Some saw renewed hope, others a cynical ploy. The unprecedented visit by Premier Wen Jiabao to petitioners on Monday, the first by a premier since the Communist Party took power in 1949, drew mixed responses yesterday.
Fans of 'Grandpa Wen' hailed the visit as a further boost to the premier's populist image. They saw his expressions of sympathy for the underprivileged as having broken another political taboo on the mainland, where petitioners have been viewed by the authorities as threats to stability.
Political observers said Wen's visit sent a strong signal that Beijing was unhappy with local authorities' handling of widespread grievances, which led to a large number of petitioners flocking to the capital despite threats and intimidation at the grass-roots level.
They said Wen's move was apparently carefully orchestrated against a backdrop of widespread discontent about corruption, pollution and injustice that has reached an alarming level, with unrest and tensions on the rise across the country.
Wen's visit to the State Bureau for Letters and Calls received extensive coverage in mainland print and broadcast media and stirred debate among political analysts, internet users and rights activists.
While many questioned the identities of the eight petitioners Wen reportedly met, his visit has rekindled hopes among petitioners that solutions may be found to their unresolved cases.
