China’s powerful Hunan province asks officials to ‘free the mind’

Deng Xiaoping, who took over as leader in December 1978, made “liberation of the spirit” his signature slogan as he paved the way for more than 40 years of reform and opening up.

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Subsequent Chinese leaders also used this slogan, especially during the Cultural Revolution (a decade of political and social upheaval that nearly paralyzed the national economy and ended only after Mao’s death) He urged the country to reflect on the lessons learned.

Chen Daoying, a political commentator and former professor at Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, said recent “spiritual liberation” campaigns are fundamentally different from those of the 1970s and 1980s.

“The biggest difference is their political orientation. Deng Xiaoping’s liberation of the spiritual movement was a break from the 10-year ideological imprisonment caused by the Cultural Revolution,” Chen said.

“Currently in Hunan, the aim is basically to strengthen President Xi’s ideology and better achieve President Xi’s goals.”

Chen said the Hunan camp had adopted only the first part of Deng Xiaoping’s three-part proposal to “free the mind, seek truth from facts, and unite to move forward.” he pointed out.

He said the campaign would therefore not bring about major changes, with all discussions limited to existing policy priorities and not looking for more fundamental solutions.

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Deng Xiaoping’s role in China’s transformation

Deng Xiaoping’s role in China’s transformation

Hunan’s notification paid homage to President Xi’s teachings and focused on effectively revitalizing the economy.

The discussions, which are taking place across the state, address issues with local leaders such as a “lack of confidence in development” and a “lack of sense of responsibility”.

At the same time, the campaign aims to fundamentally reverse the “addiction” that has led many officials to rely solely on GDP growth rates for ratings, the notification said.

The paper said that through discussions, issues such as raising loans without taking risks, blindly investing in projects, fudging data and “laying down” to avoid mistakes should be resolved.

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Xie Mosong, a senior researcher at Tsinghua University’s National Strategy Institute, said the Hunan campaign was a “tactical attempt” to reinvigorate China’s vast bureaucracy.

Many officials have been accused of “lying down.” This is a phenomenon commonly known in Western countries as “goblin mode,” which refers to workers who put in just enough effort to keep their jobs and no more.

“After a decade of anti-corruption and disciplinary campaigns, many officials are in risk-averse mode,” Xie said.

They were reluctant to take on responsibility and promote development initiatives or encourage private sector growth “for fear of making mistakes or facing oversight checks.”

“Hunan seems to be trying to pioneer ways to give officials more freedom to act and tolerance for possible mistakes,” he said.

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China’s economy faces multiple challenges, including a prolonged downturn in the real estate market, a local government debt crisis, weak demand, and rising geopolitical tensions.

The International Monetary Fund predicts that China’s economic growth rate will be 4.6% this year and slow to 4% in 2025, despite last year’s faster-than-expected 5.2% growth.

Hunan province has ambitions to become “the most important advanced manufacturing highland in the country” and last year achieved an economic size of 5 trillion yuan (US$702 billion) with a GDP growth rate of 4.6%.

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According to the notice, the ministry has set a growth target of about 6% this year, which is “an important stage of comprehensively deepening reform and opening up and promoting high-quality development.”

“More than any other time in its history, Hunan needs to break through the ice with ideas that will lead to breakthroughs in reform.”

According to the notice, discussions should follow the guidance of the Party Central Committee and Xi as general secretary and focus on removing obstacles to development and other issues aimed at “preventing and resolving various serious risks.” That’s what it means.

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The notice also called on state executives to create a better business environment for private companies and help resolve financing, payment delays and other difficulties.

The campaign has spread to all levels of the party, starting with grassroots party members and extending to county, city and local level party organs, as well as businesses and schools, the notice said.

Top officials from Hunan province will hold discussions and conduct inspection tours, the paper said.

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Alfred Wu, associate professor at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, said the slogan of “mental liberation” under Deng Xiaoping meant relaxing socialist ideas and adopting international norms. Ta.

But now, he said, that means officials will try everything possible to achieve the high-quality growth that Xi desires.

Wu said that the specific mention of inflated growth rates and the “laying down” attitude of officials in the announcement may be a signal from Shen Xiaoming, the leader of the Hunan provincial party.

Wu said Shen may be showing there is the political will to address these obstacles, but he also said he wants ministry officials to come up with workable ideas. .