DATE=12/26/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-224528
TITLE=CHINA/STABILITY (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: CHINA'S PRESIDENT HAS ORDERED POLICE AROUND THE COUNTRY
TO STEP UP EFFORTS TO SAFEGUARD SOCIAL STABILITY -- WHICH HE
CALLS THE PREREQUISITE FOR REFORM AND DEVELOPMENT. STEPHANIE HO
REPORTS FROM BEIJING, LABOR UNREST IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE NEXT
YEAR AS CHINA DEEPENS REFORM OF STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES AND
POTENTIALLY LAYS OFF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF WORKERS.
TEXT: IN A SPEECH TO A NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CONFERENCE,
CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN ISSUED A WARNING THAT FAILURE TO
MAINTAIN SOCIAL STABILITY IN THE NEW YEAR COULD JEOPARDIZE
ECONOMIC PROGRESS.
PRESIDENT JIANG DID NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTION LABOR UNREST, BUT
HE STRESSED THAT 1998 WAS A CRITICAL YEAR IN REALIZING THE SPIRIT
OF THE 15TH COMMUNIST PARTY CONGRESS. WHAT THAT MEANS IS AN
OVERHAUL OF THE ENTIRE STATE SECTOR, WHICH HAS BEEN THE
CORNERSTONE OF CHINESE SOCIALISM.
THE PRESIDENT -- WHO IS ALSO HEAD OF CHINA'S COMMUNIST PARTY --
USED THE PARTY CONGRESS IN SEPTEMBER TO PUSH THROUGH A BOLD PLAN
TO REFORM THE STATE SECTOR THROUGH MERGERS, BANKRUPTCY, AND
JOINT-STOCK OWNERSHIP.
CHINA HAS MORE THAN 100-THOUSAND STATE-OWNED FIRMS -- MOST OF
WHICH FUNCTION AT A LOSS AND REQUIRE HUGE INFUSIONS OF GOVERNMENT
SUPPORT. CLOSING THESE FACTORIES DOWN WOULD MEAN LAYING OFF
MILLIONS OF WORKERS, PUTTING AN END TO THE CRADLE-TO-GRAVE
SECURITY THEY HAD BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO.
ALL AROUND CHINA THIS PAST YEAR, WORKERS HAVE CAUSED SPORADIC
UNREST AS MANY STATE FIRMS FAIL TO SUPPORT THEIR RANKS OF
REDUNDANT WORKERS AND RETIREES. WORKER PROTESTS HAVE BEEN
REPORTED IN ANHUI PROVINCE AS WELL AS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN
PROVINCE OF SICHUAN.
CHINA'S OFFICIAL URBAN JOBLESS RATE IS AROUND FOUR PERCENT, BUT
THAT FIGURE DOES NOT INCLUDE MILLIONS OF REDUNDANT WORKERS WHO
ARE KEPT ON THE PAYROLLS OF IDLE FACTORIES, DRAWING ONLY A
FRACTON OF THEIR ORIGINAL WAGES. (SIGNED)
NEB/HO/KL
26-Dec-97 5:46 AM EST (1046 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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