Chinese authorities restrict news of Egypt protests

Searches for Chinese characters for Egypt on popular websites return messages saying results are not being shown due to local regulations The Chinese authorities are censoring references to the protests in Egypt as some internet users draw comparisons with China, it emerged today. Searches for the Chinese characters for Egypt on the popular Sina microblog service returned a message saying results were not being shown due to local regulations. But tactics such as employing the English word or characters sounding the same as the Chinese name – also “ai ji”, but this time meaning “sad and worried” – allowed internet users to discuss the situation. Some people said they had also been able to post messages containing the characters for Egypt, although it was not clear how long they stayed up. Although Beijing’s grip on power remains strong, the authorities are deeply aware of social tensions and are anxious to avoid mass unrest. There has been carefully controlled coverage of Egypt in the mainstream media, with newspapers and major news portals running short pieces from the Xinhua state news agency. They are often told to use only Xinhua articles on sensitive subjects. Reports have focused on the economic impact of the protests and the risks of instability, rather than their causes. But the official Global Times newspaper ran a commentary on its English site arguing that the so-called colour revolutions “will not bring about real democracy”. It concluded: “When it comes to political systems, the western model is only one of a few options. It takes time and effort to apply democracy to different countries, and to do so without the turmoil of revolution.” The Chinese edition today pointed to US interests in Egypt, declaring that the west was trying to decide which direction the country will take . Officially, Beijing has urged a return to order in Egypt, with the foreign ministry spokesman, Hong Lei, saying in a statement: “China is paying very close attention to developments in Egypt. “Egypt is a friend of China, and we hope Egypt will return to social stability and normal order as soon as possible.” But some internet users embraced the protests. One message on the popular Baidu.com message board read: “We must clearly support this revolution.” Another asked: “Will Mubarak become [late Chinese leader] Deng Xiaoping?” That was apparently a reference to the brutal military crackdown on the pro-reform protests that began in Tiananmen Square in 1989, which resulted in hundreds, possibly thousands, of deaths. On the Sina microblog, several users drew parallels with their own situation. “So much tax every year, visiting the hospital once would cost a fortune – this reminds me of Egypt,” one wrote. “[Am] watching TV. One woman said: ‘The Egyptians don’t have the most basic rights. They can’t vote, they don’t have freedom of expression, some of them can’t even work. The poor are extremely poor and the rich are extremely rich, and the government has been ignoring the gap for 30 years.’ OK … very thought-provoking …” noted another. A third wrote: “No matter how wealthy the society seems, there is one thing that’s missing, just like the Egyptians – they are missing the exact same thing, too. The evil will eventually perish and we will have the thing which has been missing in our hearts.” Others questioned why news programmes were not devoting more time to the subject. Egypt Middle East China Tania Branigan guardian.co.uk

Posted by on January 31, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry