WITH "SURVEY OF CHINESE PEASANTS" AUTHORS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SHANGHAI 000260

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SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/CM, DRL/PHD
STATE PASS USTR FOR STRATFORD, WINTER, MCCARTIN, ALTBACH, READE
TREAS FOR OASIA - DOHNER/CUSHMAN
USDOC FOR ITA/MAC - A/DAS MELCHER, MCQUEEN
NSC FOR WILDER AND TONG

E.O. 12958: DECL: X1 MANUAL REVIEW
TAGS: PGOV PHUM EINV ECON CH
SUBJECT: WITH "SURVEY OF CHINESE PEASANTS" AUTHORS

CLASSIFIED BY: Mary Tarnowka, Section Chief, Political/Economic
Section , U.S. Consulate Shanghai.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (C) Summary. In a conversation with Poloff on April 20,
"Survey of Chinese Peasants" (Zhongguo Nongmin Diaocha) authors
said conditions in the countryside had improved in recent years
as a result of increased central government attention. However,
conditions for peasants were still difficult because many local
officials were corrupt and neglected problems in the
countryside. The couple was researching a follow-up book that
they planned to publish in 2008. While they were free to move
around the country, they feared returning to their home in
Fuyang City, Anhui province because of harassment from local
officials. A Fuyang city official had sued the couple for libel
in 2004. The court had not made a decision on the case yet,
but, according to Chen, their publisher was forced to settle the
case after receiving pressure by Politburo Standing Committee
Member Luo Gan. End Summary.


2. (C) On April 20, Poloff met with the authors of "Survey of
Chinese Peasants" (Zhongguo Nongmin Diaocha),Chen Guidi and Wu
Chuntao. Chen and Wu, who were married in 1991, in 2004,
published "Survey of Chinese Peasants", which provided extensive
details about the hardship and corruption faced by peasants in
the countryside. The book was a sensation and sold 150,000
copies in one month. The government eventually became
uncomfortable with the findings in the book and banned it in
March 2004. Wu noted that while the book was only technically
banned for one month, book sellers refused to touch the book and
the book, thereafter, was only available overseas.

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Conditions Improved, But Serious Problems Exist
-------------- --


3. (C) Wu and Chen said that they were currently working on a
follow-up to "Survey of Chinese Peasants" and had spent the last
year traveling around China and meeting with peasants in
villages as far away as Gansu Province. They planned to publish
their new book in 2008. According to their research, peasants
appeared to be more satisfied with their living conditions than
in 2004. They attributed this to the central government's
increased attention to the rural poor and its emphasis on
building a "harmonious society". Peasants no longer had to pay
taxes which amounted to 300 RMB per year and, in some cases,
were receiving subsidies from the government.


4. (C) Despite these improvements, conditions in the
countryside were still difficult. Most of the villages that
they visited were largely empty and only the very old or very
young remained. There was no one to take care of these people
and help them when problems surfaced. Wu said, for example,
rural children were doing poorly in school because there was no
parental supervision. She said it was ironic since many parents
moved to the city to find work to pay for a good education for
their children. She added that they had received reports from
migrant laborers that they were also dissatisfied. Many lived
in difficult conditions and received low pay. While there were
some cases of laborers returning to their villages, most had no
other option but to remain in the city where they could make
money. Wu added that most peasants were resigned to their
conditions and too busy to protest. She noted that, for many
peasants, their lives had always been difficult and current
living conditions were no worse than in the past.

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Corruption Continues
--------------


5. (C) Wu and Chen were very critical of local officials. Wu
said local officials largely neglected the peasants and did
nothing to improve conditions in the countryside. According to
Wu, most officials played mahjong all day long and only came
into contact with peasants to extort money from them. Chen said
peasants often had to bribe officials to obtain documents such

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as identification or birth certificates. Chen and Wu were more
positive about central government officials. They said that
central government authorities appeared to be genuinely
concerned about the peasants, as evidenced by the reduction of
taxes. However, central government authorities did not
understand the peasants. In addition, the peasants did not have
a "voice". There was no independent farmers union or newspaper
that represented the peasants. Chen and Wu said that this was
the reason why they have continued their research. They would
like to educate the government and urban people on this issue
and give the peasants their "voice".

--------------
Local Government Harassment
--------------


6. (C) Wu and Chen said that they enjoyed relative freedom.
The government did not restrict their movements inside China and
they were free to travel abroad. (Note: Poloff met the
researchers when they were in Shanghai applying for a visa.
They planned to attend a literary conference at Columbia
University. End Note.) However, the local government where
they were from in Fuyang City, Anhui Province had caused them a
lot of problems. Wu said that they had not returned to their
home in one year because they were afraid of the local
government. Wu and Chen, who had been married since 1991, had
moved their son out of Fuyang for his safety.


7. (C) "Survey of Chinese Peasants" contained many stories
about corrupt officials in Fuyang, in particular Zhang Xide, who
was the Party Secretary of Linquan county, Fuyang City when the
book was published. Zhang sued the couple for libel in 2004 and
claimed that many of the stories in the book were fabricated.
According to Chen, the local court had yet to issue a decision
on the case. He said, however, that their publisher was
pressured by the Politburo Bureau Standing Committee Member Luo
Gan to agree to a settlement. Chen said he was never consulted
by the publisher and would have never given his permission for a
settlement. Chen and Wu had spent over 50,000 RMB on the case,
paying living expenses for their lawyer and witnesses. They
believed that it was important for the court to issue a decision
that would confirm the validity of their book. (Comment: Fuyang
is known for its corruption. Its district government office,
which resembles the White House and cost more than RMB 30
million (USD 3.9 million),was singled out by the central
government in the recent ruling banning construction of
"wasteful and extravagant official buildings". End Comment.)


8. (C) Chen said that since the trial the Fuyang government
has harassed them and their family members. A few years ago,
the local government sent people to stone their house. Chen
said that it was impossible for them to work and live in Anhui.
They were currently trying to find a new place to live in China.

--------------
Future Plans
--------------


9. (C) Wu and Chen were very proud of Zhongguo Nongmin Diaocha
because the book had led to some reforms and improvements for
the peasants. As they did on their last book, they planned on
using their own money to publish the second book in China.
Although their last book was banned in China, it sold very well
in the West and won many prizes. They were using this money to
support their research. Wu was worried that the government
would not be pleased with the next book and that the couple
would face harassment and further government pressure after the
book was published. She added that she was not sure if they
could even publish the book in China. Regardless, they believed
it was important to try to publish their book in China where it
would have more influence.
JARRETT