May 16th, 2008

The so-called “Chinese Miracle”

I attended a conference held on May 13th at Sascha’s in Shanghai- nice place, lots of fresh beers on first floor – held by Philippe Massonnet, Head of AFP (Agence France Presse) for China. Philippe Massonnet has been covering China as journalist since 1983. Here is some excerpts of an interview he gave lately at Aujourd’hui La Chine, translated from French.

Aujourd’hui La Chine: Why this tittle ?

Philippe Massonnet: [...] Even if China is changing at a fast pace, I wanted to show that the CCP hasn’t changed and what’s behind this famous “Chinese miracle”

ALC: You compare the CCP to a sect?

PM: The way China is ran is kept totally secret. What’s happening at the top of the government is unknown to everyone and those who try to decrypt the situation are mostly wrong. Today, getting to The President or the Prime Minister is almost impossible, although there is no single day without their actions broadcasted on TV. [...] Decisions are made in the deepest opacity, things haven’t changed for 30 years.

ALC: but China has changed ?

PM: The living standards have improved undoubtedly but this doesn’t mean common people are happier [..] The most chocking to me is that relationships between people are more and more violent and that money becomes the only referent language. [...]

ALC: How the CCP is supported by the civil society ?

PM: Having rallied the urban youth is its biggest victory, [...] I would not say the youth does respect the CCP but the fact is that they do not want to step back in history. [...] Having turned the communist doctrine into a nationalism feeling is the second big victory. The Chinese today feel they have been spoiled by the West during the 19th century and they want to take revenge, the CCP is supporting and nourishing this feeling. Since thir early days, Chinese people is taught with “Great China” and is kept away from self-thinking. [...]

ALC: you could be reproached of being anti-China ?

PM: I am neither pro or anti-China but what I sure is that I am fed up with those who want their Western desires to be a a Chinese reality… I call them “adorers”, living in a fiction world and believing and wanting us to believe China will turn onto a democracy [...]

ALC: You are not quite optimistic ?

PM: I would not make any prediction on how China will turn onto: China is always surprising as this past year can witness. I am actually worried about the collateral damages this system can create. What we look at today is a disturbing civil society, having no capacity to think, to speech and to be informed. We are facing a terrifying economic strength led by dictatorial people, which are almost unknown to us.

Quite different from what you read in the Western press…? Not sure but at least Phillipe Massonnet make its point clear. I haven’t bought the book – wasn’t quick enough mostly because I ran to the first floor instead – but I found this speech refreshing…

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