The China Elections & Governance Website
Posted: 2007-8-3
Source:
Source date:2007-8-3
Number of hits:8835
The China Elections & Governance Website was jointly launched in 2002 by the Carter Center China Program and the Institute of International Comparative Political Economy of Renmin University of China. It has been maintained and updated by the Beijing Center for Policy Research since 2004. The site, available in both Chinese and English, provides Chinese officials at all levels a resource center for governance and election affairs and gives scholars worldwide the opportunity to study Chinese politics and offer reform measures.
The Carter Center China Program
The Carter Center China Program is one of many programs based at the Carter Center (www.cartercenter.org). The Carter Center first launched the China Village Elections Project in 1997, when the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) of the People's Republic of China granted the Carter Center rights to observe village election procedures. In March 1998, the Center signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the MCA to (1) help establish a national elections data collection system; (2) advise and support the standardization of electoral procedures; and (3) help to publicize elections and conduct international exchanges. In March 2000, the MCA signed a three-year cooperation agreement with the Carter Center to extend its work on village elections.
The Project expanded its activities over the years, and in September 2005, became the China Program. In addition to its work on village election procedures, voter education, and observation of elections at the village, township, and county levels, the Program's activities include: 1) monitoring and reporting on political and electoral innovations; 2) conducting better-governance seminars for local government officials; 3) providing assistance in amending elections laws and conducting election pilots; 4) establish learning centers for ordinary Chinese citizens, and 5) publishing a book series on China's political developments.
The Institute of International Comparative Political Economy, Renmin University
The Institute of International Comparative Political Economy was established under the aegis of the School of International Studies at Renmin University of China. It constitutes part of a university-wide effort to keep apace with worldwide scholarly trends and develop into a global, top tier institution.
The study of international comparative political economy is widely seen as a promising scholarly terrain that touches upon aspects of several intersecting disciplines. In particular, the emerging field constitutes a meeting ground for comparative politics, international politics, international relations and other related disciplines. These are each up-and-coming disciplines that the Institute is particularly committed to developing. To date, research into comparative political economy is still in its earliest stages in China, and enjoys ample room to mature. Establishing the new institute will comprise an important aspect of the university's efforts to realize the highest standards of international academia.
The Beijing Center for Policy Research
The Beijing Center for Policy Research (BCPR), a not-for-profit and non-governmental organization, was founded in 2004 by a group of scholars and government officials who are concerned about issues related to China's political reform. Members of the group are made up of either researchers/educators who are well versed in the theoretical context of China's social and political issues and policy analyses or actual practitioners of governance at various levels of the Chinese government. The mission of the Center is to identify factors obstructing reform in China, to inform and educate Chinese officials and people about these factors, to make recommendations for change, and to empower various groups of people in the Chinese society to manage their own affairs, and to hold the government accountable. Since it's founding, BCPR has worked with both the Chinese government and international organizations to provide assistance and advice in improving rural governance, standardizing local elections procedures and empowering elected people's deputies or villager representatives. BCPR uses various media, including web sites, conferences, occasional papers, books and training, to accomplish its mission.
|
