The People’s Daily recently blasted the US media for shaking the “ideological mindsets and cultural foundations” of other countries by exporting US-style values of “freed0m and dem0cracy”. High praise indeed.
Also, a recent edition of the CCP publication ‘Foreign Theoretical Trends’ stated that U.S. had been using “street politics” to push western interests and “c0lour rev0lutions” around the world. “Facing US cultural hegemony’s assaults and infiltration, we must be serious and vigilant” said the official magazine. Soon afterwards, Beijing also scrapped plans to allow foreign newspapers to print in China. Mr. Shi Zongyuan, China’s top press regulator stated: “When I think of the ‘c0lour rev0lutions’, I feel afraid.”
The term “c0lour rev0lutions” refers to the popular protests (so-called because of flower symbols adopted by the masses) that recently toppled authoritarian governments, such as Georgia’s in 2003.
Beijing is taking the threat of “c0lour rev0lutions” as seriously as the 1989 collapse of c0mmunism. Certainly, it doesn’t take much for Beijing to consider something as a threat (quasi-religious elderly Qigong practicioners spring to mind) but to lay the recent “c0lour rev0lutions” at the feet of the U.S. and its values of ‘freed0m and dem0cracy’ (nevermind the U.S. media) can only be wishful thinking. After all, the U.S. and, to a lessor extent, the E.U., can hardly be credited with the ability to whip up large sections of a foreign population against its own government, quite the opposite in fact.
Nevertheless, increased supression of d1ssidents, Internet restrictions, SMS monitoring etc. all continue here in China, and in a clear warning to China’s more liberal-minded officials, the CCP recently announced stricter rules to safeguard “national cultural security” by limiting foreign involvement in the media market.
On a slightly more cheerful note, some media reports have, however, stated that despite the recent increase in domestic political freed0ms, there is little sign that fears of a Chinese “c0lour rev0lution” are changing China’s basic commitment to economic reform and further opening of its economy.
(Apologies for the excessive ‘ed1ting’ of sensitive ‘w0rds’ – Baidu searches for ‘c0lour rev0lution’ are not permitted here).
1
By Myopic Zeal
China Fears a Rev0lution
Peking Duck has more, carefully edited.
…
November 18, 2005 @ 6:11 am | Comment
2
By lin
Martyn, come and read my post here related to this issue.
In fact after reading this journal article and thinking about the role of US in color revolution, I start wondering if you are paid by Bush administration for internal subversion. 🙂
November 18, 2005 @ 8:19 am | Comment
3
By MeiZhongTai
This is a trackback not a comment. Haloscan hasn’t let me send a trackback ping for weeks.
Economic Growth and Liberty
November 18, 2005 @ 9:07 am | Comment
4
By ACB
Not being rude or anything, but I’d kind of like my own government to take action to keep American media and cultural interests out of my country. Not in the same way that China is of course, or for presisly the same reason though.
November 18, 2005 @ 11:28 am | Comment
5
By davesgonechina
Links, Martyn, links!
Good to see you back!
November 18, 2005 @ 2:04 pm | Comment
6
By davesgonechina
Finished a post related to this:
Soros, Serbia and Chinese Censorship
November 18, 2005 @ 6:55 pm | Comment
7
By Ivan
Oh, brilliant, ACB. Alright, yes, your country will be better off if you keep “American Culture” out of it.
So, no more jazz, no more Marie Cassat, no more Andy Wyeth, no more Eugene O Neill, no more Gershwin, no more Cole Porter….
….you know, you actually expose your OWN vulgarity and philistinism when you parrot those tired old notions of “American Culture” being fast food and Hollywood. If that’s all you know about American culture, then your an ingoramus. And if that’s all you WANT to know about American culture, you’re a philistine.
But then there’s “Japanese Culture.”
You know, like Astro-Boy, and chu-chu-rockets……
November 18, 2005 @ 9:32 pm | Comment
8
By Ivan
sorry for my typos: “you’re”, not “your”, and I misspelled “ignoramus”
November 18, 2005 @ 9:35 pm | Comment
9
By davesgonechina
American media can be somewhat overbearing… there’s just so goddamn much of it.
Then again, I’m loving the Japanese anime renaissance in the U.S. – don’t take away my Paranoia Agent or Samurai Champloo.
November 18, 2005 @ 10:59 pm | Comment
10
By Raj
ACB
If you are so worried about American influence, why do you accept American investments? Isn’t that rather selfish – you take everything but sacrifice nothing?
Anyway, traditional Chinese culture is being rejected by China’s youth already. They want Western culture – home-grown stuff has nothing to offer them.
November 19, 2005 @ 6:36 am | Comment
11
By Laowai 19790204
I think Japan should join the US and make a superstate. obviously there are issues there, but I think it would solidify a lot of good things about the two and balance out a lot of weaknesses. maybe a federated state. one country two systems, anyone?
November 19, 2005 @ 7:35 pm | Comment
12
By Martyn
Laowai is at his best when he is at his most radical. Tongue in cheek or not mate, it could be argued that some sort of federation already exists and is increasing.
Davesgonechina
Hello mate, thanks. Links, very remiss of me. I won’t tell you what film I wanted to watch on HK TV which caused me to ruch off after writing the post – as I would embarrass myself something fierce.
Lin
Thanks, will read your post now. It was a completely new topic to me when I found it. Re being paid by the Bush administration – I could do with the money, does it pay well?
November 20, 2005 @ 3:57 am | Comment
13
By lin
Just read the post by davesgonechina on his blog. Unbelieveablly informative. Actually I can’t help guessing what Dave has been doing for living. It’s really like something written by a well-trained journalist.
Re Martyn:
If you are ready to sell your soul, I am ready as well…..:)
I would like write a report to CCP if they pay me well, the title of the report is:
Get davegonechina out of Xinjiang. He knows too much!
November 20, 2005 @ 8:37 am | Comment
14
By Laowai 19790204
The East is Red…. White and Blue!!!!
Viva the N.A.N.F.S!!! North American and Nippon Federated States!
November 20, 2005 @ 12:00 pm | Comment
15
By jeffery
From my point of view, i do think COLOR REVOLUTION is good for China and chinese people. COLOR REVOLUTION is peaceful, won’t bring any bloody consequence to this country. frankly speaking, we common chinese could not tolerate such a corrupted and autocratic goverment any more. if goverment dislike giving us some democratic channels to monitoring/watching the goverment, then we of course, have the right to originate one COLOR REVOLUTION.
November 22, 2005 @ 7:38 pm | Comment
16
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December 7, 2005 @ 11:50 pm | Comment