SINCE 1989, China has regarded the period from April to June as politically crucial. During this period it has concentrated its attention on dissidents and journalists, which would explain why Xi Jang was sentenced to 12 years and why Wei Ying Sheng was seized again. There has been an increase in political activity, because of the approaching fifth anniversary of the bloody June 4 incident; the 75th anniversary of the May 4 movement; soaring inflation, which has risen to 26 per cent and which brings with it, so many social and economic problems, and finally, the failure of the campaign against corruption. Any one of these factors can create a political crisis at any time. The Government of China is not doing enough to resolve its political and economic problems. It concentrates on simply keeping people silent. The only way to stem the tide of dissidence is to reform the social structure and the bureaucracy and to listen to the needs of real people. Unless this is done, the opposition movement will grow. YEUNG CHING-KEE Kowloon
