¡u§Úªº¤¤°ê¤ß¡v& rampant corruption in China (3)

Dr. Hon Yuk Ching & Others

19 October 2012

CC Lin: Pony & Bob, your points are well taken. Thank you!

As I stated your previously, China has many problems which cannot be resolved during the past 30 years of rapid development. I am taking the constructive way in my criticism.

When I said "corruption is getting better" I mean relative to the 1980s. Over the past 15 years, a lot of very senior Chinese officials have been convicted of crimes of corruption. China (like many countries south of USA) has long history of corruption. China being such a large developing country corruption problem will take a long time and tremendous effort to resolve. The Chinese and foreign press are actively reporting corruptions on TV and newspapers in their investigative reports which is why you and I read about it. I understand that in relatively remote locations (which represent a large area of China) where certain local officials do try to suppress reports on their corruptions but one could use the internet system to expose that. With the extensive use of the internet system (which is hard to be completely under control) acts as a deterrent, it would be hard to cover up such crimes. I read the Hong Kong newspaper WenWeiPo which also reported problems in the mainland over the internet daily including in mainland China.

I personally witnessed the growth of Jiangnan University (now a combination of 2 universities)largely funded by the Ministry of Education and private donations over the past 10 years. They built a new large scenic campus at the shore of Lake Tai Hu with small lakes and canals. There are the State Key Laboratory of Food Sciences & Technology and 4 Ministry of Education Key Laboratories at Jiangnan University. From January 2011 to this time, our group of 3 full time professors (I am only "Visiting") and about 40 graduate students published 20 English-based international refereed scientific journal papers which is a lot of decent research works conducted by the graduate students under the supervision of the professors and with good research facilities funded by government research grants. At Jiangnan University, graduate student does not pay tuition and got about 350 Yuan per month stipend which is generally good enough to be self-supporting as the dormitory and cafeteria dinning expenses are low and subsidized. I am glad that they can occasionally treat me for a nice lunch/dinner at one of many student cafeteria for about 5 Yuan but I cannot eat there by myself. The students are quite happy for that.

In spite of the existing problems in mainland China, I am still optimistic that China will be better and better with time. I will continue to help China in my field of biotechnology education and business which makes me feel younger.

Peter Wu: I don¡¦t need to tell anyone greed is hard-wired in our DNA, albeit in varying degrees. Greed can be excessive or restrained while corruption is a deliberate and excessive manifestation of greed.

For the rampant corruption in China in recent time, we have to thank Deng Xiaoping for it.

By saying ¡¥to get rich is glorious¡¦, he not only unleashed a revolution that transforms China from a nation of Mao jackets and people¡¦s communes, to a land of Cognac-drinking, Mercedes-driving and Gucci-toting techies, he may have unwittingly unleashed that ugly genie called corruption.

I have no quarrel with his ¡¥to get rich is glorious¡¦ saying at all. Look at how it has transformed China for the better. We all want to have some money to enjoy the finer things in life. Who doesn¡¦t?

Trouble was, having uttered that famous get rich is glorious saying, he also made another famous one liner which turns greed into corruption. That saying is ¡¥it doesn¡¦t matter if the cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice¡¦

What he was saying was this: Look, peasants, I don¡¦t give a stuff how you get rich, as long as you get rich. Now go out and get rich.

This is simply an open invitation to use whatever means to get rich. Suddenly, the flood-gate of corruption was open and with it, the land of China was flooded with Laisees, Tea Money, ¡¥Black Money¡¦, back-handers, you name it. Anyone and everyone is carrying loads of Laisees to ¡¥oil the wheels of commerce¡¦.

Those well-oiled ¡¥wheels of commerce¡¦ are going very well in China. They are gathering momentum by the day. Slowing them down will require tinkering by some unconventional and unorthodox thinkers. I am now calling upon Mr. Bob Choi to take leadership in this challenge.

Bob Choi: Corruption is a malignancy that will kill China from the inside if it is left untreated. While the causes for corrpution in China might be an interesting research topic for sociologists or criminologists, our job at hand is to find a way to eradicate it in the same spirit of the doctors who treat cancer without knowing exactly what causes it.

Fighting corruption in China is not going to be easy. Fortunately, help is available right in its own backyard...Hong Kong! We would all recall what Hong Kong was like before ICAC was put in place. It was in everyway as bad as China is now. So my suggestion to Mr Central Government is to set up CICAC (China Indepedent Commission Against Corruption)to be led by someone who is experienced, dedicated and most importantly, trustworthy. Our obvious choice (our only choice) is Peter Wu, our legendary ex-ICAC crime-fighter.

To maintain a proper balance and to make sure that not every mainland Chinese end up in jail for corruption (that will be terrible!) I would also suggest that Mr Central Government should appoint Dr. CC Lin as the Chief Justice presiding over all the cases brought forth by CICAC. His understanding, empathy and magnanimity will ensure that people who are charged with corruption will receive minimal sentences.

So with Peter Wu and Dr. CC Lin working in tandem, China will soon be transformed from a nation of greed and corruption into a nation of born-again, honest individuals...Amen.

-The end-