The China spread from the National Endowment for Democracy's 2012 Annual Report

1. COUNTRY IN FOCUS
S
ince introducing economic reforms in 1978, China has undergone a
phenomenal economic transformation, now ranking as the world’s second
largest economy. But China’s ability to continue reaping the gains of
economic reform will be tested by the relative lack of political reform, which
has left the government ill-prepared to manage increasing demands for political
participation. To maintain its grip on power, the Chinese government employs a
system of sophisticated and tech-savvy political controls which are highly effective
at curbing freedoms of speech and association. But despite such controls, citizens
continue to demand fundamental rights, many of which are protected under the
constitution. The rapid expansion of internet and social media usage along with
a vibrant grassroots movement has created opportunities for citizens to call for
improved accountability and address abuses of power, laying the foundation for
the emergence of a rights-based reform agenda.
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To support these efforts, the Endowment partners with organizations such as the
China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group to support Chinese rights defense
lawyers representing democracy activists facing unfounded criminal accusations
or other harassment. Another NED partner, the Center for International Private
Enterprise, promotes free and open debates on property rights, raises public
awareness of the need for transparency, and encourages citizen input on
economic policies and laws. In addition, several NED grantees raised awareness
about ‘re-education’ through labor camps, contributing to the government’s
2013 announcement of its intention to abolish the camps over the next decade.
The Endowment also maintains support for minority rights. The Chinese
government continues to incite ethnic hatred through propaganda and
censorship. The application of law is racially biased, frequently leading to
extreme discrepancies in sentencing for minorities. Large-scale militarization
and surveillance of Tibet grew in 2012 in response to more than 100 selfimmolations since 2009. The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) continued its
efforts to highlight the Chinese government’s treatment of Uyghurs, organizing
an advocacy campaign in Geneva during the UN Human Rights Council meetings,
which remains one of the few policy outlets around the world where their voice
can be heard.
Although the government continues to harass and repress activists, Chinese
civil society activists continue to advocate and create opportunities for reforms.
Government repression means that activists in China will need continued
international support, and the Endowment is proud to assist their efforts to build
a stronger foundation for democratic progress in China.
30 | National Endowment for Democracy
Tiananmen Square, Beijing, site of the bloody 1989 crackdown on peaceful student
protests; image courtesy of Flickr user asirap under the Creative Commons license.
2012 Annual Report | 31