China censors Obama

You can see in the above YouTube clip how quickly the Chinese state news broadcaster reacted during a live broadcast of Barack Obama’s inauguration speech.

Right at a key part about communism and fascism, a slightly befuddled announcer cuts in and asks a reporter to explain what kind of economic difficulties Obama will be facing.

Here is what the state broadcaster didn’t want Chinese viewers to hear from Obama:

“Recall that earlier generations faced down communism and fascism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”

That was too much for most Chinese censors to handle. According to this Reuters story, several web portals changed the wording in their written reports, removing “communism” or excising the paragraph altogether. 

Comments

[Merlin Brooks]

China is tredding a schizoid path of adhering to Party orthodoxy while Opening Up, adopting Western, primarily American modes of thinking and doing. It is not surprising to those of us who have lived in China for many years to observe such small acts, and watching China's Westernization unfold. Amen.

[quni made]

Quni Lover: you should change your name to Jack(Cafferty) Lover, or simply kiss Jack's ass.

I understand that you were brain washed. Really feel sorry for you.

[Quni Lover]

"It was the latest in a series of protests held by grieving parents, many of whom lost their only child in the earthquake. With an eye to the approach of the Olympic Games in Beijing next month, however, the Chinese authorities have ordered the police to crack down on the rallies. Chinese news organizations have also been told by the central government not to report on the schools, and all journalists have been barred from approaching the collapse sites.

The parents in Mianzhu on Tuesday were demanding that the government offer a full report on why Dongqi Middle School collapsed, killing at least 200 of the school’s 900 students.

The Chinese government has reported that a total of 7,000 classrooms collapsed during the May 12 earthquake, and by some estimates 10,000 of the nearly 70,000 confirmed deaths were of schoolchildren." http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/world/asia/17china.html

China oppresses its people , hides its failures , perverts its news reports , what Quni baby does not want to recognize is that criticism of everything in the US happens all the time in the prominent American press or if not the prominent press then in all the smaller free independent papers or the other American media and blogs on the internet etc. IN CHINA there is 24/7 oppression of ANY criticism of the government ! Quni baby go back to your propaganda hole (Quni is brought to you by the Tibetan killing Chinese government )

[Quni Lover]

By the way Quni baby i heard LOTS of criticism of the musicians here , no double standard, the problem for Quni the Tibetan killer is any criticism of China hurts her very weak ego , all she hears from the fake Chinese press is lies and when she hears truthful press wow her whole world collapses ! "Hundreds of parents protesting shoddy school construction that they said led to the deaths of their children in the May earthquake were harassed by riot police officers on Tuesday and criticized by local government officials, the parents said Wednesday.

Local officials were also trying to buy the silence of the parents by offering them about $8,800 if they signed a contract agreeing not to raise the school construction issue again, several parents said. " Thanks for telling us the TRUTH NYTIMES http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/world/asia/17china.html

[Quni Lover]

whats wrong with criticizing the hypocritical , violent Chinese oppressors and destroyers of Tibetan lives and culture ? Quni go back to your hole of vanity where you overly sensitive morons come from : China tried to fool the whole world as they do every day with the false impression that they are a modern and rising country - its a polluted , oppressive , fetid place of severe corruption and cruelty - China the great pretenders just like their Soviet cousins with all their fake military hardware paraded through Red Square - all those school buildings that fell like pancakes prove the stupidity and corruption of China sorry Quni baby

[quni made]

Well, Tim, if I follow your logic, then you did not tell the whole story on Opening ceremony as well:

First, “Time”. The lip-singing news came out in the third day after opening ceremony, and opening ceremony was not ended until mid-night. So let’s say 24 hours later. The First time most people heard the "Pre-recorded" news was in the second day afternoon after inauguration. The inauguration performance ended around noon. It was also 24 hours later. If both news were disclosed around 24 hours later, How could you argue the "Pre-recording" was disclosed "Immediately”, but the lip-singing was "not immediately" ?

Second, “people who disclose the news”. You argue Pre-recording was disclosed by the musician - I agree, no doubt about it; But Lip-singing was disclosed by one of the Ceremony director. Both were disclosed. I don't see huge difference: Do you expect 8-year old is able to disclose it ?

Third, let's talk about Substitution. You said “They did not substitute in better-looking musicians and try to present a better image”. But I think A “Substitute” is “substitute”. It is defined as replacing items with something not original. It does not matter if it is replaced by the better one or worse one, agree? “Pre-recorded” music is different from “Live performance” right ? True,They did not substitute better-looking musicians and try to present a better image. They did play the pre-recorded music with better sound quality.

Also, I don't agree with you that better looking girl replaced with not-better looking girls. ( i think they are all pretty by the way). They actually practices together for months. They were a term and just did their own job.

I don’t know if you ever noticed both girls' name were listed on the Olympic Ceremony program book; From the program book, People know 2 girls will be performing – there were at least some “disclosures” in the Olympic program book, but not on Inauguration book !

I don't want to argue with you if the lip-signing or pre-recording were right or not. That is not my point. My point is different attitude toward both events. Both were entertainments, shows; Both used some tips to make the performance better. Technically both are FAKE ! No difference !

So, the question becomes, For both FAKE events, why their destinies are so different? One was heavily criticized by Chinese and western media, One become acceptable and understandable by American journalist? While you claim yourself as a Journalist, how could this prevent people from thinking you are bias and using double standards? Or it is just OK for a journalist to be Biased, like our great commentator Jack Cafferty ?

[Tim J]

Hey, Quni, why don't you tell the whole story? News that the quartet was pre-recorded came out immediately, and it turns out the musicians themselves asked for this because the sub-freezing weather would have made their instruments sound out of tune. They did not substitute in better-looking musicians and try to present a better image to the world through the use of fakes. Nor did this news later cause Americans as a whole to feel humiliated. Sorry, but when you obscure important details I'm afraid it is you who are biased.

[Quni made]

Mr.McClatchy:

It seems that the quartet played at the inauguration in capital and the music the crowd at the Capitol and the TV audience heard was prerecorded !

This reminds the article you wrote about the lip-singing in China Olympic Opening ceremony.

I checked all you posts about the inarguration, nothing mentioned about the pre-recording.

Now I am really curious: Is this something new in your great country or they just learned from China ?

Please stop applying double standards and on similar situation and at the same time,pretending you are non-bias journalist. In china, we call it " Zuo Biao Zi, Li pai fang".

In case you forgot what you wrote, here is the link of your article:

http://washingtonbureau.typepad.com/china/2008/08/olympic-highs-1.html

[Chris Stevens]

@save the fashion industry Because it is nearly always men that get that het up about things.

I do wonder why the bother censoring these things. Who cares right? The CCP is the government and nothing Obama says is going to change that.

Even more so, the censorship creates the news. V Odd.

[save the fashion industry]

Johnny (Mr. Sexist):

How do you know it was "Mr" Overseas Chinese?

[save the fashion industry]

Jiang Jie Shi:

"I have a dream" is available everywhere in China, both in English and in Chinese. Chinese citizens didn't miss it. But you missed a lot.

[jiang jie shi]

I wonder if the Chinese version of MLK's "I have dream speech" is censored by those in the Chinese government?

What else are the Chinese citizens missing?

[johnny justice]

Mr Overseas Chinese, Perhaps you shoud return to the "motherland" and help it to repel western attacks. I am sure whichever currently you are currently living in will not miss you.

[Overseas Chinese]

If I were CCTV, I would not have bothered to broadcast it at all, let alone a live feed. It is an American celebration alright & Americans deserve to rejoice it~no quarel with that. It has, however, nothing to do with Chinese. Sino-American relation, as what Zhu Rongji asserted many years back, will not be any better or worse than it always already is now. America will always pound on China hoping to dismember it whenever the opportunity arises & so will we when our turn comes. No apology for that. It is a real test of will & see who will ultimately prevail.

[Arch Angle]

I'd like to comment but no one has told me what to think yet.

[Sparkle]

One point that I also want to assert, bear me if that's not correct. In the recent years, I see less biased report on China by the western main stream media. On one hand, those reports may be true, but only a small portion were every reported. Before, I question their ethics and professionality. Now, I question their intelligence.

[save the fashion industry]

I'm just puzzled why they would live broadcast this at all, knowing that some unpleasant talks might occur. the world has many inaugurations, no one says they have to live broadcast this inauguration, particularly because they don't broadcast other inaugurations anyway.

[Sparkle]

On Jan 20th, China issued the sixth "Defense White Paper". This paper is issued every two years. In this white paper, two most important points stated are:
1) China will not "attack with nuclear first".
This has been re-iterated ever since China had her first atomic bomb. However, Only two western news paper reported this message, one is Seattle Times.

2) China will suspend new types of nuclear weapon research.
This has been the best news that could truly contribute to world peace. And to a greater extent free this world from this idiotic nuclear panic. NO NEWSPAPER in US reported this.

Looking into Barrack Obama's inagunation speech, there is nothing of importance, comparatively.

[Jaundiced Eye]

That was quite hilarious. Thanks for the post. China needs to grow up. At this point in time, it is NOT clear at all that the U.S. will emerge from this economic mess as No. 1, or at least the dominant hegemon. Despite all the doom and gloom (real in China, lots of wishful 'analysis' in the western press), China may very well emerge as at least one of the two dominant powers of the world. Being so thin skinned and panicky is quite unbecoming of a great power, even if it is thoroughly entertaining.

[Pffefer]

What Obama said was the typical western self-righteous rhetoric that has been repeated a million times. The Chinese government's reaction was the typical authoritarian panicking.