Journal of Current Chinese Affairs - China aktuell 4/2008   Bestellen / Subscription:

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Studie

Im Fokus

Studie

A New Political Role? Discursive Strategies of Critical Journalists in China
Elin Sæther

Abstract: The simple opposition between free and restricted media is insufficient for understanding the dynamics within the Chinese media field. The media has diversified greatly during the last two decades, and social problems have become part of public discourse. Critical journalists in China have formulated a new professional identity. The hegemonic role of the Chinese media holds that journalists are propaganda workers, and that their main assignment is to forward the party line. Critical journalists oppose this definition of their role and seek to articulate a position that enables them to report more freely about social problems. Critical journalists are contributing to carving out a new political role for the Chinese media. The paper discusses how this role is a product of journalists’ attempts to increase their autonomy. On the other hand, the increase in critical journalism also reflects the party-state’s wish to utilize new media discourses, since limited exposure of local problems can portray the central party-state in a favourable light, as a responsive and responsible central state. The result is that the media acquires a conditional autonomy where the party-state retains the controlling power over a media that seeks to expand the range of topics that can be discussed in the public sphere.

Keywords: China, media, critical journalism, discourse, political role

Eine neue politische Rolle? Diskursive Strategien kritischer Journalisten in China
Elin Sæther

Abstract: Die vereinfachende Gegenüberstellung von freien und unfreien Medien reicht für ein Verständnis der Dynamik innerhalb der chinesischen Medienlandschaft nicht aus. Während der vergangenen zwei Jahrzehnte haben die Medien eine erhebliche Diversifizierung erfahren, und gesellschaftliche Probleme sind zum Gegenstand des öffentlichen Diskurses geworden. Kritische Journalisten haben für sich eine neue professionelle Identität formuliert. Vom Standpunkt einer hegemonialen Rolle der Medien in China gelten Journalisten als Propagandadienstleister, deren Hauptaufgabe die Verbreitung der Parteilinie ist. Kritische Journalisten widersetzen sich dieser Rolle und versuchen, eine Position zu artikulieren, die es ihnen ermöglicht, freier über gesellschaftliche Probleme zu berichten. Kritische Journalisten tragen dazu bei, eine neue politische Rolle für die Medien in China zu definieren. Der vorliegende Beitrag diskutiert, inwieweit aus den Bemühungen von Journalisten um größere Autonomie tatsächlich eine solche Rolle resultiert. Andererseits reflektiert die Stärkung eines kritischen Journalismus auch das Bestreben des Parteistaats, die neuen Mediendiskurse für sich zu nutzen, da eine begrenzte Aufdeckung lokaler Missstände den zentralen Parteistaat als responsiv und verantwortlich und damit in einem günstigen Licht erscheinen lässt. Im Ergebnis genießen dieMedien Autonomie unter Vorbehalt, indem der Parteistaat die Kontrollmacht über ihre Bestrebungen behält, die Bandbreite an öffentlich diskutierbaren Themen zu erweitern.

Keywords: China, Medien, kritischer Journalismus, Diskurs, politische Rolle

Democracy Postponed: Chinese Learning from the Soviet Collapse
Neil Munro

Abstract: This article analyses the significance of Chinese learning from the Soviet collapse with reference to prospects for direct, semi-competitive elections to the National People’s Congress. It shows that the decay of the system of soviets, which is a euphemism for the emasculation of the powers of popular assemblies and the empty ritual of elections without choice, is widely perceived as a reason for the Soviet collapse. However, there is a lack of clarity about the functions which the system of soviets, or in China people’s congresses, ought to fulfil, with legitimating, legislative, and supervisory functions receiving different emphases, and there is entrenched disagreement about how far China should depart from the traditional Leninist model. Although Gorbachev’s reforms are seen as misconceived, in the longer term there may be little alternative to the introduction of direct, semi-competitive elections if the rhetoric of “socialist democracy” is to have any credibility.

Keywords: China, semi-competitive elections, Soviet collapse, National People’s Congress, socialist democracy

Aufgeschobene Demokratie: Chinesische Lektionen aus dem Zusammenbruch der Sowjetunion
Neil Munro

Abstract: In diesem Beitrag wird die Bedeutung der Lehren, die in China aus dem Zusammenbruch der Sowjetunion gezogen wurden, im Hinblick auf eine mögliche Einführung direkter, semikompetitiver Wahlen zum Nationalen Volkskongress untersucht. Es wird gezeigt, dass der Niedergang des Systems der Sowjets – ein Euphemismus für den Verfall der Macht der Arbeiter-, Bauern- und Soldatenräte und ihrer entleerten Rituale nicht kompetitiver Wahlen – allgemein als eine Ursache für den Zusammenbruch der Sowjetunion betrachtet wird. Allerdings besteht kein klares Bild, welche Funktionen das System der Sowjets bzw. das der Volkskongresse in China erfüllen sollte. Legitimierende, legislative und Aufsichtsfunktionen werden unterschiedlich gewichtet und es finden sich tief gehende Meinungsverschiedenheiten darüber, wie weit China vom traditionellen leninistischen Modell abweichen sollte. Obgleich die Reformen unter Gorbatschow als verfehlt betrachtet werden, dürfte es längerfristig kaum eine Alternative zur Einführung direkter, semikompetitiver Wahlen zu den Volkskongressen geben, wenn die Rhetorik einer „sozialistischen Demokratie“ nicht jeglicher Glaubwürdigkeit entbehren soll.

Keywords: China, semikompetitive Wahlen, Zusammenbruch der Sowjetunion, Nationaler Volkskongress, sozialistische Demokratie

Harmonisierung per Gesetz – Arbeitskonflikte in China und das neue Arbeitskonfliktgesetz
Günter Schucher

Abstract: Die Zahl der Arbeitsstreitigkeiten in China ist in den letzten zehn Jahren dramatisch gestiegen und hat nach Inkrafttreten des Arbeitsvertragsgesetzes am1. Januar 2008 noch einmal zugenommen. Am 1. Mai 2008 wurde das neue Gesetz über Schlichtung und Schiedsverfahren bei Arbeitsstreitigkeiten wirksam, das vorherige Regeln imArbeitsgesetz von 1995 ersetzt. Es soll u.a. durch die Verlängerung von Antragsfristen, die Verkürzung von Bearbeitungszeiten und stärkere Rechtsverbindlichkeit von Schiedssprüchen den Zugang für Arbeiter zu Schlichtung und Schiedsverfahren erleichtern und sie durch erhöhte Effizienz dieser Regelungsformen davon abhalten, zum Mittel des offenen Protestes zu greifen. Vieles deutet jedoch darauf hin, dass die zunehmende Komplexität der Konflikte und ein Trend zur „Ver-Kollektivierung“ die Ineffizienz von Schlichtung und Schiedsverfahren weiter verstärken werden. Da die Proteste allerdings vorläufig lokal und fragmentiert bleiben, stellen sie kaum eine Gefahr für Regierung und Partei dar.

Keywords: VR China, Arbeitskonflikt, Konfliktregelung, Arbeitsrecht

Harmonization by Law – Labour Conflicts in China and the New Labour Conflict Law
Günter Schucher

Abstract: Over the last decade the number of labour disputes in China has increased dramatically, and even more so since the introduction of the Labour Contract Law on 1 January 2008. On 1 May 2008, the new Labour Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Law took effect, replacing the previous 1995 Labour Law. The new law has the potential to streamline the highly frustrating administrative procedures that have plagued labour disputes in China and have deterred labourers from seeking redress. While the Chinese government continues to advocate for mediation at the grass-roots level, the declining effectiveness of such mediation points to the fact that labour conflicts have become more complex and more complicated to resolve. Workers taking to the streets, however, are so far no danger to the Party’s power as protests are scattered and localized. Whether the new law will succeed in improving the institutional conflict resolution mechanism remains to be seen.

Keywords: P.R. China, labour conflicts, conflict resolution, labour law

Im Fokus

Chinas politische und Governance-Architektur im Wandel / The Changing Political and Governance Architecture in China
Hairong Lai

Abstract: The changes in China in the past thirty years have been not only economic but also political. Although there have been setbacks and sometimes even reversals, there has been a more or less clear tendency of moving away from “totalitarianism”. This tendency is shown in 1) reshuffled state-society relations, whereby the role of the state has decreased and the role of society has increased; 2) accelerated decentralization and devolution within the state; 3) gradually emerging checks and balances within the state and over the state by the people on a legal basis; 4) the institutionalization of limited terms of power holding and the peaceful transfer of power; 5) an ideological reconfiguration, whereby the concept of socialism and the mission of the party have been redefined; and 6) the growing independence of a citizenry with increasingly diverse values and life styles. There is strong momentum for the political evolution to continue. However, there is still uncertainty as to where it will end, and this future end partly depends on how the outside world engages with China.

Keywords: China, political change, tendency, uncertainty

Was bindet lokale Führungskräfte in Niederlassungen westlicher Firmen? / Maintaining Chinese Management Talent in Western Subsidiaries
Horst Groenewald

Abstract: Western companies uniformly point out that the competition for qualified local executives in China is becoming increasingly tough. Employees recruited at great expense and trained with a lot of commitment are ruthlessly wooed away by competitors, so that the talk about a “war for talent” is totally appropriate. The result is an urgent need for those responsible for personnel to explore the reasons for these high fluctuation rates and to optimize concepts and instruments for ensuring adequate employee loyalty. The author provides an overview of fluctuation and retention concepts in foreign-invested companies and summarizes the statements of 63 German, Swiss, and Austrian experts as well as 55 Chinese personnel and general managers.

Keywords: China, labour market, “war for talent”, fluctuation, retention

Regulation, Evaluation, and Certification of NGOs in the P.R. China / Regulierung, Bewertung und Zertifizierung von NRO in der VR China
Berthold Kuhn

Abstract: This paper looks at the regulation and evaluation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the People’s Republic (P.R.) of China as a means to build trust with the public, the government and the corporate sector. It puts special emphasis on the analysis of NGO certification systems in different countries and regions, with reference to the principles and good practices laid out by the International Committee on Fundraising Organizations (ICFO). NGO self-regulation accompanied by third-party evaluation and monitoring is a trend increasingly embraced in both developed and developing countries. Taking into account the situation in mainland China, it seems that having the government taking the lead in steering and providing initial support to such a certification scheme is unavoidable. In the P.R. China, the likely scenario for the NGO sector is that state authorities will take the lead in designing NGO evaluation and certification systems. However, the relevant authorities seem inclined to engage in a process of consultation and draw on academic expertise and international experience.

Keywords: China, trust, NGOs, evaluation, certification, regulation

Einheitlichkeit oder Pluralismus des Rechts? Zur „Wiederentdeckung“ des Gewohnheitsrechts in der VR China / Unity or Pluralism in the Legal System? Some Observations Concerning the “Rediscovery” of Customary Law in the P.R. China
Robert Heuser

Abstract: Whereas the existence of customary law was recognized under the Chinese legal system of the Republican Period, and customary law was explicitly mentioned in the Civil Code of 1920/30 as a source of law, after 1949 the legal system and legal science were silent on this subject for decades. With the exception of certain customs practiced traditionally by ethnic minorities, only acts promulgated by state agencies – statutes and policies – were considered to possess the quality of “law”. Since the final years of the twentieth century, this situation has been on the brink of change. This is the result of a growing consciousness on the part of both of legislators and academics concerning the necessity of considering the factual rules being practiced in – particularly rural – society, and thus recognizing the coexistence of and possible conflicts between “state law” and “folk law”. This article summarizes some highly heterogeneous cases of “folk law” as they appear in Chinese studies and shows how the official legal system is beginning to respond to the existence of “healthy” customs by recognizing them as a subsidiary source of law.

Keywords: China, legal system, customary law, civil code, ethnic minorities

Entspannung an der Taiwan-Straße: ein Land, zwei Regionen / Detente in the Taiwan Straits: One Country, Two Regions
Hans-Wilm Schütte

Abstract: Within a very short time after Taiwan’s Ma Ying-jeou took over the presidency, the impasse in relations with mainland China gave way to a new phase of dialogue that rapidly achieved concrete results, notably in terms of air links and tourism. Responsibility for this success lies not only with Ma but also – maybe even more so – with the leadership in Beijing under Hu Jintao, who shares Ma’s basic policy of pragmatism and flexibility. Beijing has now even agreed to deal with Taibei on an equal basis according to the new approach of “one country, two regions”, which replaces the old concept of “one country, two systems”. Though more progress in terms of normalization and detente between the two sides is likely to be achieved in the near future, big problems remain to be solved, especially with regard to military security and disarmament.

Keywords: Taiwan, Ma Ying-jeou, Hu Jintao, cross-strait policy, cross-strait dialogue