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We will not go quietly into the night: China’s dirty laundry comes back to haunt Hu Jintao during Canada Visit
In the west The words “We will not go quietly into the night” have long been a staple of poetry, patriotism and even movies, but they took on a new meaning for Chinese President Hu Jintao last week when the very people who refuse to go quietly made their presence felt during his state visit to Canada; serving once more to remind the world that, while there may ‘officially’ be only one China, that one China has more than one voice.
Though President Hu is commonly dogged by protestors when visiting western democracies, his visit to Canada, which is home to and estimated 1.2 million ethnic Chinese, was notable for the broad spectrum of protesters that it attracted, with demonstrators ranging from westerners campaigning to raise awareness of China’s continued restriction of personal and social freedoms, to a group of over 100 Tibetan demonstrators, many of whom were wearing traditional attire, campaigning for an end China’s 50 year occupation of their country.
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"We welcome you -- to get China out of Tibet" Protest T-shirt |
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Other groups protesting during Hu’s visit included:
- Ethnic Chinese campaigning for democracy and increased personal/social freedoms on the Chinese mainland
- Ethnic Uighur protesting against China’s continued occupation of East Turkistan (Xinjiang).
- Taiwanese protesting for an end to the One China policy
- Taiwanese protesting against China’s continued threat to invade Chinese-Taiwan
- Members of the FLG meditation sect seeking an end to state repression of their movement in China and overseas.
As has become the standard practice during Chinese State visits, President Hu refused to acknowledge protesters or the validity of their causes, and when challenged by the press, Hu refused to acknowledge the concerns over China’s poor human rights record, pronouncing instead that human rights were important to China and that it had made noticeable improvements, but refusing to elaborate, or to be drawn further, on the issue.
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"The Chinese government has traditionally attached a great deal of importance to the question of human rights" Hu Jintao, President, China |
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President Hu also to refused to engage when prompted by Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin on the possibility of Beijing opening productive dialogs with Tibet and Chinese-Taiwan over their respective issues with mainland China.
Red Flags and Red Faces
Although protester groups were prevented from confronting President Hu directly, their high visibility meant that they were able to attract considerable attention from the world’s press whic allowed them to serve as an embarrassing reminder to Beijing that the outside world is aware of China’s many ‘issues’, even if many mainland Chinese are not.
As an added bonus to protestors, the presence of a large group of demonstrators outside the Toronto venue of one of Hu’s scheduled diner engagements, forced the Chinese president to humble himself by entering through a back door
For a Chinese dignitary, being forced to use a back door or service entrance, in a manner similar to a cleaner or trade person, is considered to be a highly degrading act and an extreme loss of face.
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"When you are the president of the world's most populous country and you have to sneak in the back door, that's a disgrace," A Lin Representative, Formosa (Taiwanese) Association for Public Affairs |
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The presence of overseas Chinese and foreign demonstrators during the visit was largely kept out of the Chinese media.
"The presence of overseas Chinese and foreign demonstrators during the
visit was largely kept out of the Chinese media."
I wonder if the quote originated with Dylan Thomas, "Do not go gentle into
that good night, old age should burn and rave at the close of day," or if
it existed in another form before.
Xinjiang and Tibet have been part of the middle king for centuries before
teh Westerners torn China into pieces! So if the West wan tChina to leave
Xinjinag or tibet then the White men would have to leave Americas,
Australia! Give the land back to the aboriginals.
Actually, Tibet and East Turkistan both declared independence around the
time of WWII, and were both sovereign countries before Mao's China aquired
them.
First of all these kind of protest to Hu's visit to Canada and US will make
a understanding point. First you Taiwan Separists(TaiDu Fengzi)and Tibetan
seperatist better watch what many Chinese from the Mainland do to you all
right. Sencond What the hell do you what a region next to India want to be
free i mean hey you can't because stop acting like the Soviet Union when
they couldn't hold their States irresponsblity. Pls I really support Hu's
visit okay and sencond Your not going to let that happen in future if you
want carry Flags of Taiwan Tibet and Xingjiang and let me tell you
something don't repeat this action your doing because we Mainland Chinese
are the power to represent the Motherland and patriotsism.
Sorry, I can't understand your English. Please repost in Chinese.