DHARAMSHALA, September 3: A gathering of dozen elite Chinese political, economic and legal scholars - including top government advisers warned that the Communist Party of China faces a legitimacy crisis due to long overdue political reforms and its obsession with stability.
The blunt criticism by a group of top mainland intellectuals comes at a sensitive time as the party gears up for its annual top-level conclave next month, which will pave the way for leadership transition at next year's party congress.
While Saturday's seminar, reportedly organised by a website honouring the late reformist leader Hu Yaobang was officially held to mark the 30th anniversary of a landmark party document denouncing the Cultural Revolution but analysts said it was aimed at rallying support for economic and political reform.
The "Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party", adopted in 1981, made a rare admission that Mao Zedong should be held responsible for the tragedy of the Cultural Revolution.
Speaking at the seminar, Professor Jiang Ping, former president of the China University of Political Science and Law said that the absurd assertion that stability was the overriding priority at the expense of human rights was totally against the rule of law.
Professor Yu Jianrong , from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, lamented the deterioration in freedom of expression compared to 30 years ago, as the government stifled public discussion about universal values.
Professor Zhang Weiying, a former dean of Peking University's management school, put it more bluntly. "There is only one provision in the constitution that has been truly implemented: that is the party's absolute leadership," he said. "Our primary priority is to enforce the constitution."
Hu Deping, son of deposed leader Hu Yaobang questioned transparency in the internal workings of the party. "How come the pro-democracy forces [within the party] have always been sidelined like a housemaid while those favouring centralisation of power are always in the dominant position?" asked Deping.
A vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference's economic affairs sub-committee, he said the revival of Maoism and attempts by ultra-conservatives to distort history lessons from the tumultuous 1966-76 era were major signs of political retrogression. "Ultra-leftists within the party have tried to put themselves above the party's central committee," Hu said, in a vague reference to an upsurge of the ultra-leftist movement in Chongqing and other areas, featuring the revival of Maoist revolutionary songs and movies.
The seminar wasn’t reported by the Chinese media but quotes and excerpts from the speeches were published in popular Chinese mocroblogging sites and blogs.
The blunt criticism by a group of top mainland intellectuals comes at a sensitive time as the party gears up for its annual top-level conclave next month, which will pave the way for leadership transition at next year's party congress.
While Saturday's seminar, reportedly organised by a website honouring the late reformist leader Hu Yaobang was officially held to mark the 30th anniversary of a landmark party document denouncing the Cultural Revolution but analysts said it was aimed at rallying support for economic and political reform.
The "Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party", adopted in 1981, made a rare admission that Mao Zedong should be held responsible for the tragedy of the Cultural Revolution.
Speaking at the seminar, Professor Jiang Ping, former president of the China University of Political Science and Law said that the absurd assertion that stability was the overriding priority at the expense of human rights was totally against the rule of law.
Professor Yu Jianrong , from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, lamented the deterioration in freedom of expression compared to 30 years ago, as the government stifled public discussion about universal values.
Professor Zhang Weiying, a former dean of Peking University's management school, put it more bluntly. "There is only one provision in the constitution that has been truly implemented: that is the party's absolute leadership," he said. "Our primary priority is to enforce the constitution."
Hu Deping, son of deposed leader Hu Yaobang questioned transparency in the internal workings of the party. "How come the pro-democracy forces [within the party] have always been sidelined like a housemaid while those favouring centralisation of power are always in the dominant position?" asked Deping.
A vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference's economic affairs sub-committee, he said the revival of Maoism and attempts by ultra-conservatives to distort history lessons from the tumultuous 1966-76 era were major signs of political retrogression. "Ultra-leftists within the party have tried to put themselves above the party's central committee," Hu said, in a vague reference to an upsurge of the ultra-leftist movement in Chongqing and other areas, featuring the revival of Maoist revolutionary songs and movies.
The seminar wasn’t reported by the Chinese media but quotes and excerpts from the speeches were published in popular Chinese mocroblogging sites and blogs.
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