Texts
 

In this section you will find essays, quotes and an editorial
on the theme of "The Olympic Challenge: Free the Press in China!"

Newspapers can freely publish the texts, with credit to WAN.

Publication embargo: These materials should not be published before 3 May, World Press Freedom Day.

 
Swallowing Hypocritical Promises
An essay by He Qinglian,
Writer and Economist
smallHeQinglian.jpg"China under the Communist Party has never had a free press - just changes in the degree of control, with occasional relaxations that can be misinterpreted as 'increased press freedom.'" more
The Same Old Tricks
An Essay by Harry Wu, Executive Director, The Laogai Research Foundation
HarryWu.jpg"More subtle forms of dissent are dealt with no less severely - writers, journalists, and cyber-dissidents are routinely imprisoned for the most innocuous of activities, more than anywhere else in the world." more
So History Goes
An Editorial by Li Datong, Freezing Point Former Editor in Chief
smalllidatong.jpg"The overall trend is for news reports to have greater freedom, and critical commentary in the media is becoming more common, more incisive and more courageous."more
Modest Hopes
Quotes by Li Pu, Former Deputy Director of the Xinhua News Agency
lipu2.jpg"Until recently we were given only one voice, the official one. Yet the development of broadcast and online media has fundamentally and irreversibly transformed the circulation of and access to news."more
 
 

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