From Hong Kong journalist Ying Chan, from China Media Project:
Conservative elements within the Chinese Communist Party are the most serious enemies to China’s interests and those of the Party. I call them “conservative elements” because I refuse to believe the higher levels of the CCP leadership are so completely devoid of people who understand the mechanisms of international politics, public diplomacy and foreign relations.
An open letter to the Central Committee of the CCP in mid-October demanding that it correct the “illegal and wrong verdict” in the Liu Xiaobo case was signed by many former Party officials. I’m confident there are people within the CCP who support the criticisms made by these Party elders, who said the verdict against Liu perverted the administration of justice and blackened the image of the Party’s reform and opening policy.
I prefer to think that this is a momentary loss for the more rational and enlightened minds within the CCP, and that this is why we’ve lately seen the “left” hold sway, paving the way for the savage and shameful behavior we’ve seen recently from China on the international stage.
