THEY CAN EITHER PLAN IT OR SUFFER IT BUT THEY CAN'T AVOID IT:

China will be a democracy by 2020, says senior party figure (Malcolm Moore, 15 Oct 2008, Daily Telegraph)

Zhou Tianyong, an adviser to the Communist Party's Central Committee and one of its most liberal voices, told the Daily Telegraph that "by 2020, China will basically finish its political and institutional reforms".

He added: "We have a 12-year plan to establish a democratic platform. There will be public democratic involvement at all government levels."

Mr Zhou also predicted "extensive public participation in policy-making, such as drawing up new legislation".

Mr Zhou is deputy head of research at the Central Party School, the most important institution for training senior leaders. President Hu Jintao is among its former directors.

After two weeks of heightened tension between China and Taiwan because of a £3.5 billion American arms sale to the island, Mr Zhou said the transition to democracy was "essential for relations with Taiwan and a possible peaceful reunification".

The End of History isn't actually optional.

Posted by Orrin Judd at October 19, 2008 9:43 AM