Wang Yang says its not the Party’s role to bestow happiness on the people
The Southern Metropolis Daily is a Guangdong-based newspaper with a big print circulation in its home province, and a wide national audience online. The front page headline today is: “At the Party Congress, Wangyang said we must let go of the false idea that the party and government are responsible for providing people’s happiness.” This has been circulated all over the Chinese Internet since last night, when it first appeared.
Wang Yang is the Provincial Party Secretary of Guangdong Province, and a member of the CPC Central Committee. He is the representative of what has been called the “Guangdong Model’. In contrast to Bo Xilai’s state-led, neo-Maoist ‘Chongqing Model,’ Wang’s way is seen as more private enterprise-friendly and politically liberal.
What has got Chinese netizens so excited about this headline is the idea that a government official is finally acknowledging it is not the government’s role to give and take happiness like a feudal ruler. Read more
