Democracy News

Chinese Government Suppresses Opposition Voices; Rules Out Democracy
March 8, 2011
By: Carlos Aramayo | Printer Friendly

As protests sweep across the Arab world, toppling two regimes, the Chinese government has taken steps to strengthen its own security apparatus by cracking down on human rights lawyers, activists, and journalists. The New York Times reports that Chinese cyberactivists have been making anonymous calls for a "Jasmine Revolution," modeled after the pro-democracy demonstrations in the Middle East.  In response, the Chinese government has taken measures to block the words "Egypt" and "Tunisia" from appearing in internet searches.  It was also reported that the government is blocking access to certain social networking sites.

According to the BBC, on February 28, anonymous organizers contacted thousands of mobile phones through SMS messages and internet chat sites, urging people to congregate in 13 Chinese cities to demand an end to corruption, inflation and the strictures of authoritarian rule.

So far, the Chinese police have placed more than 100 dissidents and human rights activists under house arrest, the New York Times reported.  The detainees include six prominent lawyers and activists that are being held on suspicion of inciting subversion.

Additionally, the Chinese government has intensified filters on microblogs, despite them being already the most censored in the world. “The crackdown has been the most severe we’ve seen in years,” said Wang Songlian, a researcher from Chinese Human Rights Defenders.

The concentrated government effort to stop the Middle East-inspired unrest was also aimed at the international media. The BBC reports that about a dozen European and Japanese journalists were detained for two hours by the Chinese police in Shanghai after they sought to report on a “strolling” protest against the government. The New York Times reports that other international journalists and photographers were visited in their homes and were warned not to cause trouble.

During the 2008 Olympic Games, the Chinese government initiated a relaxation of its reporting rules for the foreign media.  In a decree by Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, the Chinese government removed the need for journalists to seek government permission for interviews. However, the New York Times reports that a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry warned journalists that they should not rely on the 2008 decree “as a shield.”

“There’s such a nervousness of letting things get out of control that even students complaining about the price of food in the school canteen will be reported as social instability,” said David Kelly, a visiting scholar at Peking University who studies the stability maintenance system.

During an interview with the New York Times, Pu Zhiqiang, a human rights lawyer bluntly stated: “Limiting people’s freedom and trying to restrict the flow of information isn’t dealing with the underlying problems China faces… I think this strategy is only going to create more enemies of the government.”

The Chinese government was reported to have officially ruled out democracy. The BBC reports that Wu Bangguo – officially number two in the Chinese leadership structure and Chairman of the National Peoples Congress – stated that, “We have made a solemn declaration that we will not employ a system of multiple parties holding office in rotation." Furthermore, he warned of dire consequences for China if the current political system changed, “There would be no separation of powers between the different branches of government and no federal system.”

For previous news on China, please see:
Obama Urges Human Rights During China’s State Visit

Sources:
Washington Post – China tamps down Middle East-inspired protests before they can gain momentum

Voice of America – China Blames Protest Clashes on Foreign Media

BBC – Chinese leader rules out democracy

New York Times – In China, Security Muffles Calls for Change

New York Times – Even With Protests Averted, China Turns to Intimidation of Foreign Journalists