Residents of a Chinese village who voted for new leaders in weekend elections after rising up against corrupt officials are hoping they will become a model of democracy in the one-party state.But experts are more sceptical. They doubt the victory will be replicated in other areas with similar grievances and say Wukan's energetic and youthful new leaders face an uphill struggle to resolve villagers' long-standing complaints.
Villagers began protesting in September, driving out leaders they say had sold off much of their land over the years to enrich themselves.
When one of the protest leaders died in police custody in December, villagers took their protest a step further, barricading roads leading into Wukan and facing off with security forces for 10 days.
Communist Party authorities backed down and promised the residents rare concessions, including pledges to allow village polls to be held in an open manner -- a first in Wukan.
"Authorities say they want to make Wukan an experiment in democracy and an economic experiment," said 26-year-old Zhang Jiancheng, one of seven members of the new leadership committee in Wukan, in the prosperous southern province of Guangdong. Read More
