China's wealth gap has exceeded the point that triggers social unrest, according to figures revealed by Politburo member Bo Xilai, in a rare disclosure of the country's income disparity.
China's Gini coefficient, an index of the income gap, has exceeded 0.46, Bo, the Communist Party Secretary for Chongqing Municipality, told reporters in Beijing today, without giving specifics. The index ranges from 0 to 1 and the 0.4 mark is used as a predictor by analysts for social disturbances.
Enlarge image
China's wealth gap has exceeded the point that triggers social unrest, according to figures revealed by Politburo member Bo Xilai, in a rare disclosure of the country's income disparity. Photographer: Natalie Behring/Bloomberg
The meeting where Bo spoke, held during the annual National People's Congress in Beijing, highlighted Chongqing's efforts to reduce the urban-rural income gap during the past five years, encompassing Bo's tenure. Bo, 62, has reintroduced slogans and songs from the late Chairman Mao Zedong in a bid to re-instill a Communist spirit in a country that still officially adheres to the principles espoused by Karl Marx.
"As Chairman Mao said as he was building the nation, the goal of our building a socialist society is to make sure everyone has a job to do and food to eat, that everybody is wealthy together," Bo said. "If only a few people are rich, then we'll slide into capitalism. We've failed. If a new capitalist class is created then we'll really have turned onto a wrong road."
In a speech later in the day attended by Bo, Wu Bangguo, head of the NPC, said China in the next year would adjust the income tax system to "give a bigger role to taxation in adjusting income distribution."
U still don't get it? China population is 1.38bln. People don't only have divided opinions over a single figure Bo or Wen, but also over a single issue. Like u India's online army on DFI sounds overwhelmingly negative about Mamata B. or Rahul Gandhi but she/he enjoys kinda popularity or even got elected in real life?! So u're also divided!Nice, so we do have a lot of support for Bo from the CCP online army too. So does this mean the CCP is also divided about Bo? Rather does this not mean that the CCP is divided about Bo? Cracks in the CCP for sure.
And today Wen Jiabao attacked Bo ruthlessly. It will be nice indeed to see two CCP's instead of one.
the point is we get to express our opinions through an electoral process. you get a decision shoved down your throat. thats the bottom line.U still don't get it? China population is 1.38bln. People don't only have divided opinions over a single figure Bo or Wen, but also over a single issue. Like u India's online army on DFI sounds overwhelmingly negative about Mamata B. or Rahul Gandhi but she/he enjoys kinda popularity or even got elected in real life?! So u're also divided!
One of differences btwn India and China may be China has 111million internet users vs. India 51 million. Source: India Watch :: India - China Comparison Thus u're expected to note more polarizing views popping up. But pls get accustomed to such a diversity.
It's like Wen hails "hey let's make the cake bigger and bigger". On the other side Bo rebukes "look, who're taking the big slices while many are in pathetic conditions?". Regret u only know English so u have no access to the 1st hand info on how Chinese are over such matters. But I do feel such debates are "healthy" up to the moment, much better than everybody is muzzled or attuned to the same "harmonious" society fantasy. "When" is basically a lame duck and often mocked as a "Best Actor" owing to his incompetence like in curbing property speculation or his family...
I am sure that there will be different opinions.Like u India's online army on DFI sounds overwhelmingly negative about Mamata B. or Rahul Gandhi but she/he enjoys kinda popularity or even got elected in real life?! So u're also divided!
So, end of the road for Bo?Bo Xilai removed by China from Chongqing leader post
China has removed prominent politician Bo Xilai from his post as Chongqing's Communist Party leader, state news agency Xinhua reports.
The 62-year-old was a strong contender for promotion to China's top rungs when the party changes its leadership later this year.
However, a scandal erupted when his former chief of police spent a day at a United States consulate last month.
Vice-Premier Zhang Dejiang will replace Mr Bo, said the Xinhua report.
Breaking silence
The move comes just a day after the end of the country's annual parliamentary session, the National People's Congress (NPC), where Mr Bo's absence from a meeting sparked speculations about his future.
After a long silence, he spoke last week about the incident involving ex-police chief Wang Lijun, answering questions from journalists at a meeting on the sidelines of the NPC.
He said he had not imagined Mr Wang would run off. It came suddenly, Mr Bo said.
"I feel like I put my trust in the wrong person," he added, speaking at a meeting of Chongqing delegates.
Mr Wang has also been sacked from his job as deputy mayor of Chongqing, said another Xinhua report following the earlier announcement on Mr Bo's removal.
Mr Wang's visit to the US consulate in the city of Chengdu sparked rumours that he had intended to defect. State media reported that he was on vacation to recuperate from stress.
Mr Wang, who led the crackdown on organised crime in Chongqing that propelled both him and his boss into the limelight, was later placed under police investigation for the incident.
'Western-style' politician
Premier Wen Jiabao, answering a question at a news conference on Wednesday at the closing of the NPC session, said ''progress'' had been made in the investigations, but did not reveal details.
He said local authorities must ''seriously'' reflect and learn from the incident and that Beijing regarded this ''very seriously''.
Reactions to the brief announcement of Mr Bo's removal from his post in state media have been swift. The news spread quickly, prompting thousands of posts on the Sina Weibo microblogging site on Thursday morning.
"Swift and thorough! The ultra-leftish stronghold has finally come to an end. It's a big fortune for China, a big fortune for the people!" posted a writer for Xinhua.com, Wang Ruogu.
"Bo Xilai might have his personal mistakes, what he has been pushing for might be problematic... but he has truly done a lot of great things for the people,'' said another comment by a former journalist.
Bo Xilai is the nearest thing China has to a Western-style politician, correspondents say.
Like China's leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping, he is the son of a famous communist hero, but he has gone on to forge his own unique public personality. Correspondents say the suave and charismatic Mr Bo seems at home in front of the cameras and appears to enjoy pushing his policies in public.
He ran the big coastal city of Dalian and then became commerce minister, before moving to the post in Chongqing, a sprawling city in western China.
BBC News - Bo Xilai removed by China from Chongqing leader post
Bo is no pushover.Bo Xilai: End of Chongqing leader's political ambitions?
In the closed world of Chinese politics, it is sometimes difficult to spot defining moments - but Bo Xilai's removal from office is certainly one.
He is a suave and sophisticated politician - a member of the Chinese Communist Party's politburo who had been tipped for even higher office.
The party meets later this year for its 18th congress to reshuffle its top leaders. Many thought Mr Bo would be promoted to the politburo's standing committee, the country's highest decision-making body.
That ambition now looks to be over with news that he has been replaced as party boss in the city of Chongqing.
There is currently a battle taking place within the high reaches of the party about who will lead it in the coming decade.
This is the opening shot in that campaign - and suggests it will be a tough fight.
To many observers, Bo Xilai seems to have been running a campaign for promotion for the last several years, ever since he took over as boss of Chongqing in 2007.
Popular campaigns
He launched a campaign against organised crime during which hundreds of people - some of them senior city officials - were charged.
To spearhead this fight, he brought in a popular police chief, Wang Lijun, whose crime-fighting exploits had once inspired a TV series.
Mr Bo also sought to revitalise interest in the country's communist past under Mao Zedong. Chongqing organised "red" singing contests, which spread across the country.
A number of senior national politicians visited the city, in western China, to show their support.
Both these campaigns were popular with ordinary people - a fact reflected in the comments of support for Mr Bo on the internet when news of his removal was released.
When Mr Bo attended China's annual meeting of parliament, held each March, he was a visible figure, seeming to enjoy the limelight.
The first sign that his rise had hit a hurdle came last month.
Wang Lijun, his police chief, was demoted then fled to the US consulate in Chengdu, a few hours' drive from Chongqing.
Many suspect he went there to seek asylum.
He was eventually persuaded to leave the consulate, emerging into the waiting arms of the police and an investigation.
Bo Xilai denied his involvement in this affair, but many thought it would reduce his chances of being promoted to the politburo's standing committee.
Out of race
All eyes were on this year's meeting of parliament, a chance to see all of China's top politicians together. How would Mr Bo act?
The 62-year-old is a flamboyant politician, sending his son to the UK's exclusive private school Harrow. But at this meeting he took an unusually low profile.
He missed a full meeting of parliament - the only member of the communist party's politburo to do so. His excuse that he had a "cough" sounded feeble.
A meeting of Chongqing delegates to the parliament, an event usually open to the press, was then mysteriously restricted to just a handful of reporters.
The central party authorities had still not commented, though, which left some wondering whether Mr Bo could weather the storm.
But then came a news conference by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, held at the end of the parliamentary session.
He took - and answered - a direct question on the Wang Lijun incident.
"The present Chongqing municipal party committee and the municipal government must reflect seriously and learn from the Wang Lijun incident," he said.
It was phrased in the language of bureaucracy used here in China, and Bo Xilai's name was not mentioned, but the country's premier had just publicly criticised the Chongqing party chief.
Mr Wen went further, suggesting his dislike for "red" campaigns. Was this another rebuff for Bo Xilai? It probably was.
We do not know what will now happen to Mr Bo, but it seems clear that he is out of the running for promotion.
His sudden and dramatic fall from power also suggests a fierce battle is taking place behind the scenes at the top of the communist party.
Chinese leaders like to give the impression that the change in leadership later this year will be smooth and follow set procedures. This latest political act suggest otherwise.
BBC News - Bo Xilai: End of Chongqing leader's political ambitions?
Could you give the questions that should be on the poll?The CCP army is unusually silent on this one. Can admins add a poll for the Chinese members with an option for non Chinese as only following the poll. I'd like to know if there is still support for Bo from the online Chinese members
You are asking those people to participate in a poll in which they don't believeThe CCP army is unusually silent on this one. Can admins add a poll for the Chinese members with an option for non Chinese as only following the poll. I'd like to know if there is still support for Bo from the online Chinese members
Poll Question : Do you support Bo Xilai's ouster?Could you give the questions that should be on the poll?