Please register for the webinar here

Abstract

Domestic governance is a vast subject. This seminar takes up four elements, novel to the Chinese model. Our discussion may spin-off into more detailed work, including comparative studies.

A) County Level Administration

The county is the base unit for governance in China. County governance is roughly comparable to district administration in India. The focus would be county administration, finances, role and functions of different institutions and the Party leadership. This also touches on Party Schools that function at county and province levels.

B) Cadres and their Domestic Role

The speaker explores how with the changing party and political ideology, the definition and role of cadres (ganbu) — i.e. the party official has transformed in China. What has been its impact on China's domestic governance, during the Xi Jinping era? What are the likely implications?

C) Governance of Science &Technology (S&T)

With slowing economic growth and a declining population, China risks "becoming old before it becomes rich". The solution is to radically improve total productivity, which requires an S&T-led environment of all-round creativity and innovation. But can China's current model of S&T governance step up to this challenge?

D) 'Leading Small Groups'

Dating to the CCP's Yenan days of the 1930s, this has evolved into a flexible system for joint Party-Government top policy and supervision. Brief reports in the official media name the LSG heads, but full membership is not disclosed. Totaling over 50, they represent a unique governance model.

About the Speaker

Dr. Ritu Agarwal is an Associate Professor at Centre for East Asian studies, School of International Studies, JNU. She holds a Ph.D. in Chinese studies from University of Delhi. She completed her M.A. in Political science, JNU. Her Doctoral work explored the micro-level agrarian transformation in Yunnan province and she is currently engaged in questions of provincial transformation especially in Yunnan. Her research interests are: rural political economy, urbanization, gender studies and provincial politics. She was a visiting scholar to Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences, Kunming, and visiting fellow to Yunnan Minzu University and Yunnan University recently.

Dr. Bhim Subba is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science, University of Hyderabad, Telangana, India and a Visiting Research Associate at Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi. He holds a PhD from the Department of East Asian Studies, University of Delhi, and an MA in Political Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University. He is a recipient of the Institute of Chinese Studies-Harvard- Yenching Institute (ICS-HYI) China-India Doctoral Studies Fellowship; a Ford Student Fellowship; and a Confucius Institute Scholarship awarded by the PRC. His research interests are China studies, comparative political systems and international politics.

Mr. Ravi Bhoothalingam is currently Founder and Chairman of Manas Advisory, a consultancy practice focusing on business and cultural relations with China, Mongolia and Myanmar. He is Honorary Fellow at the Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi. He holds a Masters degree in Experimental Psychology from Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University, when the renowned Sinologist and scientist Joseph Needham was Master of the College, and also holds an AMP from Harvard. He is a member of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Core Group on China, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, London and sits on the Editorial Boards of China Report and World Affairs, two international journals published out of India.

Amb. Kishan S Rana MA economics, St Stephen's College, Delhi. Indian Foreign Service (1960-95); Ambassador/High Commissioner: Algeria, Czechoslovakia, Kenya, Mauritius, & Germany; Joint Secretary, PMO (1981-82). Emeritus Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi; Professor Emeritus, DiploFoundation; Archives By-Fellow, Churchill College, Cambridge. Authored and edited eleven books on diplomatic studies; two translated into Chinese. 300 articles and book reviews in journals and newspapers.