[Chinese
protesters] know that opposing the central authority means certain
annihilation. So they oppose wrongdoing by local officials while declaring
loyalty to the centre.———China: A Strong
Centre
Intra-party
democracy is a concept that the Chinese Communist Party has been keen to
explore… One way to do it would be to allow for controlled electoral contests…
between candidates approved by the party. They could start by having three or
four dependable people vying for an important post and giving them notice that
it is important for them to win public support in order to be appointed.———China: A Strong Centre
Corruption,
as well as the lack of the rule of law and governance institutions, is also
likely to continue to characterise the Chinese system—these are distinct
weaknesses.———China: A Strong Centre
Can
China follow Singapore—never mind America—on establishing the rule of law and
governance institutions? Not easy at all. It will require a very fundamental
change in the mental approach of both the government and the population. And as
these concepts are absent from their culture and history, one has to ask: Out
of what will these arise?———China: A
Strong Centre
In
China’s history, a strong centre means a peaceful country. A weak centre means
confusion and chaos. And this happened with the warlords. Everybody was a law
unto himself.———China: A Strong Centre
If
China gets involved in a war, it risks internal disturbance, clashes and
disorder, and it may go down again—perhaps for a long time.———Tao Guang Yang Hui: Keep Your Light under a
Bushel
Poor
people still behave like poor people even when they are getting rich.———The New China: People, Society, Economy