China Lets Cheney Speak on TV but Censors Remarks Afterward

[kskiska]

BEIJING, April 19 — Before his high-profile visit to China last week, Vice President Dick Cheney insisted that Beijing leaders allow him to speak, live and uncensored, to the Chinese people.

After weeks of intense negotiations, Mr. Cheney was granted that measure of openness — but not one millimeter more.

Anyone who tuned in to CCTV-4, China's all-news television channel, shortly after 10 a.m. on Thursday could watch Mr. Cheney deliver an address to students at Fudan University in Shanghai. A State Department translator provided simultaneous interpretation.

But the broadcast received no advance promotion or even listing in the Chinese news media and was not repeated. The authorities promptly provided leading Web sites with a "full text" of the vice president's remarks, including his answers to questions after the speech, that struck out references to political freedom, Taiwan, North Korea and other issues that propaganda officials considered sensitive.

The censorship showed that even a hopeful sign of political progress in China can be more like a mirage. Officials sought to convey a relaxed attitude about what Mr. Cheney might say in public but worked to alter the record. "What they do to control the media is sometimes surreal," said Yu Maochun, a China expert at the United States Naval Academy who noticed discrepancies between Mr. Cheney's speech and the Chinese transcript. "Censorship is a habit they can't kick."

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/20/international/asia/20CHEN.html?hp

[alittlelark]

1. HAW HAW - in the vernacular of a Simpsons regular

That's the same kinda sh*t we get here.

[Judi Lynn]

2. It must have really galled them when Jimmy Carter went to Cuba

and was INVITED to speak to the Cuban people over Cuban tv, and radio, UNCENSORED.

And _Bush still is keeping Cuba on his list of whatever.

It's hilarious reading in the article posted that Cheney actually demanded access to the Chinese public. What an utter @$$####.



He forgot his briefcase.

[boobooday]

4. oh I had fun with this one

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[Judi Lynn]

6. Exquisite!

They seem to have a preoccupation with these things, don't they?

[newyawker99]

14. LOL!! This is one of my favorite pics!

:D

[boobooday]

3. Oh your own medicine can be bitter, can't it?

They didn't want him to give comfort to their enemies!



http://www.wgoeshome.com

[mbperrin]

5. What? He didn't speak from an undisclosed location?

Gee, they must have coated him good with SPF10,000 to get him in the daylight without bursting into flames!

[Rex]

7. The Chinese had to censor out all the US propaganda.

Funny that.

[David__77]

8. They didn't censor Clinton.

His remarks were widely watched on live TV when he visited in the spirit of "strategic partnership." We must leave the Cheney warmaniac ideology in the dust and establish a firm friendship with China without interfering in its internal affairs.

[Democat]

9. Michael Powell would be proud

Bush supporters love only money more than censorship and media manipulation.

[annagull]

10. No written questions in advance

that is the Bushco* requirement, after all. They let the cat out of the bag during the last "press conference"

[Zech Marquis]

11. oh they're surprised?

I don't see how that could happen--Unca Dick has made sure that any news out of Iraq will only be"positive stories not reported in the US media", not to mention that "little" WMD fiasco that has costed thousands of lives and untod amounts of money :eyes:

[Ganja Ninja]

12. Probably just edited out the lies and half-truths.

Leaving only "Good Evening" and "Thank you for coming."

[Stockholm]

13. Maybe he should be "edited" when interviewed in the west as well?

[Pallas180]

15. Cheney censored? "You reap what you sow"Exactly what he's doing here

Karma - his control of the DOD with the re-writing and ommitting from transcipts put out on the pentagon website - and he expects uncensored ?

The only person who ever spoke live and uncensored in China was Bill Clinton - and that miserable evil cheney is no Bill Clinton.