state in Latin reason for the US invasion lies in through dialogue and consulta-- America. It invaded Grenada in its interests in the Panama Canal tion. With their efforts. Central 1983. This latest US operation zone. America is stepping towards drew strong condemnations from In 1903, the United States ob• peace. However, the US invasion most countries in the world, tained a permanent right to use of Panama poses a threat to the especially those in Latin Amer• the Panama Canal through an peace and security of Central ica. unequal treaty. In September America. It is ihe interventionist Nicaraguan President Daniel 1977, in an effort to resume the policy of the United States that Ortega denounced the US move sovereign right over the canal, has allowed the regional conflicts as "a flagrant disrespect for the Panama signed with the United to continue. Only after the Un• territorial inftgrity of a sover• States a new canal treaty, under ited States stops intervening in eign nation," and "a serious which the United States would Central American affairs and its threat to the peace and security return the canal to Panama and invasion of Panama can the si• of Latin America, particularly of withdraw all its troops by the end tuation be favourable for peace Central America." of 1999. and security in the region. Peruvian President Alan Gar• However, the United States China has always maintained cia issued an official commu• has never been willing to give up that conflicts between states nique on December 20 saying the canal as it considers the re• should be resolved according to that US actions were causing a gion a strategic point in the the Five Principles of Peaceful serious deterioration in Ameri• Western Hemisphere. Before the Coexistence and through nego- can relations with Latin Amer• treaty went into effect in 1979, ; tiations. China opposes any inter• ica. the US Congress passed an vention, especially military Ecuadoran President Rodrigo amendment that unilaterally en• intervention in other coun• Borja stated on December 21 larged the US government's con• tries' internal affairs, and insists that the US invasion of Panama trol over the canal and attempted i that all countries are equal. The represented a serious step back• to explain the treaty in such a United States should immediate- ward from the principle of non• way that the United States would \y halt its occupation of Panama intervention. have permanent control over the ; and unconditionally withdraw The Organization of American canal. Such attempts were consis• all its troops and show respect for States on December 22 adopted a tently opposed by Noriega and 1 Panama's independence and sov- resolution to denounce the US the Panamanian people. That i ereignty. Conflicts between the military operation in Panama. was why the United States decid• i two countries should be resolved The US act has also been criti• ed to oust or even eliminate No• through negotiations or other cized by many delegates attend• riega. peaceful channels. This would be ing an emergency meeting of the Since mid-1987, when it began in the best interests of Central United Nations Security Coun• to intervene in Panama's internal America and the world for peace cil. affairs by taking advantage of and stability. •

10 BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 INTERNATIONAL South Africa at the Crossroads by Wang Yingying

Squth Africa is at a crossroads. It has several choices for its mously adopted a resolution sup• future—to launch a fundamental reform in preparation for porting de Klerk to replace Botha as the state president. Botha, in his the elimination of the apartheid system, to continue the turn, responded that he would stay limited reform now under way with the view of easing various in his position until March 1990 as domestic tensions, or to reject any further concessions to the specified by the constitution. After blacks. Each choice is full of risks and difficulties. Due to some behind-the-scenes bargain• strong resistance inside the white community against abol• ing, Botha offered a compromise ishing apartheid, it will be a long time before the day when by agreeing to step down by Sep• tember 1989, the time for a general all races become equal. election. f • ihe past year was an eventful severe contention, elected the The cries for Botha to step down f I one for South Africa. From former Minister of National Edu• indicated that most people wanted JL the beginning of the year cation, Frederic de Klerk, as the to end an era and begin anew, al• when President P. W. Botha was in new chairman of the party. though different factions had their hospital, the power struggle inside Shortly after his election, de own purposes. the white regime, especially within Klerk made a speech in South Af• In the 11 years since Botha came the ruling National Party, inten• rica's tricameral parliament, which to power in 1978, he conducted sified and was widely publicized. is composed of whites, coloureds some reforms that were aimed at This led to the resignation of Botha and Indians, saying that he would easing racial clashes. Some mea• and the swearing in of a new pres• take the lead in allowing leaders of sures, especially those in the first ident. At the same time, South Af• the various races to meet together three or four years of the 1980s, rica's domestic and foreign policy and formulate a system acceptable were noteworthy, including the changed in some aspects. It is ge• to all sides. He said the ruling par• constitutional reform of establish• nerally believed that the Botha era, ty's goal was to establish a just and ing the three-chamber parliament which lasted for 11 years, has peaceful system of distribution for of whites, coloureds and Indians '?(^ded. all South Africans in all occupa• and the abolition of some overly iOver the past few years the main tions, regardless of their race or discriminating laws, such as the feature of unrest in South Afri• colour. He also said that a new law on banning marriage with al• ca has been the struggle against constitution would be promulgated ien races. These steps gave the col• apartheid by the black majority, after negotiations to ensure that all oureds and Asians limited rights and the Pretoria regime's response South Africans have their political of participation in government. with brutal suppression of the say. Later, he clearly stated again Furthermore, Botha tried to woo blacks. that he would try to build a "new the black middle-class moderates. In 1989, however, the situation South Africa" without racial sup• However, on the whole, the si• in South Africa was unstable pression. tuation in which the black major• mainly because of the conflicts in• However, in doing all this, de ity was being oppressed by the side the white ruling clique. On Klerk still refused to hold a gener• white minority remained un• January 18, 1989, only six days al election, stating that majority changed. The blacks' economic after his 73rd birthday, Botha went rule, just like that of the minority, position was dismal, not to men• into hospital after suffering a mild is unacceptable and that the only tion their political rights. In the stroke, sparking the acute power way is to eliminate the ruling sys• mid-1980s, the blacks intensified struggle inside the various factions tem. their struggle against apartheid .of the white community. Because of his reformist image while the white right-wing conser• Two weeks later, on February 2, upon his election, de Klerk won vative forces were regaining mo• Botha announced his resignation the favour of the white moderates mentum, forcing Botha to slow his as chairman of the National Party. and his prestige was on the rise. On pace of reform drastically. He end• But he still retained his post as March 13, the federal committee ed up cracking down harder on the president. % and the policy-making committee blacks and increased South Afri• On the same day of Botha's re• of the National Party held an can attacks against neighbouring signation, the National Party, after emergency meeting and unani• countries. All this drew wides-

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 11 INTERNATIONAL pread international condemnation use their majority status to domi• ANC. and sanctions. These sanctions, to• nate the minority whites. Under the progressive overtures gether with the struggle of the Though described by the West as of de Klerk, Botha felt an increas• domestic black population, had a loose apartheid, the plan received ingly acute sense of crisis. Unwill• plunged the South African econ• the cold shoulder from the majori• ing to surrender his power, he res• omy into a mire, with inflation ty of blacks. Anglican Archbishop ponded correspondingly. On July rocketing, money devaluing, in• Desmond Tutu, the anti-apartheid 5, Botha held a 45-minute talk vestment flowing out and debt re• fighter, said the programme had with Nelson Mandela, the jailed paying capability dwindling. Dis• little substance, because it did not leader of ANC, without prior an• content inside the National Par• provide equal voting rights for nouncement, thus breaking Preto• ty was mounting. The moderates blacks. ria's ban on any ties with Mandela thought that because the aging and In foreign affairs, in late June, unless he renounced armed strug• despotic Botha had become a stum• de Klerk visited Britain, the Fed• gle. This move was also a de facto bling block, it was time to remove eral Republic of Germany and two recognition of the position and role Botha and improve Pretoria's in• I other Western European countries. of Mandela and the ANC in re• ternational image. I Though the trip achieved little solving South Africa's racial prob• The right-wing whiles were also substantial results, the West paid lem, drawing an active response critical of Botha for giving the much attention to his statements from inside and outside South Af• blacks too many concessions, on Pretoria's internal and external rica. which they considered damaging policies since this was his first trip Botha obviously intended to im• to their interests. They attempted abroad in his capacity as chairman prove his image and damage that to get rid of the moderates and put of the ruling party. Taking advan• of de Klerk, hoping to let the publ• into power someone who could tage of this opportunity to preach ic know that before his retirement ! better preserve the South African his reformist ideas, de Klerk de• he was still sincere and earnest whites' privileges. manded that the West change its about reform. attitude towards South Africa. On August 14, after learning of Attuning Policies In mid-July, de Klerk visited de Klerk's future visit to Zambia, I Since assuming the chairman• Mozambique and Zaire and ex• Botha called a cabinet meeting and ship of the National Party, de changed views on bilateral rela• attacked de Klerk for not letting Klerk has taken every chance to tions and southern African prob• him know of the trip, abuse of preach his reformist proposals and lems with leaders of the frontline power, betrayal of South Africa's establish himself as a reformer. countries — Zambia, Botswana, interest and the ill-timing of the i For this end he made some adjust• Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozam• visit. Botha expected to revenge i ments in both his domestic and bique and Angola. He promised to himself on de Klerk and arouse ' foreign policies. abide by the tripartite peace ac• sympathy from cabinet members. The ruling party adopted a five- cord between Angola, South Afri• It turned out, however, that the year reform programme at a spe• ca and Cuba reached at the end cabinet members not only ex• cial federal conference in late of 1988 and made efforts for the pressed understanding for de June. The programme declared southern African peace process. Klerk's visit but demanded Botha that a new political system with- His meeting with Zambian Pres• step down for health reasons. Un• oui racial oppression would be es' ident Kenneth Kaunda, in particu• der such extreme isolation within tablished. What was "new," as the lar, had major repercussions both the National Party, Botha had no ; West viewed it, was the revision of at home and abroad. Kaunda is other alternative but to announce \ the definition of "group" from the chairman of the frontline coun• his resignation as president. i previous racial nature to that of a tries, and the headquarters of the On September 6, South Africa | common culture and value. The African National Congress (ANC) held a national general election, j blueprint also suggested constitu• is located in Tusaka, the capital The National Party won its 11th tional reform — expanding the of Zambia. Therefore, although victory since it became the ruling j three-chamber parliament of Kaunda declared that the meeting party in 1948 and de Klerk was whites, coloureds and Indians to I was a personal one between him elected the new president. In the include blacks so that the various ; and de Klerk, the significance was white parliament, however, the racial communities could elect still beyond the two countries. National Party won only 93 of the their own political institutions Some people were convinced that 166 seats, down from 123 last time. (parliaments) to govern their own de Klerk was sincere — at least The right-wing Conservative Party affairs. A joint decision-making more flexible and realistic than won 39, 17 seats more than last system would also be founded to Botha — in promoting peace in time, and the moderate Democrat• deal with ordinary affairs concern• southern Africa, improving rela• ic Pat^y won 33, 13 more. This ing all people. However, the plan tions with neighbouring nations election showed that the Nation• stressed that the blacks should not and opening dialogue with the al Party's popularity among the

12 BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 INTERNATIONAL white people had decreased while itical organization representing the heavy blow to the ANC's armed that of the left- and right-wing Zulus, the biggest black tribe, said struggle. forces increased. It also indicated it was willing to accept the invita• Under the new conditions, black that the ruling party would be tion and take part in the discus• organizations adjusted their strate• faced with strong pressure both for sions at any time. The first black gies. While refusing to put down and against accelerated reform in organization in South Africa to do arms, they actively mobilized the implementing internal and exter• so, the National Liberation Move• black people to the political front. nal policies. ment in the 1970s took the lead in This flexibility won the sympathy Upon his election, de Klerk opposing the authorities' attempt and support from the whites. Dur• made two significant overtures. In to implement a "homeland inde• ing the past year, many non• October he announced the release pendence" policy. This develop• governmental white federations of eight well-known black political ment, to some extent, pointed to and commercial institutions held prisoners and ANC leaders, in• the fact that some black people frequent contacts with ANC and cluding its General Secretary Wal• were gradually leaning to the pol• other black organizations on the ter Sisulu, sentenced to life im• itically moderate side. prospect of domestic pohtical re• prisonment and already having In recent years, to alleviate form. served 26 years, thus making Man• domestic racial conflicts, the South dela the only jailed ANC leader. African authorities allowed limit• The Issues and the Future And on October 11, he held a ed economic rights for blacks, in• The international community meeting with three anti-apartheid creased investment on infrastruc• has watched the notable change in activists, including Archbishop ture and education in the black the South African situation closely Tutu, exploring the possibility of community, and continued to for the past year with particular talks on the sharing of power with court black chieftains, steadily in• attention paid to de Klerk. Indeed, blacks. Archbishop Tutu put for• creasing the number of black his statements and some gestures ward his precondition for the talks, middle-class and petty bourgeoisie. have given the impression that including immediately releasing As a result, some blacks had be• South Africa is determined to Mandela and other political pri• come politically moderate. Al• speed up its reform to end aparth• soners; abolishing the state of though most blacks boycotted the eid. emergency that had been imposed city council election in October What does the future hold for three years earlier; releasing all 1988, 30 percent did vote, whereas South Africa? It needs to be furth• the people who had been detained in 1984, only 11 percent of the er watched. However, what has without trial; legitimatizing politi• black population took part. The happened in the past can explain cal organizations such as the ANC, increase in the number of black some problems. and granting leniency to prisoners middle-class will definitely have First, the change in the past year sentenced to death. an impact on the black people's indicates that those within the rul• De Klerk openly remarked that movement in the future. ing party who want reform sped up he would lift the state of emergen• A second feature is that black and negotiations with the blacks to cy. And it was reported that Man• organizations, such as the ANC, mitigate racism and to improve the dela would be released in several adjusted their tactics to suit the international image of South Afri• months. As well, the new gov• new conditions. ca have the upper hand. The trend ernment announced that public For quite some time, the Preto• towards a political settlement of beaches and some other facilities ria regime assaulted neighbouring South Africa's problems is increas• would be open to blacks. nations under the pretext of pur• ing. And more and more people suing "terrorists," posing a great want the elimination of the racial Black Struggle Adjusts threat to the security of these segregation system through domes• Strategy countries. Because of the threat tic reform. This is partly due to In the past year the blacks' anti- and other factors, Mozambique, international influence, progress in apartheid struggles continued but Botswana and Zimbabwe abol• political solutions to regional con• weren't as large or violent. Howev• ished ANC strongholds in their flicts and the influence on south• er, there were two noteworthy fea• countries. In December 1988, An• ern Africa's frontline countries ex• tures. gola, in accordance with the tripar• erted by the United States and the One was the increase in the tite peace agreement among Ango• Soviet Union. number of moderates favouring la, Cuba and South Africa, also Although economic sanctions dialogue with the government. In announced all ANC camps on its imposed on South Africa by the mid-November, in response to the land would be removed. In Au• United States and other Western de Klerk government's call to talk gust, Kaunda demanded that sev• countries have been limited. South with delegates of various races on eral thousand ANC members leave Africa's economy has been ad• constitutional revisions, the Na• his country. The loss of bases in versely affected. To.get out its pos• tional Liberation Movement, a pol• the neighbouring countries dealt a ition of isolation, South Africa had

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 13 INTERNATIONAL to end Botha's era to win sympathy blacks. When he was minister of titude under pressure from right- from the Western developed coun• education in 1987, he banned stu• wing forces just like Botha did in tries, thus reducing outside pres• dents from engaging in anti- the latter part of his rule. sure. The black people's struggle apartheid activities in schools. But At the moment, de Klerk can• against apartheid has also weak• he is also politically practical. He not take the first choice either. His ened South Africa's economy. knows it is necessary to carry out background and political beliefs Botha's policies have hit a blind reform to ease the demands of the have decided against any revolu• alley. Therefore, South Africa's black majority. Therefore, South tionary change. But more impor• government must change its tactics Africa is avoiding an over-all tantly, South Africa does not yet to alleviate its contradictions with transformation and choosing a pol• have the conditions for fundamen• the black people. icy of gradual reform. tal reforms. However, it is unrealistic to be• Second, although the situation Although the blacks' struggle lieve that changes over the past in South Africa is not clear, it has exerted some pressure on the year represent a substantial step shows that South Africa is at a South African authorities, these forward in South African policy. critical stage in its history. There pressures are not strong enough to De Klerk has promised to build a are three choices facing de Klerk's force the government to relinquish new South Africa "without racial government. the apartheid system immediately. oppression" and to bring blacks The first is to carry out funda• The black majority lacks a unified into his government, and yet he mental reforms and abandon the leadership and organization, and has refused to accept the black ma• apartheid system. The second is to they've suffered cruel oppression jority's requirement — to realize avoid shaking up the foundation over the past three years under a the election System of one vote for of the apartheid system and only state of emergency. In addition, one person. If de Klerk comprom• speed up reform and defuse inter• although international sanctions ises on it. South Africa will very nal contradictions. The third is to have weakened South Africa's likely have a black president. In refuse to make any compromises economy and forced the govern• previous years, de Klerk has reso• with the blacks and safeguard the ment to continue its reform, the lutely opposed the one-vote, one- privileged position of the whites. country's economic strength is person system. No matter what choice the South strong, natural resources rich and On negotiating with the ANC, African authorities make, their fu• there are loopholes in the Western he still persists in the precondition ture will be beset with difficulties. sanctions. Under such circumst• that the ANC give up its armed It is obvious that de Klerk can• ances the South African authori• struggle. As well, tolerant attitudes not choose the third choice because ties cannot make up their minds adopted by South African authori• racial discrimination is disdained to give up their apartheid policy, ties over the past year have not throughout the world. At the same which has benefited the white rul• proved the government would time the internal and external con• ing class greatly for several centu• adopt substantial measures to end ditions of South Africa will not ries. apartheid. Therefore, the establish• allow the right-wing conservatives Observers consider that in the ment of a "new South Africa" is to stubbornly persist in their racist foreseeable future while speeding not realistic. stand, and the right-wing conserva• up the reform process and not What is de Klerk's real intention tive policy does not coincide with shaking the foundation of the and how far will he go? the trend of the times. However, apartheid system, the de Klerk re• Generally speaking, de Klerk the possibility that de Klerk could gime will, when necessary, contin• is ideologically conservative. He turn to the extreme right-wing con• ue the policy of suppressing the came from an established Afrika• servatives cannot be completely black people. He will probably con• ner family that has long been ac• ruled out because the right-wing tinue to make some token gestures, tive in the National Party in forces among the whites are still such as releasing Mandela, promis• Transvaal Province. Since 1982 he strong. This is proved by the in• ing to come through on terms is• was the provincial chairman of crease in the number of right-wing sued by the blacks for joining the that party. Transvaal Province oc• seats in the 1989 general elections. negotiations on constitutional revi• cupies an important position in the Therefore, once reform encroaches sions, and giving the black majori• political life of South Africa and on their fundamental interests and ty limited rights to participate in has the most members in the threatens their dominant position, the government. the right-wing conservatives will House of Assembly. It is also a However, the problem is that if probably take extreme measures to stronghold for the conservative de Klerk stops short of his prom• prevent the reform or force de forces of the National Party and ises, the black majority's struggle Klerk to come over to their side or the right-wing opposition Conser• will be rekindled and unrest re• resign. Although it now seems that vative Party. De Klerk has always newed. This will threaten the such a possibility will not turn into maintained that the rights of a ra• stability of the de Klerk govern• reality, in the future, however, de cial group are inviolable and he ment and the future will be grim. Klerk may have to change his at• has opposed majority rule by the •

14 BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14,1990 CHINA Chilians Current Agricultural Situation and Policy by Tian Jiyun This is an abridged translation of a speech made recently by Tian Jiyun, vice-premier of the State Council, on the current state and all-round development of China's agriculture, and on the nation's rural work for 1990.—Ed.

hina's present agricultural that of 1988 and was close to the ed to green manure crops, an in• situation can be summar• record-breaking year of 1984. adequate use of organic fertilizer Cized as follows: first, great Many Problems Still Ahead. and a reduction in the fertility of achievements have been at• First, since 1985, China's agricul• land. tained; second, many problems tural production has fluctuated Third, there is a weak material still exist; third, there is a huge and the disparity between the foundation and a serious shor• potential for further develop• supply and demand of farm tage of reserves for development. ment; and fourth, there is no produce has become increasingly China's current comprehensive doubt that the country can critical. For many'years, China's agricultural production capacity achieve sustained and steady grain output has hovered around basically stays at a level of 400 agricultural development. 400 million tons but the demand million tons of grain and 4 mil• Great Achievements. 1989 for farm produce has increased lion tons of cotton. If the weath• marked the 40th anniversary of year by year. The natural growth er is favourable, an additional 10 the founding of New China and of the country's population has million tons of grain can be har• over the past four decades, Chi• an average more than 10 million, vested, this same amount of na's agriculture has developed a growth rate which in turn, calls grain lost if the weather is bad. apace. The nation's total grain for an increase of more than 10 Although a drastic slump in output rose from 160 million tons million tons of grain each year. farm production is not foreseen, in the early days of the People's Unless this figure is achieved, a rapid development is unlikely, Republic to 400 million tons in the country's per-capita grain given the current limited com• 1989. The output of other prin• output will actually decline, ad• prehensive production capacity. cipal agricultural and sideline versely affecting living standards Even price readjustment for products also increased from sev• and the supply for export. In farm produce is unable to resolve eral to more than a dozen times fact, China's per-capita grain the present agricultural prob• over. With the all-round develop• output has dropped from 394 kg lems. They can no longer be ment of the rural economy, the in 1984 to a current 362 kg. solved simply by patch-work. farmers' living standards have Second, the basic conditions The fundamental problem is that markedly improved and today, necessary for agricultural prod• the comprehensive production the majority of fajrmers have en• uction have deteriorated daily. capacity does not suffice to push ough food and clothing; many, An average 200,000-300,000 hec• agricultural production to a new in fact, are able to live a quite tares of the country's cultivated stage so, the only solution is to comfortable life. With 7 percent land is lost each year, a loss ac• begin with conscientious con• of the world's total cultivated companied by a reduction in ir• struction of infrastructure so as land, China's provision of the rigated areas, weakened flood- to change the current production basic necessities of life for 22 control facilities and a lower ca• conditions. percent of the world's population pacity to drain farmland. The re• Fourth, there are many prob• is really an amazing achieve• sult is that many places suffer lems in the nation's macro- ment. Although some areas suf• serious soil erosion and a deter• economic and social environ• fered from serious natural disas• iorated ecological balance. In ment. For instance, the ratio be• ters in 1989, the country's total many other places, there is a dec- tween industrial and agricultur• grain output was higher than Une in the acreage of land plant• al production is seriously unbal-

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 15 CHINA anced, the pricing system for ploitable grassland and grassy past four decades; the 800 mil• farm products remains irration• mountain slopes, nearly 6 mil• lion Chinese farmers are highly al, and unauthorized increase in lion hectares of freshwater sur• enthusiastic; and the call for prices for the means of farm face which can be used for aquat• strengthening agriculture's posi• production and the arbitrary ap• ic farming, and more than 2 mil• tion as the foundation of the na• portionment of work and fees to lion hectares of coastal beaches. tional economy is the goal of the farmers are rampant. The rational exploitation and whole society. All these factors These problems can be sum• utilization of these resources will favour the improvement of agri• marized as follows: first, al• help to enormously increase the cultural production. Therefore, though everybody talks about nation's agricultural production while it is wrong to be blindly the importance of agriculture, capacity. Third, production po- optimistic about China's agricul• tural production, by viewing China's agricultural problem as having been solved and taking the existing problems lightly, it is also groundless and unrealistic to hold the pessimistic view that China's agricultural production faces a crisis and has a dim pros• pect for development. A proper attitude is that we should con• firm our achievements, squarely face existing problems, raise our morale and improve our work. It is possible to attain a sustained and steady development of our country's agriculture so long as On December 1, 1989, liang Zemin (first left), Li Peng (second left) and other Chinese leaders we fully exploit our favourable met local leaders attending a national agricnltural meeting to exchange experiences. conditions, stick to the premise LI SHENGNAN that agriculture is the foundation of the national economy, streng• discussion has not been followed tential can also be tapped by then leadership, adhere to cor• by concrete action and second, readjusting the structure of agri• rect policies, increase input, con• the comprehensive production culture, improving the cultiva• stantly improve production con• capacity of China's agriculture tion system and increasing the ditions, give full play to the role is low. Without a resolution multiple cropping index as of science and technology and of these problems, agricultural much as local conditions permit. carry out comprehensive treat• production will not rapidly in• Fourth, there is a great potential ment and development of agri• crease. for increasing output by the ap• culture. Enormous Potential. First, plication of science and technol• medium- and low-yielding land ogy, the application of which has makes up two-thirds, or 70 mil• just begun in agricultural prod• Lessons. lion hectares, of China's current uction and there is great possibil• China has a population of 1.1 cultivated land, the potential of ity for using them in a far wider billion, and so solving the prob• which can be tapped with trans• area. Fifth, great potential also lem of the supply of food has formation projects. If the per- exists for the investment of funds always been a matter of prime hectare output of these lands can and materials. Efforts should be importance to the national econ• be raised by 1 ton, a general in• made to guide the farmers in ra• omy. The solution is, by necess• crease of 75 million tons of grain tional consumption and encour• ity, based on China's own re• i5 envisaged. Second, the rate of age them to put extra funds into sources. If a serious grain shor• development and utilization of production and so add to the tage occurred, no other country various agricultural resources is government's agricultural invest• in the world could come to Chi• quite inadequate. The country ment. na's aid. Under no circumstances currently has more than 30 mil• Good Prospects for Sustained, should we forget this basic na• lion hectares of wasteland which Steady Development. A solid tional condition. It is necessary, can be developed into farmland, foundation has been laid for therefore, to boost our agricul• nearly 300 million hectares of ex- agricultural production over the tural economy.

16 BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 CHINA

In the past four decades, our which must not be violated. The output and supply and promoted economy has undergone sever• basic lesson which should be the growth of commodity prod• al adjustments, each aimed at borne firmly in mind is that the uction. It was the first step to• boosting agriculture in such a position of agriculture as the wards the comprehensive devel• way so as to bring along and foundation should be constantly opment of agriculture. In 1988, promote the improvement and strengthened. Agriculture should the State Council decided that development of other fields. This be given top priority and support the cultivated land use tax which is a law which should also be in development. was turned over to the state followed in the current adjust• would be used for comprehensive ment. Only by further develop• Comprehensive agricultural development. It was ing agriculture as quickly as pos• Development the second stage. In 1988, the sible, can market supplies be in• state designated projects to be de• The comprehensive develop• creased, the retail prices of food• veloped with such funds in the ment of agriculture is a major stuffs and other commodities re• Huanghe-Huaihe-Haihe Plain in problem in this sector of China's lated to agriculture lowered and Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Jiang- economy. China began its agri• stabilized, inflation halted, and su and Anhui provinces, the cultural dev.elopment as early as the basic goal of improving the Sanjiang Plain and the Songliao the 50s and 60s with fruitful re• economic environment and rec• Plain in northeast China and sults. Since the beginning of tifying the economic order areas in Zhejiang, the Guangxi the 1980s, particularly in recent achieved. It can be said that if Zhuang Autonomous Region years, China's agriculture en• breakthroughs are made in agri• and the Xinjiang Uygur Auton• tered a bigger, more comprehen- culture, then all other omous Region. In 1989, activities of the nation the state also designat• can be more easily liv• ed projects to be devel• ened up. From a long- oped in Sichuan, Hu- term point of view, a bei, Hunan, liangxi, sustained, stable and Ningxia, Inner Mongo• proportionate develop• lia, Hainan, and in the ment of the national delta of the Huanghe economy requires firm (Yellow) River es• determination to build tuary. a strong and reliable agricultural founda• In recent years, agri• tion. culture has been com• prehensively developed We have witnessed on a fairly large scale an overheated industri• and with fairly good re• al growth several times Farmers of Boli County, Heilongjiang Province, on their way to deliver grain sults. Take, for exam• because a weak agricul• to the state. ZHOU QUE ple, the first group of tural foundation can the 111 commodity grain hardly support such rapid sive developmental stage. Start• production centres which will be growth and thus there is an im• ing in 1983, the state has planned constructed during the Seventh balance and a forced readjust• and constructed 254 commodi• Five-Year Plan period (1986-90). ment of the national economy. ty grain production centres, 74 It is estimated that their 1989 When the economic situation quality cotton production coun• output was 2.5 million tons more was slightly improved, however, ties, 113 quality farm prod• than the previous year, much there was a fading idea about uce production counties, 278 higher than the nation's average agriculture being the foundation famous-brand and quality farm growth rate. Between 1988 and of the national economy, as a produce production centres, 490 1989, the state decided to open up result, agricultural construction export farm and sideline prod• comprehensive agricultural de• was neglected and relaxed, this is ucts production centres as well as velopment zones in 19 areas. The an important reason for the re• a number of commodity timber completion of the plan will ge• peated adjustment of the nation• production centres. The building nerate an additional 12 million al economy. Agriculture as the of these centres has been a re• tons of grain, 200,000 tons of cot• nation's economic foundation is markable success; they have ton, 500,000 tons of oil, 12 mil• determined by the economic laws tapped natural resources, raised lion tons of sugar and 300,000

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 17 CHINA tons of meat and play an impor• when the economy is stabilized, farmers by provijling them with tant role in ending China's falter• will there be a more stable social technology, the means of produc• ing grain production. and political situation. tion and the information on their The development of agricul• These basic policies are, on the rational use, providing market ture is, first of all, geared whole, still suitable for develop• information about the storage, to transforming the existing ing the rural productive forces; marketing and processing of medium- and low-yielding land they are beneficial to arousing farm products, as well as service and raising the output rate and, the farmers' socialist enthusiasm regarding business management. second, to exploiting and utiliz• for production and furthering This service system not only ing new agricultural resources. the rural productive forces. helps raise the productive level, According to the initial calcula• Therefore, it is my view that but links the scattered house• tion of the development plan, by these policies should remain un• hold management with advanced the end of this century, it will be changed. science, technology and the mar• possible to transform 20 million (1) The policy regarding the ket, so as to form large-scale, hectares of medium- and low- contract responsibility system modern production. In places yielding land, reclaim 4 million based mainly on household man• where conditions permit, moder• hectares of wasteland suited for agement and linking remuner• ate scale management and new grain production, afforest 13 mil• ation with output will remain un• forms of collective economy may lion hectares of land, improve 3 changed. Practice of the past de• be steadily introduced and devel• million hectares of grassland and cade has shown that the con• oped on the basis of the willing• increase 4 million hectares of ef• tract responsibility system con• ness of farmers. fectively irrigated areas. Soil ero• forms to the present level of (2) With common prosperity as sion and the destruction of ecol• productive forces in most of Chi• the goal, the policy of allowing ogical environment will be large• na's villages as well as to the and encouraging some regions and ly checked, thus generating a wishes of the majority of farm• people to prosper before others fairly high production capacity ers. The system should be steadi• will not be altered. Neither pov• for grain, cotton, oil, meat and ly and continually perfected. At erty, nor egalitarianism is social• aquatic products: If things are present, the double-tiered man- ism. Our goal is the realization of properly handled, it is common prosperity. possible that the devel• The Chinese people can opment of agriculture only realize this goal alone can produce a 50 one after another, it is percent increase in the impossible for them to grain output. become prosperous all at once. Allowing Policies Remain and encouraging some Unchanged farmers to get rich Since 1979, a series of through honest labour major reforms, such as and legal business man• the variqus forms of agement is conducive contract responsibility to inspiring and stimu• system linked to prod• lating other farmers in uction which are im- rarmers ot Xinghua City, Jiangsu Province, carefully care for their cotton diverse places to grad• ually develop their own , piemen ted in the rur- "^edbeds. GAO MEIjI businesses and, also, 1 al areas, has promot- agement system should be per• prosper, thus ensuring that they j ed the growth of the rural prod• fected, the superiority of the col• take the socialist path to com• uctive forces and has been warm• lective economy and the farmers' mon prosperity. We oppose class ly received by the farmers. At enthusiasm in production furth• polarization, but realization of present, it is highly important to er displayed. Looking to the fu• prosperity in succession has no• stabilize the basic, rural econo• ture, a multi-layer, multi-form thing in common with class po• mic policies. Only with such sta• socialized service system em• larization. It is necessary to solve bilization can 800 million farm• bracing various economic sectors the social problem of unfair dis• ers be satisfied, and agriculture is to be gradually set up in light tribution, but this does not mean developed. Only by developing of the practical needs and objec• changing the policy of allowing agriculture can the national tive conditions. It will serve the some people to prosper before economy be stabilized and only

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14,1990 CHINA others. vie with large enterprises for raw economy should be given full (3) The policy of "never slack• material and energy, seriously play while their negative role res• ening our efforts to boost grain pollute the environments, and tricted. production, enthusiastically de• consume a lot of resources yet (6) Regarding the main agricul• veloping a diversified economy," produce low quality products. tural and sideline products, the of steadily readjusting and optim• Measures for controlling their marketing and purchasing policy izing the rural production struc• excessive growth, readjusting which combines a planned econo• ture will not be changed. In devel• their production structure and my with regulation by the mar• oping agriculture, attention must improving their business man• ket will remain consistent. Dur• first be paid to boosting grain agement are conducive steps to ing the rural reform, the system production. Solution of the grain the healthy growth of needed of purchase by stage quotas was problem provides a reliable basis township enterprises. for stabilizing the domestic situa• Two tendencies need tion, for readjusting the produc• to be avoided, how• tion structure and for developing ever, when rectifying a diversified economy. Without and improving town• a stable acreage sown to grain, ship enterprises: One there cannot be a reliable grain is the indiscriminate output. Grain should be sown slash of enterprises, consistently on that arable land the other the building best suited for grain. Farmland of new factories with• capital construction should be out paying attention strengthened in the poor moun• to tapping the eco• tain areas, so as to raise as much nomic potential and as possible their self-supporting raising the economic rate of grain and decrease the efficiency^ of the old Assistant agronomist Yang Jianqia (right) of Neiqio County, necessity to ship grain to those ones. As to those Hebei Ptovince, helping a farmer dry persimmons for export. His advice in horticaltnre and animal breeding techniqaes hare areas. The readjustment of township enterprises helped many local farmers lift themselves out of poverty. the rural production structure which started rather ZHAO LIANSHENG should proceed from the reality late in the barely industrialized and its procedures adapted to ob• central and western parts of eliminated. A planned, contract• jective local conditions. No pre• China, a suitable scale of devel• ed purchase of grain, oil-bearing mature actions should be taken opment is to be allowed. Town• and other bulk crops is now in force. At the same time, the towards achieving this goal. ship enterprises should build scope and scale of market regula• processing factories for farm (4) The policy of encouraging tions have been enlarged, giving products which do not compete and guiding the development of impetus to the development of township enterprises will remain with state enterprises for raw the rural economy. Successes in consistent. Township enterprises material as well as labour- this field should be affirmed. Of have become an important pillar intensive factories which turn course, some problems have oc• in the growth of China's rural out raw and semi-finished mater• curred, and to solve them, it's economy and constitute an im• ial for industry. necessary to adopt corresponding portant part of the country's na• (5) The policy of developing measures. But this does not mean tional economy. In the endea• restoring the system of purchase vour to rectify and improve the prerequisita diversifieed tha ea.nomt the ymainsta undery thoef • ^^^^^i^-^i^Z^^-^i^ economy, the principle of "read• form should be deepened and the justment, consolidation, trans• public ownership is upheld will be purchasing and marketing sys• formation and improvement," kept unchanged. China is still in tem of farm products improved. defined by the Party Central the primary stage of socialism To stimulate rural commodity Committee should be fully car• and takes public ownership as circulation, the transactions of ried out to ensure the healthy the mainstay. Yet at the same farm products which have been growth of township enterprises. time, it allows for the develop• allowed to enter the market At present, we should close down ment of a diversified economy. should be continued through redundant township enterprises, Individual and private owned multiple channels but fewer in• suspend their production, merge businesses are a beneficial and termediate links. The rural mar• them with other enterprises and necessary supplement to the so• ket should be nurtured and the switch them to the manufacture cialist economy. Their positive farmers' direct participation in of other products because they role in the growth of the socialist circulation be encouraged. •

BEIJING REVIEW, JANXAE'i 8-14. 1990 19 CHINA

Democratic Party Leader On Multi-Party Co-operation

by Our Staff Reporter Lu Yun

r • ihe people's congress system of New China in 1949, he be• I and the multi-party and came deputy secretary-general of political consultation sys• the Government Administration tem led by the Communist Party Council and vice-minister of the are the bases for China's political Personnel Affairs of the Central system. The people's congress en• Government, He is now vice- sures that the public can exercise chairman of the Standing Com• state power and their democratic mittee of the National People's rights while the multi-party and Congress. political consultation system re• cruits various democratic parties 50 Years of Practice and patriotic personages of var• ious circles to participate in and Sun, 78, pointed out that the discuss governmental and politi• multi-party co-operation system cal affairs, implement democrat• led by the Chinese Communist ic supervision and make joint Party has been practised for 50 efforts for the nation's socialist years. The CDNCA is a good ex• cause and the reunification of the ample of this. Since its founding motherland. It is a political sys• San Qimeng. CHEN ZONGLIE in 1945 up to the present, there tem that China is continuing to has been solid co-operation be• perfect. While developing the na• China Democratic National Con• tween it and the Chinese Com• tional economy, China has en• struction Association, China As• munist Party and with the other deavoured to strengthen socialist sociation for Promoting Demo• democratic parties. The relation• democracy and the legal system cracy, Chinese Peasants' and ship between the CDNCA and in order to ensure the prolonged Workers' Democratic Party, the Communist Party has under• political stability and prosperity China Zhi Gong Dang, Jiu San gone three stages. of the country. Society and the Taiwan Demo• The first stage. The political Some foreign personages, un• cratic Self-Government League. programme at the founding of familiar with the situation of To answer the foregoing ques• various democratic parties was China, often raise questions tions, our staff reporter recently patriotic, opposition to imperial• about the multi-party co• had an exclusive interview with ism and a demand for democra- | operation in China. For instance, Sun Qimeng, chariman of the cy. The CDNCA was founded | they ask if the democratic parties China Democratic National Con• not long after the victory of the are themselves political parties, struction Association (CDNCA). War of Resistance Against la- how can they accept the leader• The CDNCA is composed mainly panese Aggression. At that time, ship of another political party, of people from financial circles patriotic industrialists, business- \ the Communist Party? They also and experts and scholars in relat• men and related intellectuals es• wonder how the democratic par• ed fields. Sun, a noted political tablished co-operative ties with activist, graduated from the the Chinese Communist Party ties and the Chinese Communist j Party implement multi-party co• Suzhou University in 1930 and under the slogan of peace, demo- operation and for how long such then worked in the educational cracy, unity, the founding of a | co-operation can continue. field for a very long time. In coalition government and the There are eight democratic 1945, he co-sponsored with others building of New China. The parties in China—the Revolu• the founding of the China Demo• name of the CDNCA was inter• tionary Committee of Kuomin- cratic National Construction As• woven with the spirit of the slo• tang, China Democratic League, sociation and after the founding gan. At the initial stage of the

20 BEIJiNG Ri VIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 CHINA CDNCA's founding, there was ized by multi-party co-operation put forward in 1952 the general no preconceived idea of accept• on the basis of the alliance of line for the transitional period to ing the leadership of the Com• workers and peasants under the the effect that the government munist Party. After travelling a leadership of the Chinese Com• carried out the socialist transfor• tortuous road, however, and after munist Party, established. mation of capitalist industry and conscientiously summing up its The second stage. The multi• commerce to replace the capital• own experiences and lessons, the party co-operation led by the ist ownership of the means of CDNCA abandoned its middle- Communist Party was then fairly production with the socialist of-the-road stand between the developed and complete in form. ownership of the'means of prod• Kuomintang and the Communist The people's political consulta• uction through the policy of Party. In 1948, various democrat• tive conference, a broad united peaceful redemption. Members ic parties openly proclaimed that front organization committing it• of the CDNCA from the indus• they supported the revolution self to the unity and co-operation trial and commercial circles who and that they would fight side by among the various democratic had gone through the ideological side with the Communist Party parties, exercised the powers of education of their own party took to overthrow the reactionary rule the present National People's the lead in participation in the of the Kuomintang and establish Congress. People from various joint state-private ownership, us• a new China. At that time, the democratic parties not only car• ing their own experiences to con• CDNCA agreed with the CPC's ried out in full the consultations vince other industrialists and proposition of convening a new on major state politics and prin• businessmen to accept the social• political consultation conference ciples in this organization, but ist transformation through peace• and sent Zhang Naiqi, Shi Fu- also assumed leading posts of the ful redemption. The government liang and Sun Qimeng to the lib• people's government at various made proper arrangements for erated area under the Commun• levels. Political consultations and them in politics, work and their ist Party to participate in the pre• democratic supervision of the de• daily life, and most held lead• paratory work. mocratic parties in the country's ing posts in the new j6int state- In 1949, with the victory of the political, economic and social life private enterprises. Quite a few new democratic revolution which were both flexible and diverse in participated in the National Peo• overthrew the rule of imperial• form. ple's Congress, the central gov• ism, feudahsm and bureaucrat Guring the transitional period ernment and the Chinese Peo• capitalism, the People's Republic from the new democratic revolu• ple's Political Consultative Con• of China was founded and the tion to the socialist revolution, ference. After much effort, the coalition government character• the Chinese Communist Party national capitalists were by their Non-Party representatives discuss the documents of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 13th Party Central Committee and China's domestic situation at a meeting sponsored by the CPC Centra] Committee on June 28, 19S9. WANG XINQING

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 21 CHINA own labour transformed into la• The third stage. The various the Communist Party, Sun noted bourers. democratic parties resumed their that the basis of the Commun• The socialist transformation activities after the end of the ist Party's leadership is political which aimed to abolish capitalist "cultural revolution," which leadership, that the basis of the ownership was, of course, in con• compelled them to suspend their multi-party co-operation is polit• tradiction with the essence of the activities for almost a decade. ical co-operation, and that each capitalist class. This acute con• They then concentrated on de• political party while participates tradiction was, however, finally veloping their own organizations in this co-operation is organi• solved without a hitch by the cor• and made positive contributions zationally independent. He also rect leadership of the Commun• to socialist construction and the noted that the Constitution is ist Party, without shedding blood great cause of the peaceful reuni• the nation's legal framework and fication of the moth• that the Communist Party and all erland. The Chinese democratic parties should con• Communist Party duct their activities within the during this time fully prescription of the Constitution implemented the poli• and laws. No such co-operation, cy of "long-term coex• however, can be achieved with• istence and mutual out a common political objective supervision, treating and common political lines and each other with all principles the aim of which is the sincerity and sharing accomplishment of the social• weal and woe." This ist cause. Otherwise, the co• policy, based on the operation is deprived of its due summation of the ex• content and basis. periences of co• Who should exercise primary operation between the political leadership and act as the Chinese Communist "general guide" for the common Party and various de• political line and principles? mocratic parties over Based on their long-term practice the past several dozen and experience, the choice made years, is the guiding by all the parties is the Chinese principle for the Communist Party; each demo• broad multi-party co• cratic party explicitly incorporat• operation under the ed the Communist Party's pol• leadership of the itical leadership into its consti• Communist Party. tution after serious discussions at Sun Qimeng said their respective congresses. It was that, based on the his• a choice made after savouring tory and practice of both the joy of victory and pains the past 50 years, the of failure of their long political LDO Hamian (fint left), vtce-chalmun of the China Democratic formation and devel• practice. The choice also reflect• League Central Committee and a noted agio-economist, on a opment of the multi• ed the advantageous status of the fact-finding visit to private businesses in Lanzhou. party co-operation Chinese Communist Party as the YANG WUMJN system led by the vanguard of the working class and economic losses. The success Communist Party is inevitable and as a Marxist political party, was also inseparable from the and independent of man's will. its fine tradition of integrating concurrent efforts of the demo• He believes it will continue to be theory with practice, of keeping cratic parties, mass organizations developed and perfected in the close ties with the masses and future, and there is every reason of self-criticism. The Commun• and advanced elements of indus• for the public to be optimistic ist Party holds firmly to the truth trial and commercial circles. The about its future prospects. and can correct its own mistakes. victorious transformation of cap• Therefore, the political line and italist industry and commerce in principles formulated by the China was a marked indication Political Leadership and Communist Party not only crys• of the successful multi-party co• Co-operation tallize the collective wisdom of operation under the leadership of Talking about the co-operation tens of millions of Communist the Communist Party. between democratic parties and Party members but also the wis-

22 BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 CHINA dom of the hundreds of millions ship. Since all democratic parties the functions of democratic par• of Chinese people and of all de• are ready to dedicate themselves ties can be summed up as fol• mocratic parties. to the socialist cause, only by re• lows: In the past year, the CPC Cen• lying on the Communist Party's Participation in policy making. tral Committee invited represen• leadership is there a guarantee Before making important policy tatives of the various democrat• that the correct orientation of decisions, the Communist Party ic parties and non-party patriotic multi-party co-operation will not usually asks for the opinions of democratic personages to attend go astray. At the same time, the democratic parties. This gives a number of consultative con• multi-party co-operation is a con• the democratic parties a chance ferences and discussions. The dition for upholding the Com• to air their own views, reflect the CDNCA offered suggestions for munist Party's leadership be• demands of the social strata to improving the economic environ• cause through the practice of which each party is linked, make ment, rectifying the economic or• the multi-party co-operation, the suggestions and amendments to der and deepening the reform Communist Party can better keep these proposals and, thus, exert —principles made at the Third its ties with the masses of all its influence on state affairs. Plenary Session of the 13th CPC fields, be informed about the Participation in the political Central Committee—and for im• public's concerns, pool the wis• power structure. Members of all proving the multi-party co• dom of the masses, formulate the democratic parties can parti• operation under the leadership correct lines, principles and poli• cipate in the state organs of pow• of the Communist Party. It also cies, and exercise the correct er and become officials of the commented on the speech made leadership in state affairs. Con• government at all levels. Of the by General Secretary Jiang Zem- versely, by accepting the supervi- 320,000 members of the eight de• mocratic parties, many have participated in the people's congresses and provincial and municipal leading bodies. Sun himself is deputy chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC). Sun Xiaocun, chair• man of the Consultancy Com• mittee of the CDNCA, now holds the post of vice- chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Feng On March 13, 1989, leaders of China's demoaatic parties answer questions on co-opeiation between Tiyun, another vice-chairman d«!mocratic parties and the CPC at a press conference held by CPFCC for Chinese and foreign journalists. of the CDNCA, is vice- II TIEYAN minister of supervision. There in at the 40th anniversary of the sion of democratic parties, the are still other vice-chairmen and founding of the People's Republ• Communist Party is able to im• standing committee members of ic of China, and on the important prove its leadership and obtain the CDNCA who now hold lead• decisions made by the Fifth Plen• the aim of upholding the Com• ing posts in the NPC Standing ary Session of the 13th CPC Cen• munist Party's leadership. Committee and the CPPCC tral Committee on the nation's Standing Committee. economic work. Functions of Democratic Participation in supervision. Sun holds that the Communist Parties Sun holds that mutual supervi• Party's leadership is the prere• According to Sun, since the sion is an important channel for quisite and guarantee for multi• fifth congress of 1988, the implementing the co-operation party co-operation, as the exist• CDNCA has attached great im• between the democratic parties ence and development of all de• portance to its internal organiza• and CPC. Many democratic par• mocratic parties and the in• tion and to giving full play to its ty members have participated in troduction of multi-party co• role as a political party. the work of the CPPCC, and operation are inseparable from In line with each democratic through this channel, they con• the Communist Party's leader- party's constitution, Sun believes duct dialogues with the Com-

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14. 1990 23 CHINA munist Party, offering their national minority areas, an effort municipalities directly under the suggestions and criticisms. In which brought 260 million yuan central government. Many out• 1989, some local organizations of in economic returns. The 204 standing members with both abil• the CDNCA Central Committee schools founded by the CDNCA ity and political integrity are in set up offence reporting offices to and the 2,154 short-term voca• their prime and have been prom• accept the masses' reports of ille• tional and technical training pro• oted to various levels of the par• gal acts and corruption. grammes it opened in 1989 prov• ty's leading bodies. The CDNCA Consult on investigative ser• ided general cultural knowledge, has also continued the fine tradi• vices. In December 1988, the production techniques, and oper• tion of self-education to help its CDNCA joined the Chinese ation and management experi• members continually enhance Peasants' and Workers' Demo• ences to 336,000 people. In recent their political consciousness with• cratic Party and the All-China years, the CDNCA has also re• in a pattern of the multi-party Federation of Industry and Com• commended that some of its co-operation and the sense of de• merce (ACFIC) in suggesting to mem'bers participate in oversee• mocracy under the principle of the State Council how to improve ing the rectification of the econo• democratic centralism. Members the management system of tradi• mic order undertaken by the gov• of the CDNCA have strived to tional Chinese medicines and ernments at all levels. raise their own standard, particu• the traditional Chinese medicine Reflect the opinions and de• larly the ideological and political market. This suggestion was later mands of each party's members standard of ihe leading bodies, in made a part of a State Council and of the masses linked to the order to better shoulder their im• document on solving the prob• party, and safeguard their legiti• portant historical tasks. lems in traditional Chinese med• mate interests. Finally, Sun declared that the icine management. In 1989, the Develop overseas contacts CDNCA is not a party out of CDNCA Central Committee sent and friendly relations. CDNCA office or an opposition party, but a number of investigative groups members have always had close an independent political organi• to various localities and, togeth• ties with Taiwan, Hong Kong and zation characterized by its politi• er with CDNCA's local organi• Macao compatriots and overseas cal association under the leader• zations, investigated some state- Chinese active in financial and ship of the Communist Party of owned large and medium-sized other circles. The CDNCA has China and by its prolonged, inti• enterprises for nearly half a year. sought to expand such contacts mate co-operation with the cen• After discussion at the CDNCA and relations and to help attract tral authorities. The multi-party Central Committee's meeting in funds, technology and trained co-operation and political consul• last December, they recommend• people for socialist construction. tative system under the leader• ed to the CPC Central Commit• By developing friendly exchanges ship of the Communist Party is tee and the State Council how and co-operation with relevant determined by China's national best to resolve enterprises' prob• organizations, and related for• conditions and by the common lems. eign political parties and organi• mission of both the Communist Organize and encourage party zations, the CDNCA contributes Party and of all democratic par• members to actively participate to the promotion of the principle ties. These special features repre• in socialist construction. Mem• of "one country, two systems," sent the superiority of China's bers of the CDNCA, by display• and to international peace and political system. The CDNCA ing their special talent in eco• development. will, therefore, stick to its princi• nomic management, have made Sun stresses that only by ple of adhering to the multi-party great contributions in industry, strengthening their own organi• co-operation under the leadership commerce, transport and com• zation can the democratic parties of the Communist Party and the munications, foreign trade and maintain an important role in the socialist road, a principle which scientific research. In addition, multi-party co-operation. will never change no matter how they have been active in provid• In recent years, the CDNCA complex the political situation ing economic consulting services has recruited a number of may become. This party rule, un• and training skilled industrial middle-aged people from the fin• animously adopted by all cen• and commercial workers. Over ancial circles who have the need• tral committee, members attend• the past year alone, the CDNCA ed ideological and theoretical ing the Second Plenary Session of has co-operated with ACIFC in ability for government ipanage- the Fifth CDNCA Central Com• offering consulting services for ment. The CDNCA currently has mittee held in December 1989, 11,700 projects to aid small and more,-than 50,000 members in will inject new vitality into the medium-sized urban enterprises, some 2,818 branches in 29 prov• future work of the CDNCA. • township enterprises and poor inces, autonomous regions and

24 BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 CHINA world's iron and steel market, the SISC has become more compe• Shoudu Iron and Steel Co. (6) titive on the international steel market. By these two mergers, SISC has Enterprise Merger and Grouping not only developed its production capacity, but also reached out into by Our Staff Reporter Li Rongxia other trades. It has become an en• terprise of world proportions. The last of a series, this article describes how SISC merged In electronics, it now has some with scores of other enterprises and rapidly developed into a 20,000 people capable of develop• large, transregional and diversified enterprise. The compan• ing software and hardware, which y's development demonstrated, as well, the successful imple• can be manufactured in its own mentation of a comprehensive contract system. production lines. Computers and a variety of electronic instruments t present, SISC has 103 en• of the shares of the US MESTA and meters, for example, have al• terprises under six branch Engineering Co. Ltd., the first ready been put into batch produc• companies specializing in step towards transnational opera• tion and sold to foreign countries. A It has also provided hundreds of iron and steel, special steel, mach• tion. inery, electronics, construction Built in 1898, the MESTA En• units in more than ten industries and other industrial sectors. The gineering Co. Ltd. has a 90 years with 500 or so pieces of electronic total number of workers and staff history in the design and manu• equipment and 360 technical ser• increased from 124,000 to 185,000 facture of metallurgical facilities vice items. In 1989, it began to and the original value of fixed and heavy machinery. At present, manufacture video tape recorders, assets increased from 3.585 billion more than half of the rolling programme-controlled exchanges, yuan to 4.5 billion yuan. In ad• machines in the world were de• electronic toys and large-scale in• dition, SISC also has 27 co• signed and manufactured by tegrated circuits. operative enterprises and six Sino- MESTA and so MESTA's trade In the machinery field, SISC foreign joint ventures. With iron mark enjoys a high international has set up an integrated general and steel as the company's main• reputation. The SISC, by purchas• machinery company for scientific stay and its involvement in a doz• ing MESTA's shares, acquired the research, design, production and en of other industries, it has de• technology necessary for the de• sales. It now has 7,846 cutting veloped into a large transregion• sign and manufacture of large, machines, manufacturing and is al and transnational enterprise continuous casting and rolling capable of large equipment, and is group, the first in China with such machines and filled a technical moving towards the manufacture a comprehensive development ca• gap felt by China in this field. By of automobiles and ships. pacity. using MESTA's design technolo• In the construction industry, gy and trade mark, combining SISC now has 25,000 workers Two Mergers its own machine manufacturing and staff and 76.39 million yuan force, and making the best use of worth of machinery and equip• Over the past ten years, there the current improvement in the ment. In addition, SISC also pos• have been two large- sesses a shipping com- The opening ceremony o£ Beijing MESTA Engineering Co. Ltd scale mergers with SHAOHUA Pany with four ocean- SISC. The first was in - .-111111 going freighters with a 1983 when the form• 41^91 total capacity of 60,000 er Beijing Metallurgi• tons. It also has hotels, cal Bureau was disband• and furniture, textile, ed and its 17 affiliat• garment and printing ed ferrous metallurgical factories. enterprises merged into At present, most of SISC. The second was the rnerged 3,600 enter• in 1988 when SISC prises in China are still merged with 23 enter• easy-going groups tak• prises in Beijing and ing separate responsibil• some 18 provinces and ity for production but cities. Also in 1988, jointly selling their SISC bought 70 percent products. Merger with

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUAKY 8-14, 1990 25 CHINA

SISC, however, makes a differ• tion line, thus raising the produc• Every enterprise also allocates ence; the merged enterprises no tion capacity and technical level contracted tasks to each unit, and longer have the status of legal per• of equipment. Based on market thence to each person. At the sons but operate as an incorporat• changes, the mill develops new same time, SISC's distribution ed SISC entity. products to increase its economic system, wherein payment, reward returns. Its marble saw blades and punishment are linked to con• Magic Power provide over 80 percent of domes• tributions, effectively stimulate tic market needs. With improved the enthusiasm of workers and staff. As soon as they merged into products, it has entered the export SISC in 1983 or in 1988, most of field. Since 1988 it has export• The Songnan Machinery Facto• the enterprises changed rapidly: ed about 200 tons of cold roll- ry used to be a weapon producer. 5 ing spring strip steel worth In the past, highly concentrat• US$ 2 million to Thailand ed and unified managerial sys• tem made the factory dependent and the Federal Republic of on top-down decision making, but Germany. The mill also be• after its merger with SISC and

26 BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1»90 BUSINESS/TRADE will first review the concerned laws, regulations and stan• dards and, in line with the particular requirements, per• Import Goods to Be Licensed haps change their prodaicts and provide China with sam• -ine varieties of import found to meet the require• ples for inspection again. In commodities including ments of China's safety stan• addition, the factory condi• N automobiles, motorcy• dards, they will be given qual• tions will need to be approved cles and engines, refrigera• ity licences and a "Safety by the SACI. Thus, China hopes applicants will make ap• tors and compressors, air- Mark" and can then be ex• plications six months ahead of conditioners and compressors, ported to China. time of actual import. If pro• television sets (both colour According to the SACI offi• cedures are not approved be• and black-and-white) and TV cial, SACI has formulated the cause of ongoing inspections display tubes have been slated following provisions "Rules and a delay of transport, tele• to be examined for quality lic• for the Implementation of the communications and the cus• ence as of May 1, 1990, ac• Quality Certificate System toms, China will adopt flexi• cording to commodity inspec• Concerning Import of Machi• ble measures to help appli• tion authorities. nery and Electronic Prod• cants. Under this provision, if for• ucts," "Items and Standards Up to now, more than 70 eign businessmen or their re• for Safety Inspection" and companies and representatives presentatives expect to sell in "Programme for Inspection of from Japan, Sweden, the Un• China commodities included Production and Quality Con• ited States, the Federal Re• in the "List of Import Com• trol Conditions of Producers" public of Germany, Canada, modity Quality Certificate for the implementation of this Italy, the Netherlands, Den• System," they must apply to provision. Organizationally, it mark, Argentina, Switzerland, the State Administration of has set up six departments and the Soviet Union, the German Commodity Inspection of nine laboratories respectively Democratic Republic, Hun• China (SACI) for quality lic• inspecting these nine kinds of gary, South Korea, Hong ences. Commodity inspection commodities. Kong and Macao have asked authorities assigned by the The official said that this the SACI for related mater• SACI will examine samples new provision was promulgat• ials and inquired procedures provided by and inspect the ed on August 1 last year and of applications for quality cer• production and quality con• would become effective in tificates of commodities to be trol equipment of the appli• May 1990. Before it becomes exported to China. cants. After these products are effective, foreign businessmen by Yao Jianguo

Xiyuan Hotel and the Nation• ality Hotel, and its blocking welding controllers have been US Square D Co. in China used in the Beijing Jeep Corp. Ltd. and some other automo• ecently, the Pertron the Square D Co., one of the bile factories. Electronics Co., an affi• United States' largest 300 en• Zhu Hua, an official in charge of the Square's China R liate of the US Square terprises, has provided Chi• office, said that his company D Co. presented a piece of na's scientific, research and would, in line with the princi• new blocking welding con• teaching departments with ple of efficiency and mutual troller to Harbin Polytechn- power supply systems. The benefit, continue to provide ical University in a bid to electric power distribution China with new products and further expand its market in systems, for example, have technology so as to increase China. been installed in the Bei• sales to China. Since the beginning of 1980, jing International Hotel, the by Li Ming

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 27 BUSINESS/TRADE

ses for plane tickets and other Bright Prospects for costs. Building Materials Exports Hu Youmu, an official of the China Foreign Experts Bureau, ver-the past two years, the j pects for the future. For exam- said that attracting experts from campaign to cut down i pie, China ranks first in cement abroad had resulted in good O substantially on invest• output and second in glass out• profits for enterprises. The ratio ment in capital construction put in the world. Also, it comes between profits and the expenses provided ample opportunities first in reserves of gypsum, on experts is more than 10:1. for increasing export of building limestone, scale graphite and As China is now rectifying its materials. According to the Na• fluorite and second in reserves economy and cutting down on tional Conference on Export of of talcum, wollastonite and as• money supply, some enterprises Building Materials held recent• bestos. It is also rich with other have to reduce their import of ly, China's export volume of natural resources. During the complete equipment and shift to building materials in 1988 Eighth Five-Year Plan period import talented workers. China reached US$663 million, 3.5 (1991-1995), China expects its is now perfecting its policies and times that of 1980. Exports in exports of building materials to co-ordinating funds and expects 1989 are expected to reach 850 jump to US$2 billion. to bring in more foreign experts • million yuan, an increase of 28.7 by Yao Jianguo in 1990 and years to come. percent over 1988. China has established ties China exported building ma• with many countries for import• terials in 104 varieties of nine Foreign Experts ing experts and, to this end, set categories, including cement, In China up offices in the United States, glass, construction ceramics, Canada, the Federal Republic non-metaUic mineral products fTIo date, some 30,000 foreign of Germany, Britain, Japan and and building materials produc• economists and techni-. Hong Kong in the name, of the ing machinery. The products are T cians are working in China China International Talent Ex• sold in more than 70 countries I according to the China Foreign change Association. and regions such as Japan, the i Experts Bureau. by Li Ming United States, the Federal Re- ! In 1988, some 15,000 experts pubhc of Germany, Britain, the ; worked in China according to Netherlands, the Soviet Union, j stipulations of technology and Poland, Singapore and Hong I trade contracts connected with Export of Kong. The product mix hasj imported equipment. changed remarkably. The export I In the same year, some 10,700 Iron Pans of crude and primary products experts were in charge of tech• has been replaced by the export nology and management of joint very year, the Shangcai of intensively processed ones. ventures, co-operative enterpris• County Pan Factory, a big In recent years, for example, es and wholly foreign-owned en• E ^ iron pan producer in cen• China provided Pakistan, In• terprises. tral China's. Henan Province, ex• donesia, Nepal, Egypt and the Also, in 1988, some 3,000 ex• ports 500,000 pans to Japan, the Soviet Union with cement kiln perts responsible for technology United States, Singapore, Ma• outer disintegration production and management were brought laysia, Hong Kong and many lines with a daily output of 700 from abroad in line with the re• other countries and regions. tons, floated glass production quirements of enterprises. Some The factory turns out iron lines with a daily output of 300 experts were invited through pans in five categories, 45 series tons and glass fibre, mineral scientific, technological co• and more than 1,000 specifica• wool production lines as well as operative and multi-lateral co• tions. some brick-making equipment. operative agreements. China has a long history of According to economists, al• China encourages its enter• iron pan production. Its iron though China's export volume prises to attract experts. For ex• pans are made of solvable inor• of building materials and non- ample, the government provides ganic iron, which is good for metallic minerals represents a preferential policies and invest health. Thus, the World Health small proportion of its total ex• special funds to help units Organization has suggested use ports, there are brilliant pros- which need experts with expen• of the traditional Chinese iron

28 BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14,1990 BUSINESS / TRADE pans. Only a few years ago, the fac• tory produced only 120,000 iron pans a year. To meet the re• International Exhibitions at quirements of the international market, it has updated its tech• nology and equipment, set up the China International two iron molten automatic con• veyor lines and six casting and Exhibition Centre in 1990 pressing lines. It is able to prod• uce 5 million iron pans annual• Name of Exhibitions Date ly. With light weight, thin bot• tom for quick heat and beautiful International Furniture Making Machinery shape, its rare-earth alloy pans and Equipment Exhibition Feb.28-March 5 produced with new technology International Surface Treatment and Coating won the state silver prize in Processing Equipment Exhibition March 19-24 1988. Some 98.7 percent of its Third International Medical Apparatus and products are rated excellent. The products are so well re• Instruments Exhibition April 4-9 ceived on the international mar• First International Photoelectric Technology ket that the United States, Ja• Exhibition April 12-18 pan and France have requested International Electric Production and Semi• a greater volume of exports. conductor Exhibition April 18-21 by Li Rongxia International Mining Equipment and Tech• nology Exhibition May 14-18 A Joint Venture International Casting and Forging Industrial Furnace Exhibition June 8-14 In US International Energy Exhibition May 11-16 -ihe US TCC Electronics Co. International Photography, Audio-Video and Ltd., the first high-tech Broadcasting Equipment Exhibition June 1-6 T joint venture the city International Welding Exhibition June 5-9 of Chongqing, southwestern International Automobile Industrial Technol• China, established in United States, will begin operations in ogy Exhibition July 3-8 April 1990. International Book Exhibition Sept.2-7 The venture produces black- The Soviet Union Exhibition Sept.3-16 and-white and colour pickup ca• International Teaching Tools Exhibition Sept.7-12 meras, liquid crystal television International Moslem Goods, Equipment and sets and pickup camera-play vi- deocorders with vedio liquid Technology Exhibition Sept. 15-20 crystal displays as well as other International Transport Exhibition Sept. 18-23 electronic products which are to International Sports Exhibition Sept. 19-24 be sold in the United States and International Textile Machinery Exhibition Oct. 15-21 and Canada. Located in Holliston, Massa• International Telecommunications and Com• chusetts, the venture has a to• puters Exhibition Nov.8-13 tal investment of US$ 800,000, International Metallurgy Exhibition Nov.23-28 equally contributed by the two International Packaging Technology Exhibi• partners. It will first use the tion Nov.27-Dec.3 chip technology and then chips International Rubber and Plastic Industrial provided by the Chongqing Hu- ashu Photoelectric Group Co. Exhibition Nov.28-Dec.3 by Xja Changrong

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14,1990 29 FROM THE CHINESE PRESS dam" on the Huanghe River. Currently, Longyangxia Hy• droelectric Station is one of Chi• 3 Energy Bases in Huanghe Basin na's biggest reservoirs having the CHENGXIANG KAIFA I storage capacity of 24.7 billion (Urban and Rnral DeTelopment) Basin indicate that proven depos• its of coal in the Huanghe River cubic metres. Its four power ge• fter a decade of develop• accounts for 46.14 percent of the nerators have been put into oper• ment and construction, the country's total. Petroleum ac• ation, and are expected to gener• Huanghe (Yellow) River ate 6 billion kwh of electricity a A counts for 25.6 percent, and wat• year. Basin, now boasts three big ener• er resources, which could be de• gy power bases. They include veloped, amounts to an installed The Lijiaxia Hydroelectric a hydroelectric base centred in generating capacity of 28 mil• Station, which went into opera• Lanzhou in the upper reaches of lion kw. tion in April 1988, has an in• the river in Gansu Province; a Shortly after the founding of stalled electric capacity of 2 mil• coal base cut through Shanxi the People's Republic of China lion kw, only next to that of the Province in the middle part of in 1949, the state took on devel• Gezhouba Hydroelectric Station the river and a petroleum base in opment of water resources in the in the Changjiang (Yangtze) Huanghekou, the lower reaches upper reaches of the Huanghe !i River. of the river. River as a major task. In the Another eight hydroelectric According to preliminary sta• 1970s China successfully built stations are expected to be set tistics, these energy bases prov• four hydroelectric stations at up in the upper reaches of the ided 32 percent of China's coal Liujiaxia, Qingtongxia, Yan- Huanghe River. needs in 1988, 29 percent of the guoxia and Bapanxia with a total Now more than 50 oilfields country's oil needs, and 10 per• installed capacity of 1.96 mil• I have been found in the lower cent of China's electricity. lion kw. reaches of the Huanghe River. The figures released by the In 1980s, China finished the Of these, more than 40 have been Department for Controlling and construction of the Longyangxia put into operation. In 1988, the Developing the Huanghe River Hydroelectric Station, "the first basin's annual output of petro- democracy and legal system and favoured anarchism. Internation• Elements of China' s 'Micro-Climate' ally, it slavishly depended on for- LIAOWANG (Outlook Weekly) their individuality and the nation's I eigners, and put pressures on the dignity. Chinese government. eng Xiaoping said the unrest Negating socialist freedom and Opposing the people's democratic that plagued China from democracy and advocating bour• dictatorship on the pretext of com• Dmid-April to early June in geois liberalization and democracy bating feudal autocracy. This op• 1989 "was determined by the inter• by talking in an abstract fashion position blurred the diametrical national macro-climate and Chi• about "democracy, freedom, and I distinction between socialism and na's micro-climate." human rights." People who did so feudalism, the people's democratic The elements of China's "domes• negated the fruits of democratic dictatorship and feudal autocracy. tic micro-climate" or internal pol• construction and the pace of demo• I People who did so claimed that the itical situation are as follows: cratic revolution led by the Com• people's democratic dictatorship is Propagating extreme egoism. munist Party of China. They said a "despotic rule" and is against Some people spread such beliefs as "socialist China is a country with• "human rights;" "it punishes peo• the "individual is paramount to all out democracy" amd maintained ple for crimes by words." Mean- others," and "egoism is gene and that China's political system ' while, they propagated a instinct of human beings." They should imitate Western countries' 1 super-class and hypocritical also said that "encouraging self• "tripartite" political system—the I "humanitarianism" and demanded lessness will restrict personal char• so-called parliamentary democra• 1 openly for the release of "political acter" and "selfishness is right." cy. It distorted the principle of I prisoners." Spreading money worship. In• "letting a hundred schools of i Opposing the leadership of the fluenced by the idea that "nothing thought contend" and denied the Communist Party of China, advo- can be done without money," guidance of Marxism. Ignoring hu• j eating the pluralistic concept of pol• many people ignored laws and so• man rights in a socialist society, itics, demanding the Western multi- cial morality and did some shame• they propagated bourgeois human I party system and setting up an ful things resulting in the loss of rights. They damaged the socialist ! opposition party. These people

30 BEIJING REVIEW, JANUAKY 8-14, 1990 FROM THE CHINESE PRESS leum topped 33 million tons, 24 percent of the country's total. The Shengli and the Zhon- Homebound: Shanghai Women Workers gyuan oilfields have become a JIEFANG RIBAO second job, the survey found that mainstay in China's petroleum (Liberation Daily) most women now made to stay at industry. And a group of large, survey of more than 400 en• home suffer greatly from depression. modern petrochemical enterpris• terprises in Shanghai has They feel empty and their status in es using petroleum and natural shown that 6 percent of wom• the family is lower. Some of them gas as raw materials have ap• Aen workers now stay at home. have difficulties supporting their peared. I Eighty percent of those women families. The coal base, composed of the j workers are between the ages of 24 When Shanghai Women's Federa• Jungar Coal Mine, the Shanxi \ and 40 and 90 percent of them have tion conducted a recent survey, enti• Coal Mine and the Yuxi Coal | an education above the junior mid• tled Women's Opportunity to Earn a Mine, are scattered throughout dle school. They remain at home for Living, only eight percent of women the middle area of the Huanghe { one or two years, or even longer, the in more than 210 households had River. In recent years, China de- j survey found. chosen to stay at home. The majority veloped two coal mines on the : A small number of women choose of them were looking forward to re• banks of the Huanghe River. to stay at home. Some of them are on turning to work. extended maternity leave and others Another survey in Shanghai of One is the Shenfudongsheng have found a second job, so they can more than 100 large and medium- Coal Mine, one of the seven larg• earn more money. At the same time, sized enterprises showed that 92 per• est high-quality coal mines in the they are eligible for free medical ser• cent of the directors preferred to dis• world, and the other is the Jun• vice. miss female workers because there i gar Open-pit Coal Mine in the But most women are forced to stay were more of them than male work• Eerduosi Plateau of Inner Mon• at home either because the enterprise ers. The directors said that if the golia. has all the workers it needs or does decision was up to them they would Some new cities based on the ; not have enough work for its workers discharge one-fifth of their women energy resources industry are j to do. One factory has a policy that workers. The survey indicated that now thriving in the area of the { when there is not enough work to do, this social problem'was worth more Huanghe River Basin. I women over 45 must go home. research. (September 28, 1989) ! Except those who have found a (November 20, 1989) clamoured "to liquidate the auto• na's only way out is to take the cracy of the Party," and said that capitalist road" and "public owner• "newspapers should not be the ship should be ended." voice of the Party" and "workers Advocating "complete Westerni• must get rid of the leadership of zation" and national nihilism. Peo• the Party." ple who advocated bourgeois lib• Opposing the adherence of Marx• eralization sang the praises of co• ism, saying that Marxism is out of lonialism. They even hoped that date. These people said that the j China would "be a colony for 300 three parts of Marxism (dialectical years." They cursed and belittled materialism and historical materi• China's traditional culture and alism, political economics and fought against patriotic slogans, scientific socialism) are wrong. saying that "China is not worth "Marxism is useless in China," mentioning" and "the race of they said. "The research method of China is not good, the problem of Marxism proceeded from correct China is not to be liberated but principles but got the wrong re• dissolved." sult" and "Mao Zedong Thought It's easy to see that the "micro• should be criticized thoroughly." climate," which spreads bourgeois Opposing the socialist system liberalization, is opposed to the while praising the capitalist one. four cardinal principles—the basic This characteristic of—"micro• principle of socialist construction climate"—claimed "the experi• (adherence to the leadership of ment of socialism and its failure is the Communist Party, the socialist one of the two legacies in the 20th road, the people's democratic dic• century." It also said "Marxism tatorship and Marxism-Leninism destroyed an old world while capi• and Mao Zedong Thought). talism set up a new world," "Chi• (Issue No.36, 1989)

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 .11 CULTURE/SCIENCE in the world. The National Exhibition of Also on display were products -with strong regional characteris• Industrial and Applied Arts tics. Girls from Sichuan Prov• ince, home of one of the four rrihe National Exhibition of han Mountain, one of the most most renowned types of embroid• Industrial and Applied famous mountains in China. The ery in China, demonstrated their T Arts focusing on China's rising peaks, temples and natural skills. Sichuan embroidery is achievements in this field was wonders were all vividly carved characterized by its bright col• recently held in Beijing in the out. The green part of the stone ours. One typical work on dis• newly completed China Museum was turned into woods and play was Performance of Women of Industrial and Applied Arts. streams. The white part was Court Musicians. It is one metre On display were about 5,000 carved into floating clouds and high, two metres wide and em• artifacts from many parts of the flying white cranes. The upper broidered with 160 different col• country, including the works of right part of the stone is red so ours of silk thread and more than established Chinese masters and the carvers creatively made it 50 embroidery methods. academic institutions, interna• into a bright rising sun. A replica of a Ming emperor's tional prize winners and more Of the three jadeites the most "dragon robe" made by Nanjing than 200 national treasures. prized was flat in shape and glis• artists was especially fine. Among the exhibits, the most tened with several shades of The original dragon robe was brilliant were t!iree jadeite prod• green. It was carved into a screen unearthed from the Ming Tombs ucts which have been acclaimed 74 centimetres high and 146 cen• on the western outskirts of Bei• as rare national treasures. These timetres wide. On the screen are jing. It was the emperor's spe• three artifacts were made from nine dragons flying in the clouds. cial costume for grand ceremon• large jadeites that had been The dark green part was carved ial occasions. The replica was stored in the state storehouse for into dragons while the light brocaded with gold threads, five- several decades and took four green and white parts were coloured threads and threads years to finish. The largest of the carved into clouds and sea waves. made of peacock feathers. The three weighed 378 kilograms, The whole product is a shallow pattern showed 17 dragons roll• which is delicate, transparent relief sculpture. ing and tumbling in the red and comes in several colours, in• The third piece was carved clouds and mists. cluding green, white and red. into a gaily decorated flower bas• New Jingdezhen porcelain Chinese masters of industrial ket. Although it was smaller than products were shown at the exhi• and applied arts carved one of the other two carvings, it is still bition. A blue and white glazed the pieces into the image of Tais- the biggest jadeite flower basket vase designed and produced by

Although he grew up in the Wang Zhongnian's north and learnt from masters of the northern school, Wang was Landscape Painting eager to study some of the tech• niques of the southern school. r](-^raditional Chinese painting for its coal deposits. In 1964, This desire was fulfilled in 1986 has long been divided into he graduated from the middle when he was admitted to the T northern and southern school attached to the Luxun graduate class of the Guangzhou schools. The southern school fea• Fine Arts Academy. Because of Fine Arts Academy to learn from tures fine and delicate work, em• the "cultural revolution," he the renowned southern masters phasizing the lingering charm of didn't continue his education in Guan Shanyue and Li Xiongcai. a scene. The northern school college but instead worked for Since then, his works have dis• is more imposing in character, nearly 20 years on improving the played not only northern charac• being bold and unrestrained. cultural standards of the masses. teristics but also southern ones. Wang Zhongnian is an artist who It was in those years that he laid His motto is: Don't imitate the melds the two styles harmonious• a solid foundation for his later ancients; don't be limited by cur• ly into one. success in painting. While study• rent trends, and don't repeat my• Wang was born in 1942 in ing the techniques of traditional self. Liaoning's Benxi City, a small Chinese painting, he tried to do Wang recently held a one-man centre in northeast Chinafamous some creative work of his own. show in Beijing that gave lovers a

32 BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 CULTURE/SCIENCE the teachers and students of the Jingdezhen Ceramics Institute was an outstanding example of traditional craftsmanship. It dis• played the simple elegance popu- | lar with foreign and domestic art : lovers. The glazed vase was not | only rich in traditional designs | but showed contemporary con- i ceptions. ; In the 40 years since its found• ing, China has made great strides in industrial and applied arts. In 1988 the total value of produc• tion reached 11.4 billion yuan, 113 times more than in 1952. The export value reached US$ : 2.63 billion, 290 times greater , than in 1952. Since 1979, the state has given , gold and silver awards for the I best industrial artifacts. More ' than 200 different types of ahi- ' facts have won the awards. ! The status of industrial artists, considered as craftsmen in old society, also has changed greatly. | Wang's painting, The Snowy Forest. In January 1988 the state award- | the full moon hanging above. In sky. Although icicles hang on the ed the title of Master of Industri• terms of technique, everything rock, a few wild plants, symbols al and Applied Arts to 96 pro• but the cottage is worked out in of nature's vitality, stretch from fessionals who have made out• splash ink, which, along with the the narrow cracks. standing contributions to the de• drowsy moonlight, leaves viewers Wang emphasizes working velopment of China's industrial with a sense of peace and seren• from nature. In his opinion, na• and applied arts. ity. ture is an inexhaustible source by Wei Liming Other works present scenery for the landscape painters. Only from different parts of China. by learning from nature can a Yunnan's Misty Rain, for inst• painter improve himself. During better understanding of his ance, shows a subtropical forest his studies in Guangzhou, he works. The show included a large in Yunnan Province. Again the toured more than 10,000 kil• painting titled 10,000-Li Land• splash-ink technique was em• ometres in more than ten prov• scape, in which perilous moun• ployed to create a dripping effect inces, drawing more than 1,000 tains, shown in minute details, that portrays Yunnan's warm, sketches. In the preparation of stand along the banks of the fro• moist climate. 10,000-Li Landscape, he drew thing Changjiang (Yangtze) Riv• Wang's October in the Region more than 100 sketches during er. At 19 metres in length and 2.5 South of Changjiang River gives the eight months he travelled metres in width, 10,000-Li Land• an autumn picture. The leaves 5,000 kilometres along the scape is the biggest painting of have turned yellow and the Changjiang. the Changjiang ever created. trunks are dry. So the painting is Wang's works have been shown As a northerner, it is no coin• mainly composed of lines, which, in many domestic and foreign cidence that snow often appears together with the heavily shaded exhibitions. His Auspicious Snow in Wang's works. His paint• ground, produces a lyrical won a prize for excellence in the ing, the Jade-White Snow and beauty. "Sino-Japan Ink Painting Exhibi• Mirror-Bright Moon, shows a Snow on Heavenly Bridge pre• tion" held in Tokyo and was se• snowy forest scene in early win• sents a winter scene on Emei lected as an entry in the Con• ter. A brook winds through the Mountain, a scenic Buddhist temporary Ink Painting Exhibi• forest past a thatched cottage. holy place in Sichuan Province. tion, a Japanese pictorial album. Mist blurs everything, especially A gigantic rock soars towards the by Liu Tisen |

BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 33 BOOKS

In the late 1970s, the author, Biography Xi Dazhao' Published Wang Chaozhu, investigated the ctober 29, 1989 was the The biography provides a pan• places where Li Dazhao lived centenary birthday of Li oramic reproduction of the tu• and fought. After he collected O Dazhao, a pioneer and multuous events in the early and compiled a large amount of great Marxist of the Chinese 20th century China. Containing historical data and after editing communist movement. To com• rich historical data about actual the manuscript several times memorate the 100th birthday of events, it reflects on the course over a ten-year period, he this founder of the Chinese Com• of the early revolution and the completed his great munist Party, great proletarian birth and development of the 600,000-character work. revolutionary and thinker, the Chinese Communist Party and The publication of Li Dazhao Chinese Youth Publishing House praises the deeds of this com• will no doubt be useful for those has published a biography Li Da• munist pioneer who selflessly in China and abroad who want to zhao (in Chinese) on the eve of sacrificed all, dying a martyr's study and probe into the life of his 100th birthday. death for a glorious cause. Li Dazhao. •

iliar method invented by Ms. Yao, it also relates many suc• 'Qigong Series' Off the Press cessful, sometimes extraordinary cases cured by using the "Y he first publication, qigong research in China, the Method." The book gives people Chinese Qigong Series (in achievements already gained and a view of the great potential of T Chinese), to systematically guidance for those who are in• qigong. and seriously popularize the stu• terested in its practice and re• Other books to be published dy, practice and theory of qigong search. include the History, Methods (deep breathing exercises) has Two books already published. and Theories of Chinese Qigong been published in Beijing. Three Kinds of Notes to the Real• written by Wang Songling, a The series is chiefly edited by ization of Reality and The Feel practitioner with 60 years' exper• Zhang Zhenhuan, former direc• of Qi in the Human Body—Y ience and research on qigong. It tor of the State Commission of Method, have been sold like hot will be a major work in the his• Science, Technolgy & Industry cakes, and have won high praise tory of qigong in China. Also for National Defence and edited from experts and many readers. to be published are The Gist of and published by the Hua Xia The first book contains the fa• Qigong written by famous qigong Press. mous work of Taoist qigong expert Pang Heming for qigong This series includes past scien• Realization of Reality with a se• beginners; The Qigong, Science tific research on qigong. Its refer• lection of historical notes edited, and Modern Civilization written ence and explanatory notes are checked, and proofread by Shi by Tao Zulai, one of the most from ancient qigong books and Ping, former president of the authoritative persons in China's records. It contains clinical re• Beijing University Qigong Asso• qigong academic circles; Meth• sults, research and summaries on ciation, who has studied ancient ods and Theories of Qigong qigong, historical and documen• qigong books for many years. for Cardiovascular Disease was tary research, various outstand• Scientist Yao Zhenxiang has written by qigong medical spe• ing theories and methods suit• discovered a set of special meth• cialist Wang Rongxing based on able for popularization, as well ods to detect the causes of pain his over 30 years' practice in as introduction to and research and to cure illnesses by qigong qigong medicine; and Qigong on foreign qigong and para• which she called the "Y Meth• and Biological Control written psychology. od." After her method was by Huang Bingxian, a specialist Mr. Huang Junjie, s.tanding taught and passed down, many on China's biological control. member of the editorial board people came to her for treatment. The series, over 30 books, will for the series, said that the wri• Recently, she arranged a series be published in 1990. Its publica• ters and editors are all qigong of articles published in a qigong tion will promote exchanges of masters with rich experience in magazine and edited the book research results on qigong and this field in practice and research The Feel of Qi in the Human special functions of the body be• and so the publication is author• Body—Y Method. Apart from tween those interested in the sub• itative. It provides a comprehen• systematically introducing the ject both in China and abroad. sive view on the present level of special qigong skill and the fam- by Huang Junjie & Lou Xinyue

34 BEIJING REVIEW, JANUARY 8-14, 1990 Chinese Paintinqs by Li Junqi Li Junqi, born in Zhaozhou County, Heilongjiang Province in i 943, now works with New Youth magazine in the same province. These Chinese paintings are taken from his "Volume of China's Poets of the Past Ages." His work depicts some 500 poets from China's past with representative samples of their work. This volume of paintings is I 70-metre long and 2-metre wide. ZHEJIANG SILK

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