Beware low-flying aeroplanes
Nov 10th 2011, 6:24 by R.G.

TWO recent trends show the tensions that are growing at both the top and bottom ranks of Chinese society. The first concerns artist-cum-activist and all-round scourge of the Communist Party, Ai Weiwei. Mr Ai says ordinary Chinese people have been tucking banknotes into paper aeroplanes and flying them over his garden wall, in order to contribute to the $2.4m tax bill that Chinese authorities say he owes them. He was detained in April and held for nearly three months for what the Communist Party later said was tax evasion. Mr Ai says that the charges are politically motivated, a response to his outspoken criticism of the party. Mr Ai tells the BBC that he is overwhelmed by the gestures of support, however small, “They all have one message: we’re supporting you, we’re behind you…we know the accusations are fake.”

One Chinese supporter in the southern city of Guangzhou told the BBC he had sent a postal order [a money transfer] to Mr Ai because it was a “rare opportunity to support what I believe.” The supporter added, “I will keep my receipt of the postal order forever, because it is my first real vote.” The Chinese government, desperate to prevent such shows of support for a man it considers to be deeply subversive, has attempted to prevent the contributions. The Global Times newspaper said such donations to Mr Ai’s cause could constitute “illegal fundraising”.

This is the second time within a few weeks that ordinary Chinese people have voted with their feet (or aeroplanes) to support someone under attack by the Communist Party. The first case involves Chen Guangcheng, a blind activist being held under house arrest in the eastern province of Shandong. Mr Chen, who lost his sight as a child, became well-known between 2000 and 2005 as an outspoken supporter for the rights of the disabled in China. In 2005 however, he began to expose brutality in the local government’s enforcement of family-planning laws. He was arrested and jailed for four years. Since his release last year, dozens of hired thugs have been standing guard outside his village, preventing visitors from getting through. But in recent weeks, using their mobile phones and the internet to organise, groups of ordinary Chinese people have begun to show up at Chen’s village. Some, including one intrepid group of disabled people from Anhui province, have travelled hundreds of kilometres to demonstrate moral support for Chen’s stand. Foreign journalists and diplomats who try to visit are escorted away. Chinese visitors are often handled less politely, and many report being roughed up by the goons. None of them is allowed to reach Mr Chen.

Chinese citizens normally steer clear of any association with people who are labelled “troublemakers” by the government, for fear of being implicated themselves. So the very public support for Messrs Ai and Chen suggests that something new is emerging, on a small scale but perceptible nonetheless: a willingness to make an open stand in support of people who challenge the injustices of the system. No wonder the Communist Party is worried.

Even more worrying perhaps is what is going on at the other end of the social spectrum. The Chinese government has long relied on the anaesthetic of prosperity to keep urbanites happy and to keep them from mobilising politically. And, having seen how the movement was suppressed in Tiananmen Square in 1989, urban Chinese have been only too happy to stay clear of politics and concentrate on making money. Hundreds of millions of people have moved into the middle class. Estimates vary, but the country could now have as many as a million US dollar millionaires. But a recent survey by the Bank of China and influential publisher, the Hurun Report, has revealed what people with wealthy Chinese friends have known anecdotally for some time: that many rich Chinese people are getting on planes (low-flying or otherwise) and heading for the exit. Of the 980 people polled, each with assets of more than 10m yuan ($1.6m), over half said they were considering or have already taken steps to emigrate from China. Another survey published in April by China Merchants Bank and Bain & Company found similar results. Almost 60% of 2,600 high-net-worth individuals questioned by that survey said they were either considering emigration or had already begun the process. Among the reasons they cited most frequently are China’s bad pollution, dodgy food-safety standards, corruption and the lack of legal protections. Many also want to secure foreign educations for their children.

So, not only is discontent bubbling up from below, but it is clearly fizzing at the top as well, where confidence that China can continue on its present path seems to be decreasing. The two segments of society, so different on the face of it, are in fact two sides of the same coin. They show that China’s model for development is increasingly unable to contain the society it has created. The unspoken deal that was done between the Communist Party and the people of China after the Tiananmen protests of June 1989 and their violent suppression was that if the people stayed out of politics, they could do anything they wanted. Millions are still happy with the deal. But more and more people are not, and that deal is now starting to fray.

China has achieved amazing success economically. Its cities are booming and millions have lifted themselves out of poverty. But the fabric of China’s society is being stretched to the limit, and as expectations grow, so does the number of angry or worried people. Perhaps it can continue for some time, but sooner or later it must tear. The Chinese government could do better than merely to suppress these tensions. Political or legal reforms are desperately needed in order to resolve them, but they appear not to be on the table at all. So, while many Western analysts hyperventilate from afar about the inevitable rise of China and its dangers, closer to home the rise of China is looking much more difficult.

Melissia wrote:So the lower class is giving support to protesters, while the upper class is trying to emigrate out of the country, due to lack of regulation.

biccat wrote:I'm not even sure what this means.

[...]

They're not leaving China because of lack of regulation

Melissia wrote:Another survey published in April by China Merchants Bank and Bain & Company found similar results. Almost 60% of 2,600 high-net-worth individuals questioned by that survey said they were either considering emigration or had already begun the process. Among the reasons they cited most frequently are China’s bad pollution [lack of regulation in pollution], dodgy food-safety standards [lack of regulation in food safety], corruption [lack of regulation preventing corruption] and the lack of legal protections [lack of regulation protecting them in legal courts]. Many also want to secure foreign educations for their children.

Necroshea wrote:Come now, the way you finished the post it looked as though you did a TLDR section, as many people do. No need to get harsh because someone doesn't want to read a wall of text.

Melissia wrote:

Necroshea wrote:Come now, the way you finished the post it looked as though you did a TLDR section, as many people do. No need to get harsh because someone doesn't want to read a wall of text.

If one doesn't want tor read, then why would one argue in the first place?

Melissia wrote:Comments in brackets are mine. Yes, Biccat, reading comprehension is important if you want to argue with me.

KingCracker wrote:I have to agree with Melissia on that one. You cant make an argument without even bothering to read the damn thing. I think could be a good thing for their country. Sure revolutions can be a pretty disastrous thing, but maybe if we are lucky, America wont have to pay back those loans

China’s bad pollution, dodgy food-safety standards, corruption and the lack of legal protections. Many also want to secure foreign educations for their children.

KingCracker wrote:I have to agree with Melissia on that one. You cant make an argument without even bothering to read the damn thing. I think could be a good thing for their country. Sure revolutions can be a pretty disastrous thing, but maybe if we are lucky, America wont have to pay back those loans

biccat wrote:The problem is not lack of regulation,

[...]

it's that the government of China doesn't care about pollution and is doing nothing to stop it.

Melissia wrote:These two statements are mutually exclusive.

biccat wrote:No they're not.

Tiananmen...

Orlanth wrote:China [...] ignores then[sic; regulations] if it is in their interest to do so. It also imposes others unevenly and even remands respect for regulations that don't exist for people it wants to keep under the thumb.

China has effective regulations

Melissia wrote:Once more, two mutually exclusive statements. Unless that's your idea of "effective" regulations, in which case I don't think we'll ever agree.

biccat wrote:

Melissia wrote:Once more, two mutually exclusive statements. Unless that's your idea of "effective" regulations, in which case I don't think we'll ever agree.

Either you're not understanding the point being made or you're using a completely different definition of "regulations" than that which is commonly understood.

Melissia wrote:Surely since you believe all regulation to be ineffective in the first place, favoring complete deregulation instead (or at least that's the attitude I get from you), you'd agree that this is ineffective

China is heavily regulated

biccat wrote: China is also unresponsive to the demands of their people because (surprise surprise) they're a Communist dictatorship.

halonachos wrote:Wait a second, Ai Weiwei was released on bail on June 22nd of this year. I think that this article needs to make certain things more clear because it gives the impression that Ai Weiwei is still under arrest.

And how can you arrest this guy?

Spoiler: Mostly naked Chinese guy.

Spoiler:

biccat wrote:Is it effective at reducing pollution? No, not really. US regulation is only effective because it increases the costs of polluting to a point where it's cheaper to comply with the regulations than it is to violate them.

Albatross wrote:

halonachos wrote:Wait a second, Ai Weiwei was released on bail on June 22nd of this year. I think that this article needs to make certain things more clear because it gives the impression that Ai Weiwei is still under arrest.

And how can you arrest this guy?

Spoiler: Mostly naked Chinese guy.

Spoiler:

AIWEIWEI! Release the hounds!