Relationship between China & the west

Edwina Lee · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 1282 Location: High Wycombe, UK

( 2009-02-21 )Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urge stronger ties with China

Extract: Co-operation between the US and China on global issues such as the economy and climate change was "imperative", said Mrs Clinton in Beijing.

She said that these would take precedence over points of friction between the two governments, such as human rights and Tibet.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7903026.stm

Earlier, PM Gordon Brown urged stronger ties with China, emphasising that his approach will be candid.

This is important to bear in mind when we as overseas chinese engage ourselves in our day to day life, and in business and politics.

Our ties with China is one of our strength as it is seen as an essential contribution.

Edwina Lee · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 1282 Location: High Wycombe, UK

Understanding censorship in China:

I feel that the BBC has been gradually getting more understanding in their reporting of China over the past few years.

The reporting of partial censorship of Obama's speech is a good example:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7841580.stm

However, it means different things to different people.

As chinese, we should make an effort to understand these subtleties. Being able to articulate a viewpoint that supports China as well as support the values of the west is indeed a valuable skill.

Perhaps China's ambassador to UK has done her job well.

Jadexuberance · Joined: 11 Mar 2009 Posts: 1

perhaps the communist censorship issue is somewhat lost in translation:

I think it would be fair to think that Barack Obama was referring to the kind of communists that the US struggled against during the Cold War, with the USSR, and with Castro in Cuba etc...

I think we all know that the modern Chinese government isn't exactly this type of communist regime, it has undergone much change over the years and has evolved away from the traditional communist regimes from Russia (I think Mao moved China away from that himself right?)

but as much as China's politics have changed, the name hasn't; China's government is still referred to as the 'Communist Party', so hence a direct translation of Obama's words would constitute a 'direct assault' on China's administration...?

well, I'm guessing the more educated in China would know it's a misunderstanding and carries no ill intention towards China, but to some more 'sensitive' people it might have left a bitter impression of the new US president...so this censorship, perhaps it was done for Obama's sake?

I know I say that retrospectively, but I can't say what the broadcasters were thinking at the time of the speech to decide that on the fly...
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Edwina Lee · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 1282 Location: High Wycombe, UK

That's precisely the line of thinking I had when I watched the Obama speech.

Those who can read english news in China are the better informed and educated in China. Those who can only read chinese would view the phrase "fighting communism" as the current situation, which is why China's media was so concerned with re-iterating the friendly relationship and agenda with the USA.

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