Poll: most want political reform, stability

Nearly eight out of 10 Chinese who took part in a poll said they believe the country should stay on the path of political reform while a majority also felt that the top priority should be the stability.

Those views were captured in a recent poll in which most Chinese are also against the path of "Total Westernization."

The telephone poll, which focused on political reform, was conducted by the Global Poll Center under the Global Times. Pollsters interviewed adults in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Changsha, Xi'an and Shenyang from October 28 to 31.

A total of 78.4 percent of the 1,327 respondents supported further political reform and just 5 percent expressed an opposite opinion. Another 16.7 percent of respondents had no strong opinion.

In terms of the goal of political reform, both items -creating a democratic political system with Chinese characteristics and exploring development - were supported by more than 50 percent of the people.

Only 15.5 percent felt a Western democratic political system should be implemented.

Zhang Weiwei, a professor at the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations, said he was pleased with the public's mental maturity when it comes to policies.

"Incremental promotion, experiments and accumulation are three effective weapons China used in the past during economic reform, which can also be applied to the political reform," Zhang said.

Some problems are considered worthy of special attention.

Nearly 70 percent of those polled were against the "Total Westernization" and 68.9 argued that stability should be a priority.

The lessons of the former Soviet Union, which collapsed in 1991, were mentioned by 36.5 percent of respondents during the poll.

Also, more than a quarter warned against delaying reform out of fear it could harm stability.

Zhang Shuhua, a political researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, noted that a foundation in law and culture would help pave the way for better political reform and the opposite could delay solutions for the country's social problems.

"Total westernization is by no means a choice for us. Even western societies recognize that China's political model has enriched the world's political development patterns," Zhang added. "China should have political confidence."

Two issues - reducing the wealth gap between the rich and the poor to realize social justice and erasing corruption - were identified as the most urgent practical problems that need a solution by 79.2 percent and 73.9 percent respectively.

Four other problems - ensuring democratic rights, transparency of Party affairs, stronger laws and expanding grassroots democracy - were popular with more than 60 percent.

Zhang Weiwei believes that these problems could be solved through political reform and legal methods.

Some 63.9 percent felt that China carried out political reform to some extent in the past three decades and 26.9 percent felt that only economic reform was clear during the past 30 years.

(Global Times November 1, 2010)