China Unblocks Sensitive Keywords 101
hackingbear writes "Reports from overseas (in Chinese) [Google translation] and Hong Kong-based Chinese media report that China appears to have unblocked several sensitive political keywords. Using Baidu.com, the country's leading search engine, users within the mainland border find, in Chinese, uncensored web page links and images using keywords like
Tiananmen and 'June 4'. (Readers can click on the first one to view the images.) Given that the unblocking of these sensitive keywords comes one week after Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao publicly denounced left-wing leader Bo Xilai's movement of 'striking down the ganster while reviving the red culture' as going down the path of Cultural Revolution, it could signal the silent start of a major political change."
Start of political change? Doubtful. (Score:5, Interesting)
They'll just spam public internet services to suppress what they view as dissent [cfr.org], ramp up coordinated cyber attacks [securityweek.com], make their lawyers swear oath to the Communist Party [nytimes.com], force real name registration on internet services [wired.com], continue censorship of social networks when deemed necessary [newscientist.com], and continue to massively build out CNO and espionage capabilities [washingtonpost.com], all while on track to exceed even the United States' defense spending by 2025 [economist.com].
But yeah, no big deal.
Re:Start of political change? Doubtful. (Score:5, Interesting)
Relation to possible revolution? (Score:5, Interesting)
I'd read a few days ago that there was a lot of stuff going around the Chinese blogosphere about a possible coup or revolt going on in Beijing - armored vehicles in the streets, gunshots, and so on. This is second- or third-hand stuff - bloggers->other bloggers->american news - and until this, I figured it was the rough equivalent of the fake death rumors that go around Twitter sometimes. Even combined with the political infighting news, it was "possible but not probable".
But, in light of this, I'm thinking there might actually be something to it. Probably not a full-fledged revolution, but even violent political maneuverings might be a good thing (if the less-evil faction wins).
Re:Left-wing? (Score:4, Interesting)
do you seriously believe a contentious current figure, in a secretive state is going to get an honest rap from Wikipedia?
Anyone in the echelons of power is an elitist, or crazy, it's a matter of degree, and what you're trying to do with that power.
Re:Relation to possible revolution? (Score:5, Interesting)
It looks like there's a struggle going on between two major power blocks, triggered after head of the Public Security Bureau in ChongQing, Wang Lijun, attempted to seek shelter (and possibly defect) at a US Consulate -- possibly to save his own life after uncovering corruption involving Bo Xiliai (who at one point had been thought to be a candidate for a top leadership position in China).
While the US consulate rejected Wang, he is rumored to have turned over a lot of dirt to the US staff before being arrested by Chinese authorities (including rumors that he had info on a possible coup attempt) and now officials are getting purged all over the place. Interesting times.
Re:Perhaps its an official "adjustment" on Tianame (Score:4, Interesting)
Wen Jibao would not have publicly denounced Bo Xiliai without the approval of Jiang Zemin.
I'm not sure I understand this interpretation. To me, it looked like a direct shot from Hu Jintao / Wen Jiabao aimed right at Jiang Zemin's faction. They're opening up the Great Firewall because the majority of the information circulating on the western side is more embarrassing to Jiang than to Hu/Wen. Not only that, but it's allowing dirt regarding Bo Xilai / Zhou Yongkang to get back through to Chinese citizens in a roundabout way, bypassing domestic news sources (who, even when encouraged by the nominally-in-charge authorities to report, find themselves paralyzed and unwilling to possibly end up on the losing side, once the purges are over).
Re:Start of political change? Doubtful. (Score:2, Interesting)
I agree with you, and i think that a lot of people forget that China has a history of slow political change. The bloodiest periods of their history coincided with rapid and radical swings to opposing political ideologies, so we can expect their leaders to be much more considerate in their actions as a result. They have a sense of history, and they realize that giving people too much immediate freedom can have lasting detrimental effects on their country so they're taking it slow. You can't always give everyone access to all the information at once or you risk overwhelming them. Now, we can go on denouncing China for their past, or we can work with them as two nations striding into the future.
We're both stuck together anyway.
Re:Relation to possible revolution? (Score:2, Interesting)
So I'll now reiterate what I say whenever I'm roped into watching a sports match:
Who's playing, who's winning, and who do we want to win?
In other words, what do the two factions stand for, which one is winning, and which one will result in a more free, fair and just China?
Re:I'll believe it when (Score:3, Interesting)
Tibet had accepted its place as part of China since before there was a Dalai Lama, the 13th century to be precise, 2 decades before the first Dalai Lama.
The little "take over" of Tibet by the PRC in the early 1950's was caused by British meddling in Tibet, first in 1913 with trying to push the new Republic of China to make Tibet a Autonomous region of China, as they tried to take parts of Southern Tibet and incorporate them into the British ruled India. When they attempted to merge 9,000 km squared worth of territory.
Then the British started to arm the Tibetans, and they launched attacks into the rest of China in the 1930s, where a Muslim Chinese Army and a Han Army crushed them.
When 1934 came around and the 13th Dalai Lama died, and the Tibetan government reaffirmed that Tibet was still a part of China as a autonomous region. To which Tibet is still classified today, along with 4 other provinces for 4 other minority groups. Most of which enjoy much greater freedoms then Tibet because they are not consistently starting problems for the central government. Two of which are Muslim autonomous regions, where in one was the power base of the Muslim war lord who helped crush the Tibetan attack into China mentioned above.
The Chinese Government in 1940 affirmed and allowed the 14th Dalai Lama selected to be named that and continue to be their spiritual leader. Something that is still kicking around in video tape form as it was filmed as a ceremony in Beijing.
Was not till 1947 that Tibet tried to act independently, at which point, the situation started to break down, and after the Communist take over of China, did they decide to re-exert their rule of Tibet, which again has been going on for over 800 years. Along with removing the power of the land lords and lama's in Tibet, as they did in the rest of China. As serfism is contrary communist teachings, and contrary to our own freedoms, as its a form of generational slavery to your landlord.
As a Greek, you should know, British meddling into countries affairs is never a good thing, lead us to one Civil War all about installing a Danish king back into power. Perhaps next time read some history and understand the situation in your own "native" land before opening your mouth about another country?
Re:I'll believe it when (Score:2, Interesting)
So not only do you claim to know more then one Tibetan, you claim to know more then one, of the mere 9,000 of them in the United States, or even less in Canada. Who the majority have never lived in Tibet, instead being born and raised in Napal and India to hate the Chinese, as their families were expelled or were forced to leave before the Communists sealed the boarder. Which typically were landlords and Lama's who kept the rest of Tibet in a medieval state, where the vast majority were born into slavery as they knew they'd be prosecuted under the communists if they were captured.
Unless they or there families have been in the US since before around 2000, in which case, a great many of their parents/grandparents were trained by the CIA to fight a guerrilla war against Tibet, seeing as by the time the operations ceased a mere 500 or so Tibetans lived in the US.
Or accepted history, not only for the Chinese, but many written histories and reports over the centuries given by Europeans in China who saw the situation first hand, not only now, but also for the last few hundred years.
Who is a more reliable source? People who were raised to be polarized against someone, or written history of the last several centuries before politics got involved?
Parakalo gia na kleisei to stoma sou, eiste mallon amorfotos vlakas.