A reader pointed out that China Daily is allowing a thread on Zhao’s death to continue uncensored (for now). All other threads on Zhao were promptly zapped last week, so this is a rarity. The forum moderator, “hanlei,” has put in his own 2 cents, referring to Zhao by name, which I haven’t seen on the bbs before.
It’s a great discussion in that it’s a microcosm of different Chinese and Western perspectives. Some of the posters talk about the Tinanamen Square protestors as though they were criminals and traitors, others say they were misguided and stupid. The adulation over the CCP is palpable, and some claim that we Americans only criticize China because we are “jealous.”
If the thread gets zapped before you get to read it, my apologies. (And I’m jealous that my government never zaps my posts.) Also, it takes a long time for the page to open, but stick it out.
Update: As a reader pointed out, this thread was started many months ago on an unrelated topic, but there are now 10 or so new posts about Zhao on page 4 of the thread, which is very unexpected.
1
By Jiří Hudeček
I only came across this blog today and it’s great… But the link leads (at least at the present moment) to a thread following an article from November last year about Cox report. Your mistype or China Daily’s quick reaction?
February 8, 2005 @ 1:54 pm | Comment
2
By richard
It is the right topic, but wrong page. If you go to page 4, you will find 10 or so new posts on Zhao (including one from me). I don’t know why these posts are buried in a year-old Cox thread, but they are. And today the forum leader put it in the list of recommended forums!
February 8, 2005 @ 2:15 pm | Comment
3
By chengb02
I’m surprised by the fact this is being allowed, but I guess the fact its in an english language bbs is part of the reason its gotten to go for so long. Perhaps its just that China’s hard working censors are taking a much needed vacation, fighting the crowds in the malls and train stations and thus haven’t noticed it yet…
February 8, 2005 @ 3:19 pm | Comment
4
By richard
It could be the CNY factor. Until this thread, they were deleting the English threads that mentioned Zhao. We’ll see how long it stays there.
February 8, 2005 @ 4:02 pm | Comment
5
By Jo
Maybe I misunderstand the meaning of “house arrest”. Does it mean that Zhao Zi Yang was unable to leave the house without permission, or was he unable to leave at all? Hanlei mentions that he was allowed out to play golf, amongst other things. Could this be true, or is Hanlei’s information coming from CCP propaganda?
Regardless, I am impressed by the forum, and hope that censorship does not descend.
February 9, 2005 @ 7:13 am | Comment
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By richard
I believe he was allowed out at times under surveillance and escort. Every night, the police would lock the outside doors with a bicycle lock. Crude but effective.
February 9, 2005 @ 7:20 am | Comment