East Asia Exam 2

PRC-UK negotiations

·      Opium wars between brits and Chinese

·      1842- Treaty of Nanking- British received HK

·      Treaty of Peking- 99-year lease on new territories (HK)

·      British rule from 1841-1997

·      Article 31 (1982)- constitution developed for China- legal provision to make it possible to absorb Hong-Kong

·      Joint declaration 1984 – UK says it will return HK to PRC after 97, Uk gives it back

·      HK now named HK special administrative region (SAR)

Basic Law HK

·      1990- National peoples congress adopted basic law

·      Executive authorities and legislature shall be composed of permanent HK residents

·      Rights and freedoms- All HK residents shall be equal before the law, perm residents have right to vote/stand for election, freedom of speech/press/publication, association, assembly, strike, unions., demonstrations

Branches of Gov HK

·      Chief executive

·      Legislative council

o   Elected by and from members of legislative council

·      Court of final appeal

Chief Executive HK

·      Head of HKSAR, person accountable to Centrals Peoples Government (mainland china)

·      Sector election voting thing

Elections in HK

·      5 sectors in Hk (sectors only small part of population)

·      Need 188 nominations from committee (very difficult)

·      15 votes from each sector out of 300 , 188 votes overall out of 15000. More than 750 votes- appointed

Sectors:

o   1^st- industrial, commercial

o   2^nd- proffesions

o   3^rd- labor, grassroots, religious

o   4^th- LegCo members, reps of orgs.

o   5^th- HKSAR deputies, members of national committees

·      China made this difficult process to maintain business status quo in HK

John Lee and 2022 election

·  2022 Chief executive election

o   Incumbent Carrie Lam (2017-2022) declined to run for 2^nd term

o   Carrie unpopular bc 2019 extraction bill- send criminals to mainland china (stricter) to be tried

o   Blamed for mismanaging covid

o   Protests + lots of arrests

·      John Lee- sole candidate

o   Former chief cabinet secretary, police officer, pro-Beijing politician

Xi Jinping

·      current leader

2017: Xi Jinping addresses the CCP, proclaiming China a global power

·      Served 3 terms

·      Chinas paramount leader, serving simultaneously as head of the party (CCP general secretary), head of state (PRC pres), and head of the military (CMC chairman)

Chinas pol system

·      Legislative -executive system: communist party Nondemocratic regime

·      Legislature: unicameral Nationals Peoples Congress (nominal authority)

·      Electoral system for lower house: not applicable

·      Unitary not federal division of power

·      Chief judicial body: supreme people’s court (nominal authority only- power in name only)

geography/demography China

·      Large territory, w/ considerable geographic and climate diversity

·      Population roughly 1.4 billion (90% Han Chinese)

·      One-child policy (1970’s-2015)

Attempt to limit pop

Led to killing of female born children

hundred flowers campaign

·      1956-1957

·      Mao encouraged intellectuals to critique national policy, was followed by a crackdown on critics

great leap forward

·      1958-1960

·      Disastrous effort to modernize China through localized industrial production, agro communes, people starving

red guards

·      Vanguard of loyalist, college students

·      Have Maos red book

cultural rev

·      Mao’s radical political movement launched in 1996 to regain political control from rivals, resulting in a decade of social/political chaos

·      Mao encouraged supporters to go after CCP authorities, whom he accused of becoming too bourgeoisie

mao

·      Leader of the Chinese communist revolution, who dominated Chinese politics from the founding of the PRC until his death in 1976

deng xiaoping

·      1978-1997

·      Launched China’s policy of econ reform and opening

·      Replaced communism with econ pragmatism

·      Opened China

tiananmen massacre

Tiananmen incident

·      1989

·      People came to commemorate guy who wants to increase education

·      Tanks/troops killed many people

·      Countries boycotted China, economy experienced recession

parallel bureaucracy

·      Chinese Communist Party (CCP) operates a shadow organization right alongside the nominal state (administrative) government at almost every level

jiang zemin

·      1992-2002

·      Deng’s successor in the 1990’s as China’s paramount leader

·      “experts” engineers and technocrats

role of capitalism

hu jintao

·      2002-2012

·      “experts” engineers and technocrats

steps toward financial transparancy

chinese communist party

·      “highest” leading bodies:

·      national party congress

·      central committee

national party congress

·      CCP cumbersome representative body: more akin to a national political party convention

·      Meets every 5 years

·      It approves major policy shifts, amends the party constitution, and elects the members of the Central Committee. 

central committee

·      highest decision-making organ of the party when the National Congress is not in session

·      Elects top leadership bodies—including the Politburo, the Politburo Standing Committee, and the Central Military Commission—and directs overall party work. Recent plenums have also addressed sweeping internal discipline, anti-corruption campaigns, and high-level personnel changes. 

politburo

·      Political bureau

·      Most powerful

·      National party congress “elects” its CC which in turn “elects” the politburo

·      24 members

·      Standing committee: 9 members from politburo neither are responsible to CC

·      China’s governing cabinet, and each member is responsible for a particular set of policy areas or issues that roughly correspond to the ministerial portfolios of the governments state council

national peoples congress NPC

·      China’s national legislature

·      Unicameral, roughly 3,000 delegates

·      150-member standing committee

·      Has constitutional authority to pass laws and amend the constitution

·      Never had an influential role in policy-making- it is too big and meets infrequently

·      Rubber stamp

state council

·      China’s executive branch

·      Functions like cabinet in a parliamentary system

·      Oversees work of China’s ministries and commissaries

vice president china

·      VP directs state council

·      State council functions like cabinet

premier

·      Serves as head of government

·      Recommended by party’s CC and then formally elected by the NPC, which has always chosen the recommended candidate

autonomous regions

·      These are first-level administrative divisions that have the same status as provinces. They are created for areas with a high concentration of designated ethnic minority groups and have specific local legislative rights. 

·       While they have local governments and the right to pass separate self-regulation statutes, real-world policy and authority remain tightly centralized under the national government of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

NK economy

·      One of the world’s most centrally directed and least open

·      Problems: underinvestment, chronic food shortages, lack of fuel, lack or arable land, famine, poor living conditions

·      Gdp: $26.6 billlion- SK GDP: $2.25 trillion

Kim il sung

·      Joined Korean communist party then the Chinese communist party

·      Arrested by Japanese but escaped the Soviet Union

·      By 1946: leader of NK

·      w/ soviet backing Kim launched Korean war in 1950 to reunite the Korean peninsula

korean war

·      Korean War occurred, in which the North, in an attempt to gain control of Korea as a whole, surprised and attacked the South. Chinese and U.S. forces entered the war, which eventually ended in a stalemate, and a line was drawn between the Countries at the 38^th parallel. By the end of the war, both countries' infrastructure and industrial base had been destroyed.

nk ideology

·    

Juche

Means that the north decides what the north wants to do

·      A kind of xenophobic nationalism (or facism)

·      A kind of national church of communism in NK

cult of personality

·      Kim erected a stature of himself in 1949

·      Called himself “the great leader”

·      Keeps pace w/ Mao’s cult of personality in China

·      Mao died…kim lived

political system NK

·      A totalitarian socialist state

·      Workers party of Korea (WPK) only party

·      Party has practically complete control of armed forces, mass media, education

·      State ownership and centralized econ planning

totalitarianism

·      Official undisputed ideology

·      Single elite-directed mass party

·      Party org. parallels government

·      Secret police

Commonalities of NK/other Communist systems

·      1. Marxism/Leninism

·      2. Socialist rules of conduct (rights and duties of citizens in constitution)

·      3. Socialist econ system

·      4. Democratic centralism

·      5. Structure of the state

Kim Jong II

·      1994-2011

·      Officially declared the successor 20 years b4 fathers death

·      Loved video games + movies wanted to be film director

·      Kim liked being viewed as crazy and feared

madman theories

·      The madman theory in the context of North Korea applies in two distinct ways: how Western leaders (like Richard Nixon and Donald Trump) have attempted to project irrationality toward North Korea, and whether North Korea's own regime deliberately projects unpredictability to deter outside intervention. 

Kim Jong-un

·      Use of ideology

·      Cult of personality

·      Reliance on military, nuclear threats

·      Purges/executions

Kim Yo Jong

·      Kim’s sister

·      Possible next leader

·      WPK general secretary, pres. of political party

Kim Ju Ae

·      Kim’s daughter

·      Possible next leader

WPK vs. CCP membership

·      Both parties carefully control membership and expect political loyalty. However, the CCP has a much larger and more diverse membership, while WPK membership is more closely tied to loyalty to the Kim family and the North Korean state.

Lam Wai-Man “Political Context”

·      The 2019 protests reflected public dissatisfaction with Beijing’s growing influence and the erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy.

·      The Hong Kong government increasingly adopted authoritarian practices, including restrictions on protests, political opposition, and civil liberties.

·      The legislature has limited democratic representation, with electoral rules favoring pro-Beijing candidates.

·      Overall, Hong Kong politics have shifted toward greater control by Beijing and less political freedom, especially following the 2019 protests.

Percy Luen-Tim Lui “The Legislature”

·      Hong Kong’s legislature has evolved significantly since British colonial rule.

·      Functional constituencies represent specific professional and business groups, giving certain interests greater political influence.

·      Beijing has significant influence over the legislature, limiting its independence and democratic representation.

·      Tensions between pro-democracy and pro-Beijing legislators have shaped legislative debates and government decisions.

·      The 2019 anti-extradition protests increased political conflict between the legislature, the public, and the government.

·      Following the protests, Beijing introduced electoral reforms that reduced opportunities for pro-democracy candidates and required legislators to be considered “patriots.”

·      Overall, the legislature has become less politically competitive and more controlled by Beijing, weakening Hong Kong’s democratic representation.

Derek Mccdougal Chap 5, “China and the United States”

Derek McDougall explains how U.S.–China relations shifted from Cold War hostility to diplomatic and economic cooperation, beginning with Nixon’s 1972 visit and formal recognition of China in 1979. Although the two countries have developed strong economic ties through trade and investment, tensions have increased over tariffs, technology, military power, and global influence. Taiwan remains a major source of conflict, along with U.S. criticism of China's human rights record. Overall, the two countries are economically interdependent but increasingly view each other as strategic competitors.

O’Neil, Fields, and Share- China case study “cases in comparative politics” first half

O’Neil, Fields, and Share explain how China developed into a one-party authoritarian state under the control of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), beginning with Mao Zedong’s Communist Revolution in 1949. Mao’s policies, including the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, caused widespread famine, violence, and political instability. Under Deng Xiaoping, China introduced market-based economic reforms in 1978, allowing private businesses and foreign investment while maintaining communist political control. Overall, China has modernized economically and become a global power while the CCP continues to restrict political opposition and maintain centralized authority.

Suk-Young Kim, “Millennial North Korea”

Suk-Young Kim examines how North Korean millennials experience life differently from older generations due to increased exposure to foreign media, technology, and outside cultural influences. Younger generations have also grown up with informal markets and private economic activity, making them less dependent on the state. However, they still face government censorship, surveillance, and strict political expectations. Overall, cultural and economic changes have influenced younger North Koreans, but have not necessarily led to demands for democracy or an end to authoritarian rule.

Victor Cha, “All in the Family”

Victor Cha explains how North Korea maintains its authoritarian government through the hereditary Kim family dynasty, beginning with Kim Il-sung in 1948. Leadership passed from Kim Il-sung to his son Kim Jong-il and then to his grandson Kim Jong-un, ensuring family control across generations. The regime maintains power through propaganda, the Juche ideology of self-reliance, military influence, surveillance, and repression of opposition. Overall, North Korea's political system depends on family loyalty and centralized control rather than democratic elections.

Xiaoming Huang, “The State and the Economy”

East Asian countries like Japan and South Korea experienced rapid economic growth through strong government involvement in directing markets and supporting key industries. The developmental-state model uses government planning, investment, and industrial policies to promote economic growth, while the regulatory state focuses more on setting rules for businesses. Close cooperation between governments, banks, and corporations, often called “Japan Inc.,” helped drive industrialization. Overall, East Asia's economic success demonstrates that government involvement, rather than free-market competition alone, can play an important role in economic development.

Gaunder, “The Economic Miracle” and “Economic Slowdown”

Japan experienced a major postwar economic miracle, rebuilding its economy through government support, industrial policies, and exports of automobiles and electronics. The government agency MITI helped coordinate industrial growth and strengthen cooperation between businesses, banks, and political leaders, known as “Japan Inc.” However, excessive investment and speculation created an asset bubble in the 1980s that collapsed in the early 1990s. This led to the “Lost Decades,” characterized by economic stagnation, deflation, banking problems, and an aging population.

 

Jasper Becker, “Hungry Ghosts: Mao’s Secret Famine”

Mao's Great Leap Forward (1958) aimed to rapidly industrialize China through collectivized agriculture, government planning, and increased production. Policies such as the Four Pests Campaign and unrealistic farming quotas disrupted ecosystems and damaged agricultural production. Fear of political punishment led officials to exaggerate crop numbers, causing the government to take more grain than communities could afford to give. These policies contributed to the Great Chinese Famine (1959–1961), which caused millions of deaths and demonstrated the dangers of authoritarian planning and ignoring environmental limits.

John Mueller, “China: Rise or Demise?” (2021)

• China's rise: China's rapid economic growth has made it a major global power, leading to concerns about its growing military and international influence.

• Economic weaknesses: Mueller argues China could face economic decline due to corruption, environmental damage, rising debt, overproduction, and an aging population.

• Authoritarian control: Xi Jinping has prioritized maintaining Communist Party control over economic liberalization and growth.

• Military threat: Mueller argues China's economic rise does not automatically make it a military threat to the United States.

• Economic interdependence: China depends heavily on the global economy, making military conflict extremely costly.

• U.S.–China relations: Mueller argues that treating China as an enemy through sanctions, threats, and military competition could increase Chinese insecurity and tensions.

• Main argument: China could continue rising or experience stagnation, but its internal political and economic problems make its future uncertain. 

. Andrew Cainey, “Xiconomics” (2023)

• Xiconomics refers to Xi Jinping's economic approach, which emphasizes centralized leadership and greater Communist Party control over China's economy. His policies prioritize self-reliance, economic security, and strengthening domestic industries through the Dual Circulation Strategy. This approach has created greater uncertainty for foreign businesses as government control and regulations increase. Overall, Mueller examines challenges that could limit China's global rise, while Cainey explains how Xi is reshaping the economy by prioritizing national security and party control alongside economic growth.

• Cainey explains how Xi is reshaping China's economy by prioritizing party control, self-reliance, and national security alongside growth.

Japans miracle economy

high growth around 1955 post wwii and occupation

1. path dependence (historial approach)- continuity of institutions (banks, business)

2. economic rationale- physical capital accumulation + human capital

3. political rationale- gov intervention essential (trade, exchange rate, and industrial policy)

4. cultural rationale- japan ideals of hard work, honesty, deference to your elder, etc

5. international rationale- us-japan alliance cold war, korean war, global economy

Japans bubble

1985-190

massive economic boom

huge rise of stock market and real estate, low interest rates, enormous and cheap bank lending.

bubble caused by: availability of cheap money, finacial deregulation, weak gov regulation

devestating crash in 1990

China econ 1949-1978 during Mao

1950 land reform act- removed established land owners and redistributed their land to the peasants making large scale communes by 1958, lots of starvation/struggle

china econ post mao

deng xiaoping opened china had 4 modernizations- agro, industry, science/tech, defense

gang of 4- maos wife, jiang qing improsoned for being responsible of worst features of cultural rev

china today

economic development not reached all 1.4 billion people

one child policy (1979-2015)

challanges- large pop, high demands on environment, imports coal, iron ore, oil, natural gas to meet energy needs causing shortages and higher

China elections

president- elected by the national people’s congress and approved by the CCP