What 'Democracy' Means in China After 30 Years of Reform
Friday, May 22, 2009 – 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
628 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Panelists
Dr. Cheng Li, Director of Research and Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, John L. Thornton China Center, Brookings Institution
Ms. Melanie Manion, Professor of Public Affairs and Political Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Dr. Liu Yawei, Director, China Program, The Carter Center
Dr. Bruce Dickson, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, George Washington University
Transcript (PDF) (Text)
At this CECC Roundtable, a panel of experts discussed the various meanings of "democracy" in China and considered China's progress toward stated democratic goals, addressing the issues of accountability, political participation, and responsiveness, as well as the relationship between economic development and democratic reforms. Chinese leaders state that China needs to improve its institutions of democracy, but how do Chinese leaders define democracy? What "democratic" practices have leaders instituted in society? Have Chinese politics "liberalized" and what are the implications for U.S. policy?