Showing papers in "China: An International Journal in 2003"

China's Outward Direct Investment: Expanding Worldwide

Abstract: China has become a capital-surplus economy and its overseas investment has grown apace. Although its outward investment is still small in absolute terms, especially compared to the huge inward flow, China's overseas enterprises have been quietly gaining importance as new sources of international capital. They are now globally diversified and involved in a wide variety of sectors, including banking, manufacturing and natural resource exploitation. In the coming years, Chinese outward investment is expected to accelerate. The free trade agreement signed between ASEAN and China will no doubt intensify Chinese outward investment to the region.

Remaking the Communist Party-State: The Cadre Responsibility System at the Local Level in China

Abstract: The Chinese party-state is restructuring its governing institutions, and is reinventing itself in the process. China is not only remaking its public management, but it is also restructuring its party-state organisation. This project applies a local perspective to study state transformation and the focus is on the introduction of the cadre responsibility system at the local level. It is suggested that part of the radical reform proposals of the 1980s have in fact been carried out at the local level. Findings show that the CCP is ridding itself of some functions to enable it to become more efficient in carrying out others. Neither decentralisation nor re-centralisation is a linear process.

National Image Building and Chinese Foreign Policy

Abstract: This paper studies national image building as part of Chinese foreign policy, a subject hitherto neglected by scholars of China. First, it traces the various images the PRC government has tried to project of China, revealing both changes and continuities from the Maoist period to the present time. It then compares China's projected national images with others' perceptions of China, explaining the convergence and divergence of images and perceptions. Finally, this article explores whether the projected national images affect Chinese foreign policy behaviour, and if so, how? It draws on both neo-liberal institutionalism and constructivism in international relations theory to provide an answer.

Household Decisions and Gender Inequality in Education in Rural China

Abstract: This study employs a multidisciplinary approach to understand household education decisions and their implications for gender inequality in education in rural China Based on a household survey of poor rural counties in Gansu and Hebei and local accounts, the study finds that parents have higher educational expectations for boys than for girls Household education spending is a heavy economic burden for poor rural households, and school non-attendance rates are higher for girls than for boys in the majority of the counties School attendance is related to economic burden, gender and other factors, but the relationship differs across the counties

Parasites or Civilisers: The Legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party in Rural Areas

Abstract: The Communist Party of China is fighting hard to redefine its basis of legitimacy and give village and township cadres and ordinary Party members a sense of purpose and direction. It is trying to redefine itself as an elite party whose cadres are better educated, more cultured and civilised, and have better organisational abilities than the rest of the rural population; but these views are being seriously challenged by the peasants. This paper is based on a study of Xuanwei County, Yunnan Province.

House Church Movements and Religious Freedom in China

Abstract: The Chinese government has implemented legislative sanctions to regulate religious activity by requiring all collective religious activities to be conducted at registered venues. This paper studies the "non-registered" Protestant house churches with reference to their historical roots and current sociopolitical context. The case study of a house church in Guangzhou identifies the facilitating and constraining factors in terms of its leadership, organisation, resources, recruitment strategies, negotiation strategies and future prospects. As a non-compromising but non-confronting religious movement, the church has enjoyed a high degree of autonomy and ample room for expansion, though it is under close surveillance by local authorities and without legal status.

China's Government Debt: How Serious?

Abstract: This paper analyses China's foreign and domestic debt. Foreign debt poses no threat to China. Although China ranks high in terms of total foreign debt, the relative size of its foreign debt to GDP is small, and all its risk exposures are low. Also, China's foreign exchange reserves are much higher than total foreign debt outstanding. As for its domestic government debt, the figure is large but manageable. There are four major types: explicit fiscal debt which is the result of expansionary fiscal policy, unreported local government debt caused by the 1994 tax reform, state banks' bad loans resulting from fiscal and SOE reforms and which may become the largest fiscal liability, and finally, fiscal subsidies made to social security pension funds. Despite its debts, the Chinese government still has massive assets.

Villagers' Representative Assemblies: Towards Democracy or Centralism?

Abstract: Villagers' Representative Assemblies are playing an increasingly important role in village self-governance. In many villages, they are gradually superseding the Villagers' Assemblies and wielding powers that are supposed to be the latter's prerogatives. The creation of these assemblies is said to strengthen the supervision of power-holders by villagers through their representatives. This article argues that, contrary to their supporters' belief, these assemblies are mostly undemocratically constituted and subservient to village Party branches and Villagers' Committees. They are thus unable to check and balance the power of the Party and executive bodies in villages. The article also suggests ways to reform these assemblies.

The Quest for Good Governance: Hong Kong's Principal Officials Accountability System

Abstract: The second Tung Chee-hwa Administration in Hong Kong introduced the Principal Officials Accountability System (POAS) in July 2002 to enhance the quality of governance and accountability of its principal officials. A team of politically appointed principal officials replaced senior career civil servants as final decision-makers in the government. The co-option of two political party chairmen into the cabinet heralds the beginning of coalition politics, whereby the executive branch attempts to forge an alliance with some political parties in the legislature. However, owing to the undemocratic nature of the POAS, in which principal officials are responsible to the Chief Executive, not the public, it is doubtful if the POAS will improve the quality of governance in Hong Kong's open and pluralistic society.