An argument today about internet freedom in China during the Olympics.
So I went down to the Olympic press centre, hooked up to the internet, and trawled about a bit to see which sites I could access, and which sites were still blocked.
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I’m James Reynolds, the BBC’s former Beijing correspondent. This blog was where I shared my thoughts on life in China during my time there.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Not the most in depth reporting, but gets across the point perfectly.
Good story.
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This is a popular article written by a Chinese scholar.
What do you want from us?
When we were called "sick man of Asia”, we were called peril.
When we billed to be the next superpower, we're called the threat
When we closed our doors, you smuggled drugs to open markets.
when we embrace free trade, you blame us for taking away your jobs.
when we're falling apart, you marched in your troops and wanted your fair share.
when we're putting the broken pieces together, “Free Tibet” you screamed! “it was invasion.”
So we tried communism, you hated us for being communist.
So we embraced capitalism, you hate us for being capitalist,
Then we have a billion people, you said we're destroying the planet.
Then we limit our numbers, you said it was human rights abuses.
When we were poor, you think we're dogs,
When we loan you cash, you blamed us for your debts.
When we build our industries, you called us polluters.
When we sell you goods, you blamed us for global warming,
When we buy oil, you called that exploitation and genocide.
When we were lost in chaos and rampage, you wanted rule s of laws for us.
When we uphold law and order against violence, you called that violation of human rights.
When we were silent, you said you want us to have free speech.
When we were silent no more, you say we were brainwashed.
Why do you hate us so much? We asked. “No”. You answered, “we don't hate you”.
We don't hate you either Bud, do you understand us?? “of course we do”, you said, “We have CNN, BBC, and CBC”.
But why, we still feel, your western people are not happy with us.
What do you really want from us??
My friend, What do you really want from us??
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Seriously! Does BBC know anything about Olympic Truce? They only respect a culture when it is useful.
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I just wonder what type of choas british can cause in the 2012. Chinese should return the favour by coming and looking with a microscope. Looking at the terminal 5, I am sure you will supply a lot material for the whole world to laugh at.
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James,
Websites hosted inside China load faster, websites hosted outside of China load slower. This is simply because of the distance electrons need to travel.
Please don't make yourself look stupid by hypothesising on something you don't know, as the faster speed of loading time has nothing to do with government wanting you to visit the CCP website more often.
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Well..even if the internet censor is totally cancelled it would not mean anyting in terms of progression in freedom of speech. just like the air in beijing and many other things, it will go back to its normal condition right after the games is over.
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well... if this kind of posts come up all the time, I won't expect BBC get unblocked soon.:P
Just get a line from wikipedia:
"gag rules are typically defended on the ground that they help preserve consensus by placing potentially divisive controversies "off the table" of debate."
I guess I can use this argument for a while.
Falun Gong is an illegal cult in China and has its own propaganda machines around the world. To me, it's not that unreasonable to block it. I've read 'Zhuan Falun' in high school and think it's stupid. Maybe I was too young to realize the value of the book back then?
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I agree it is bad and unfortunate that China blocks some websites and sensor some internet contents. As far as I know, this issue has been there forever.
But I have a question to ask: are people and journalists from other countries going to China to read BBC Chinese website and FaLungGong, or are they going there for Olympics? Come on, there are only two weeks of games but we have tons of games to watch. Who cares about BBC Chinese website and FalungGong??? Are you really read them a lot??? You must be so bored and have too much time...
Frankly speaking, as far as I know, nobody that I know really cares about those websites. I've never ever visited BBC Chinese website before. You think ordinary Chinese people like to visit those webs???? Take web videos as an example, how many people in China visit youtube? how many people watch English clips? Another example, how many people use google? I was told most of them use Baidu instead.
On the other hand, even if the CCP opened the censorship during the Olympics, I am sure they will change it back after the games. So what's the difference? It would only be an "image project".
The only way to change this is to let CCP themselves realize it is the right thing to do to fully open the media. But I guess it is a "mission impossible"...
I like your blog James, but tell us more about the games please.
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PLEASE find some new information! Everyone knows it would be this case!
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If you try June 4th, you won't find anything either. Ideology is under tight control by the government. The government should be credited for its efforts to improve living status in the country, but not for what it has done and is doing to deprive of its citizen's freedom of access to information. It is one of the dark facts about this government that marks any defence pale and worthless.
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Hi, can you get onto facebook discussion boards/blogs/chat rooms that chat about Falun Gong?
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I hope our gov give their people web freedom like other country, because i think that doesn't matter with gov's prestige even their people touch some anti chinese gov web.
With my experience, most of oversea chinese can firm their support to chinese gov even after touching and comparing loads of western report about china.
I am keen to propose more chinese visit web like 'free tibet','falungong' ect.. you will see why more and more oversea chinese suddenly understand some thing...
i can't accuse western people of attacking china or chinese gov after being misled by these web which is banned also by chinese gov. But i think most of real chinese could distinguish which is really true or not!
i want to say our chinese gov: Don't be worried about press freedom, please have faith with yourself! After all, every chinese knows exactly your weakness even without web freedom. every chinese knows what is adaptable for china!
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James,
The Chinese government is imposing very strict limits on the media [international] for using the internet....
There was no wonder that will be doing it, look at the record for the past many years....
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Correct me if I've got this wrong, but didn't China promise to completely uphold press freedom in relation to all reporting of the OLYMPICS? This does not extend, by definiton, to the access of things not related to the games. Thus, given that the Falun Gong movement / Tiananmen etc are completely unrelated to the games, China has not broken any promises in relation to press freedom.
James - you are starting to get on my nerves. Remember that you are in China, so you must obey Chinese law. The days of extraterroriality - when Brits could do whatever they want on Chinese soil yet not be subjected to local jurisdication - are OVER.
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I am an Englishman; I've been living in China for 7 years most of the time I am working as an "oral English teacher", in primary, middle, high schools and universities.
One thing that is obvious is the Chinese believe everything the government tells them, even if they see a report or story on the internet, DVD or newspaper they just refuse to accept it and think it is a western fabrication to tarnish China’s image.
With the government controlling all the books, films, television how are people going to know the truth?
I teach Chinese kids using the government books, and I spend hours trying to correct grammar errors and because of the expression ‘lost of face’ I cannot get people to believe Chinese are wrong.
One of my spare time activates as been an editor of an English speaking website, and censorship has been a big issue not just on the site but doing research about the city itself, just try to search for ‘Chinese police woman’ we have a lot here, or ‘city history’ our city was one invaded and occupied by the Russian and Japanese army’s.
Regards
talkteacher
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James, thank you for the report.
I am now in Oxford University. I just found I can open Oxford University's website much faster than the GOV.CN (China Communist Party official website) which you have demonstrated how fast you could open it in your video. Does it mean anything to you? Maybe you should consult an IT person for why you could open GOV.CN locally, i.e. in China, much faster than at anywhere else in the world. If you've tried the sina.com.cn (sina.com in China is like the yahoo.com in the US), you may find it is the same fast as the GOV.CN.
I am not saying internet users can enjoy total freedom of the Web in China but I doubt your deliberate choice of your example, looks like somebody was trying to create something for his readers.
BTW, FaLunGong has been judged illegal in China before its websites are banned. A similar case for your information: TOM Cruise is banned in Germany for he's a Scientologist which is illegal in Germany.
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this is all over my local paper this morning. it's a real pity,
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Unbelieveable! They always refuse to allow me to post this one post ...
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this is all over my local paper this morning. it's a real pity, and i don't think it will play out well. i'm particularly worried by the tone of this quote from government spokesman Sun Weide:
"Our promise was that journalists would be able to use the internet for their work during the Olympic Games, so we have given them sufficient access to do that."
Obviously there are points of difference between what the CCP and the international media consider 'sufficient access', but you'd imagine journalists would know their own requirements better than party officials.
If China is so worried about her image in the international press, why would she make life so difficult for the world's top journalists? to release a smug and insulting statement like that, like the CCP is taunting the world's free press.
And you hear poor Kevin Gosper in damage control, trying to straddle both sides, which is fast becoming the hapless refrain of the IOC. One thing's for sure, the olympics will never be the same again.
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Well, it's a typical Chinese government style to deal with those sensitive information--foreign journalists should get used to it
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Very big deal james found out China still blocks access to websites put up by groups like falung gong and Tibetan separatists during the Beijing Olympics! China promised world journalists uncensored internet access to cover the Beijing Olympics. What have these censored sites got to do with the Olympics or sports? james can spend all the time he has surfing the sites of these CIA-funded groups outside China. As far as China is concerned, such groups are out to destabilize or split the country, and it won't let them achieve their goals even for a thousand and one Olympics.
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Use your brain. China is different from the UK. Much different.
Serious consequences would happen if we allow pages of falun gong. those which probably wouldn't appear if we allow them 10 years later.
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Hello everyone,
I find an excellent blog by Mark Welsh who's a student from Missouri university currently working as a volunteer for the Olympic program. He seems having very good time over there. So if you want find out his experience in Beijing, check this out
http://beijingmark.blogspot.com/
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JR, you've demonstrated that you cannot access the Falungong website from the Olympics press center. What has it got to do with Olympics reporting? Could you demonstrate some more relevant inaccesible website? The politics that has quickly surrounded the Falungong since its tiff with the CPC is exactly the stuff that will irritate China and politicise the Games. The Falungong could create trouble to China the way the Boxer rebellion did at great suffering to the Chinese people in the hands of colonial powers. You could very well demonstrate non access to some vulgar pornographic website as proof of web-censorship, since to many here the Falungong has prostituted itself just as offensively.
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My interpretation of the events is:
China successfully bid to host the Olympic with the good faith that it is an apolitical sporting event.
If one quantify human rights and related issues, it should be obvious that China had improved leaps and bounds over the past few years. This is the situation before 2008.
In the past few months, the world (mainly western world) has formed an alliance to politically attack China using this Olympic opportunity. These attacks are evident in Tibet riot, Olympic torch relay, and in the western world news media.
Do you people really expect China not put up some defence?
The western world trashes the Olympic spirit and then tries to blame China and the IOC.
I hope China and IOC can stand firm and defend the Olympic spirits.
James, please don't try to pretend to be innocent. BBC was part of the gang, right?
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- The most recommended comments to the same topic on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation):
Their Country their rules. Your job is to report about Games, not to go to Amnesty International website. Tell me who won the 100m dash, not what some bleeding heart organization is saying.
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Don't you see any irony in using Google though? Several global tech players have been happily working with the CCP to keep the great firewall of China in place - including Google. Any chance of chucking some criticism their way?
Plus, while China may be explicit in blocking sites, we in the West can hardly criticise. Our web searches and emails are increasingly subject to monitoring - in the name of security of course. We're just a bit more subtle (some would say sneaky) about it than the Chinese government.
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James, congratulations on finally realising the benefits of internet censorship by deleting all comments on your entries dated 17th July 2008 or before. By doing that, you are no different from the Communist government you are criticising. How ironic is it that you are writing an entry on internet freedom in China!
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I think the authority is worried for your own safety to bar BBC chinese. if you are reporting the same as you did here, like promote tibet independance ect, you will be hiked in no time.
Imagine an official media provide links to real IRA and promote donation to them in england. Is that like declair war to the other country? I am surprised the tolerance of chinese government. If they are the ruthless dictator as you portrait, they should have deplored bbc long time ago.
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BBC has its House Rules for this blog, so why cannot China have its House Rules for the country?
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I do not know why my post was removed!
I just tell the reason why BBC China and Falong Gong website were censored in China.
Is this so called "free media" ?
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After access to all different kind information, a lot of overseas Chinese people still choose to support Chinese gov, Chinese gov should get more confidence to open media. However, I just think maybe the reason why we still support Chinese gov is beacause we have got education of 20 years in China in the impact of Chinese media. Anyway, only after access to all kind information, positive or negative, Chinese can get more mature, China can get more democratic.
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James, please stop and think. Have you anything at all good to say about China and the Beijing Olympics? Why are you there?
Listening to the BBC here in UK, we are being fed a constant diet of negative reporting, even from amiable BBC commentators like Arlo White on BBC5, and it is wearisome but in line with our UK Xenophobic Press. All the BBC News stories are aiming swipe after swipe at the Olympics.
But you are in China, so let me ask you...have you met anyone there that you like? Have you come across anything that is positive?Do you know how far China has come in the last 20 years?Do you walk around Beijing in the evening safely? Do you ever enjoy yourself there?
If you can answer yes to some of these questions, would you like to set yourself the objective of writing something just a little bit positive, just once for starters, just for me, and see if the world shudders to a halt?
I don't think it will.
And I don't care if you can't visit the Falun Gong website. What has that to do with reporting on the Olympics? Are the London Olympics to be centred on all our own strange religions?
I will be at the Olympics, my 53rd visit to China, and I know it will be another unforgettable experience. I can only wish that you find something pleasant to talk about in the meantime.
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In a rather sarcastic tone:
Surely the Chinese have no access to this blog since you have now raised the issue of Falun Gong? The Benevolent dictator wouldn't allow this!
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I live in Germany and when I tried to do what you did to click for Chinese language at that same web page, I cannot get that piece of news in Chinese either! (censored by the West?)
The same is with another BBC news on “China rights worsen with games” at the English webpage: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7529453.stm
When I clicked for Chinese language, it only links to the home page of News in Chinese.
The question is: are there Chinese translations of these particular news reports by the BBC? If not, your report is very misleading to say the least.
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James,
Does UK have website control? Here is an example in England.
Birmingham City Council has installed software preventing employees from browsing atheist websites, but allows them to look on conventional religions.
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James, I think you are very silly on this one. It may be only for Britich audience who know little about China (I watch your report on BBC 1 last night) but for the Chinese people it just seen unreasonable, offensive and arrogant.
Just ask yourself a question - what should China government allows access to
Falun Gong website which is a banned cult in China?
As for BBC Chinese website, it just shows how much the Chinese government trust the BBC. Don't forget the English version of the BBC was only unblocked a few weeks ago.
Unfortunately, this type of reporting will only arouse suspicions and you are not doing BBC any favour (having said that, I suspect it didn't come from an intelligent guy like yourself. May be it was one of your bosses told you to do it?)
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"Does the government have the right and obligation to decide what school or trend of thought can be allowed to circulate?" This is one of the questions, albeit not quoted verbatim, appeared in the same survey conducted by World Value Survey in China in 1993 and 2002 respectively. If asked in any Western country, the answer should be crystal clear that the overwhelming majority would vote for no and deride the one who designed the survey for putting up such a worthless question.
Astonishingly yet true, 74% of the Chinese respondents in the early 1990s voted for yes and 63% chose the same answer in 2002.
As the question does not explicitly address the issue of internet censorship, I conducted a small-scale survey which about 180 university Chinese students, 50 of whom are studying in Western universities, have participated as I am writing this response. The question asks "Does the government have the right and obligation to control and manage the internet?" And as of now, about 71% of the respondents say yes - the government has the right and obligation to control the internet.
Implicit but underlying all the empirical evidence above is a reasonable assumption that if China becomes a western-style democracy tomorrow, internet censorship is going to remain intact as it reflects the wish of the majority.
(For further reference, please consult Zhengxu Wang's paper Public Support for Democracy in China in Journal of Contemporary China)
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wow, not so many comments survived from the great firewall of 'house rules' this time. We want 'freedom of speech' here in BBC, and of cos, the "ful access of information".
If the BBC cannot grant 'freedom' even in this tiny blog, there is no reason to criticise Chinese government of blocking those websites which apparently break the 'house rules'.
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The ONLY harm in an abundance of conflicting truths is the difficult decision of which truths to believe.
Don't adopt your neighbor's truths, make your own decisions.
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No more debates.Please go to China and try to understand the FACTS.
Friends Forever! : )
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Hey James.
First of all I would like to acknowledge my gratitude to my government for being able to access the BBC website without using any software.
Here is my opinion about the issue and some of the readers comments.
As a responsible adult with a rational mind, I am willing to have the right to access all kinds of information. God, evil, you judge it. It is simply my personal choice to decide whose voice I am curious to hear, whose opinion I would like to reference. Therefore, I concede censorship invades my cognitive rights by limiting and filtering information. Importantly, it also impedes the public from making the right decision for their own country. Take the Iraq War for example, it is a typical case of the government misleads the public opinion by selecting or even making up false information. For the sake of well-being of society, I personally don’t see why people come to be okay with such behavior and at the same time, talking on the behalf of “the Chinese people”.
Most normal human-being would have to learn how to deal with criticism from other people from very early ages. There are mainly two kinds of criticism well-intended and evil-intended both of which are very easy to judge. Well-intended criticism points out problems that really exist, while the evil ones create or compose flaws that you do not have. To me, internet censorship is a problem does exists in my country, and I don’t feel shame or angry when someone acknowledge the problem to me for I believe that knowing the problem won’t make things worse, but being ignorant about it will. I would like acclaim I that I live in a world full of perfectness, but as a matter of fact, there are problems in every country, every political system. Without the courage to face who we really are, we will accomplish no advancement in our society.
i think BBC have been provding mostly level headed report about China about the Olmypics. and i will keep supporting this blog by sharing my humble thoughts.
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Falun Gong is considered an illegal cult in China, whether someone think it is fair or not, you must respect that country's law when you go there (echos what Tony Blair said on 7/7 bombings), so just as you wont have access to AL-Queda main website in the UK, you wont be able to access Falun Gong in China.
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Any free VPN service can get around the internet blocking very quickly, and anybody wanting to get around the internet blocking won't take very long to arrive at that solution.
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#3 tx1007:
Your post sums up the Western Media style. It's just that exact style that keeps their big headlines rolling day in day out. I have been living in the West for many years now and I'm getting used it. They pretty much do it to everyone but perhaps China offers much more for them to pick on because Chinese faces so many problems beside doing things differently and still has so much to learning.
I think China just have to do the best they can. While listen to the criticisms, fair or not. China should stay cool and not to lose it's focus. At the same time instead of getting upset over it, China should direct it's energy on problem solving.
#18. nihaorain2007: I totally agree with you
I'm an oversea Chinese. I have plenty access visiting FreeTibet and Falun Gong. I have seen and read their stuff. Plainly speaking, I trust CCP on those issues and I believe CCP is many times credible than any of them. FreeTibet and FalunGong freak me out. They are very tacky.
Why the West is so fascinated by FalunGong? Are there any Western Falun Gong members? I think the reason they are so interested in is because there are so much conflicts. Conflict or the illusion of conflict is the big bone medias always chase after.
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Another half-sarcastic comment:
How did you get a story about Falun Gong out of China? Are you going to be arrested?
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Dear Ricecake202,
You might be true regarding who is more credible among FLG and CCP, or BBC. But even FLG and BBC are wrong, they have right to express their opinion. The point is not who is correct; it is about freedom of information.
Even FLG is stupid, it has right to express its opinion.
Hope you can understand this point.
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Politequisling is a good example of a confused Chinese who have no first-hand experience in the West.
The current Internet is dominated by Western views. This is why the West is pushing for “free access”, i.e., more people read their perspectives.
When the Internet is balanced with all different views, the West will start to support restrictions.
We have seen this in their avocation for “Free Trade”.
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#21: beijing_2008
Well said!
My common #22 was removed for broken the BBC House rule just because I questioned whether James' blog of this page is banned in China.
I'm utterly shocked. So much for Free Press BBC. Now I understand more why some of the commenters here are so upset and furious of James and BBC.
BBC's House Rules is out done the Chinese's government's Press Rule. Who's the guilty party now?
Why the Chinese Press people have not done something already about BBC's press control already? It's about time someone should learn from BBC and James to return them with the same "curtsy."
I'm putting my critical thinking cap on from now on looking for the dark secret motivation of James for writing all these blogs.
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It seems that I cannot disagree with them on Dalai Lama separatists' view, or my comment will be removed.
Chinese 'house rules' are called censorship. BBC's censorship is called 'house rules'.
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Falungong is illegal and its website censored!? Goodness. of what does a big powerful country like China have to be afraid? It is not my cup of tea to subscribe to any cults, which Falongong is. To me, it seems rather harmless unless child slavery or abuse is involved. This organization is founded by another self-proclaimed emporor figure with very strict adherance of the followers to his teachings/edict. No wonder the emperor in Beijing feels threatened, is angry and revengeful.
Amnesty International, another State threat? Come on, it is run by a group of lawyers and scholars seeking to redress the injustice done to indviduals by their government. How dangerous is that? Their only weapon of choice is disemination of information on miscarriage of justice and human rights abuse.
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Hmmmmmm????
I wonder how could it possible that you could read my comment long before it was allow out? You are just 2 comments below me. I haven't see my comment showed until now and I check it number of times.
The only possible answer is that you are an insider. BBC or James have some insiders reading the comments long before everyone else can do so. Not only that, they are manipulating the comment ground too.
This is absolutely media control!
I'm furious! How could you of all people accuse someone else while you yourself are doing just that?
Speaking of FLG has right to express its opinion, BBC house rule removed my comment. BBC James take my right to speak away.
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To robertzhao No.58:
"it is about freedom of information."
Freedom of information doesn't mean unlimited accees to information. Any information that has potential thread to national security or national interests (in china) is exempt from freedom of information act. I bet you've never heard of Executive Order 13233 nor The Intelligence Authorization Act of 2002, maybe not even gag rules.
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James, ur really starting to get on my nerves. Since the olympic torch in hong Kong, this is my second post. Though, I have been watching your every single report and I have to say that unfortunately it seems that it is going to take you another few decades for you to fully understand our country. Or if you will be still interested in.
I've been observing the way you wright ur articles , every single one of them and it seems that it is almost impossible to change your view of starting on a negative side . Just like,we are the bad boys, and we are the brainwashed group of people. Fact is,u never stand on our side to think about the situation, and always having the double standards around. I was raised up in the west,born in holland (10 yrs) and another 7 years working and studying in london. Now back in hong kong for another 12 years. It is a fact that the press and media here in Hong Kong are more professional , fair and deeper while it goes into reporting and analyzing my mother country.
To say that the chinese critizise our country topman is naive. You go to any forums in mainland china, you will find lots of dicussion. here in Hong KOng, which we are part of china, you will find even dozens and dozens of articles critizing the mainland top man. The Hong Kong Cable TV journalist who was being rudely pushed by a chinese police was even on the headlines last week.
Falung Gong?
Come on... please give me a break. Ok... here in Hong Kong, you can find everything about them if you type this word on the internet. So? Less than 99.9 people are interested about them and I can say the only people who are interested about them are your countries politicans. Because there is something you can talk about them. I don't think it is wrong for me to say this Falung Gong are a group of very mysterious and danger organization who you always don't know what they are going to do next. Would a peacful organization kill themselves or lit themselve on file. And when their leader claims that he is the reborn jesus and buddha ... well... you honestly tell me than they if such a organization , religion should still get the respect? So , although me personally do admit the fact that the Chinese government has so much problems and corruption and unfair things happenening in the country, for blocking their side , I will have no objection.
BBC Chinese version - in Hong Kong, nothing is unblock. But I have never read it once, and none of a single person around me does. Because a lot more professional media in Hong Kong like www.orientaldaily.com.hk; appledaily.com.hk; singtao.com; Ming Pao etc are doing their job a lot better than you do not only in referring china news but also internationally. I certain now that your team would not agree with this but take a look on the first two websites above and even you do not understand chinese, you will understand that the media in hong kong standard level is not where you think.
During my 7 years in London, I have been going to BBC chinese version a couple times, not more than 3 times. Why, because the things you are reporting about us specialized for us does not interest me and are not updates fast enough and are biased. Though, BBC english version, I am reading every single day. Why? Because it is updated and I want to know what you are reporting everything worldwide to the worldwide audience.
Honestly, now that the Beijing government unblock the BBC chinese version , is still a good thing, because there is one less thing for you to pick on. It is a favour to the western world. People in mainland would read them though, because they want to know what you are reporting about us.
No one is perfect in this world and specially for China. With such a big country and huge population, after 150 years of unrest and war, having todays enourmous change and lifting so many people out of poverty, what do you still expect? Democracy? Will come . We people in Hong Kong everyday make fun of the Beijing government and we of course are fully aware how they abuse human rights. But sadly to say, this government , this system is currently the better system to rule the country, at least, at this moment it is. Demcracy will come, but you have to give time . If you go too fast, remember what happen to the Russian? Break in pieces and that is exactly what a lot of the western world want to see.
It is not one day that Hu and Wen can change the system. The system was already there. There are still lots of powerful governers and millitans who are in charge, who do pressures the new leaders. And what does your western media go with the headlines? homeless people ,lost all their homes because of the olympics. Well ok.. this has also been continously reported with a lot more clearer pictures in Hong Kong. Sadly to say, this is one of the sad stories which happens not only in China but in a lot of other countries. But being pointed out by a country who go to kill, bomb and RAPE the women and children in the middle east, who think they are the justice, is not a nice thing. It is like , don't tell me what I'm doing is right or wrong, clear up your own mess first. That is how a lot , especially our brothers in the mainland china feel.
For sure, you might think, well... we still got the right to report this. We ourselves still got protesting against the war. But James it is really so funny and ironic that so many people in your cities are so interested about the negative reporting about us. I can't think of any country leader than will go to meet the leader of the IRA? simply like this. What is the purpose of your western politician? What do you want from us?
The third article on top of this board tells the feeling of the majority of the Chinese. Not matter what we do , how hard we are goinng to fight for a better life, no matter how friendly we open our arms for you and try to make friends with you, you still think we are wrong.
Although born and raised up in the western world, I am 100% chinese. And I am saying now that the Chinese top leaders still are doing not good enough especially in Education, Law and the system. I am typing this now in a SPA in shenzen, China. Do i get arrested? hahaha....
Have fun in Bejing james!
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Well done James, keep up the good work.
As some people have commented, the deal was unfettered access to the internet, doesn't look like it, China is a beautiful country with likewise people, I say allow everyone freedom, not just reporters, to all the internet. Let the people see for themselves, for too long you have manipulated your people with the state control, I would even go so far as to say poison their minds on certain issues. Human rights means freedom of expression, belief, dignity etc, Falun Gong is certainly neither evil nor a cult but a spiritual practice that believes in Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, so I cannot see why the Chinese government is afraid of letting people look at that site, surely all nations would be proud to have its citizens following these virtues. I can only imagine that the reason that certain sites are blocked is because people would learn the real truth. The truth that the Chinese government is party to torture and oppression of its own people, one may even say genocide.I hope the world enlightens to the truth soon.
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"Falun Gong is certainly neither evil nor a cult but a spiritual practice that believes in Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance"
are you a member of Falun Gong? Have you ever practice Falun Gong? Have you read any of the books by Falun Gong? Have you know anyone who practce Falun Gong? Have you asked ordinary Chinese about how they see Falun Gong?
I bet you haven't done any.
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