Liu Xiaobo
China's Unwanted Nobel Prize
How will Liu Xiaobo's winning the peace prize affect the Chinese government's attitude toward political dissent?
Galvanizing Other Nations
Updated October 9, 2010, 01:08 AM
Bei Ling, a poet and essayist, is the editor of Tendency, an exile literary journal, and the founder of Independent Chinese PEN Center.
The peace prize being given to Liu gives opposition activities across the world more courage and strength to advocate for human rights and freedom in China.
This award may allow other nations to be more direct in confronting China.
The Chinese government won’t change much because of the peace prize. It will continue to suppress pro-democracy voices and activities. But I think this award can galvanize other nations to demand more of China on human rights issues. This may allow them to be more direct in confronting China, perhaps even with economic and trade concerns.
China is tight with its censorship, but it cannot control everything. And while it will almost certainly try to increase controls, human rights activities within China are equally likely to become broader and more intense. I hope new international attention will help Liu and other activists like Hu Jia and Gao Zhisheng and other less well known political prisoners in China regain their freedom.
How will Liu Xiaobo's winning the peace prize affect the Chinese government's attitude toward political dissent?
Galvanizing Other Nations
Updated October 9, 2010, 01:08 AM
Bei Ling, a poet and essayist, is the editor of Tendency, an exile literary journal, and the founder of Independent Chinese PEN Center.
The peace prize being given to Liu gives opposition activities across the world more courage and strength to advocate for human rights and freedom in China.
This award may allow other nations to be more direct in confronting China.
The Chinese government won’t change much because of the peace prize. It will continue to suppress pro-democracy voices and activities. But I think this award can galvanize other nations to demand more of China on human rights issues. This may allow them to be more direct in confronting China, perhaps even with economic and trade concerns.
China is tight with its censorship, but it cannot control everything. And while it will almost certainly try to increase controls, human rights activities within China are equally likely to become broader and more intense. I hope new international attention will help Liu and other activists like Hu Jia and Gao Zhisheng and other less well known political prisoners in China regain their freedom.
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