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Has the World Bank sold out to Chinese censorship demands?
posted Sunday, 8 July 2007
For the last decade or so the accusation that Washington has been using its position as a world power to put pressure on all and sundry, over environmental issues, has been a staple of the global conspiracy sub-culture. Indeed, there have been accusations that it has been fiddling the figures over global warming to make it seem like a blameless bystander to what it says are natural coinsurances, that it has been stifling academics who contradict state sponsored assertions about the environment, and even that it has been paying off people across the globe in an effort to silence anything that might impact upon the much vaunted lifestyle of America's consumers.
However, if accusations made one of the worlds most respected fiscal publications prove to be true, it would appear America is far from the only nation to be accused of using its position as a world power to cover up embarrassing environmental secrets.
The Accusation?
According a report carried in the English language edition of the Financial Times, Beijing has used its international position to pressured the Rural Development, Natural Resource and Environment Management Unit - a division of the World Bank - to censor a soon to be published report over the cost of pollution in China. Forcing it to excise out statistics detailing the yearly level of fatalities caused by water and air pollution, and their distribution amongst the strata of China's population, for fear that they might provoke popular unrest amongst a population that is becoming increasingly concerned over the health effects of China's industrial boom.
According to Guo Xiaomin; a former official with the Chinese State Environmental Protection Agency who managed the reports Mainland researchers, the information was officially excluded from initial drafts of the report over reliability concerns and because of fears that its inclusion would make the report to bulky. However, Guo also admitted that there were concerns that the Chinese public would react badly upon learning about the true extent of pollution related deaths.
These days, China has been suffering increasing unrest over pollution, particularly in rural areas where people feel that they are being forced to endure the cost of China's economic boom, while being unable to enjoy its benefits. One notable example of unrest caused by pollution was seen in Zhejiang Province, in 2005, when 60,000 residents of Huaxi routed 3,000 members of the security forces who sent to break up a long running protests over chemical factories that had poisoned their water supply.
Validation?
A draft copy of the report was obtained by Angry Chinese Blogger which found that while the it contained charts detailing exposure and risk from pollution, as well as descriptions of the health implications of pollution, it failed to detail the overall human cost in terms of projected and measured fatalities, over either the long or short term, despite such figures having been recorded by World Bank linked studies. Apparently validating the accusations made by the Financial Times.
According to Workd Bank officials, the copy currently in circulation may be changed before it is officially signed off on, though it remains uncertain whether international outcry caused by these accusations will lead to the report being re-drafted to include the full findings of its researchers.
Business as Usual?
While it is somewhat unusual for a large international body, such as the World Bank, to give into demands to censor embarrassing information about China, it is standard practice within China for information to be withheld if it is thought that it might impact on China's social or economic situation, or embarrass the government in any way. It is also standard practice to jail journalists who reveal said information.
In 2006, Chinese authorities jailed journalist Li Changqing for "Fabricating and spreading false terroristic information", after he was implicated in an article on the overseas website Boxun which revealed how authorities in the city of Fuzhou had covered up an outbreak of Dengue fever for fear that it might impact on the success of an international conference that it was due to host. Charges against Li came even though Boxun researched the story themselves, and despite the fact that the allegations which it contained were proven to be true.
The numbers?
Current pollution statistics indicate that airborne pollution and water contamination kill over 700,000 Chinese each year. The highest number recorded for any developing or developed nation, and more than double the number of fatalities that Beijing claims it suffered during the Nanking Massacre.
Further Reasons
While it seems obvious that Beijing would wish to cover up pollution death statistics in order to prevent the unrest that they may cause, China watchers have also noted that there are may be other, additional, motives behind Beijing's actions. Specifically, that Chinese industrial pollution often forms one links in a long China of corruption and human rights abuses that Beijing does not want to be highlighted.
This China usually begins when an industrial group approach corrupt city/province level officials and offer them money in exchange for favorable land deals. The officials pocket most of the money and use the rest to bribe corrupt local officials at the village/township level. The local officials then sign away local land to developers (Under Chinese law, local officials may sign away farm land on behalf of those under their jurisdiction without their consent). The developers offer compensation for the land, much of which is pocketed by officials.
When pollution occurs, the industrial groups may bribe the inspectors not to report it, or officials not to sanction them for it. They also may bribe them to suppress local dissent.
However, if accusations made one of the worlds most respected fiscal publications prove to be true, it would appear America is far from the only nation to be accused of using its position as a world power to cover up embarrassing environmental secrets.
The Accusation?
According a report carried in the English language edition of the Financial Times, Beijing has used its international position to pressured the Rural Development, Natural Resource and Environment Management Unit - a division of the World Bank - to censor a soon to be published report over the cost of pollution in China. Forcing it to excise out statistics detailing the yearly level of fatalities caused by water and air pollution, and their distribution amongst the strata of China's population, for fear that they might provoke popular unrest amongst a population that is becoming increasingly concerned over the health effects of China's industrial boom.
"The State Environment Protection Agency and the health ministry told the World Bank to cut this [information] from the published report because it was, in the words of an adviser involved in the study, 'too sensitive and could cause social unrest'".
"China must come clean about its poisonous environment", Financial Times (3 July 2007)
"China must come clean about its poisonous environment", Financial Times (3 July 2007)
According to Guo Xiaomin; a former official with the Chinese State Environmental Protection Agency who managed the reports Mainland researchers, the information was officially excluded from initial drafts of the report over reliability concerns and because of fears that its inclusion would make the report to bulky. However, Guo also admitted that there were concerns that the Chinese public would react badly upon learning about the true extent of pollution related deaths.
These days, China has been suffering increasing unrest over pollution, particularly in rural areas where people feel that they are being forced to endure the cost of China's economic boom, while being unable to enjoy its benefits. One notable example of unrest caused by pollution was seen in Zhejiang Province, in 2005, when 60,000 residents of Huaxi routed 3,000 members of the security forces who sent to break up a long running protests over chemical factories that had poisoned their water supply.
Validation?
A draft copy of the report was obtained by Angry Chinese Blogger which found that while the it contained charts detailing exposure and risk from pollution, as well as descriptions of the health implications of pollution, it failed to detail the overall human cost in terms of projected and measured fatalities, over either the long or short term, despite such figures having been recorded by World Bank linked studies. Apparently validating the accusations made by the Financial Times.
According to Workd Bank officials, the copy currently in circulation may be changed before it is officially signed off on, though it remains uncertain whether international outcry caused by these accusations will lead to the report being re-drafted to include the full findings of its researchers.
Business as Usual?
While it is somewhat unusual for a large international body, such as the World Bank, to give into demands to censor embarrassing information about China, it is standard practice within China for information to be withheld if it is thought that it might impact on China's social or economic situation, or embarrass the government in any way. It is also standard practice to jail journalists who reveal said information.
In 2006, Chinese authorities jailed journalist Li Changqing for "Fabricating and spreading false terroristic information", after he was implicated in an article on the overseas website Boxun which revealed how authorities in the city of Fuzhou had covered up an outbreak of Dengue fever for fear that it might impact on the success of an international conference that it was due to host. Charges against Li came even though Boxun researched the story themselves, and despite the fact that the allegations which it contained were proven to be true.
The numbers?
Current pollution statistics indicate that airborne pollution and water contamination kill over 700,000 Chinese each year. The highest number recorded for any developing or developed nation, and more than double the number of fatalities that Beijing claims it suffered during the Nanking Massacre.
Further Reasons
While it seems obvious that Beijing would wish to cover up pollution death statistics in order to prevent the unrest that they may cause, China watchers have also noted that there are may be other, additional, motives behind Beijing's actions. Specifically, that Chinese industrial pollution often forms one links in a long China of corruption and human rights abuses that Beijing does not want to be highlighted.
This China usually begins when an industrial group approach corrupt city/province level officials and offer them money in exchange for favorable land deals. The officials pocket most of the money and use the rest to bribe corrupt local officials at the village/township level. The local officials then sign away local land to developers (Under Chinese law, local officials may sign away farm land on behalf of those under their jurisdiction without their consent). The developers offer compensation for the land, much of which is pocketed by officials.
When pollution occurs, the industrial groups may bribe the inspectors not to report it, or officials not to sanction them for it. They also may bribe them to suppress local dissent.
View Comments/Add a Comment (7)
1. Charles Liu left...
Monday, 9 July 2007 5:20 am
First of all, "China does it too" is a weak argument. You basically is
putting America, the height of western civilization, beacon of freedom and
democracy, at same level as a 3rd world regime that by manay accounts will
not survive 2008 Olympics.
2. ACB left...
Wednesday, 11 July 2007 3:16 am
"China does it too" is a weak argument."
3. Té la mà Maria left...
Wednesday, 11 July 2007 10:57 pm :: http://telamamaria.blogspot.com
That good blog that you have, congratulations regards from Catalonia -
Spain
4. Gareth BFG left...
Thursday, 27 September 2007 10:57 am :: http://www.gareth.id.au
Good post, I especially like the part about the number of deaths per year
being more than double the number claimed to be killed by Japanese in
Nanjing. Puts things into perspective. When China can stop killing its own
people maybe I will care about what Japan did to China during WWII.
5. Ju left...
Monday, 5 November 2007 11:54 pm
Good blog!! Never stop writting...
6. ACB left...
Wednesday, 7 November 2007 4:15 am
I wasn't aware that I had much esteem for the world bank at all. As far as
I'm concerned it spends far too much time trying to convert countries to
capitalist countries with market economies, when what they really need is
land reform and social support.
7. Ju left...
Wednesday, 7 November 2007 2:35 pm
Well I am glad to hear that...my point was just that i believe it is too
easy to blame it all on the Chinese government and by that I don't mean
that China shouldn t be blame at all but that this problem of censorship
goes way beyong China. But then again, the responsibility for such behavior
is very hard to be determined as the aim of capitalism is to spread it s
power and responsibitly so that it become really hard to blame somebody
specific and by the same token it becomes really hard to take concrete
actions that are going to affect the right"party". Anyways, I know the
point of the article was not to find an answer to that question but I
think it s important to remember that the roots of the problem is to be
found by digging deeper...