In your own opinion, is the media's condemnation of china, particuarly in light of the recent events at...?

Question

the beijing olympics justified ?

as a british born chinese myself, i am aware of the media scrutiny of china and the constant criticisms levelled particularly at the communist government. lack of human rights, the pollution issue, non-freedom of expression, child labour, tibet. not to mention the controversy over the chinese girl lip-synching at the opening of the beijing olympics and replacing the other girl, who was overlooked because she was deemed too 'ugly'.

the fact that nobody is allowed to criticise or condemn the government; otherwise they'd be sent to jail and punished for their views.

being born in the UK to chinese and hong kong parents, i am knowingly grateful for the fact that though here we have our own problems in our backyard, at least that we have the freedom to express our views and we are entitled to say and do things- without a government monitoring our every move. something of which will never happen in china for as long as the communist government are in power.

as much as my views on the western media differ on various issues, i am glad that the likes of the bbc are highlighting the dreadful abuses taking place in china because the truth is behind the smokescreen, as much as the govt and native chinese would try to deny it, there are things going on in that country- a country of which my mother was born in- that i don't particularly like. suffice to say, i am proud of my british chinese dual identity and of the fact that us brits are unashamed to voice our concerns with our government, because we have what china doesn't have, and that is democracy.

also, for my sub-question i'd like to add, to those who criticise china- is your criticism of china mostly directed at the government or the people? thanks

Answer 1

Hiya,

In my opinion the West have double standards concerning their criticisms towards the Chinese Government.  You may have read in history how the west prosper from slave trade, invasion of Africa, India and China, opium production and distribution and child labour.  They have made a half-hearted apology but just because they said sorry that doesen't mean all has been put right.  Forgiven but not forgotten.

Older Chinese who emigrated to the Western world do not like to talk about why they left their homeland, did your mother ever talk to you about her past life?  After the WW2 and the departure of the Kumentang, China was severely ravaged and left with just an empty shell.  Then Chairman Mao took very drastic actions to bring China together and make her stand on her own feet.  Sometimes, a hard hand must be used to bring everyone in line, only this way could a country as big as China could achieve anything.  It is a very sad history but only this way could China lift up her head and be proud again.

I don't know how long your parents have lived in UK.  But I have had a conversation with an older Chinese man who arrived in Limehouse about 50 years ago.  China was still behind the bamboo curtains and the Chinese man who had a small restaurant would have to tolerate racial abuse from the old bill, yes the police, day in and day out.  My point is, if China had not rise to power like today, you and your Chinese parents will have a harder life living here because no one will respect a foreigner from a poor country.  Be thankful that China had the balls to go from nothing into a strong nation so that you can be proud and walk into any town in UK unmolested by anybody who think they could just knock a chinaman down.

Finally I would like to say to those who kept shouting "human rights".  Now here is a double standard in itself.  Who's human right is it anyway?  The rights for the like of Gary Glitter, Mira Hindley or the policemen who shot Jean Charles de Menezes.  I would like to think that I have my human rights to live my life and raise my family untouched by any harm.

Answer 2

hi, great question,

well, do you think it is right to be communist, with its negative side effects, is it right to have a lack of freedom of speech. Is it right to have no human rights and to not work to help a terrible pollution problem. Is it right to manipulate the government to oppress anyone with an opinion slightly different to You Know Who?

A lot of people would say no, especiallly in the british media, an this is because we are not used to it. We have never had a left wing or right wing political system so it all seems a little pointless and horrific to us.

We did over document it, but that is because it is extraordinary and unnecessary, communism is an inevitably disastrous concept that can never work.

It is a very interesting issue, feel free to email me :)

x

Answer 3

You are a Briton with British citizenship, whatever your ethnicity. Your experience, concerns, aspirations and self-understanding will never be the same as a Chinese born and raised in China. If you are happy with your lot, fine. But don't pretend that you know what most Chinese in China want, or imply that they are all somehow "ashamed" to voice their concerns about their government, or its something that they feel strongly about. One suspects that like some overseas Chinese, you know less about China and the Chinese way of life there than even some non-Chinese like some of us who have been there. If you are ashamed of China, that's your problem. After all, you are what the Chinese would call, 'a banana' - yellow outside - white inside.

Answer 4

Wow, that was a detailed question, with some answers in it too.

Firstly: There are faults on both sides, The China Government has had it's own way for so long with a one sided party expression.

They produced a spectacle which even without the problems was marvelous, however the Government decided to go that unconvincing extra mile.

The China Government have not yet realised that many in the world are free to scrutinise and question. If the opening to the games was oly viewed by the Chinese and their allies, all things would have been accepted.

In the West, we have a generally lazy press, and indeed mention China and the Reporter will automatically slant the article to repression, unknowing that that China has been more forward in it's thinking for thousands of years.

So there is a laziness element from our press.

China has been seen to be the ''Old Enemy'', this is ridiculaous and comes from the British expansion times of the Victorian era. This attitude is instilled into the establishment and therefore is further instilled into lazy press.

Many criticisms of China by the BBC can be viewed as ''balanced'' even by the China Government, and should be seen as so. Democracy is a hard pill to swallow.

I think too that one of the advisers within the Government and organisers had over reacted to the western idea of ''only beauty counts''.

I firmly believe that China should have got the oportunity to show off their ''shop window'' to the world, I further believe they did a marvelous job (a few hiccups, but who under God is perfect?).

Governments and Peoples are normally lumped into a finite presentation and understanding, however when individuals are met any predispositions are instantly forgot.

I find Chinese as individuals as I find all Human beings, humerous, kind, funny, good and helpfull, with exactly the same hopes and aspirations as all of us.  

  

Answer 5

Don't be so sure that the Triads won't track you down for having spoken out.  Just hope that they don't know your real identity - although you'll still be safe as long as you don't return.

The truth is China is not alone in going against the Human Rights Act - I will criticise any country person or race in going against this Act.

It shows in my book to be a crime against Humanity.

http://www.google.com/search?q=Human+Rig...

Personally if I had been a competing athlete I would have refused to take part in the Chinese Olympics .