In Malaysia, China’s prime minister calls for “independent thinking and expression”. A commentary in the People’s Daily, cites Voltaire who said, “I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." However, dissidents and critics of the regime continue to be arrested.

Beijing (AsiaNews) – China needs “independent thinking and creativity”. It also “must advance political, economic and judicial reforms, so that our superstructure [politics] will keep abreast with the development of our economic foundation,” Wen Jiabao said at the Chinese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur during an official visit to Malaysia. The People's Daily also published a commentary, citing Voltaire, who famously said, “I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Chinese authorities are however relentless in their crackdown against dissidents and free thinkers.

Speaking to Chinese embassy staff in Malaysia, Wen said, “Our country will be invincible if all of our 1.3 billion people can think independently and be creative.” Moreover, we “must advance political, economic and judicial reforms, so that our superstructure [politics] will keep abreast with the development of our economic foundation”.

For the first time, China’s number two said politics comes before economics, a major signal, for some analysts. Equally, the commentary published today in the People’s Daily signals that at least one faction inside the Communist Party might be favourable to major social and political reforms along liberal lines.

A real “inside revolution” will have to wait though because the entire party’s leadership is set to change next year.

“Wen appeared so frustrated because even as the premier, he couldn't do much,” said Professor Joseph Cheng Yu-shek, a political scientist at City University of Hong Kong, this despite the fact that “he has been making repeated calls inside and outside the country” for political reforms.

In fact, Wen's call was more like a lone voice in the wilderness. "I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt”’ Cheng said, “but the reality is in sharp contrast” to what he's preaching.

This is clearly evinced by the recent arrest of renowned artist and dissident Ai Weiwei and the ongoing crackdown due to fears of a Chinese-style Jasmine Revolution, which is currently sweeping across the Middle East and North Africa.

More charges have also been laid against Wang Lihong, a blogger the authorities want to convict for “assembling a crowd to disrupt social order”.

Even a move by the United States in favour of human rights in China has hit a brick wall.

US Assistant secretary of State Michael Posner, in China for w two-day meeting on human rights, said that no headway has been made on a matter that concerns Washington. In his view, the mainland actually appears to be “back-sliding”.

Indeed, Chinese officials continue to repeat that Beijing will not accept any interference in its internal affairs on human rights matters.

• china
• wen
• jiabao
• crackdown
• freedom
• creativity