Picture perfect? Not quite. There is no denying that the social space that has been opened up is a carefully managed one, subject to numerous direct and indirect means of state control. For instance, there are significant fetters on the exercise of judicial authority. The Party and local governments continue to exercise influence over the court system in China through appointment of judges and control over the purse strings. But the Chinese state is increasingly coming under press ure to respond to the voices, needs and concerns of its citizens. The very fact that these questions are being debated today offers room for cautious optimism. This is one river that China’s political leadership will cross by invoking Deng’s maxim of carefully “feeling the stones.” 

The writer is an associate professor at the Centre for Policy Research, Delhi. express@expressindia.com