China's plan for President Xi Jinping to
remain in office indefinitely has sparked social media opposition,
drawing comparisons to North Korea's ruling dynasty and charges of
creating a dictator by a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist.
The
social media reaction late on Sunday quickly saw China swing into a
concerted propaganda push by Monday, blocking some articles and
publishing pieces praising the party.
The ruling Communist Party
on Sunday proposed to remove a constitutional clause limiting
presidential service to just two terms in office, meaning Xi, who also
heads the party and the military, might never have to retire.
The
proposal, which will be passed by delegates loyal to the party at next
month's annual meeting of China's largely rubber stamp parliament, is
part of a package of amendments to the country's constitution.
It
will also add Xi's political thought to the constitution, already added
to the party constitution last year, and set a legal framework for a
super anti-corruption superbody, as well as more broadly strengthen the
party's tight grip on power.
But it seems the party will have its
work cut out trying to convince some in China, where Xi is actually
very popular thanks in part to his war on graft, that the move will not
end up giving Xi too much power.
"Argh,
we're going to become North Korea," wrote one Weibo user, where the Kim
dynasty has ruled since the late 1940s. Kim Il Sung founded North Korea
in 1948 and his family has ruled it ever since.
"We're following the example of our neighbour,' wrote another user.
The
comments were removed late on Sunday evening after Weibo, China's
answer to Twitter, began blocking the search term "two term limit".
Widely
read state-run newspaper the Global Times, in an editorial carried
online late Sunday and published on Monday, said the change did not mean
the president will stay in office for ever, though it did not offer
much explanation.
"Since reform and opening up, China, led by the
Communist Party, has successfully resolved and will continue to
effectively resolve the issue of party and national leadership
replacement in a law-abiding and orderly manner," it said, referring to
landmark economic reforms that begun four decades ago.
The
party's official People's Daily reprinted a long article by Xinhua news
agency saying most people supported the constitutional amendments,
quoting a variety of people proffering support.
"The broad part of officials and the masses say that they hoped this constitutional reform is passed," it wrote.
The
WeChat account of the People's Daily, after initially posting a flurry
of positive comments under its article, then disabled the comments
section completely late on Sunday. It was back again by Monday, complete
with remarks lauding the party.
The overseas edition of the same
paper's WeChat account removed entirely an article focusing on the term
limits, replacing it with the lengthy Xinhua report summing up all the
amendment proposals.
In one confusing moment for many Chinese, Xinhua initially only reported the news in English.
The
decision has also unsettled some in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong,
where authorities have been trying to rein in a pro-democracy movement.
"This
move, which would allow for a single individual to amass and accumulate
political power, means that China would again have a dictator as her
head of state - Xi Jinping," said Joshua Wong, one of the movement's
leaders.
"The law may exist in China in form, but this just
proves that the Chinese law exists to serve the individual and the
party's purposes."
China is likely though to see any such criticism as a plot against the party.
"Every
time China deliberates on reforms and key decisions, effect on public
opinion is worth pondering," the Global Times wrote. "Misinformation and
external forces' meddling will affect public opinion in China."