1.3 BILLION PART HARMONY:

Beijing tries to face unrest over wealth gap (Joseph Kahn, March 4, 2005, The New York Times)

In a series of top-level meetings before this session of the National People's Congress, including a secretive conclave of senior economists and government officials at the Diaoyutai State Guest House late last month, policy makers bemoaned the severity of the country's social ills and pondered economic changes to quell rising protests, people told about the session said.

While many of the issues have been debated for months, officials are gripped by a sense of crisis after several mass riots and thousands of smaller protests over land seizures, corruption and unpaid wages shook the confidence of the leadership.

Hu Jintao, who will consolidate his hold on China's top political and military titles during the meeting of the legislature, has ordered party members nationwide to study his thoughts about building a "harmonious society" through "scientific development."

And, after all, when has a secret conclave of communist aparatchiks trying to read the Leader's mind ever failed to produce a scientific remedy to the woes of the system?

Posted by Orrin Judd at March 4, 2005 9:07 AM