China Focus: "Joint Party commission" soothes public ire, boosts development

In Duguitala County in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, disputes over land rights and salaries among villagers and companies once led to scuffles or even major protests. But those frictions are now just a thing of the past.

Many local herdsmen have willingly become industrial workers for companies operating there, and the average annual income of some 27,000 county residents increased by 2,300 yuan (370 U.S. dollars) last year, latest government figures show.

Their secret recipe: a joint Communist Party of China (CPC) commission comprised of officials from the local industrial park, companies in the park and the county government. Since its founding, the commission has not only soothed public ire, but boosted local economic development.

CPC commissions for the park, companies, and county previously worked separately, failing to tackle disputes between local villagers and the companies.

More than 30 protests have taken place due to unsolved issues such as land expropriation, pollution and project launches since 2009, when the Duguitala Industrial Park was built. The park covers an area of more than 300 square km in Duguitala and is one of the major industrial parks in Inner Mongolia.

"The protests delayed projects, and sometimes police had to be used to stop violence," Wen Hao, deputy head of the CPC Working Committee of the park, told Xinhua. "It was an embarrassment for the park, the companies and the county government."

A joint CPC commission was born in 2013 to deal with the situation after much discussion. The commission is headed by the deputy head of the park's CPC Working Committee and consists of the Party head of the 17 companies in the park and the county's Party head. A "coordination center" was later established, where officials discussed villagers' interests and the launch of company projects during monthly conferences.

The commission also held on-the-spot discussions in crop fields and project construction sites about issues such as land usage, resident relocation and land compensation. Specific personnel were then assigned to handle conflicts in these areas.

The method worked wonders, with 26 major disputes properly handled in 2013 alone.

She Xiaoguang, deputy Party head of Duguitala, said that in the past, negotiations with the park about the conflicts were difficult because his county government was lower in rank than the industrial park, which is a regional-level unit.

"Because they are 'superior in ranking,' when we helped villagers pursue their rights, park officials thought we were 'working against them,'" the official said. "But if we simply gave in, locals would say we were 'collaborating with the park officials in malice.'"

"The commission came just in time when we were at a loss," he added. "It connected the three party units closely."

Under the commission's guidelines, Party cadres of the park must go to the companies and eat, live and work with the workers there to help them with their problems. Graduates and migrant workers from the county are also encouraged to work in the park.

Company cadres are required to keep in close contact with local herdsmen to help them shake off poverty.

Last year, under the joint commission's requirements, the CPC committee of Elion Resources Group, a company within the park, organized 30-odd villagers on an "experience-sharing tour" to other provinces to talk about environmental restoration, allowing them to earn more than 70,000 yuan each.

The joint commission also organizes sports games, skill training sessions and education campaigns for residents to improve their quality of life.

"In the past I have heard of the CPC, but I did not actually feel its impact until it led us in improving our income," said villager Zhang Xiwang.

Wang Yushui, a resident of Yongxing Village, agrees. Wang said with the help of several companies, he joined a group of others in the village in growing jujube trees.

"I am becoming a jujube farmer," Wang said. "The Party has brought hope into my life."

Lin Xiuqing, CPC chief of Longmaoying Village under Duguitala, said the joint commission has boosted the development of local industry, including fishing and raising sheep.

"The joint commission is a great way to guide people on the way towards prosperity and is definitely a good model for other places in China to follow," he added. Endi