The official Chinese News Agency has warned Bloggers yesterday that "certain websites violate Chinese laws" by calling China and Taiwan two separate countries.According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao, by calling Taiwan an independent country, I may have just violated China's Anti-Secession Laws subjecting me to severe penalty.
Oh my...however writing from the USA we have whats called the 1st Amendment which guarantees me freedom of speech and press from governmental interference. Come to think of it, China has claimed since 1982 that it's constitution guarantees freedom of speech. Hmmm ?
Frankly its a little difficult to have it both ways simultaneously, either you do or you don't---little like being pregnant, one either is or isn't.
Despite what PRC may otherwise believe, the Internet has assured Bloggers may enjoy free speech despite even the best efforts by the authorities. The numbers of Bloggers in PRC has grown steadily to over 107 million this year, total users have risen 56% it is an impossible task to monitor everyones traffic.
Of course there are always tools available to crack the Great Firewall of China which hides the users IP Address, using anonymous proxy servers, etc. all of which enables Chinese Internet Users & Bloggers to have access to news and information.
During the last year, I have written numerous stories about PRC many of them good, some quite heart wrenching as I have illustrated the devastation following the catastrophic Sichuan earthquake, which continues to make me feel incredibly sad.
The Internet will continue to provide users with the ability to freely exchange news and information around the globe despite the best efforts of the Chinese Internet Police to block access. Denial of Human Rights only encourages others to find new and innovative ways to assure themselves that free speech and press can never be totally curtailed.
It's a shame how China's government has forgotten its real Asian hertitage, where they were free to speak out long ago. The government is run by a bunch of cowards; it's only a matter of time before it blows up in their faces big time.
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