Wen Jiabao: How People will Judge Me

Link: ifeng.com

Question: Chief State Councillor Wen, good morning. I’m from Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao [United Morning News]. I’m very happy that I can ask you a question during your last after-two-sessions press conference. My question is this: during the past few years, on different occasions, you have talked about reform of the political system, which caught a lot of attention. May I ask what your reasons were to discuss this topic repeatedly? Where are the difficulties in reforming China’s political system? Thank you.

温总理您好。新加坡《联合早报》记者。很高兴能在您最后一次的两会后记者会上提问。我的问题是，最近几年您多次在不同场合提到了政治体制改革，引起了很大的关注。请问您多次反复提到政治体制改革的原因在哪里？中国推进政治体制改革的难度又在什么地方？谢谢。

A question from Lianhe Zaobao. Click picture for Q & A video.

Wen Jiabao: Yes, during these years, I have discussed political reform, rather comprehensively and precisely, one should say. If you ask me why I attach importance to this matter: it stems from a sense of responsibility.  After the “Gang of Four” was smashed, our party did several historic resolutions to carry out reform and opening up. But we haven’t gotten entirely rid of the mistakes of the “Cultural Revolution” and the influence of feudalism.

是的，这些年我多次谈到政治体制改革，应该说已经比较全面和具体了。如果问我为什么关注这件事情，我出于责任感。粉碎“四人帮”以后，我们党虽然作出了若干历史问题的决议，实行了改革开放。但是“文革”的错误和封建的影响，并没有完全清除。

With economic development came unfair distribution, lack of sincerity, corruption issues, etc.. I know deeply that to solve these problems, we must not only reform the economic system, but also the political system, and especially the party’s and the country’s leadership system.

随着经济的发展，又产生了分配不公、诚信缺失、贪污腐败等问题。我深知解决这些问题，不仅要进行经济体制改革，而且要进行政治体制改革，特别是党和国家领导制度的改革。

Reform has now arrived at a critical stage^*). Without successful political reform, we can’t see through the economic reforms, and gains already made can be lost again, and if social problems can’t be fundamentally solved, there is still a possibility that a historic tragedy like the cultural revolution may occur again. Every responsible party member and leading cadre should feel a sense of urgency.

现在改革到了攻坚阶段，没有政治体制改革的成功，经济体制改革不可能进行到底，已经取得的成果还有可能得而复失，社会上新产生的问题，也不能从根本上得到解决，文化大革命这样的历史悲剧还有可能重新发生。每个有责任的党员和领导干部都应该有紧迫感。

Of course, I deeply know the difficulty of reform, especially as any reform requires the awakening of the people, their support, their enthusiasm, and their creative minds. In a country like China, with a population of 1.3 billion, one has to set out from the country’s [actual] condition, and build socialist democratic politics in a progressive way. That isn’t easy to do, but reform can only move ahead; it can’t stand still, and even less, it can go backwards. Standing still or moving back provide no way out.

当然，我深知改革的难度，主要是任何一项改革必须有人民的觉醒、人民的支持、人民的积极性和创造精神。在中国这样有13亿人口的大国，又必须从国情出发， 循序渐进地建立社会主义民主政治。这不是一件轻而易举的事情，但是改革只能前进，不能停滞，更不能倒退，停滞和倒退都没有出路。

I know that people do not only hear what I say, what my ideals and beliefs are, but which goals I do achieve through my own efforts. I can tell everyone that I will fight for the cause of China’s reform and opening up, even if I only have one more breath to take.

我知道，人们不仅看我说什么，我的理想和信念，更看我通过自己的努力能够实现什么样的目标。我可以对大家讲，为了中国的改革开放事业，只要还有一口气，我就奋斗一天。

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Note

^*) 攻坚阶段 – gongjian jieduan. gongjian: assaulting or storming fortified positions.

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Related

» Wen Jiabao’s Endgame, April 21, 2011

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