It is sadly ironic that just days after renewing our call for the free flow of information worldwide, we have learned that Internet users in China are once again running into screen messages saying some of the websites they are looking for cannot be displayed.
VOA Correspondent Stephanie Ho in Beijing reports the blocked sites include those of the Voice of America, in both English and Chinese.
What is regrettable about this is that back in August, the Chinese government bowed to international pressure and halted its interference with our and other sites -- a gesture tied to China's hosting the Olympics.
So why the renewed controls?
Some western analysts say the action is consistent with how Chinese authorities deal with what they perceive as potential political trouble. There is the upcoming 20th anniversary in June of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. China’s economy is also reeling under the impact of the global financial crisis. And just recently a group of dissidents issued a manifesto called "Charter '08" that calls for legal reforms and greater democracy.
Chinese officials are, not surprisingly, defending their latest Internet blocking move. Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao insists some websites violate Chinese law. He did not cite any specific cases.
Reporters Without Borders is condemning the renewed censorship by China of websites like VOA’s.
In a statement, the group said: “Right now, the authorities are gradually rolling back all the progress made in the run-up to this summer’s Olympic games, when even foreign websites in Mandarin were made accessible. The pretence of liberalization is now over. The blocking of access to the websites of foreign news media speaks volumes about the government’s intolerance. We urge the authorities to unblock them again.”
So do we. As VOA Director Danforth Austin has noted, “When our broadcast frequencies are jammed or our website is blocked, it is the people in our audiences who suffer the most.”
5 comments:
Hi
Is this the way you make your living? Where in the world have you seen democracy? In USA where the two parties are playing games? Is democracy & freedom of info. means to you the messing up world economy by letting wall street wild cheats to steal the nation and tax payers are subsidising the same rootless organised criminals in big banks and financial institutions.
When Socialism is applied to the benefit of extremely rich people and organisations it is called "BAIL OUT". Gabitto!!!
Howdy, Interesting Article, Check out this post(link below) which gives you an idea of how the Great Firewall of China works. If you want to experience internet browsing in China, then have a look.
Link: http://hostintruder.wordpress.com/2008/12/03/feel-the-great-firewall-of-china/
Hope it helps!!
May be it just because some foreign media website had really broken our Chinese law. I understand that why you made this kind of commont ,because ,you never know the fact and our Chinese culture
It is a shame for the government to censor the internet. It is more shameful for these Chinese to defend it.
We defend it because we know why these policies are going to guarantee the stability of our nation and the safety our fellows. Those who made this kind of comment above is stupid with a great prejudice and those words cant be written by a civilised human being . I've done writing!
Post a Comment