Searching for progressive China

The title of this post 'searching for progressive China' has been one of the themes of the time i've spent in this country. Some might say i am foolish, unrealistic, trying to search for progressive China while living in a self-enclosed community in one of the most isolated pockets of mountainous Sichuan province. But i feel bound to take up this search. Because mine own destiny in this country depends on the door being open to this avenue of hope. Being the idealist son of 60's generation parents, i could hardly tolerate living amongst an atmosphere of pervasive conservatism and opression, and so would be forced to leave. In the place where i live, my western colleagues use the excuse 'you can't change Chinese culture' as a reason to follow the local political habits. Then, by asserting their authority and befriending the high players, they have crafted their own patch of political turf in the office hierarchy . But these games don't appeal to me. Anywhere in the world, simply saying that one must follow the local way is no excuse for unscrupulousness.
Chinese culture is not a fixed object. It changes and transforms along with everything else in this world. The only duty we can truly have in this world is to push with our weight of influence, that transformative flow towards the direction that we most deeply know and feel is the direction of righteousness. So i, in my limited capacities, will push for progress here even though it might seem to be against the flow. How can one remain an honest and independent broker if we are too close to the powerplayers ans decision-makers? In that way we could end up being used as a source of foreign 'expert' validation for greedy or misguided tourism development planned from the top without deep consideration or consultation.
Here in Jiuzhaigou, what the leaders says, goes. When a prefectural governor visits and makes a passing comment that the perfectly serviceable wooden walking trails are looking a bit old- 40kms of boardwalk are torn up the next day. Meanwhile, the conservation goals of ecotourism get little funding due to an alomst complete lack of understanding and enthusiasm. After all, how is ecotourism going to help their political goals?
Nationalism:
In my discourse with Chinese people in general, i regularly have come across a deep and irrational sense of nationalism, which is apparently government encouraged (especially since tiananmen 20 years ago) for purposes of national unity and security for their regime. This is a standard practice used by those in power across the world since time immemorial. And it is especially convenient to make foreigners the enemy in Tibetan areas where national loyalties are more questionable and westerners, with the popularity of the Tibetan cause, are seen as a source of separatism. So, this nationalism is often accompanied by suspicion of me as a foreigner. When i tried to travel to the prefecture capital a couple of months ago, i was treated like a criminal and accused of being a reporter by a bunch of policeman staring at me with hostile eyes, ears simply dead to my friendly protestations.
Others nationalistically like to put me in my place as someone who, as an outsider, couldn't possibly understand Chinese people and history. This maybe true to some extent, but the way it is used is to excuse a kind of xenophobia that has no basis in logic at all. But i refuse to live in fear. And as a person who is not against China, or Chinese people, but someone who scrupulously guards his objectivity, i refuse to be silenced. I think, in the end, this is the most worthwhile path to take.
Some of these factors point to a basic contradiction in China's outlook. While they are paranoid of foreigners and view large parts of Western China as no-go zones for any foreign nationals, they also are supposed to be opening up to the world and becoming a responsible International Actor.
It is fair to say though, that if i was based in China, in an area where the governmental shadow is not cast so heavily, i would likely have come out with a different perspective. The only way to find out, i guess, is to go and live in the more developed and more open Eastern cities (unfortunately these cities are amongst the smog too!)- so i'll closely consider taking an English teaching job in one of those cities.

Politics & Hope:
Of course the hope for a better world is definitely there, somewhere, in the hearts and minds of the Chinese people, but against a long tradition of conservatism, it often remains deep under the surface. What, with a proud history of 000s of years and a tradition of authoritarianism, the temptation to look back at what has come before and mentally project that as an unchanging pattern into our anticipation for the future is always strong, despite the revolutionary protestations of a new system and new regime.
In the youth of the cities that i have met, particularly the women and the educated, but also the men, i sense a more open attitude.
Even in the 2nd ranked leader, Premier Wen Jiabao, there is a spark in the eye and a human touch that has garnered him the affectionate name from his people 'grandfather Wen'. He even recently quoted Franklin D.Rosovelt when discussing the economic crisis by stating; "We have nothing to fear but fear itself".
Though it seems unfortunately that the same cannot be said for the no.1 cadre, President Hu Jintao. He is known as the man who ordered troops into Tibet after the Tiananmen square protest in 1989. Soon after taking this decision he was elevated to the Central Committee of the ruling party. His stiffness at overseas engagements is painfully obvious as a sign of his conservatism.
Hu Jintao quotes:
"China will continue to build up democracy with it's own characteristics and improve it's people's human rights based on the actual situation and the aspiration of the people"
"We have pursued profound change without ever giving up China's unique brand of socialism, and so have been able to bring about great reforms,”
“featuring a more developed economy, improved democracy, advanced science and education ... and higher living standards for the entire 1.3 billion people.”
Even the relatively conservative US think-tank Centre for American Progress agrees that:
"the Chinese government is imposing more accountability on officials and providing more societal input into policy decisions".
"By meeting the legitimate demands of its citizens for freedom and openness, China's leaders can help their country grow into a modern, prosperous and confident nation.”
And it is clear to me that China's system, with it's active governance style, rejection of imperialism and emphasis on human outcomes, is a force whose influence could potentially help to cure some of the ills of the capitalist-ruled western democracies. But a lack of criticism from the far-right in the US is not necessarily a good sign. Oppression of the left and oppression of the right are remarkably similar, as pointed out by great authors such as Noam Chomsky in his books on the Cold War. Meanwhile, a mutually-power preserving alliance of the capitalist establishment and a Chinese government elite, fearful of US military power, is not out of the question.
I hope all these various ideas can give some new ideas and make these issues a little clearer to you. Its hardly a simple matter but time will tell. I suppose we can just try to maintain a human approach while preserving our own openness to China, refusing to become a victim of the xenophobia of which we accuse others.

Below i add a couple of posts i made recently to my facebook group 'Anti-Imperialista':
Post 1:
Here in China recently passed the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, as it is known. Hushed-up and unknown, the date of June 4 means little in China, despite the fact that on this date in 1989 an event took place which shook their nations history. The government claims that the movement was a western-inspired bourgeois-capitalist uprising, but historic records indicate that it was a student movement which was asking for government accountability and gradually gaining support from mainstream Chinese society, threatening those in power. A friend of mine who was there at the time, reports how the song of choice among the crowds was the 'Internationale' the anthem of the global socialist movement. As it was, cold steel and a campaign of fear won the day. The government has much to answer for. They now claim legitimacy based on their ability to deliver improved livelihood to their people, which has much merit, but the time for political freedom must come too. We shall see.
Post 2:
Re. Tiananmen Square, Living here in an isolated community in the mountains of Western China, the idea of political freedom seems a very distant concept. Subtly trying to discuss this event with some close colleagues, the subject was quickly met with an awkwardness, likely born out of a combination of fear and misinformation. Ironically, it is the Tibetan leaders in this autonomous prefecture, who in the name of Socialism, now oppress their own people. General submissiveness to authority is relied upon to perpetuate rule as much as it was in the days of the Dalai Lama's rule over this region. Change is slow and must come from without. Please come and visit this beautiful place, Jiuzhaigou, and see for yourself, chat to the people, helping themselves to imagine what is possible.

Hope all is well back home!