| Hu Jintao takes personal charge of fight against Charter 08 |
| Written by Mark O'Neill | |
| Wednesday, 07 January 2009 | |
|
Page 1 of 2  Although the Chinese
government has reacted severely against the framers of the so-called
Charter 08, the most serious intellectual challenge to the Communist
Party since the student-led protests of 1989, there is little
likelihood that they can snuff out the challenge even though
President Hu Jintao has taken personal charge of the campaign.
The Charter 08 signatories are some of China’s most prominent establishment intellectuals, who have previously not been involved in protest or political activism. They say they intend to continue to publicize it and push for its adoption all the way through October (important because etc). The date is significant because 2009 is the year of all anniversaries – 20 years after the 1989 student protests that led to the massacre in Tiananmen Square, 50 years after the Tibetan uprising led by the Dalai Lama, 60 years after the creation of Communist China and 90 years after student demonstrations on May 4, 1919 in anger against the government’s weakness at the Treaty of Versailles. At nearly midnight on November 8, two teams of a dozen police burst into the homes of two of the main authors, Liu Xiaobo and Zhang Zuhua, detaining them and seizing computers, mobile telephones, books, letters and other materials. They remained in Liu’s home until midday on November 9. Liu, 53, a veteran dissident who has been arrested frequently and spent more than three years in a labour camp, has since been held on suspicion of ‘plotting to overthrow the state’, a charge that could result in a long prison term. The Ministry of Propaganda (MOP) has enforced a strict ban on any mention of the charter or interviews with the signatories in the domestic media and held briefings for print and television editors, to explain the importance of the ban and the threat which Charter 08 poses. The principal text at these briefings is Document 24, a speech given by Hu Jintao at a Communist Party Plenum from October 9-12, 2008 in Beijing. “The propaganda departments of the party must act clearly and with a strong sense of reason,” Hu said. “Stability is the over-riding duty. Without stability, we will be able to achieve nothing and will lose all that we have already achieved. Opposing westernization and separatism is the party’s political line and the thinking we must pursue over the long term.”
Ministry officials
argued that, with the onset of the global financial crisis last
summer, China is going through a crisis due to slowing growth, rising
unemployment and social unrest. Recent examples are strikes by cab
drivers and teachers in major cities, riots in Longnan, Gansu that
left 60 officials injured, demonstrations by workers in Beijing and a
rising number of petitioners. Comments
(19)
 written by jedyoong , January 23, 2009  written by Mao Tse Dong , January 08, 2009
Communist China must reform or be removed.
Votes: +6
The power of the people will overcome any acts of violence by the Chinese communist party against people who do not believe in communism. report abuse
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written by Hu , January 08, 2009
Chairman, I am very proud of your achievements in proving that the Western barbarians are nothing but Paper Tigers. Our PLA volunteers armed with your Thoughts in Korea and Vietnam brought Victories to our motherland.
Votes: -1
Sarkozy and other Scums should reflect on the Great Napoleanic advice to not to s**t-stir the Chinese Nation. report abuse
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written by Mao , January 08, 2009
President you dont need to hide your claws. If the s**t-stirrers come looking for troubles, make sure you give them a bloody nose like our hero Wong Fei Hong.
Votes: -1
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written by Future , January 08, 2009
You'll get what you give. Sooner or later, you will have to pay the price. Now you have the power, you give people ugliness, let's wait and see the outcome.
Votes: -2
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written by Wordsworth , January 08, 2009
"...Sarkozy and Merkel to plot the 2nd Opium war"
Votes: -2
There has in fact already been a 'Second Opium War' (also called The Arrow War - 1856 to 1860), my friend. And yes, you lost that one, too. report abuse
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written by Mao , January 08, 2009
China is the only real supra-ethnic state where all 56 Chinese ethnic groups can develop themselves. We need a steady hand to prevent the West s**t-stirrers like Sarkozy and Merkel to plot the 2nd Opium war with China using the Dalai scum of spliting China.
Votes: -3
With Hu in charge, my heart is now at ease. report abuse
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In 2008, Chian had happened several big events. But Chiese people carried it through under the Hu Jintao and other leaders leading. surpporting Hu! Surpporting China!
Votes: -4
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Dalai is selflish and crual. In 2008, China had happened several big events. I hope the financia cirisis can be contronled.
Votes: -2
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written by Bangkok , January 08, 2009
Are you not enough with western aggression? Vietnam and China in fact are no longer communism or liberalism. They are Confucianism. Sudden change would bring disaster to both nations. Leave them alone!
Votes: +0
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written by Bangkok , January 08, 2009
Foreigners, especially the Red-Haired wannabes, leave China alone!
Votes: -1
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written by Ho Chi Minh , January 07, 2009
I agree with what Karma has written
Votes: -2
"Human Right and Democracy ensures right to dignity, freedom to express, right to movement and hold on your personal beliefs without fear of persecution." Regarding Khanh Le's comment on unequality, racism, many protests to increase wages, bonus, etc., it's important to know that inequality happens everywhere no matter what political system you believe in. There is no doubt that your personal net worth is much less than that of Nguyen Tan Dung, the PM of Vietnam. Talking about racism, would you like to vote for a non-native Vietnamese to become the President of Vietnam? Will you let a Thais or Laotian who is a naturalized citizen of Vietnam to become its Prime Minister? Racism is human nature and at least in the US, there are laws against it, not like in China or Vietnam. Wage protests? You can do it at anytime in western countries but cannot do it in communist China or Vietnam without fearing that the police will take you to jail for disturbing social order (sic). To ensure their survival, communist China and Vietnam must reform or be removed to allow an open and democratic election in which only the qualified people are elected to lead the countries in the new century. report abuse
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written by Khanh Le , January 07, 2009
The chapter 08 appeals to reform such as more freedom, more democracy, and setting up a federal state, perhaps like western countries. I think the requirements are right and suitable in the modern time; however, we must look at the western countries, what is happenning? there are economic crisis, unequality, racism, many protests to increase wages, bonus, ec. If we believe blindly in the chapter, it means that chaotic, unstability will appear in China, so the situation will be likely to be worsen, and maybe China will be the second Russia when they chose a wrong way to innovate.
Votes: -4
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written by karma , January 07, 2009
Human Right and Democracy ensures right to dignity, freedom to express, right to movement and hold on your personal beliefs without fear of persecution.
Votes: +2
I would welcome such change without any reservation. Life is precious, it is not just a vase to fill in. Karma report abuse
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written by Bangkok , January 07, 2009
I would throw all-out of support on the Chinese Communist Party. It is clear that the West is behind this to destabilize China, knowing full well that a sudden liberalization spells disaster as it happened to Russia.
Votes: -5
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written by Wordsworth , January 07, 2009
"Western liberal democracy will invariably result in a small elite amasing untold wealth at the expense of the majority."
Votes: +2
Isn't this what is currently happening in China anyway? And don't forget, Communism is also a Western invention. report abuse
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written by Awakened , January 07, 2009
China must resolutely deflect such demands for rash democracy but follow its own path to democracy with Chinese characteristics, best emulating the successful & tested S'porean styled autocracy of clean, effective & efficient governance. Democracy will not put food on the table but political stability will. Western liberal democracy will invariably result in a small elite amasing untold wealth at the expense of the majority. The economical meltdown of Wall Street proves the bankcruptcy of the Western model & it is time the rest of the world stop worshipping the failed West but instead find a workable alternative.
Votes: +0
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Although it had lagged behind in the 19th and 20th centuries, in the greater scheme of its thousands of years of history, the period prior to CPC imperialism is normal.
I agree with comments that say China has a different philosophy and ideas llike equality, freedom and human rights have to be re-examined from a non-Western worldview, which has created societies with declining family values, obsessive individualism, directionless drifting.
What is the purpose of modern Western society? The "pointless" pursuit of "profits" by forcing "trade", nothing more than daylight robbery in the late 1800s to early 1900s in China, and "democratising" countries with key raw materials and energy sources?
In my view, Western science and technology have caused more gruesome, bloody wars and environmental damage than good.
If you observe the West, parts of society are embracing Eastern spirituality. Is it because life is so hollow in Western societies and science failed to explain many things, which Chines traditional beliefs have long discovered since ancient times?
This Lu Xiaobo, has he received funds from the National Endowment Agency? Apparently so. What's the NED?
http://www.ned.org/grants/07programs/grants-asia07.html
I really think the West should solve its problems in their own backyards and stop trying to be saviours of the universe.
Thank you very much but is Obama even good at calligraphy?