IRI Observes Elections in Liuzhou

June 25, 2002

IRI became the first foreign group to be permitted to observe urban elections in China when an IRI delegation visited the industrial city of Liuzhou in May. The observation team included IRI Vice President for Strategic Planning Georges Fauriol, Asia Division Director Elizabeth Dugan and China Program Officer Christine Beasley.

In Liuzhou, located in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the IRI delegation observed elections in two communities of approximately 2,000 and 4,000 voters respectively.

Voters elected chairmen, vice chairmen and committee members who will be responsible for maintaining public security, providing services for the communities' children and retirees and addressing the concerns of unemployed residents amongst other responsibilities.

Due to the strong commitment of local leaders to the principles of accountability, transparency and the rule of law, urban elections in Guangxi are considered to be among the most advanced and democratic in China.

In 1994 IRI was the first foreign organization to witness a village committee election in China, initiating what has become a key pillar of IRI's China Program. IRI plans to use this newest opportunity as a springboard to work with urban election officials in Guangxi and elsewhere to provide much-needed training for election administrators and newly elected leaders as they continue to push political reform to new levels.

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