Current Issue
Vol.67・No.3
September, 2024
From Poverty Alleviation to Poverty Eradication: Analyzing the Impact of Xi Jinping’s “Poverty Eradication and Strike” on the Poverty Governance System in Mainland China through Text Mining Techniques
Hung-yuan Chang ;Ya-ling Lin ;Ciao-lin Deng
In February 2021, Xi Jinping declared a “complete victory” in China’s battle against poverty, marking the achievement of the difficult task of eradicating absolute poverty. For a long time, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has consistently mobilized its administrative system and invested resources to improve the living conditions and economic circumstances of impoverished populations. However, as the approach shifted from “poverty reduction” and “poverty alleviation” to Xi Jinping’s “poverty eradication,” the political significance of poverty governance increased. The CCP needed to use it to reinforce the legitimacy of its rule. Xi Jinping’s stance on poverty governance differs from that of his predecessors. He believes that the root cause of contemporary poverty in China lies in unequal distribution rather than underdevelopment. His approach emphasizes “empowering” the poor by directly channeling resources to impoverished households, believing that this will effectively address the problem of absolute poverty in Chinese society.
This paper argues that Xi Jinping’s understanding of poverty in China has shifted the CCP’s stance on poverty governance from partial poverty reduction and alleviation to comprehensive poverty eradication. Due to his insistence on centralized power, poverty governance in China has moved away from relying on adjusting the economic structure to increase income, to instead on adopting an approach dominated by administrative intervention and data management in the form of “targeted poverty alleviation.” This study seeks to clarify how Xi Jinping’s political directives during his tenure have influenced national policy. Using the CCP’s “targeted poverty alleviation” campaign as a case study, the research explains how Xi Jinping’s personal political beliefs have become a key variable in public administration and how the centralized model of power he adopted has become the main mechanism for policy implementation.
Keywords:Distribution, Targeted Poverty Alleviation, “Xi Jinping Thought”, Poverty Eradication, Absolute Poverty
Cooptation Behind the Screen: An Analysis of the Grand United Front Work on Chinese Private TV Drama Enterprises during the Xi Era
Ya-Yin Lin ;Hung-Yen Hsu
The revised Chinese Communist Party United Front Work Regulations, promulgated by the CCP in 2021, reflect new requirements for constructing a united front under Xi Jinping’s leadership in the new era. This legislation designates “individuals from new social strata” as targets of the united front, aiming to co-opt new media and private enterprises to align with the Party’s objectives, thereby garnering broad public support to consolidate the political power of the Party Central Committee. Focusing on Chinese private television drama enterprises as a crucial group, this paper employs a mixed-methods approach combining big data and qualitative research to analyze television drama registration data and funding support lists from 2012 to 2022. The research reveals that the CCP strategically leverages market interests and cooptation techniques—including both official and unofficial positions—based on specific opportunities and targets. The goal of this is to construct a tight network within the united front cycle, ensuring the stability and continuity of united front work.
Keywords:United Front Work, Cooptation, Individuals from New Social Strata, Chinese TV Drama, Relationship Networks
【Research Note】Asylumming the Body: State Power and Body Order in Early Chinese Anti-Epidemic Practices
Zheng-quiang Liu
The conclusion of the global COVID-19 pandemic marks the onset of a new era in post-pandemic politics, serving as a significant litmus test for the efficacy of political systems and governance across nations. Particularly noteworthy is the contestation between China, the United States, and Western countries, which underscores the complexities of state power and governance in crisis management. This paper offers a novel perspective by examining China’s early regulation of mask-wearing during the pre-Omicron phase, shedding light on the centralized state apparatus of the CPC in epidemic prevention. The conscientious adoption of masks by the populace served as the cornerstone of China’s containment strategy, epitomizing both state authority and societal compliance amidst emergency measures. Mask-wearing embodies the ethos and efficacy of China’s epidemic response, contrasting starkly with the stance of some Western nations and prompting a reevaluation of individual liberties vis-à-vis collective security in high-risk environments. While China demonstrated commendable control over the outbreak initially, the arbitrary exercise of state power occasionally revealed its authoritarian tendencies, raising questions about the balance between governance efficiency and civil liberties. Hence, ongoing scrutiny of unconventional governance under state systems is warranted to refine the consensus on the role of the state beyond its traditional characterization as a necessary evil.
Keywords:Epidemiopolitics, Body Order, COVID-19, State System, The Governance of China
【書評】Ding, Iza (2022). The Performative State: Public Scrutiny and Environmental Governance in China. Cornell University Press.
陳至潔