Ms Wynne Name _______________ AP Government-China Web Quest

Directions Answer the questions on this page, this will serve as the basis for much of our notes on China.

I. Read/peruse the Constitution of China:

http://english.people.com.cn/constitution/constitution.html
● What surprises you about how this document is written?

Article 26, which states, “The state protects and improves the living environment”, because China is known to
have terrible levels of pollution. Also, the fact that it says that the state protects human rights (Article 33).

● The CCP made major changes to the Constitution in 1988. Describe.

The Constitution allowed and protected the private sector (of the economy). It also, allowed the transfer of
private ownership.

● Describe changes in the Chinese Constitution post 1988.

A majority of the changes where to explain the current Chinese economy policies. Other changes were made
to make the state seem a little nicer, from giving compensations to landoners (after buying their land) to
protecting human rights.

II. Press: Read these sites and note observations/surprises (three or four sentences each)
a. State owned newspaper:
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/ ; http://news.xinhuanet.com/english ;
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/

There is little negativity about China’s current states. The Newspapers talk about a lot about conflicts in
other countries but not in China. They talked about the Catalonia election. There is no discussion area. Some
articles are the same on both news sites.

b. China internet info center http://www.china-embassy.org/eng

China talks about its support for and the possibility of Win-Win situations. It mentions a lot on how
China cares for the world as a whole. Some articles are very long while others are very short. There are some
links that lead to 404 errors.

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 c. State owned TV http://english.cntv.cn/01/index.shtml
Not everything is about China. There is nothing negative about China. They include links to Facebook
and Twitter. There is no conflict between China and other nations. They talk about some very non-domestic
news example “Flour wars in Spain”.

d. Article about Sun Media (private web based media organization)

http://www.iese.edu/Aplicaciones/News/videos/view.asp?id=1370

Yang Lan, a co-founder of Sun Media, wants to make social changes in the west with western women.
She says that the younger generation turns to the internet instead of the media. 80% of Chinese women
control their family’s numbers and 73% would work regardless of their family’s income. 90% of Chinese women
will pursue further studies outside their normal work.

III. Propaganda Poster Mania!!! Have a look at these and find your favorite one and state in three or four
sentences how this poster relates to Chinese culture http://www.iisg.nl/landsberger
http://chineseposters.net/posters/e15-716.php
It supports the Idea that peasants were looked at as the perfect citizen. It promotes women in the work
force. It promotes the younger generation to focus more on work than on family.

IV. Institutions of Government in Modern China (BBC How China is Rules)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/china_politics/government/html/1.stm
Communist Party:
The biggest political party in the world largely made up of government officials, army officers, and
model workers.
It regularly suppresses opposition and shows its capabilities.

Politburo:
Top 24 CCP members that meet often and in secret.

National People’s Congress:

The theoretically most powerful organization but it has no real power.

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 Party Elders:
They can still make important political decisions/influences even if they do not hold a powerful position.
Their influence can easily be taken away.

Discipline Commission:
A Commission that deals with party discipline and abuses.

Military Affairs Committee:

A commissions that has the final say on all the decisions relating to the PLA.
The commission also controls the People’s Armed Police.
The chief is in theory elected by the NPC but in reality it goes to the party’s most powerful member.

State Council:
The cabinet that overlooks China’s government. In theory it answers to the NPC but in reality it submits
legislation to the NPC and the NPC just approve it.

VI. China from the Inside - PBS Video Clips

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/china-from-the-inside/

China from the inside, Episode 1

National People’s Congress (Start at 30 minutes)
There are several debates. Describe them:
There are debates between the CCP within the central party committee that fully discuses party policies.
Opinions can be different.

Ultimately decisions are made based on:

The principle of the minority obeying the majority.

Congressman are drawn from:

Categories like:
>the army
>the party
>intellectuals
>workers
>peasants
>ethnic minorties

How was the woman in red selected?

She was selected by her regional People’s Congress
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If you agree, you press what ? _agree_ If you disagree do what? _then you don’t press it_ It is all very
_democratic_.

The Congress voted on what?

A law to stop Taiwan seceding from the People’s Republic of China and to permit the use of force as a last
resort.

How many voted in favor of this? _2,896_

What happened when one woman voted no? _A man behind her called her out_

Village Election (34 minutes)

Tomorrow won’t be a normal day. Why?

What is the turnout for the election?
Tomorrow won’t be a normal day because there is an election.
The turnout is 94%.

Why is this election ground breaking?

It is ground breaking because the party is promoting democracy.

How do the villagers see the election?

Villagers see it as very important.

What is the length of term?

The length of a term is 3 years.

In direct village elections, there is no _opposition_. The only choice is _between a good or bad person_.

All but _one_ are members of the __Communist_ party. He is careful to acknowledge the _the party_ in his
speech.

If we can elect a good official, they will _become a party member_.

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Sometimes candidates openly _bribe_ the voters.

Local party officials respond to corruption by _annulling the election_.

The election process is making the communist party _more secure_.

Voting could _create its own momentum_ and get a taste for _making bigger decisions_.

Part IV: Freedom and Justice (start at37 minutes China’s Constitution)
1. What is Article 5 about?

Article 5 states that the People’s Republic of China is ruled according to the law. No organization or

individual is above the Constitution and the law

2. What is the judge hearing a case about?

The judge is hearing a case about obstructed access to natural lite

3. What does the woman think of judges?

She always respected judges.

4. What legal reforms have occurred?

Legal reforms that needed a lot of new people.

5. What are problems with legal reform?

49% of judges have no college degree.

6. Judges are all what? _Chinese Communist Party members_ It is impossible for

_the courts to be free from the control of the party.__

1. Party officials often do what?

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 Party officials often decide major cases in advance.

2. Courts rarely take on what types of cases?

Courts rarely take on tough cases like pollution, dispossession, corruption and abuse by authorities.

3. What is most urgent?

The independence of the judiciary

4. Some look not to the court for justice but for what?

They look at the Chinese right to petition.

5. To strengthen their cases what do citizens do?

They buy copies of China’s laws by street vendors.

6. In 2005 what happened?

The government admitted that 80% of petitioners cases are legitimate.

7. How many petitioners receive satisfaction?

Less than 1% of petitioners receive satisfaction

8. China’s penal system is devoted to what?

China’s penal system is devoted to re-education through labor.

9. Economic growth can not solve our problems with what?

Economic growth cannot solve the social problems and political reform problems.

10. Why are policies not always correctly implemented.

Policies are not always correctly implemented because of lack of understanding, the thought that the policy does
not suit local interests, and/or individual morality.

(skip to 52)
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What political changes can you identify in China?

There is a growing sense of individualism.

What are ways that China has stayed the same politically?

China has stayed the same with the fact that the CCP rules everything and it has no serious competition.