Admirers of China's one-party system have long perpetuated an argument that exactly because of the Communist Party's authoritarian rule, mainland leaders don't have to appease fickle voters with stop-gap solutions, or face the constant scrutiny of lawmakers, unlike their counterparts in Western countries. This is supposed to enable the Chinese leaders to focus upon long-term planning and combine resources for mega-undertakings such as the Three Gorges Dam.
This may still be true under certain circumstances, but their policies are less long-term than many people believe. Much like Western politicians, the mainland leaders, who are faced with term limits of 10 years, also tend to prioritise their policies and spending to ensure short-term achievements at the expense of long-term benefits.
One latest and most notable example is the mainland's misguided, short-sighted policies on developing the motor vehicle industry without adequate urban infrastructure planning, investment and management under President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao , who came to power in 2003.
Now this policy is reaping bitter fruits for mainlanders to swallow.
Last Monday, the Beijing municipal government announced a package of measures for public consultation aimed at curbing the notorious severe traffic congestion in the capital. The measures being considered include imposing congestion fees and allow vehicles with odd- and even-numbered plates on alternate days in some seriously jammed areas when necessary. It also recommended greatly raising parking fees.
How Beijing eases its traffic jams is being closely watched nationwide, not only because it is now widely dubbed as the capital for traffic congestion, but also because other provinces and municipalities such as Chongqing, Jiangsu , Zhejiang and Sichuan are also considering measures to curb the soaring growth of private cars. Some of the more controversial measures include banning non-residents from buying cars or requiring residents to produce proof of owning a parking space before being allowed to buy a car.
Understandably, Beijing's announcement has ignited a debate in the state media and internet forums. While everyone welcomes any effort to improve traffic, most of them have blasted the proposed measures, particularly those calling for higher fees, as ripping off ordinary mainlanders or stop-gap measures without effective fundamental solutions.