Wen Warns of Hard Times

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao warned on Monday of harder economic times ahead, as the ruling Communist Party widened its "social stability" drive ahead of a key leadership transition later this year.

In his annual report to China's parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), Wen announced the government would scale down its economic growth targets in the wake of the global economic downturn, while citing concerns over domestic unrest and popular anger over official corruption and rising prices.

"Domestically, it has become more urgent but also more difficult to solve institutional and structural problems and alleviate the problem of unbalanced, uncoordinated, and unsustainable development," Wen said.

Wen alluded to the thousands of "mass incidents" seen around the country over the sale of rural land, mass forced evictions, and pollution, as well as widespread online criticism of the conduct of Party officials.

"There are still some deficiencies and shortcomings in the government's work," Wen said, in a speech which gave the impression of a rallying call during difficult times.

"Problems concerning land expropriation, housing demolition, workplace safety, food and drug safety, and income distribution are still very serious, and the people are still very concerned about them," he said.

"Government administration and services need to be improved, and efforts to build clean government need to be intensified."

"We must act with a strong sense of responsibility toward the country and the people," Wen warned.

Leadership change

This year's annual parliamentary sessions come just months ahead of a transition in the top echelons of Party leadership, when the administration of Wen and President Hu Jintao will hand over the reins to a new generation of leaders.

They have been marked by renewed detentions and surveillance of rights activists and political dissidents, as well as tight security and mass round-ups of petitioners—ordinary Chinese who try to pursue grievances against the government through legal channels.

China last year boosted spending to finance a nationwide domestic security drive known by police as "stability maintenance," following online calls for a "Jasmine revolution" inspired by the Arab Spring uprisings in the Middle East.

Independent media commentator Zan Aizong said the best thing the government could do for its people would be to begin reform of the political system.

"Prices are very high and corruption is very serious," he said. "Ordinary people are getting less and less happy, and all of this has to do with the premier."

"[Wen] talks about firm resolve, but the bravest thing to do would be to start a reform program, including reform of the political system," Zan said. "I think that what he said lacked energy, and that he may as well have said nothing at all."

He said many netizens now habitually make a play on the Chinese word for Premier, changing it to mean "never takes any notice."

"No one listens to the premier," he said.

'Hot air, no action'

Meanwhile, Beijing University of Science and Technology professor Hu Xingdou said Wen probably had much less control than he wanted over the progress of rule of law in China.

"Wen Jiabao personally has mentioned greater democracy and the rule of law a number of times in the past few years, and has called for political reforms," Hu said. "Many people think he is all hot air and no action."

"Many of his reform ideas will have to be implemented by other people."

Beijing-based petitioner Wu Tianli said she had gone to the Beijing municipal government complaints office on Monday, and found that policemen outnumbered petitioners.

"There were traffic police every five meters," Wu said. "On either side of Tiananmen Square, they had cut off the bus routes and the area was patrolled by officials in red armbands, armed police, and plainclothes police."

"The People's Congress representatives are cut off from the people," she said. "Whom exactly do they represent?"

Wu said police had told her that the entire Great Hall of the People would be surrounded by armed police for the duration of the parliamentary sessions.

"You can tell the state China is in from this alone," she said."The People's Congress is a big party for the elite classes, and they only represent themselves; they are totally engaged in corruption."

Reported by Fang Yuan for RFA's Mandarin service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.