Controversy over Xi Jinping's Constitutional Reform Also Reflects Democracy’s No Longer Functioning Effectively and Its Embarrassment

 Controversy over Xi Jinping's Constitutional Reform Also Reflects Democracy’s No Longer Functioning Effectively and Its Embarrassment

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

March 13, 2018

 Translation of an Excerpt

The National People’s Congress on the Mainland on March 11 passed by vote a constitutional amendment, which is also Xi Jinping’s brazen amendment to the existing constitution promulgated by Deng Xiaoping in 1982, as Xi is shaping a new era under his leadership. With regard to this reform, countries the world over all have shown close attention and are worried that this would constitute a threat to the development of democracy and the rule of law. In any case, when the Western democratic system is gradually no longer operating efficiently and populism is in vogue, Xi Jinping’s constitutional reform expanding his powers would inevitably have a far-reaching impact; Taiwan cannot cavalierly confront it.

The existing constitution of the Mainland has been revised four times. Basically, it follows the progression of reform and opening up, writing such concepts as market economy, non-state economy, rule by law, social safety net, protection of private property, and guarantee of human rights into the constitution one by one. The trend of constitutional reform starts from the various objective conditions of adapting to economic construction and social development, and slowly but gradually building some room for dialogue with Western values. The constitution reform this time, besides writing "social civilization" and "ecological civilization" into the constitution, the focus is to strengthen the power and prestige of the leadership and centralize political power. In addition, incorporating the great renaissance of the Chinese nation and structuring a community of shared destiny for mankind in the constitution, in order to upgrade the nation’s holistic vision and to add to the color of Xi Jinping’s personal leadership.

After the news came out about Xi Jinping’s expansion of power and extension of terms, the majority of Western media outlets leveled criticisms. The reason that Xi Jinping dared to act contrarily was none other than the fact that in recent decades the Western democratic system has spawned shortcomings and defects; when facing such morphings as social changes, ethnic integration, the rising of science and technology, and obscuring borders, it relies solely on worn-out moral appeals, but there is a lack of progress and effective response, leading to the upsurge in populist countercurrents. The voices of Eurosceptics can be heard in many countries; Trump has abandoned the responsibility of US leadership; these have reflected the powerlessness and sense of loss of democracy. Are these not all the great tides that have pushed Xi Jinping toward totalitarianism?

Mainland China, heading upstream, has reformed its constitution this time; what would this bring to the world situation? Leaders of various countries would not dare to overlook this development. What the Tsai government should ponder is how to cope with the Mainland’s work toward Taiwan under Xi Jinping’s highhanded leadership, including more powerful capacity to attract and absorb Taiwan and a more all-encompassing outflank of Taiwan. We are afraid there would not be much room for sheer luck.

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