11/15/2002
(Clearwisdom.net)
(Note: As this reference material was written by non-practitioners, many of the opinions expressed may not necessarily represent those of Falun Gong practitioners.)
During the Chinese ruling Party's 16th Congress, the news media control in Beijing was stricter than ever, reaching the same level as during the Cultural Revolution. Why was that so? It is because of the secretive manner in which the Jiang regime operates, leading to rampant speculation and many rumors both inside and outside of China. As a consequence, the Jiang regime stepped up its surveillance and tightened its domestic Internet blockade, forcing many Internet cafes to shut down. More strict controls have also been applied to TV, radio and newspapers.
For the first time on October 23, "Reporters Without Borders" published a "Global Ranking for News Media Freedom" that included 139 nations and regions. China and North Korea were ranked 138th and 139th respectively.
The ability of the Chinese ruling Party to hang on to power at present depends on two critical factors: one is economic development, which it relies on after the failure of the communist ideology. The other is the information blockade and brainwashing. Due to the countless crimes that the Party has committed during its reign over the past 50 years, if the information blockade were lifted or defeated, there would be seething discontent among the population, and many doubts cast on the legitimacy of its reign. Thus, the Party's ability to block the exchange of information while providing its own voice as the only source of information is critical for its continued survival.
Since August 1, the Jiang regime has put into effect the "Temporary Stipulation for Internet Publication," which requires Internet providers to monitor all the content put on the web. As for the information that involves national security and social stability, it can be put on the web only after obtaining approval from the News Media Publishing Bureau. The Committee to Protect Journalists considers this stipulation, as well as the required self-censorship pledge signed by over 300 Internet businesses, to be in violation of China's own constitution, and will not escape castigation in time.
Right now, the Chinese ruling Party has made some breakthroughs in blockading the Internet. The proxies that used to work are now blocked. This indicates that the Party's interception and blockade are quite effective. However, it ignores the fact that this action involves many other issues, and can in the end be fatal, because the two factors it relies on for its survival are mutually exclusive. Although the information blockade can hide the truth, it can also bring about serious problems with respect to its other survival factor--the economy.
Beijing's original plan was to keep the World Wide Web out of China by setting up a totally isolated, domestic Internet. Because this type of information blockade hindered foreign trade and led to unfavorable consequences for the economy, this plan did not fully materialize. However, its effects can still be felt in many areas. For example, a number of Chinese university computer networks do not allow sending emails abroad. Also, many Internet users in China, even those with major websites such as 263.net, had their email communications abroad subjected to frequent interruptions, making it practically useless. Under such troublesome circumstances, many users were compelled to seek websites and email accounts abroad, causing the Chinese Internet industry, which had already experienced considerable difficulties, even worse problems. The tight control over the Internet cafes has also constrained the economic development of the Internet industry.
Modern economic growth depends more and more on the free exchange of information. Restriction of the free flow of information will cause the economy to go downhill, and the information blockade will thus lead to the collapse of the economy. It is impossible to have both an information blockade and economic growth. What does Beijing really want? The harsh reality is forcing the Jiang regime to make a painful choice in this quandary.
In fact, even if Beijing chooses the information blockade at the price of a depressed economy, it will fail to block information in the end. This is because of the nature of the Internet. The original concept of the inventors of the Internet was, in case the US were under nuclear attack and all communication channels were destroyed, how could the Pentagon still get its military messages out? Therefore, its potential and uses were intended to operate under very adverse conditions. The Internet was destined not to be restricted or blocked.
To rank as the worst country, together with the dictatorship of North Korea in the Global Ranking for News Media Freedom is a disgrace for a nation with such a long and illustrious history.
(From Radio Free Asia by a guest commentator)
Category: Perspective
