How democracy is seen - by China
Taiwan vote signals creeping democracy into mainland circles has these interesting quotes on how China views democracy in Taiwan and Hong Kong. All emphasis mine.
In the weeks leading up to the March 20 poll, mainland officials have laid out a steady stream of invective against ruling President Chen Shui-bian and expressed an equal distaste for both Taiwan democracy and Taiwan independence.
They have also blasted Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners in a further sign of nervousness that democratic debate on the fringes of China could soon lead to greater calls for mainland political reform, analysts said.
"In seeking his personal re-election, Chen has put the tangible interests of the Taiwan people at stake," Jiang Enzhu, spokesman for China's National People's Congress (NPC), said last week.
"This is indeed very immoral," he said.
Immoral? What does this mouthpiece know of morals? About as much as he does of English.
"We understand and respect the Taiwan compatriots' desire for developing democracy, but we firmly oppose Taiwan authorities' pursuit of Taiwan independence and any splittist activities under the cloak of democracy."
What the hell is "splittist"? Not a word, that's for sure.
Beijing's handling of the Hong Kong issue and its failure in responding adequately to the anti-government protests in the former British colony may just be "because they don't understand democracy," Tiewes ( Frederick Tiewes, a China watcher at the University of Sydney) said.
"In the short-term, I don't think Beijing is that concerned about democracy spilling over into the mainland population mainly because they have sufficient oppressive instruments to contain anything."
Welcome to the Beijing 2008 Olympics. If you have ever thought independent thoughts, please step into this line for a good moral scrubbing. It'll take those nasty splittist tendencies right out.