The case of Guangdong in central-provincial relations

One of the most important policy changes after 1978 concerned, of course, the granting of "special policies, and flexible measures" to Guangdong and Fujian. The relationship between the central government and Guangdong province was rather hierarchical as a socialist system was being established in China in the 1950s. The central authorities’ resolute control over Guangdong since 1949 was compelled by both domestic and international forces. In order to build up a strong, centralized state, national policies must be effectively implemented with as little local resistance as possible. The pattern of central-provincial relations was thus shaped by the overriding task of building a socialist system. Aside from the paramount goal of state-building, central-provincial relations were inevitably affected by the political ambitions of China’s own leaders. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the prospects for the central government-Guangdong relationship in the 1990s. Copyright © 1994 Taylor & Francis.