I partly feel sorry for the honest Chinese people who want to be proud of their country. And in truth the oppression and censorship isn't really 100 miles away from some practices in the western world (camp X ray, extraordinary rendition being two examples where the moral code of conduct has just been chucked in the fire). But at the same time the Chinese government is just far too easy a target - the appallingly hilarious cold war communist part ways that they attempt to deny the plain truth ("the sky is blue" - reply "no it isn't" end of discussion) is just far too easy to make a mockery out of.
I don't want to use the word ignorant, but you really don't know China, and your media is not helping either. Simply imagine what the paramilitary troops in your country would do under this circumstance:
As for the success rate of the Olympic, the more protests will there be in Beijing, the more support would the government gain from the ordinary Chinese. And that's what the government cares the most.
Every time the world blasts the Chinese government over sovereign issues like Tibet or Taiwan, it actually vastly boosts the popularity of the government. Right now I know there are quite a lot of Chinese planning protests against the Tibet riots in London, Frankfurt, Toronto, and elsewhere. Some have already happened, but your media has given absolutely no coverage at all. At the same time, believe it or not, the Chinese domestic popular opinion on Tibet is unanimously pro-government.
I've heard numerous times that we Chinese are brainwashed, our media is pure propaganda, blah blah. Do you know we actually think the same of you?
Just check the following few links. Fell free to brush them aside as propaganda, but put yourself in the shoe of a Chinese, then think again.
The real question is, what is the fate of places like Tibet and Taiwan during and AFTER the Olympics?
In case you haven't noticed, Taiwan's KMT, which supports closer ties with China, just won a landslide victory at the presidential election. And the "joining UN" referendums, which may be used to serve a prelude to the independence referendum, were both defeated.
Why don't you use your own head? Chinese officials are mostly technocrats who want immediate and effective solutions rather than good press. While good press is nice, if it's beyond their reaches they won't hold on that super-ego.
What's more important? Containing the ethnic riots at home or win the propaganda war in the west? And is it even possible for the later? Will the bad press stop if the western media is given the direct access to Tibet? No! They'll just continue turning a blind eye on balancing report and ethical journalism and do their best nitpicking on every move of the police. You'll see extremely enlarged pictures of Tibetan bleeding, screaming, suffering, which serves the purpose of adding ammunitions to the riots. Yeah you've already seen those, while the police is from Nepal, the blood are made of red paint, and the screaming and suffering are well staged like the Albanians in Kosovo. You know where Kathmandu is? I bet most average Joe don't, and CNN can't be bothered to tell you it's NOT the capital of Tibet, then we read your silly columnists accusing the brutal treatments of Tibetans by Chinese police. So what difference does it make?
Good press results from soft power, and soft power is not achievable in one night. For technocrats, apparently soft power eventually results from hard power, which they believe they'll get in the end. Look at Taiwan. That serves a pretty good example and indication on what the China will do about Tibet.
Do you have to resort to the deep rooted stereotype whenever talking about anything you don't really know or understand? I'm so tired of the typical rants here about China that I actually spend the time register and say something different.
Fact: China has a long way to go in comparison to most western countries on banning things, esp in the minor protection department. Think of all the hassles you've got to go through to buy alcohol, or to go to a movie and left the kids home. Think of all those regulations you've got to study to do anything kid related, be it starting a day care or get licensed as a school teacher.
Fact: The communist party in China is neither more evil nor more foolish than the party you vote for or vote against. The so-called "China style communism" is neither more repressive nor more rigid than the church doctrine you believe or disbelieve. Tell you what, when I first came to the US, my first ever and the only bible study (hard sold to me by a co-worker) reminded me dearly of the culture revolution style meeting my parents described to me. We Chinese don't do that sort of things anymore, ever since I was born. But it's still alive and kicking here. Talking about the brain wash, ha.
Fact: Most Chinese don't really care about the democracy or freedom of speech you cherish so much, at least for now. We certainly don't want the freedom to defend ourselves by owning a rifle. If you really want to export your ideology I'd say prepare for the culture shock. The last time a friend of mine (born a US citizen) tried to convince me the Taiwan style democracy is good for China I told him the popular saying in China, which is even quoted by Taiwan's vice president as well as opposition party leader as true, "if you haven't been to Taiwan, you won't realize the culture revolution is still on-going".
Fact: The shear fact that you're having a hard time believing these is the proof of how your democracy and freedom of speech has failed to provide you with a clear view on what's going on in the world. Think harder, and think out of the box, then maybe someday you'll make sense of the things happening across the ocean.
Slashdot Mirror
I don't want to use the word ignorant, but you really don't know China, and your media is not helping either. Simply imagine what the paramilitary troops in your country would do under this circumstance:
http://www.chinatibetnews.com/media/200803/25/NewsMedia_12925.bmp
As for the success rate of the Olympic, the more protests will there be in Beijing, the more support would the government gain from the ordinary Chinese. And that's what the government cares the most.
Every time the world blasts the Chinese government over sovereign issues like Tibet or Taiwan, it actually vastly boosts the popularity of the government. Right now I know there are quite a lot of Chinese planning protests against the Tibet riots in London, Frankfurt, Toronto, and elsewhere. Some have already happened, but your media has given absolutely no coverage at all. At the same time, believe it or not, the Chinese domestic popular opinion on Tibet is unanimously pro-government.
I've heard numerous times that we Chinese are brainwashed, our media is pure propaganda, blah blah. Do you know we actually think the same of you?
Just check the following few links. Fell free to brush them aside as propaganda, but put yourself in the shoe of a Chinese, then think again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSQnK5FcKas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z_prFMROC8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiVunJBIGoM
http://www.chinatibetnews.com/GB/channel524/579/581/200803/24/79280.html (Warning: very disturbing pictures. Also note one dead is ethnic Tibetan. She worked in a shop owned by Han people.)
http://www.chinatibetnews.com/GB/channel524/579/581/200803/22/79175.html
Gosh, get your fact straight first. You know where Kathmandu is?
Why don't you use your own head? Chinese officials are mostly technocrats who want immediate and effective solutions rather than good press. While good press is nice, if it's beyond their reaches they won't hold on that super-ego.
What's more important? Containing the ethnic riots at home or win the propaganda war in the west? And is it even possible for the later? Will the bad press stop if the western media is given the direct access to Tibet? No! They'll just continue turning a blind eye on balancing report and ethical journalism and do their best nitpicking on every move of the police. You'll see extremely enlarged pictures of Tibetan bleeding, screaming, suffering, which serves the purpose of adding ammunitions to the riots. Yeah you've already seen those, while the police is from Nepal, the blood are made of red paint, and the screaming and suffering are well staged like the Albanians in Kosovo. You know where Kathmandu is? I bet most average Joe don't, and CNN can't be bothered to tell you it's NOT the capital of Tibet, then we read your silly columnists accusing the brutal treatments of Tibetans by Chinese police. So what difference does it make?
Good press results from soft power, and soft power is not achievable in one night. For technocrats, apparently soft power eventually results from hard power, which they believe they'll get in the end. Look at Taiwan. That serves a pretty good example and indication on what the China will do about Tibet.
Do you have to resort to the deep rooted stereotype whenever talking about anything you don't really know or understand? I'm so tired of the typical rants here about China that I actually spend the time register and say something different.
Fact: China has a long way to go in comparison to most western countries on banning things, esp in the minor protection department. Think of all the hassles you've got to go through to buy alcohol, or to go to a movie and left the kids home. Think of all those regulations you've got to study to do anything kid related, be it starting a day care or get licensed as a school teacher.
Fact: The communist party in China is neither more evil nor more foolish than the party you vote for or vote against. The so-called "China style communism" is neither more repressive nor more rigid than the church doctrine you believe or disbelieve. Tell you what, when I first came to the US, my first ever and the only bible study (hard sold to me by a co-worker) reminded me dearly of the culture revolution style meeting my parents described to me. We Chinese don't do that sort of things anymore, ever since I was born. But it's still alive and kicking here. Talking about the brain wash, ha.
Fact: Most Chinese don't really care about the democracy or freedom of speech you cherish so much, at least for now. We certainly don't want the freedom to defend ourselves by owning a rifle. If you really want to export your ideology I'd say prepare for the culture shock. The last time a friend of mine (born a US citizen) tried to convince me the Taiwan style democracy is good for China I told him the popular saying in China, which is even quoted by Taiwan's vice president as well as opposition party leader as true, "if you haven't been to Taiwan, you won't realize the culture revolution is still on-going".
Fact: The shear fact that you're having a hard time believing these is the proof of how your democracy and freedom of speech has failed to provide you with a clear view on what's going on in the world. Think harder, and think out of the box, then maybe someday you'll make sense of the things happening across the ocean.