Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Politics and projection of power

It's a bit more than soft power, but a bit less than force. And a good question is, "What motivates the actions that look like interference?"

China looks to export censorship

A few days before the start of this year's Melbourne International Film Festival its executive director received an "audacious" telephone call.

An official from China's consulate in the city called him to "urge" the festival to withdraw a film about the Chinese activist Rebiya Kadeer.

Beijing then tried to persuade the organisers of the Frankfurt Book Fair not to allow two Chinese writers to attend an event.

China says it does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.

But some see these acts as an attempt by China to use abroad the tough censorship measures it constantly employs at home...

The festival decided to ignore the advice and go ahead with the film...

The festival organisation was subjected to an intense campaign of threats, intimidation and disruption, although it is not clear who - if anyone - orchestrated the campaign...

[At] the Frankfurt Book Fair... Chinese officials were angry when they found out writers Dai Qing [right] and Bei Ling had been invited to a symposium connected to the fair...

China often asks foreign governments and organisations not to do something that it perceives to be against its interests. It recently complained to Japan when Tokyo allowed Ms Kadeer to enter the country.

But it says this does not contravene its policy of non-interference...

David Zweig, of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, is not so sure the Chinese are doing it from a position of strength.

"Sometimes we cannot tell whether it's confidence or concern," said Mr Zweig, the director of the Centre on China's Transnational Relations, based at his university...

Mr Zweig added that there could also be another reason behind the pressure - the Chinese government and its people are often quick to take offence at opinions they do not like to hear.

And he said ordinary people were sometimes more sensitive than officials - forcing the government to take a tougher stance internationally...