Why Won’t China Argue the Case for Locking up Liu Xiaobo?

In the Telegraph, Peter Foster explains one of the rationales put forth by the Chinese government for Liu Xiaobo’s imprisonment:

I paraphrase, but the argument runs thus: “Think of the madness of the Mao years, the cult of personality and the Cultural Revolution it inspired, the famines and the great castles in the air of the Great Leap Forward.

“Then look at China now. Look at the real glass and concrete turrets of Shenzhen and Shanghai, at the literacy rates, nutrition levels, vaccination coverage, the numbers of graduates…and you see a middle-income country whose development has taken place on a scale and at a speed unmatched in human history.

“Why can’t the West shut and admire this progress? Why can’t it understand that these great prizes have been won not through democracy (look at the sorry mess India is in), but through disciplined and cohesive one-party rule.

… These arguments are on the face of it highly persuasive, not least to the Chinese people who, as is often said, have no appetite for chaos and a Czezh-style colour revolution in any case.

But they do beg a question. If they are so persuasive, why doesn’t the Party make them to the people?

See also “China’s Liu Xiaobo Problem” from Evan Osnos on his blog.

CDT EBOOKS

Subscribe to CDT

SUPPORT CDT

Browsers Unbounded by Lantern

Now, you can combat internet censorship in a new way: by toggling the switch below while browsing China Digital Times, you can provide a secure "bridge" for people who want to freely access information. This open-source project is powered by Lantern, know more about this project.

Google Ads 1

Giving Assistant

Google Ads 2

Anti-censorship Tools

Life Without Walls

Click on the image to download Firefly for circumvention

Open popup
X

Welcome back!

CDT is a non-profit media site, and we need your support. Your contribution will help us provide more translations, breaking news, and other content you love.