Thursday, October 26, 2006
Did I speak too soon?
It would appear that with the departure of Dr Condoleza Rice that the blocking of blogging site blogspot.com has resumed. It would appear my celebrations were premature. There are times when the Chinese government acts like a naughty child, reverting to good behaviour only while his parents are around, and when they are not turning into a little tyrant again. The government makes great ado about relations being on a basis of equality when in fact they don't act like it.
Back in the 1980's, after the two governments had signed the agreements to alllow the return of Hong Kong to China, the Queen was invited for a visit. Again the government acted like a teenager, rushing to clean the city up before 'Mother' arrives and finds what a mess it was in. Each of the buildings along the Bund was given it's first clean up since the departure of the British in 1949.
Dr Rohan Williamson has also departed and his claim that 'the Church'(not Christianity!) could contribute to China's 'Harmonious Society' was featured on the front page of China Daily which usually runs material to titilate the foreign community while having no impact on the vast majority of Chinese who have no access or interest in the English language publications. This is also a practice of the government, having two versions of the news. One for foreigners in English and another, more sanitized version, for the locals. It's as if the Internet did not exist.
Speaking of His Grace's, China Hand was in Beijing in the 80's when a former Archbishop of Canterbury visited. A reception was arranged for the British community and China Hand, the representativbe of a British trading firm was invited. Things were very relaxed at the reception and when His Grace arrived, embassy personnel circulated inviting attendees to join a line and ask him about his visit. I couldn't think of any particulary question I wanted to ask, so when the person in front of me asked "Did you also meet with Catholic Chinese during your visit?", His Grace answered: "Oh yes I did, my visit was ecumenical". Recalling that his grace frequently met with the Pope I blurted out, "And did you have a message for them (the Catholics) from the Pope?". His Grace's face contorted and he choked on his drink and he in turn blurted "Who are you? Are you a reporter? How can you ask me such a question?". His handlers dragged him away coughing and splutering and terminated the Q&A session. I was left as usual rueing my lack of tact.
It would appear that with the departure of Dr Condoleza Rice that the blocking of blogging site blogspot.com has resumed. It would appear my celebrations were premature. There are times when the Chinese government acts like a naughty child, reverting to good behaviour only while his parents are around, and when they are not turning into a little tyrant again. The government makes great ado about relations being on a basis of equality when in fact they don't act like it.
Back in the 1980's, after the two governments had signed the agreements to alllow the return of Hong Kong to China, the Queen was invited for a visit. Again the government acted like a teenager, rushing to clean the city up before 'Mother' arrives and finds what a mess it was in. Each of the buildings along the Bund was given it's first clean up since the departure of the British in 1949.
Dr Rohan Williamson has also departed and his claim that 'the Church'(not Christianity!) could contribute to China's 'Harmonious Society' was featured on the front page of China Daily which usually runs material to titilate the foreign community while having no impact on the vast majority of Chinese who have no access or interest in the English language publications. This is also a practice of the government, having two versions of the news. One for foreigners in English and another, more sanitized version, for the locals. It's as if the Internet did not exist.
Speaking of His Grace's, China Hand was in Beijing in the 80's when a former Archbishop of Canterbury visited. A reception was arranged for the British community and China Hand, the representativbe of a British trading firm was invited. Things were very relaxed at the reception and when His Grace arrived, embassy personnel circulated inviting attendees to join a line and ask him about his visit. I couldn't think of any particulary question I wanted to ask, so when the person in front of me asked "Did you also meet with Catholic Chinese during your visit?", His Grace answered: "Oh yes I did, my visit was ecumenical". Recalling that his grace frequently met with the Pope I blurted out, "And did you have a message for them (the Catholics) from the Pope?". His Grace's face contorted and he choked on his drink and he in turn blurted "Who are you? Are you a reporter? How can you ask me such a question?". His handlers dragged him away coughing and splutering and terminated the Q&A session. I was left as usual rueing my lack of tact.
