China Democracy Party

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China Democracy Party
中国民主党
China Democracy Party USA logo
General Secretary
Founded June 28, 1998
Headquarters
Political ideology Democracy
No. of members

China Democracy Party (simplified Chinese: 中国民主党; traditional Chinese: 中國民主黨; pinyin: Zhōngguó Mínzhǔ Dǎng) is a political party that started in the People's Republic of China, and banned by the Communist Party of China.[1] The history of the CDP along with its actual foundation date is actually quite scattered due to its many historical path depending on who was the original group of founders. It is generally recognized to have assembled in 1998 by democracy activists and former student leaders from the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 under western sources.[1][2]

Contents

[edit] Pre-history

One of the earliest Chinese dissident to have taken part in the parties creation was Wang Xizhe who pushed for democracy in 1974. Wang setup independent publication unions in 1980, until Deng Xiaoping cracked down on the movement and gave Wang a 14 year prison sentence. He helped initiate a number of opposing parties including the Chinese Justice Party, Chinese Freedom Labor Party, the Free China Movement Party and the China Democracy Party.[3]

Other smaller groups in March 4, 1977 were also created including the Shanghai Democracy Party after the Tiananmen Incident of 1976. The initial group was led by Mr. Ni, who he was put in jail for opposing the atrocities committed by the CPC and calling for a dictatorial regime overthrow. Two years later, due to infighting between Communist party chairman Hua Guofeng and Deng Xiaoping, Mr. Ni was lucky to have a narrow escape.[4]

In January 1986, Mr. Ni was sent to the US by the CDP. He immediately entered into cooperation with the "China Democracy Alliance”, led by Comrades Wang Bin Zhang, Hu Ping and Xue Wei, etc. In 1987, the “Democracy Alliance” members, led by Wang Bin Zhang started to organize the Party and officially put up the banners of the China Democracy Party. Efforts were made to combine the other parties, but progress was limited due to the many problems between the smaller groups.[4]

[edit] History

[edit] Foundation

Another group mainly became the new focal point and took advantage of the brief second Beijing Spring period in 1997, when political talks were more open. During this time, the death of Deng Xiaoping and the Handover of Hong Kong took place. Jiang Zemin's administration also just signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to promote international goodwill.[1] The new members of the CDP in mainland China were also much more technically savvy with websites setup on servers around the world.[5]

While the earliest date listed for the founding to be June 25, 1998, the group registered the party on June 28, 1998 when Bill Clinton was visiting China.[5] Wang Youcai, one of the main activist during the 1989 Tiananmen protest along with Wang Donghai and Lin Hui went to the Civil Public Affair Hall of Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province to officially register this party. The registration was declined.[5]

[edit] Communist Party response

The next day on June 29, 1998, Wang was arrested by the state police at his own home in front of his family members. He was charged with creating opposition against the Chinese government.[5] His trial began on December 18, he had no lawyer defense, his trial lasted only a few hours. He was quickly sentenced on December 21, 1998 to 11 years of imprisonment and 3 years of deprivation of political rights for subversion.[5]

On the same day, Xu Wenli, a 55 year old member was also sentenced to 13 years for overthrowing the Communist party.[6]

On December 22, 1998, Qing Yongmin was sentenced to 12 years to prison for harming state security.[6]

Li Peng, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress at the time proclaimed, "If a group is designed to negate the leadership of the Communist Party, then it will not be allowed to exist."[1]

The Communist party declared the CDP an illegal organization, followed by a crackdown in Beijing in 1998.[1] After the sentencing on December 23, 1998, the Supreme People's Court then declared that, "anyone who knowingly publishes, prints, copies, or distributes material containing incitement to overthrow state power and the socialist system or split the country" could be tried for crimes. Such charges could result in life sentences for film directors, computer software developers, writers and artists, and media and publishing personnel, all of whom are subject to the new directive.[7]

[edit] Crackdown on other members

There were hundreds of CDP members that were detained, arrested, and sentenced to prison. Liu Xianbin, Wu Yilong, Gao Hongmin, Zha Jianguo, Mao Qinxiang, Zhu Yufu, Zhuzhengming, Liu Shizhun, Xu Guang, She Wanbao, Chen Shuqing etc are some of the members of the party. Cyber dissident He Depu was also arrested in a correction facility.

[edit] Present

Later Xu Wenli and Wang Youcai were exiled to the US on December 24, 2002 and March 4, 2004. On August 13, 2006, the first congress of the CDP was convened in the Sheraton Hotel of Flushing, Queens, New York in the United States.[4] Ni Yu Xian, the leader of China's democracy movement, one of the founders of CDP and the China Freedom & Democracy Party, presided over the congress. A total of 111 delegates from all the provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions of China attended the Congress. The congress passed the Statutes of China Democracy Party, Party Program, and some important resolutions.

In Jan 2008, Zheng Cunzhu who joined the Party early in 2001 established Local Committee of China Democracy Party to advocate the political reform at city/county level in China.

[edit] Party summary

The CDP suggests the ideas of "Prosperity Fairness Democracy" (富裕 公平 民主) and "Freedom Law Human-Rights" (自由 法制 人权/人權). The CDP has five unique features:

  1. The Chinese Democracy Party was founded in mainland China.
  2. Based on the many documents issued by the China Democracy Party Zhejiang Organizing Committee and the Beijing-Tianjin Party Office in 1998, especially the “Declaration of the China Democracy Party for the New Century” issued by Chinese Democracy Party United Headquarter on January 1, 2000, it is clear that the CDP is firmly established on a solid foundation of true democratic ideals.
  3. The Chinese Democracy Party was founded by a large group of people. Its key members are mainly from participants of the 1978 Chinese Democracy Wall Movement, the 1989 Democracy Movement, and various democracy movements from abroad. The vast majority of its leadership was chosen through fair elections. More than 40 of its leaders have endured the suffering of imprisonment. Until today, more than 20 of its leaders are still in prison.
  4. The organizing movement of the Chinese Democracy Party occurred in 28 provinces and autonomous regions in Mainland China, as well as various locations abroad; therefore, the Party’s influence and scale is nation-wide.
  5. Since the first day of its founding, the Chinese Democracy Party has been receiving close attention from the government of the United States and other nations. Specifically in 1999 under the leadership of Mr. Wang Xizhe, the United Nation Commission on Human Rights nominated CDP members Xu Wenli, Qin Yongmin and Wang Youcai for the Nobel Peace Prize.[8]

[edit] Chinese Constitutional Democratic Transition Research

Chinese Constitutional Democratic Transition Research is founded in 2006 by group of Chinese overseas students and exiled members of China Democracy Party. The objective is to support the development of China Democracy Party and to promote the constitutional democratic transition in China. They are Lin Hui, Wang Donghai, Lv Gengsong, Shan Chenfeng, Xu Guang, Chen Shuqing, Gao Yeju, Wang Youcai, and Chen Zhiwei etc, and Wang Youcai, Wang Donghai and Lin Hui are the first three people to register the China Democracy Party in Zhejiang Province in June 25, 1998.

[edit] Coordinative Service Platform of China Democracy Party

China Democracy Party Coordinative Service Platform was founded by the members of China Democracy Party members who are in China, overseas students, and exiled China Democracy Party Members. The initiative group members are Wang Youcai, Lin Hui, Chen Shuqing, Chen Zhiwei，Gao Yeju, Lv Gengsong, Xu Guang, Shan Chenfeng,and many other members.

[edit] Local Committee of China Democracy Party

In January 2008, party member Zheng Cunzhu established the Local Committee of China Democracy Party. Zheng Cunzhu is a former student leader during 1989's pre-democratic movements in Anhui province, and he published an open letter to the leaders of China to advocate the re-starting of political reform.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Gittings, John. The Changing Face of China: From Mao to Market. [2005] (2005). Oxford universities press. ISBN 0192806122
  2. ^ Edmonds, Richard Louis. [2000] (2000). The People's Republic of Chian after 50 years. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0199240655
  3. ^ Bell, Daniel A. Chae bong Ham. [2003] (2003). Confucianism for the Modern World. Cambridge university press. ISBN 0521527880.
  4. ^ a b c Cdp2006.org The Proclamation of the First Congress of China Democracy Party
  5. ^ a b c d e Goldsmith, Jack L. Wu, Tim. [2006] (2006). Who Controls the Internet?: Illusions of Borderless World. Oxford university press. ISBN 01895152662
  6. ^ a b Mackerras, Colin. [2001] (2001). The New Cambridge Handbook of Contemporary China. ISBN 0521786746
  7. ^ Hrw.org
  8. ^ Taiwantt.org.tw

[edit] External links