A Uyghur man is serving an 11-year prison sentence for 鈥渋nciting separatism鈥, allegedly for translating Chinese-language news related to Kashgar City, in a newly revealed case reported by Uyghurbiz.net.
The Uyghur people, whose traditional lands are in the north-west of the Chinese state, have been denied national rights and suffer severe repression.
China
There is a lot of discussion about the nature of the Chinese economy and its developing role in global capitalism.
Much of the debate has focused on the tensions between a seemingly declining United States and rising China 鈥 and possible changes in the global distribution of power.
In the context of a global domination of US-backed neoliberalism, the 鈥淐hinese model鈥 has been put forward by some as a possible alternative. However, not only is China's rise far from inevitable, its 鈥渕odel鈥 has its own contradictions 鈥 as the rise of labour struggles helps reveal.
This photo essay by Tom Grundy, an activist-journalist based in Hong Kong, shows the 180,000-strong candlelight rally held in Victoria Park, Hong Kong on June 4 to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre in Beijing. It is republished with permission from his .
Rural protests make up a large part of overall social unrest in China. But such protests had not received prominent international attention until the siege of Wukan, a village of 12,000 in Guangdong province, late last year.
Just like the strikes in Honda plants in 2010, Wukan brought to light the deep-seated grievances of villagers in a dramatic way. The revolt featured the eviction of party officials and the police, the self-management of the village by villagers, and the stand-off against armed police in a siege for more than a week.
Working class struggle is an important part of modern Chinese history, and is rising
In a late industrialising country, the Chinese working class emerged and became organised only in the early 20th century after the country was forced to open up to global capitalism.
However, shaped by harsh economic exploitation and foreign semi-colonial domination, China鈥檚 working class quickly established itself in the space of a few decades. This culminated in mass protests and strikes between 1925 and 1927.
China鈥檚 transition to state-led capitalism over the past three decades has generated numerous social struggles against the state and capital.
With China鈥檚 ascent in the capitalist world economy, the social struggles inside China not only have a significant domestic impact, but increasingly international ramifications.
As China celebrates the Year of the Dragon, it is an opportune time to critically review the situation for social struggles and their prospects for the future.
State and elite politics
鈥淔actories making sought-after Apple iPads and iPhones in China are forcing staff to sign pledges not to commit suicide, an investigation has revealed. 鈥淎t least 14 workers at Foxconn factories in China have killed themselves in the last 16 months as a result of horrendous working conditions.
When a Billion Chinese Jump 鈥 How China Will Save the World, or Destroy It
By Jonathan Watts
Faber & Faber, 2010
485 pages, $32.95
http://site.whenabillionchinesejump.com/
When Jonathan Watts was a child growing up in England, he used to pray that all the people in China would not jump at once, lest they send the earth spinning off its axis.
The battle for the planet鈥檚 dwindling resources has taken a further trade war twist with China鈥檚 recent decision to place limits on the export of the 17 chemical elements collectively known as 鈥渞are earths鈥.
These elements, found near the bottom of the periodic table, are crucial for manufacture of a wide range of modern technology products.
鈥淲orkers in southern China, who say they were assembling Apple laptops and iPhones, have become seriously ill after using a dangerous chemical. 鈥淭he Number Five People鈥檚 Hospital in Suzhou has been treating workers who breathed in vapours from the chemical n-hexane. 鈥淎ccording to the workers, the chemical was being used in the production of Apple products and has left them unable to walk 鈥 They say they were using n-hexane to glue and polish the logos on Apple products 鈥
Review by Graham Matthews
Capitalism and Workers鈥 Struggle in China
By Chris Slee
Resistance Books, Sydney, 2010, $5
www.resistancebooks.com
China enters the 21st century as something of an enigma.
On July 1, striking workers at a Japanese-owned electronics factory in the Chinese city of Tianjin stalled production for a third day and vowed to continue their fight until bosses agreed to better pay and conditions, the Morning Star said that day. It is the latest in a spate of work stoppages to hit foreign transnationals operating in China.
Workers have hung large banners outside the factory gate reading: 鈥淗uman traffickers are not welcome鈥, 鈥淲e want a pay rise鈥 and 鈥淲e want fair treatment鈥.
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