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Almost all the leaders of CCP realise the problems associated with strict "one child policy",yet no leader dare to question this policy,especially at this delicate time.
Talking about lack of "Bipartisan Consensus" in US currently,US should consider itself lucky as its "Ruling Party Consensus" seems to be working.and it is apprarent that China does not have that.
But the US's decline is expected and whether China indeed will proceed as the sole super power,US should review its existing obsolete policies towards China-the coming super power.
Chen Guangcheng reflects badly on the CCP,but US is no longer in the position to dictate what China should do,and Obama has done what he can possibly do.
"the US's decline is expected and whether China indeed will proceed as the sole super power"
I don't know if you are old enough to remember that in the 1970's and early 80's Americans were lamenting that Japan was overtaking the US and buying up American real estate. Now look what happened to Japan, after 20 years of economic stagnation.
There is a recent article in this magazine: "China's Banks: Storing Up Trouble" which explains how China's economic stats are rigged. It is only a matter of time before China's economy implodes. A collapse of the Euro will accelerate China's economic implosion.
And then there is the fact that China's people have been enslaved by the regime which owns (oops, "governs") them. You can't fool all the people all the time, and eventually the Chinese people will take their freedom. Chen Guangcheng may be the blind herald of a free China.
Sir,Actually I am probably much older than you,when Nikkei index dropped from 39000 in 1989 to 14000 in 1995,I was already a middle aged man.
Also I agree with you the China growth is running into serious problems such as over investment,low consumption,bank bad loans,etc,etc
Of course China is not Japan,it has a bigger population and resource based,at earlier stage of development,etc,etc
But what I am trying to say is that these are actually two seperate issues.Whether China ends up having a severe recession or even depression,the decline of US is inevitable.
US is having great difficulties in solving its twin deficits,it has the 15 vs 99% problem,lack of "Bipartisan Consensus,it is ruled by America's Capitalist Party(ACP) which have become almost indistinguishable from China's Communist Party ,ACP have used their power to give themselves absurdly high pay(Leegalised corruption); they have no accountability to shareholders; and they've created a new caste, which is now exercising enormous political power.
US will have to retreat as the world's policeman,it is a matter of time.
It is much preferable to face up to harsh reality earlier.Thank you.
Dreamer-Sg, I agree with you. After the 2008 financial crisis, this entire story is out in the open - of how the US financial markets were deregulated to benefit a few, which in the context of other countries would be called crony capitalism. Maybe you are right in calling it American Capitalist Party.
The good news for the US that this crony capitalism seems to be restricted to financial services. When it comes to manufacturing, unregulated capitalism went global and benefited China. Unregulated technology services benefited India. So, the American Capitalist Party - maybe it is restricted and contained and may not cause much damage (beyond what it did in 2008).
The US is respected for three reasons: 1) the average American citizen is very simple, straightforward, and transparent; basically very nice people, 2) their govt provides a great lifestyle for US citizens with material, political and artistic freedom and 3) their businesses are extremely innovative (even the financial services businesses).
It is only the US foreign policy which stinks to high heavens all the time and reeks of immaturity, selfishness and gross hypocrisy. I would be happy with the decline and demise of this US foreign policy approach. And I am not alone. Even European refused to back the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.
As for the first three, I would be sad to see them decline.
Yes, China is aware of the problems in their one-child policy, but so far a clear alternative apparently hasn't presented itself.
The government says that without it, there would be at least another 300 million people in China - all needing homes, food and jobs. It's difficult to argue with that.
It isn't true to say the leaders 'don't dare' question the policy. It is, after all, their own policy. If they made it, they can surely question it.
It's unwise to attribute motive in the absence of facts.
Thank you.As I see it,US has the following good and bad points:
-A relatively stable uncorrupt government (for the most part).
But polarized domestic politics,. political leaders bicker over everything they can possibly bicker over,corrupted by lobbyists,bureaucracy and inefficiency.
-A highly proficient military that will be matched in effectiveness as the Chinese at their peak.
But military overextension and moral failure
-alarming" deficits(trade and budget), sluggish economic recovery
But business leaders enrich themselves at the expense of everyone else,
infrastructure crumbles, educational system deteriorates and failure to embrace new technologies like high-speed rail
-A slightly happier"upper" and "underclass".(in comparison to China)
-middle class stagnation and a widening gap in personal income.
-Demographic Stability
-Environmental protection that is fairly good.
-US most powerful weapon: its soft power,best educated and most creative population on earth
On the other hand,there are currently two groups of Chinese intellectuals
Some Chinese intellectuals(the glass is half empty group) do see the following pending problems:
-Corrupt politicised bureaucrats.
-Demographic disaster in the next 10-20 years.
-environmental degradation (Desertification, urbanization, higher dependence on foreign oil)
-Rebellious and resentful underclass that results in social instability.
Other Chinese intellectuals(the glass is half full group) are looking at the following bright prospects:
-China to be No.(1)in GDP.
-China to become the world No.(1) super power.
-The sheer size of the Chinese economy and its dynamism which is missing in USA and EU.
-Many positive factors such as China graduate more engineers every year than are in the entire US workforce,other achievements in defence,space,R&D,etc
-The "average" Chinese citizen views US as not trustworthy, a threat to China and a threat to world peace, and declining in military and economic power.
I am sure that both US and China have to adjust their policies in order to progress.The first to take the major step of adjustment would be at an advantage.
Actually, look up "Secret experimental city challenges China one-child policy "success" " on youtube. It is an Al Jazeera news clip. I don't completely agree w/ the conclusion that the results seen in this video would have been the case all over China, but I do agree that the one child policy must be relaxed a lot further, since it has outlived its usefulness (just look at current Chinese demographics).
There is a possible explanation on Chen's weird behavior in the Chaoyang hospital, i.e. hallucinating that he was threatened to leave the US embassy and yelling to fly on Clinton's plane,.....etc.
It is most likely related to the drugs that the hospital administered to him.
Otherwise there is no reason why Chen suddenly made a U-turn on his future plan while he is in the hospital.
US diplomats are solely to blame. They should not leave Chen alone in the hospital.
Are they so naive to think that the PSB guys don't have means to "modify" Chen's behavior?
I have different opinions.
Once Mr. Chen decided to leave the US Embassy and stepped onto the Chinese territory, he is once again a Chinese citizen.
The US diplomats have no right whatsoever to roam around Mr. Chen.
Mr. Chen, as a Chinese citizen, shall be protected and governed by Chinese laws. Again his well-being is the responsibility of China and her citizens.
Why should the US bear any responsibility?
Mr. Chen has been compliance with the laws of China, the Chinese government has not abide by Chinese laws.
The weird behaviour of Chen is the result of the mental torture suffered at the US embassy.
I always wonder why Uncle Sam is so keen on so-called human rights questions.Do American politicians believe that America has more respect for human rights? Then how do you explain a lot of thing that happened in Afghanistan and Pakistan?
Mind your own business please!
I always wonder why China is so unconcerned with human rights questions. Do they people believe that their rights, and they themselves by extension, don't matter? Then how do you explain the apologetic reasoning behind why they should not be allowed to form opposition parties or hold their lawmakers to account or be allowed to vote in elections?
Monkey, China is more concerned with human rights than the US.
Sure. Tianamen Square was a great example of how concerned they are.
I guess that's why there are all those free elections, and independent media outlets and why all them Tibetans feel that they can just elect anyone they want to represent them.
So why are there no election in China?
Why is the media controlled in China?
"Mind your own business please!"
Well, Mr Chen, a Chinese citizen ran to US embassy asking for help. What do you expect US should do? turn him back to China? just like China has turned thousands of North Koreans back to their country for execution?
How do you feel about a neighbor next door came knocking on your door asking for shelter because her husband beat her up? you would turn her away using "Mind your own business please" excuse?
Jean Michel,really?Chen is blind,but you are blind even having a pair of perfectly working eyes
And what about the American torturers in Iraq and the murder of unarmed Afghans in Afghanistan.
This man has made such a fuss. I believe what he says in the videos (those on youtube) are only partially true. I don't think any person can be so stupid to murder a person who's against rural females following the one-kid policy. He must have exaggerated a lot of facts. I feel that Locke and Clinton are hoodwinked. This man's a sly dog. he takes advantages of the sympathies of American high officers and then turn against them. Blaming the U.S. Embassy for not helping him? Why, who went to the hospital in Chaoyang with him? Can't he remember?
I hope you are not a 50-cent? Sorry I don't understand "I don't think any person can be so stupid to murder a person who's against rural females following the one-kid policy." Can you please kindly enlighten me?
No, he is not a 50-centsand his argument is very clear. Sorry if you do not understand it, other people do.
Oh Jean Michel.....I admire your dedication to the cause. Your commitment to parroting the Party line daily in all issues does show your hard-work. But like most mainland posters on this and other sites, I am afraid your horse blinders are showing, as usual. You cannot be expected to be taken seriously on a comment section on a website like the Economist, if all you do is spout Party line gibberish, insult people offering different opinions and trying to link other, non-related issues to the situation at hand. This case has achieved world-wide significance not simply because of 'meddling foreigners', but quite simply because it is yet another example of a brutish, one party, authoritarian regime crushing any and all citizens who even remotely question the Party line. The world cares about this issue because this regime continues to flex its muscle on a world stage, and people are concerned about this boorish behavior. As someone who actually lives in China, I see this everyday. I wish the citizens here could have access to an open media and see for themselves some alternative (more accurate news), and I wish the rest of the world could really see the day-to-day corruption and oppression here. It's heartbreaking, at times.
what is 50-cent??? By "I don't think any person can be so stupid to murder a person who's against rural females following the one-kid policy" I mean I suspect he's been fanciful. I don't think the Chinese government has enforced the one-kid policy because I know plenty Chinese (not Taiwanese or Hong Kong-er, mind you) who have siblings. And as I don't think the government enforces this policy, that Chen is badly treated by the government because he's against the one-kid policy seems unimaginable to me. Never heard of such things before in my life.
Yes many people from PRC have siblings. I myself have siblings. But that's because my sisters and I were born before late 1970s when the policy was introduced. I also have a younger brother who were born after the policy started and because of that my mother had to undergo mandatory sterilisation surgery and my family also paid a heavy fine (equiv to that year's household income) . Other families that had more than one child against the policy probably have paid heavy prices as well – it ranges from a hefty fine, to confiscation of assets/property/demolition of house (a terrible practice that was more common many years ago but I rarely hear of now, as a sign of improvement in the enforcement practice), to forced sterilisation, forced abortions, forced adoption of the 'illegally born' children, dismissal from public office/positions etc. The more brutal methods are more common in the less developed areas of China, and mainly in rural China. It also varies from region to region.
How's your Chinese? It's common for younger Chinese people to refer to similarly aged cousins as their brothers or sisters.
Also, the kind of poor rural peasant most likely to fall afoul of the one child policy is also the least likely to travel abroad and talk with foreigners.
Might is right. So USA was right in the past, so China will be right in the future
I think you missed the point there. It was pointing out that the powerful tend to be above the law. It's about the unequal application of law.... ahh nevermind.
Powerful is the law.
There is a notable difference between rightfulness, truth and the law. Might may dictate the law but it cannot forever hide the truth.
There is no absolute truth, its all relative based on the relative power of different stakeholders, same for the concept of right/wrong and law.
So, say, if ze-Economist gets pissed at you for some reason and decides to look up your address, steal your stuff, kidnap you, and slap your mother, that could be perfectly right depending on the "relative power of different stakeholders"?
Exactly right, if I don't even have the power or the ability to utilize the power of the state to defend my "castle", I really do not have the right to own it.
off yourself please you waste of oxygen.
Mr. Chen's situation is another classis example of Chinese citizens trying to get attention of the international media by clearly working against a system that had pulled millions of people from poverty over the last years. No none talks about the good the government has done, they try to blame everything on human rights. Now, what was he fighting against? Abortions? Sterilisations? china has a strict one child policy, which has lead to amazing development in the Chinese society, (something that cannot be explained in a tiny comment box or expats who has not lived in china would not understand). If you break the rule by having two or three kids..(Chinese citizens breaking this law is not new)...the government has already informed the citizens of strict measures against it..why cry now? I agree with the comment on how much we can trust Chen....all this story talkis about is a guy who fought against the local governments preventive measures and now ran off to the US embassy, seeking help (asylum?).
What do the 1.5 billion people expect the us embassy to be? Noah's ark?
- An expat economist living in China, India, Dubai, Hong Kong and US.
Noah's ark... LOL
Yours is a stale old argument. Yes, China's economic reforms have pulled millions out of poverty. No one is going to argue about that. But it is not, good sir, nitpicking to be in strong favor of better government treatment of their citizens. If you've lived in China, you'll see that the Political class drives sleek black Audis while others pick plastic bottles out of trash cans to buy a bowl of noodles at the end of the day.
And you should know that forced sterilizations and abortions are not an official part of the One Child Policy. They are against the law, usually committed by local governments trying to reach quotas so that they receive promotions. Chen was only bringing a practice that is considered illegal on the Party's own terms to light. And that, apparently, is itself illegal.
And by the way...
"An expat economist living in China, India, Dubai, Hong Kong and US."
That's a lot of places to be living in at one time.
So you think to force abortion of a baby just several days before the expected birth is right just because the woman is supposed to abide by the one-child policy? Do you think there is a difference between that act and murdering a person? I can tell you a real story: my ex-sister-in-law was forced to have an abortion just a couple of weeks before the baby was due to be born. The abortion wasn't very successful and the baby boy was still alive after the abortion and died after about 2 weeks. I was deeply shocked and forever scarred after I heard about this.
I heard that this kind of extremely harsh practice is becoming rarer these days, and it should also be noted that forced abortion has been illegal in China, although local officials in certain areas violated it. Mr Chen's fighting deserves everybody's full support and admiration.
On another subject, one-child policy is not the reason for China's economic success. If you look at the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of other comparable developing countries, such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, even India, TFR has dropped in a simiar way in all of those countries since late 1970s. China's would have dropped substantially too had it not implemented the one child policy. It's economic development, education and increased availability of contraceptive measures that reduced TFR and hindered population overgrowth.
You must be one of the few economists in the world who don't see the problem of ultra-low TFRs.
Chen is being threatened only by the local governments and not the state itself. It officially restrcits urban married couples to have only child..(one birth) the rate of economic growth for this country is more when compared to the 'forced abortions' faced by a certain group of villagers and they not illegal on the party's own terms to light.
As for the black audis, inequality in income is unavoidable if you want the society and markets to run smoothly. if that is the argument, then the united states governement should start dividing its resources and income among the masses equally..would you be happy to work for a fixed 100 usd a month (an assumed figure), with no incentives whatsoever to work hard, thus reducing your workplace efficiency, in turn reducing the firms efficieny and ending up reducing the country's overall productivity?
the real question is this..is not being able to determine one's family size a violation of human rights?
it is a lot of places and a lot of experiences to have at one time...from crony capitalism to dynamic democracies..be it monarchy or republican..lets just say its a lot that one witnesses.
as for the forced abortion issue, your sisters situation was tragic and im sorry to hear that. unfortunately, the only thing we know is that some abortions were forced and nothing else. we do not know how pregnant the women were, whether it was 'forced' or 'requested', (some women prefer a 'forced' abortion by the government agencies as many do not have money to pay to the legalised abortion clinics)..which is it? we do not know.
In other countries too, not everybody has got a black audi and many people are homeless.
She is my ex-sister-in-law. She was in hiding but got spotted by some "family-planning" officers, and was then physically taken (by force) to the local hospital for the abortion, just shortly before the baby was due. There were a lot of this kind of later-term forced abortions. That was not the only case I have heard of. So yes, these were literally "forced" abortions.
Forced sterilizations and abortions are supposed to be against Chinese law. The problem here are not Chinese laws "per se", but rather the regime's arbitrariness in applying them and in delivering punishment for those who "break them". Its lack of Rule of Law. China's successes can't possibly hide or justify its misdeeds. And Chen's case is a very serious case of misdeed.
the one child policy is one of the reasons for china's success.
and china does not have an LFR or TFR issue. Most of this bashing comes from the ignorance about the one child policy. the government does not force one child policy on every single couple. like any law, there are extensions and loop holes. for example, citizens who do not have brothers or sisters (one-child), who marry another one-child person, are allowed to have two kids. Couples who are from rural areas are allowed to have more than one kid. If you really, badly want to have more than one kid, you can give birth in taiwan or hong kong, better still, if you do not want to give birth in hk or taiwan, pay the government a hefty fee and get it on.
see? its not that bad.
OK, let's talk about "the igonorance about the one child policy". Firstly, you as "an expat economist" living in multi countries, as is stated in one of your posts, I doubt you have actually dug deep into the situation and have a good look into it.
It's not that simple - no definitely not all rural chinese are permitted to have more than one child. It's true that if both husband and wife are the only children of their own family, then they can have two children. On the first point, I myself grew up in rural China, and witnessed my own mother trying to hide in relatives' homes when she was pregnant with my younger brother. She was also heavily pressured (I would say that she was really forced to do it) by local officials to undergo the sterilisation operation. So these practices were very close to me. The local family planning officials were considered relatively "civilised" in my hometown, so my mother was able to give birth to my younger brother and a huge fine (equivalent of the whole household income of that year) and mandatory sterilisation afterwards were the price my mother/parents paid.
I also recall how my other peasant relatives tried to hide everywhere when they were pregnant of their second child.
So basically you think china should get rid of the one child policy...now that's a whole different issue you know.
The short answer is YES.
I used to think the one child policy was not desirable but necessary, but after I did a fair bit of research on world population and related policy issues last year, I completely changed my view. I now firmly believe China should abolish its one-child policy. And I don't think it would lead to china's populaiton explosion. Most middle class Chinese (the size has been growing) don't want to have more than 2 kids even if you encourage them to have more. Many are delaying marriage (culturally the Chinese tend to only have kids when they are married) till a much later age compared to decades ago. Many are opting to have no kids at all.
The viable way is to stop the policy, diverting resources from enforcing this policy to better education, medicare, pension system would be far wiser.
It can if it wants to...and it might do it once India overtakes the worlds most populated title. Chinese regimes are highly strategic. Now, the Chen guy was almost near deaths door step and put his family and extended family in danger when he resorted to the asylum drama..
He was either very stupid or too sneaky. He was probably thought that getting the attention of the Beijing government was by running away to Noah's Ark and now since he is well known over everywhere except mainland china, the government will protect him...on the other hand..if he kept doing what he did in that little village of his....the local government would not let him nor his family live in peace, if he kept 'fighting injustice'.
He's not stupid. He is just brave and compassionate.
Yes he has put himself, his family and friends in danger. But that's why we admire him.
BTW, your user name change has been noticed. Thanks for reminding us you are still an economist even after the change :)
its a thin line between bravery and stupidity.
thanks for noticing the change :)
From this article we know which country cares about human right----No country.
They all talking human rights, but it's all marketable and tradeable.
It's not black and white. Caring about human rights is on a scale of intensity, and the Americans obviously care about human rights in America far more than they do in the rest of the world.
For example the US government (at least the Democrats) does a pretty good job at protecting human rights in the US, but still are willing to support brutal dictators in Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and etc etc for the economic interests of the US.
Why? It's human nature. You obviously care about your family more than your friends, your friends more than random people whom you do not know in your country, random people in your country over random foreigners and etc etc
You have to understand. The difference is Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, don't have Constitution that protects freedom of relgion, etc. China does. So those countries can hide behind the cover "its our laws". Its all the face thing again. If you chop off a person's head with a rusty blade and its enshrined in your constitution, that there is little the West can do. If the punishment for rapist is castration then again people don't complain.
A simple solution is to change the Chinese Constitution so that to modify the Chinese Constitution so it reflects reality. Get rid of the clauses on freedom of religion, freedom of speech. In fact I suggest, people who practice religion should be imprisoned. Talking with foreign journalist ditto. Western men sleeping with Chinese women should be castrated, and made to serve as Eunuchs in the NPC. Westerners are strange people if you wrap it enough mumbo-jumbo, relativism kicks in.
People don't respect China, despite its power, because the laws say one thing, and they do something else. But then again, modern China is built on hypocrisy. Most mainland Chinese have no problem talking about attracting foreign investment, while denouncing the West for interference for every small incident.
Actually most mainland Chinese people are not extreme radicals like the people you see on this website. For example most Chinese girls love Western willies, and it's only natural for Chinese guys to be jealous of it.
China is receiving negative publicity over Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, etc because it's huge. 10 years ago, before China became relevant, I remember that nobody paid attention to human rights in China in the US or Europe, and this is when human rights in China was much worse than it is today. Now that China is poised to overtake America as the world's largest economy in the next decade, people all of a sudden start caring about it.
If hypothetically Saudi Arabia was the world's #2 economy, then you can bet that the world would care about human rights in SA too.
I believe you live in a doggy position. You said tha Americans obviously care about human rights, yet they have murdered and tortured hundreds of thousands of Iraqis an Afghans. Not so long ago, they coldobloodedly murdered fifteen Afghans, all of them were unarmed. And the tortures...I do not believe anything comparable to the tortures they inflict onthe Iraqis.
You need to relax, I was just trolling. The West has talked about human rights in China for a long time, and its not just in the last ten years. Its been like this since 1989, in fact in the early 1990s that is what they only talked about. But you are too young to know about that. As for the human rights situation being better or worse in the last ten years, I don't see much difference. The same goes for the mid to late 1990s.
When people lay down the law and follow it, no matter how stupid, other countries will respect that. The Socialist Constitution like China have high ideals, but in reality its the opposite. I always think its better to be frank and honest with your subjects/citizens/serf etc. The Gulf states are like that. Westerner have been arrested and sentence for adultery, for having a poppy seed on their shoe etc. There is no exceptions. Westerners don't complain much, because the laws are clear and enforced. Give the rights you can afford to give, if not, its better not to give them.
Why do you think I need to "relax"?
I don't think the world will ever be comfortable with a brutal authoritarian government like Saudi Arabia's as a superpower. China grants much more freedom to its citizens than Saudi Arabia (censorship is much better than following strict Islamic laws) so it is much better than SA in this regard. I think it's much better for China to keep its constitution and reform rather than adopt a Saudi style one.
BTW you are Bismarck888's writing style are oddly similar. This shit's gettin' confusin' yo
"The disputed story of a blind activist raises difficult questions for both superpowers"
Why not focus INSTEAD on the similar -yet UNdisputed- story of the soldier-activist who raises difficult questions for ONE superpower?
I'm referring of course to political prisoner Pfc Bradley Edward Manning. Why not focus on the detention of this young man or that of yet ANOTHER political prisoner; Julian Assange?
BTW, the only reason this blind activist wants to 'escape' to America is precisely because HE'S BLIND and can't see what he's getting himself into!!!
indeed, we've enough problems at hand now. no need to worry about others who's the entire pacific away. resolve our own problems first. It seems that all the world is talking about chen and his fate these days, while Manning is left alone.
Manning broke specific laws after swearing to project his country against "all enemies, foreign and domestic" when he joined the Army. It's unclear what his action was intended to accomplish - apparently he simply hoped to harm the government in some way by dumping materials that might have contained sensitive and/or compromising information - it doesn't seem he bothered to check what he was making available to the world. His most serious complaint about his conditions of imprisonment were that he was forced to sleep naked (after threatening a guard that he would commit suicide) and that the blanket provided was "not at all soft." As a political prisoner, he's mostly an embarrassment. To himself.
Mr. Chen had served his sentence (on what sounds like a trumped-up charge, but anyway...) and was being kept under house arrest for no stated reason, by the local authorities. He had been attempting to make his government live up to its written laws, not just taking wild shots at it. Chen and his wife were beaten, their little daughter harassed. And if he gets to America and doesn't like what he's gotten himself into, he can get on the next plane and go home.
If u are one of the microblogers in China, u will see how dissenters comments on sensitive events are disappeared. But it won't work that well as there are many of us who'd like to speak for themselves.
That's because you are not important enough. Mr. Chen just called in live to US congressional hearing, from China, Beijin hospital room. That fact alone exposes lies about government total control of communication, or are you claiming that Chinese government works for Romney?
In the call, by the way, Mr. Chen asked for help to 'locate and secure' his extended family, but not any one of the persons helped him escape. Tell you the truth, I'm disgusted with this guy.
Yes he should have demanded release of those who helped him to escape, such as Ms He Peirong (Pearl). Hilary Clinton should have done that too.
Nobody seems to care what has happened to those brave people?
well. this news is relatively pertinent. a government shouldnot give up its privilege and authority, though as we all know, it should be lawed.
I want to state that well-being of Mr. Chen, and for that matter the ordinary Chinese citizens, is the RESPONSIBILITY of China and her citizens.
Why should Americans bear the responsibility, or even the blame, in this case, regardless of which direction this event will take? If the Chinese citizen can take in the house-arresting and torturing of their blind countryman, why should the US be responsible for his well-being?
The Chinese citizens on this forum must look into themselves for their own efforts to make China better. Even if Mr. Chen killed someone today and became a murderer it does not make the previous house-arresting and torturing him right.
The Americans broke his foot and mentally tortured him for six days. He entered the embassy a healthy person and left it six days later a complete wreck. Who is to be blamed for that?
I am shocked.
Are you accusations backed by facts? Witnesses?
For the event of last six days, we heard from both side, the he said she said, news papers said, the the whole nine yard. Mr. Chen does not appear to always, or even often, tell the truth. If that's the case, how much trust we can place on Mr. Chen's account of his 19 month house arrest? We only heard one side.
Do you realise tha I am shocked too and that I can also ask you to back your accusations and to produce witnesses.
I do accept your argument and the possibility.
Regardless the well-being of Mr. Chen is the responsibility of China and her citizens. It makes more so if Mr. Chen turns out to be a total liar.
To tell the truth I sense something fishy about him. For one thing, self-taught lawyers aren't lawyers and they cannot and should not practice the law. Do you trust a lawyer in your state who tells you that he's "self-taught" but hasn't passed any bar exams?? The human rights activist should at least qualify himself for the title.
Indeed, Chen's not an American citizen; so what rights has he to think that the U.S. embassy, Hillary Clinton and Mr. Obama are *obliged* to help him? and blaming the U.S. embassy after all this?? has he any senses??
If he wants to go to the US, I cannot see how China can look after him. The problem is that the US is not eager to welcome him and his extended family which consists of more than one hundred members.
aren't you exaggerating?? a family of one hundred members??? what sort of family is that? or are you referring to the entire population of his hometown?
He did pass the Chinese bar. This is his basic biography before he was put under house arrest.
Chen hails from the small village of Dongshigu, Shandong province, approximately 200 km from the city of Jinan. Due to a severe fever, Chen lost his sight at an early age. He was illiterate until 1994 when he was enrolled by Qingdao High School for the Blind and graduated in 1998. In that time, Chen had already begun developing an interest in the law, and enlisted his brothers to read legal texts to him.
He then studied in Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine from 1998 to 2001, specializing in acupuncture and massage. After graduation he returned to his home region and found a job as a masseur in the hospital of Yinan county. Nonetheless, he managed to audit law classes, and learned enough to aid his fellow villagers when they sought his assistance.
Chen's first experience petitioning authorities was in 1994, when he traveled to Beijing to appeal against taxes that were being wrongly levied on his family (disabled persons, such as Chen, are theoretically exempt from taxation and fees; his family had been taxed regardless). The appeal was successful, and thereafter Chen helped other individuals with disabilities to avoid undue taxation.
He also began organizing villagers to engage in collective action campaigns. In 2000, Chen organized villagers in his hometown and 78 others to petition against a paper mill that had been spewing noxious chemicals into a river, destroying crops and killing wildlife.
Chen's most well publicized case came in 2005. Chen exposed harsh illegal measures by local authorities when enforcing the one-child policy, where family planning officials from Linyi municipal authorities in Shandong forced thousands of people to undergo sterilization or to abort pregnancies. Chinese national regulations prohibit such brutal measures. The officials were also accused of detaining and torturing relatives of people who had escaped from the forced measures.
Chen filed a class-action lawsuit on the women's behalf against Linyi officials and drew attention to the plight of the villagers. He also traveled to Beijing in June 2005 to seek redress. Although the suit he filed was rejected, the incident was publicised on the Internet and by the U.S. publication Time, which interviewed Chen.This prompted the National Population and Family Planning Commission to launch an investigation in August 2005. A month later, the Commission announced that several Linyi officials were detained.
Later the Linyi officials would imprison him for four years on the charge of "disrupting traffic" and then kept him under house arrest without charges for 19 months.
Speaking of POLITICAL PRISONERS, does the United Sates have any plans to release Bradley Manning or Julian Assange any time soon?
Maybe a SWAP between China & the USA would be in order here.
Well...Obama has already won his Nobel peace prize. Can he get another one?
Sure! So can YOU ...the Norwegians are selling them at 3 for $1!
After they gave one to that WAR CRIMINAL Henry Kissinger, the entire concept kinda went down the tubes. Thanks for still believing tho!
China would be very happy if Chen could leave the country and go to a foreign country.
Once, a former state secretary of the US asked Deng Xiaoping that his government must allow those chinese who wished to leave China to do so. Deng Xiaoping said that he welcome the idea and asked that secretary of state whether his country would welcome a few million of them because he, Deng Xiaoping, would immediately make arrangements to have them shipped to the US, even at the expense of paying their airfare. The secretary of state did not say anything and never asked the same question again.
In the case of Chen, too, the Chinese authorities would be glad if he could make it to the US or elsewhere. Unfortunately, Chen was tricked by whoever promised to have him shipped abroad.
There is no reason why China should be afraid of Chen when he lived in a foreign country. Many chinese live in foreign countries and quite a few of them participated in the students protest in 1989. Mrs Khebir too lives in a foreign country. China is not eager to have her in China; on the contrary, China is happy that she had left the country.
How about 30 millions Taiwanese do NOT want to be part of China. Why can't China leave them alone? You have no shame that a Chinese citizen, who was born in China, speak Chinese, grew up in China, family, relatives, friends in China and yet, want to leave everything behind for US?
I'll dispute the "30 million" bit. Many Taiwanese want to be part of China - however, the word "China" is a controversial one here. Many westerners are not aware that the formal name of Taiwan, as is in their passports, is "Republic of China". They have the airlines called "China Air", they have a major steel mill called "China Steel".
I'm not saying that Taiwan is part of PRC, but Taiwan is part of China - depending on the definition of China.
Millions of Chinese have emmigrated to other countries leaving behing their family, friends and neighbours. I suppose you are not aware of it. Taiwan is part of China.
Oh...I'm very well aware of Taiwan is part of China. Yet, their citizens don't want to be part of China. And that's the problem. It's like Hawaii no longer want to be part of US. That is unthinkable.
Millions of Chinese have emigrated to other countries for many reasons. While poor Chinese want to move to a richer countries for better life, I'm sure for many of them, it's NOT their first choice. What China fails to do is to give their citizens the right to leave the country at will but at the same time to make it the "natural" choice for them to stay and live their lives with the love ones.
If you read my post carefully, I did not say Taiwan is not part of China. I said Taiwanese do not want to be part of China. Maybe I should be more clear, they do not want to be part of the China that is ruled by communist party.
millions of Taiwanese and Hong Kong people do not want to be 'Chinese'...True. They hate being associated with Mainland Chinese people, but not mainland China the government or state.
mainly because most mainland people are stinky
This is precisely the opposite view that one gets living in Taiwan. People on Taiwan do think that mainland people are rude and greedy, that is the stereotype, but none of them want to be part of the CCP.
Because they know the CCP. They can read the article, see the television, and understand the mainland in a way that non native speakers can't.
This is the thing that mainland people often don't understand. There is nothing stopping Taiwan from voting tomorrow to rejoin the mainland. The fact that they haven't is because they don't want to.
Taiwan is richer, better educated, freer and healthier than the mainland and they know that this stems from not being ruled by the CCP. "The CCP: when it comes to governing Chinese people, no one does it better. (except the British in Hong Kong, the PAP in Singapore, and the KMT in Taiwan)"
Taiwan is part China, 中華明囯, but not part of the PRC. If the PRC wants to revert back to the 1946 constitution (with it's democratic traditions and multiple parties)and change the name back, then they can start making a legal case for having jurisdiction over Taiwan. But Taiwan was ceded to the ROC, not the PRC, and the ROC still exists so the PRC can't have it.
Finally, it's future should be decided by the people who live there.
Evils do not sleep,wumaos are really hardworking.How exactly does a escaped dissident have free will to state he wants to leave the embassy when the Chinese government has his family.He has family and friends to worry about - his situation is not simple.
..nor is your sentence construction :-)
You are moron.
AS Hu said US and China will not see eye to eye on all issues.
As a oversea Chinese I see Chen as a disobedient son of China.
His demand to leave China for US is tantamount to him being a ""runing dog""
When he wept in the hospital, he showed weakness.
Shame on him for betraying his country.
Chen would be the "running dog" if the US demanded him to leave.
Actually, he's the one making all the demands, so the US becomes his "running dog" instead.
"Shame on him for betraying his country."
Not the country. The communist regime.
It's the Chinese government that fails to protect his right.
I'll bet one Yuan that next time something like this happens, every news reporter, including the TE, will refrain from instant news reporting and prefer to write history books.
The latest: after having his 'second thought' of hitching a hike on Hillary's returning flight, which is of course followed Mr. Chen's original thought of staying in China, Mr. Chen's third thought, is to have a 'vacation' in the US. By the implication of the word 'vacation' I guess he meant that he would return to China.
It's not clear whether Mr. Chen has secured a deferment from Chinese government of his three benefits: a law school admission, a new apartment in TianJin, and the most humiliating one for China: a periodic reporting of Mr. Chen's welfare to US State Dept...eat your heart out American Trevon Martin...well it's not beating anyway, so who cares.
On the other hand, some Chinese, the college-bound students clambering over each other for a college, not to mention, law school slot; the city dwellers trying to scrape together enough to purchase an apartment in TianJin; and some young people who took the humiliating third treaty obligation 'too personally'; are not happy. So much so it was said that upon his returning from vacatining in the US, Mr. Chen may need to enroll in government sponsored witness protection program...how about a vision-impaired nobody living in an obscure corner of a poor province such as ShanDong?
The picture is interesting. As an ordinary Chinese, I do not care about Chen's story since I accept a typical opinion that a news can only be news when it is rare. Or it will not catch people's attention.
Why I never hear about him before? Why this event appears this year? Why he still "escape" when he know that his families will suffer a lot(As he said in the video that his families were violently treated). From our history, our people can only find national heroes and other respected people sacrificed all their belongings and beloveds. What was Chen doing? Being national hero? Like what most Chinese ordinaries think of, it is now a peaceful age. Actually we do need heroes. Normally, we classify people suddenlly being famous as i)Chaozuo(Hype new for particular purpose) ii)Others In this issue, it is obviously not Chaozuo. But what it is? When you try to explain but failed, don't pretend you are an expert. No matter who published the news, you can not trust since the real reason will always be hidden and real fact is under table. Like what other previous post has commented, if a very important issue cannot be settled under the table. Related party will feel embarrassed. For this reason, all published news and information are rumour and being disguised. You can treat it as an entertainment. If you take it seriously, you lose.(如果你认真,你就输了)
So, what is the real fact? I don't know either. But I heard another rumour that it is the struggle of power. Someone in the high bureaucy (eg. Hillary Clinton) deliberately made some troubles during the last year duty of President(eg.Mr. Obama) before the election, so that it will influence the stable of the political power because changes of high bureaucy.
I agree with the opinion stated by Chinawatch. Don't judge issues in China using a western brain. The world is not either black or white. We still have yellow or brown, isn't it?
When you are still in poor, will you care about Democracy? Can you eat "Democracy"? Try to think about Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Two thousand years ago, one Chinese politician said "仓廪实而知礼节,衣食足而知荣辱". You will not consider the top 2 hierarchies in Maslow's model until you fulfil the 3 foundations.
As Confucius said "不在其位,不某其政".In other words, we don't participate in making judgement on political issues because we are not in the position. In the position means information asymmetry. Also it represents the duties and responsibilities. If you do not access to the right information, why wasting hours of time on meaningless thing? It will be better to spend time on learning different culture and discover mysteries, at least for me. Therefore, I came here to learn how people with different background respond to the same particular issue.
If indeed he was treated so badly as he claimed, then Mrs. Clinton has done nothing wrong to reach out a hand to help him. To help a blind invalid who's been badly treated, what's wrong with that? What makes me take a second thought about him is his sudden turning against the embassy. He claims to be a lawyer, but is self-taught, he is a reputed human right activist, but he thinks that Locke, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama must help him if he asks for help. I've met dozens of lawyers, all different, but what sort of lawyer is he? doesn't he know that the embassy is under no obligation to help him and can simply turn him away, instead of taking care of him for six days? and moreover, what does he take the embassy for? and he dares to take Locke's help so lightly...
He's not a career lawyer, he studied law so that he could appeal to the government to change things.
As to why he left the embassy, the Chinese government had his family and while he could leave it was unclear if they would be able to follow and they might suffer punishment for his actions (this did happen to his wife anyway.)
In response to your point about "eating democracy" and Maslow's hierarchy of needs, I don't think its the government that is best suited to providing those needs. In a free society I am able to provide for myself and others without the government interfering.
The basic truth of free markets providing better for people has been embraced by China. The idea of economic freedom and the opening of markets is exactly what has provided its "great leap forward" in the last twenty years, not governmental planning of the economy.
There is no doubt that Mr Chen's Life is as important as that of anyone else including President Hu and President Obama in the ideal World which we all should desire. BUT the Real World is attrocious beyond imagination that the gap between the two seems to be countless light years.It is correct that we strive to move towards the ideal but it will be ONLY imagination IF we do not keep our feet in the Real World.
In the Real World of unimaginable atrocities by all Powers in the Globalised Establishments , Big & Small, WE NEED TO ACT ON PRIORITIES. While Noting that the DEALS among the Globalised Establishments ALWAYS IGNORE THE HUMAN RIGHTS of whether it is One Man called MR Chen or the Namelrss, Faceless 500,000 Tamils killed in Sri Lanka (the number is continuuing to increase), SHOULD WE NOT ask ourselves whether we have lost our sense of proportion?
Should Not the Economist and the Freedom Loving World demand that the OCCUPATION FORCES in the Tamil Homeland of Eelam (numbering 1 for every 10 civilians)BE WITHDRAWN?
"Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng has telephoned a US Congressional hearing to plead for help in his attempts to leave China with his family.
Mr Chen said he feared for the safety of his family and wanted to meet visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton face-to-face.
The activist is in a Beijing hospital sealed off by Chinese police."
Actually, Chen was pleading that the US accepts to welcome him and his family as immigrants to the US. This is the difficult part. Leaving China is not a problem.
Why is this our problem anyway? He is Chinese, not American. Or do the neo-cons want another war that we cannot handle?
Well the Americans didn't want to deal with this problem, but smelly blind guy ran into the US embassy unexpectedly. Obviously the Americans can't just kick him out.
Now that news is out, the America people want action, so we'll see where this goes. I don't see how it can possibly result in war though.
Actually he's a libertarian Ron Paul supporter.
You guys are really ridiculous... calling Ron Paul (who's libertarian ideals supports freedom more so than anyone else in the world) supports as wumao... lol...
"Smelly blind guy"? What compassion!
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Security officials at the Commonwealth Games started deploying langur monkeys at several venues in New Delhi to keep smaller simians from causing any trouble. (The Associated Press)
Baby cheetah squeaks, scrambles
Truck dangles over ramp; two trapped
Post Today, March 24: U-Md. demands nuclear fallout info
Baking behind bars on Rikers Island
No Tweeting: A royal wedding etiquette guide
Police: Teen shot guardians after being grounded
Elizabeth Taylor's stand against AIDS
Obama struggles to enter White House
Aflac debuts Gilbert Gottfried-less commercial
Strong storms bring wild weather
Elizabeth Taylor's tempestuous love affair
Adorable polar bear twins meet the public
Massachusetts courtroom attack
Bomb explodes at Jerusalem bus stop
Massive shark spotted off Florida coast
Gaddafi makes public appearance
Post Today, March 23: Naming military operations
Circus elephants take a walk through D.C.
Missing Va. teacher's body located in Japan
Footage of crashed U.S. fighter jet
U.S. fighter jet crashes in Libya
Carriages prepared for royal wedding
This Story After setbacks, Commonwealth Games off to strong start in India Article | NEW DELHI - With an epic opening ceremony that included thunderous wedding bands, elegant yoga poses and a grand tribute to founding father Mohandas K. Gandhi, India launched the 2010 Commonwealth Games on Sunday with the hope that the event's nightmarish run-up plagued with blunders and problem... |


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The Deal: European Stocks Rise Ahead of ECB, Bank of England Rate Decisions
LONDON (The Deal) -- European stock indices edged higher Thursday ahead of decisions on interest rates by both the European Central Bank and the Bank of England, while Asia markets ended the day predominantly in the green.
As frenzied international efforts to ease tensions in Ukraine continued, the regional government of Crimea said it planned to hold a referendum about whether to secede from Ukraine and become part of Russia, which owned it until the 1950s.
In the U.K., a survey by lender Halifax found that monthly house-price growth in February more than doubled to 2.4%, with prices up 7.9% in the year, and both indicators well above expectations. The Bank of England has hinted that it won't raise rates from historic lows anytime soon but an accumulation of such data may force its hand in order to curtail the risk of a real estate bubble developing and wreaking destruction on the wider economy.
In Frankfurt, where the ECB in November cut rates to 0.25%, policy makers are expected to hold rates unchanged. As always investors will be closely following comments from ECB President Mario Draghi at a subsequent press conference.
In London, the FTSE edged up 0.09% to 6,781.75. Fund manager and insurer Aviva surged more than 9% after reporting above-forecast full-year results and saying it would restore bonuses to top management, a mark, investors felt, of the company's successful turnaround. Rival fund manager Schroders, which also posted full-year results, was up over 5%. In Frankfurt the DAX was up 0.23% at 9,564.13. Deutsche Telekom tumbled after a Bloomberg report that the telecom's CEO had told fellow board members the company doesn't expect to sell its 67% stake in T-Mobile US (TMUS), whose market value is just under $26 billion. Japan's SoftBank wants to merge the business with its majority-owned Sprint (S) unit but is facing opposition from the Federal Communications Commission. In Paris the CAC 40 climbed 0.59% to 4,417.31. Shares in Orange, the former France Telecom SA, rose almost 8% on relief that cost cuts appear to be alleviating the pressure on profit from competition from cut-price rival Iliad SA. Vivendi was little changed after it had received binding offers from telecoms investor Altice SA and from conglomerate Bouygues SA for its SFR wireless telecom unit. Bouygues said its offer valued the business at $19.9 billion before the synergies that would be generated from combining the business with its Bouygues Telecom affiliate. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 closed up 1.59% at 15,134.75. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong closed up 0.55% at 22,072.97. All Asian indices bar the S&P/ASX 200, which was down marginally, closed higher.Check Out Our Best Services for Investors
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text: Advisory Panel Statement Introduction and Development/International Development The external Advisory Panel, consisting of Julia Association) has too often failed to translate its Marton-Lefevre;1 Bjorn Stigson;2 Christian environment agenda effectively from upstream Avérous;3 Yolanda Kakabadse;4 and Olav Kjorven,5 analytical work, via Poverty Reduction Strategy met on May 2, 2008, at World Bank Headquarters Papers and Country Assistance Strategies, to consider the draft IEG report, "Supporting through to its downstream lending operations. Environmental Sustainability: An Evaluation of World Bank Group Experience, 1990–2007," and • Integrate energy and climate strategies and prepared this statement afterward. deploy low-carbon technologies. To support broad-based economic growth, de- Terms of Reference veloping countries will need substantial in- The Advisory Panel was asked to consider vestments in infrastructure, particularly energy. whether the evaluation succeeded in answering The Bank Group is uniquely positioned to help the questions it set out to examine, whether countries integrate energy and climate strate- there were gaps in conclusions and recommen- gies into their national development plans, and dations, and whether the key messages were it should play a stronger role in this, in part- effectively communicated. nership with other agencies. On the financing side, the Bank Group could be more active in Overall Conclusions identifying and setting up financial mechanisms Overall, the Advisory Panel found that the evalua- as well as further developing the carbon mar- tion report was of high quality and contained kets to deploy low-carbon technologies for en- sound findings. The panel supports the findings ergy access projects in developing countries. in relation to the following issues: • Focus on environmental management through • Mainstreaming of environment. investments. The World Bank Group has yet to internalize suf- While Bank lending is by-and-large subject to ficiently the environmental challenge in its op- environmental safeguards to minimize negative erations and business. Despite many excellent impact, only a small fraction of lending goes di- achievements around the world, despite major rectly to strengthen environmental manage- intellectual accomplishments and many policy ment, advance environmentally sound growth innovations, and despite state-of-the-art envi- and investment through and with the private ronmental safeguards, the Bank Group contin- sector, and promote transitions toward envi- ues to give low de facto priority to the goal of ronmental sustainability in key sectors such enhancing the environmental sustainability of as transport, agriculture, and energy. development. This is documented convincingly by the evaluation report, particularly in terms of • Coordination of actions in-house and building the levels of financing dedicated to this pur- momentum with partners. pose, and the lack of integration of a systematic The Bank Group has not sufficiently acted "as environmental sustainability perspective across one" in addressing strategic environmental chal- policy and financial instruments. For example, lenges. In most cases, International Bank for Re- the Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction construction and Development/International xxv E N V I R O N M E N TA L S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y Development Association, IFC, and MIGA have place, to meet broader environmental pursued, separately, what they considered to be objectives. their particular niche "in the market." While we • Examine how the Bank Group establishes its agree that mandates should remain distinct and comparative advantage in environmental pro- clear for each of the three, greater efforts to gramming in relation to other players/partners jointly identify and pursue opportunities for in the field of environment and development, synergy is expected. including the regional development banks, The Bank Group should look beyond itself which have a distinct relationship with coun- and its relations with client countries, not least try governments in their regions, as well as in the context of developing new strategies in the United Nations and international non- the environment and climate areas. The im- governmental organizations. perative of broader partnerships is recognized • Provide sufficient qualitative analysis of the in the evaluation, but more reflection is needed. breadth and depth of stakeholder/partner con- The reality of the environmental sustainability sultation and their views. challenge is such that the Bank Group cannot realistically take it on in isolation from others. The Advisory Panel recommends that IEG sharpen It must approach partnership with the United the focus and methodology of future evaluations to Nations, with the private sector, and with civil include these key performance factors. society in a qualitatively new and strategic way. Specific Recommendations The Advisory Panel considers these findings to be The Advisory Panel understands and appreciates central to the ability of the World Bank Group to that, following its review meeting with IEG, a influence environmental sustainability and develop- number of its observations have been consid- ment and recommends that these findings concern- ered and some have been adapted and incorpo- ing policy and operations be addressed as a matter rated into the evaluation report. The Advisory of urgency. Panel would like to draw attention to some of these issues: The Advisory Panel also found that the evalua- tion did not adequately address some strategic • The Bank Group must step up its efforts— evaluative issues. These shall not be listed here together with other partners—to make the eco- in their entirety; however, the following areas are nomic case for strong environmental action, of particular concern to the Advisory Panel. such as by systematically showing the health ben- efits of environmental improvements. A Stern- • More evenly represent the balance between like report on the economics of environmental project and strategic-level questions. While it action versus inaction should be considered. has produced interesting findings and data re- • Given the global, watershed developments in the lated to some strategic-level issues, these are larger environmental field over the last 10 years, overshadowed by the heavy emphasis on proj- the Bank Group needs a new, transformational ect and portfolio analysis and performance. environmental policy that addresses today's • Provide more data on whether the Bank Group (known) needs and tomorrow's (still evolving) addresses the drivers for sustainability, and challenges. This policy must look beyond a use- make recommendations on how to strengthen ful 10- to 20-year time horizon, to a 40- to 50- the Bank Group's strategy and approach. year time horizon as well. This time horizon is, • Produce a comprehensive analysis of the ef- at the very minimum, necessary to take into fectiveness of the Bank Group's performance consideration the lifecycle impacts of invest- as it relates to gender equity dimensions of en- ments made today, such as in the power and vironmental sustainability. transport sectors. • Address the criteria with which the Bank Group • Recent efforts to strengthen IFC's environ- makes its investment decisions, in the first mentally oriented operations and IFC's im- xxvi A D V I S O R Y PA N E L S TAT E M E N T plementation of its environmental safeguards Bank's various forestry initiatives together, system, to ensure their effectiveness and im- provide the ideal backdrop for setting clear pact, must be redoubled. IFC's record to date conceptual and strategic priorities on environ- is mixed. mental sustainability for the Bank Group. • MIGA needs to strengthen the implementa- President Zoellick has stressed that the time has tion of its environmental safeguards as well as come for a transformation in the way the Bank embrace a stronger commitment to proac- Group approaches development. We support this tively "do good" as an important area of its view. business. • The Bank Group should more broadly sup- In this context, the Advisory Panel wishes to flag port the transfer and effective application of four areas of strategic importance with real low-carbon technologies and promote more consequences for policy and operational priority- systematically enhanced technology collabo- setting, in the context of promoting sustainable ration among developed and developing development and poverty reduction: countries. • Small and medium enterprises are critical for • Transitioning toward low-carbon economy, pursuing sustainable economic growth and coupled with expanding clean and affordable halting environmental degradation. The Bank energy access for the poor Group needs to pay more attention to this • Preserving biodiversity while improving rural sector and provide more support, particularly livelihoods in building much needed capacity. • Improving resource productivity • Declaring that the Bank Group is a unique and • Protecting water resources, coupled with ex- special institution of knowledge and learning, panding access to water and sanitation. a "brain trust" of applied knowledge, is not sufficient. The role of the Bank (and the entire The global environmental challenge is unprece- Bank Group) as a knowledge bank must go be- dented and it requires collaboration among a yond this to delivering, expanding, and testing large number of development partners, includ- this learning—in tandem with partners. The re- ing the United Nations system, the Global port has little to say about the impact of knowl- Environment Facility, regional development edge and learning in the area of environment. banks, bilateral donors, the private sector, research institutions, and civil society. To succeed The Advisory Panel recommends that the areas in implementing a transformative vision of listed above be urgently given priority in further environmentally sustainable development, part- strategic thinking, action, and evaluation by the nerships are a conditio sine qua non. The World Bank Group. Advisory Panel believes the most central partner- ship must continue to be with the client Conclusion: A Forward-Looking countries, but the challenge of environmental Perspective sustainability reaches beyond the "confines" of The Advisory Panel feels strongly that the Bank that relationship alone. Much more systematic Group needs to interpret the findings and and stronger partnerships must be built and recommendations of this evaluation against the harnessed across the entire spectrum of backdrop of environmental, economic, and politi- shareholders and stakeholders. We specifically cal realities. A number of environmental and mention a few, as follows: natural resource challenges are now attracting the attention of heads of states and governments, • The United Nations. Over the past several as well as macroeconomists and development decades, there has been no real concerted at- economists. The forthcoming climate change tempt at defining and implementing a com- framework and a host of evolving climate-related plementary and mutually supportive approach funds and facilities, as well as efforts to pull the about the roles and responsibilities of the Bank xxvii E N V I R O N M E N TA L S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y Group and United Nations agencies in the area with civil society organizations and networks of environment. It is time for this to change. can greatly expand the reach, effectiveness, Beginning with climate change, but broaden- and legitimacy of Bank Group efforts. Many civil ing the scope gradually to other areas, the society organizations have a stronger techni- Bank Group and key United Nations agencies cal capacity than government institutions, and should work out a practical and pragmatic way can promptly react to immediate needs. While forward, aimed at being able to offer partner working at local or national levels, many are ac- countries stronger and more strategic sup- tive networkers with similar organizations port. The emerging environmental crisis re- worldwide, generating and sharing informa- quires a forceful and concerted multilateral tion, experiences, and lessons. response. Countries and people deserve noth- • The scientific community. The evaluation does ing less. not state much about how the Bank Group has • Development banks. The Bank Group should de- worked with or tapped the knowledge of the velop more strategic relationships with the mul- scientific community. While recognizing the tilateral and bilateral development banks by progress that has been made in instituting building on their distinct relationships with local modern knowledge management and net- shareholders and stakeholders in delivering co- works in the organization, it is not clear if the ordinated support to key environmental initia- Bank Group has effectively harnessed scientific tives. The new partnership approach adopted in knowledge to develop "cutting-edge" ap- the design and implementation of the new cli- proaches. The Bank Group should consider op- mate investment funds could serve as a model tions for ensuring how best to do this for the for pursuing other, Bank Group/multilateral de- future, including the option of reestablishing velopment bank–supported environmental sus- a senior environmental science position. tainability efforts. • The private sector. The importance of the private As the international community focuses on the sector can hardly be exaggerated. The Bank need to urgently address global and local Group must take a hard look at how it works environmental challenges, large amounts of with the private sector, and the signals it sends resources will hopefully be made available to find to the private sector about its commitment to solutions to these challenges. However, new environmental sustainability, and the oppor- resources are not sufficient. The Bank Group tunities and challenges involved in promoting needs to complement them with transforma- it. The opportunities for partnership with firms tional changes of its corporate culture, making and business groups at all levels are vast. Tak- environmental sustainability fully part of its ing a truly strategic and "picky" approach is es- development role. sential, as is working more seamlessly across the Bank Group. The Advisory Panel agrees strongly The report's evaluation provides the Bank Group with the evaluation on the need to design a with an excellent basis and opportunity for much more strategic approach to market trans- setting a new course, commensurate with the formation for environmental sustainability (in- most pressing challenges of our time. cluding transition to low-carbon economy), something which requires coordinated work in The Advisory Panel looks forward to the relation to both public and private sectors. decisions of the governing bodies with great • Civil society organizations. Strategic partnership anticipation. xxviii