Inspired choices

Journalism and environmentalism are not often identified as being in good form in China, but they will be celebrated tomorrow at a ceremony in Manila when two Chinese pioneers in these fields receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize.

In terms of the unusual, it’s hard to beat the story of journalist Hu Shuli. She comes from a family of journalists that experienced the tumultuous changes that had beset China, with Hu herself being part of the People’s Liberation Army. A five-month stint as a World Press Institute fellow changed her mind about the nature of the media, and she saw certain aspects as something that could be applied even in communist China. Then, there was no stopping her.

She authored a definitive book on professional journalism and established a popular and influential business magazine, Caijing, which blazed a trail in the seemingly impossible field of investigative journalism in China.

Caijing set a new level of excellence for journalism in that country, in the process challenging the established order by exposing government misdeeds, illegal stock trading practices, and other corrupt business dealings by Chinese companies.

Hu eventually left Caijing to found the Caixin Media Group, which engages in journalism through the platforms of print, television, events, the Internet and mobile services. She showed the way for China’s media practitioners and owners—and then took care of the emerging ones as well by becoming the dean of Sun Yat-Sen University’s School of Communication and Design. Her family linked her to Chinese journalism’s past; her own outstanding efforts opened the way to its future.

Hu’s citation reads: “Through her skill and leadership, she has demonstrated that one can form a world-class, independent media organization in China which combines commercial success and state-of-the-art technology with professional integrity and independence. Admired by colleagues in China and abroad, she has changed China’s media landscape.”

It’s hard to imagine, but environmental lawyer Wang Canfa has proved that a single voice can make a difference even when matched against the Chinese government’s seemingly omnipotent structure. As China pushed for aggressive economic growth, its natural resources were afflicted by industrial pollution. Until Wang, very few people knew just how badly the environment had been damaged.

Rising from an impoverished childhood in Shandong province, Wang was determined to make something of himself. He eventually acquired law degrees from two universities before becoming an authoritative legal expert on the environment. As a university professor, he founded the Center for Legal Assistance to Pollution Victims (CLAPV), which provided free legal aid to those suffering from the effects of pollution. The organization received more than 13,000 complaints, filed over 500 cases, and notched legal victories that resulted not only in the suspension of projects that were damaging to the environment but also in the distribution of compensation for the victims.

As a trailblazing organization, the CLAPV—under Wang’s leadership—trained lawyers and judges in the growing field of environmental law and took the important step of participating in the legal process. Working toward legislation, Wang and his colleagues pushed the writing and reviewing of environmental regulations. He also founded the Beijing Haunzhu Law Firm, which provides free legal services in environmental cases. If China is any closer to solving many environmental problems, it can be credited to the change being pushed by Wang. Truly, even one voice can make a difference.

Wang is being recognized for his “discerning and forceful leadership—through scholarly work, disciplined advocacy, and pro bono public interest litigation—in ensuring that the enlightened and competent practice of environmental law in China effectively protects the rights and lives of victims of environmental abuse, especially the poor and the powerless.”

Much can be learned from Hu Shuli and Wang Canfa, who firmly believed that what they wanted to achieve for their compatriots was not impossible. They are inspired—and inspiring—choices for the Ramon Magsaysay Award and are bright lights in the darkness of fear and ignorance.