Chinese Agency Criticizes Western Media’s “Shocking” Tibet Coverage
Text of report by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency)
[Article by Xinhua reporter: "Facts Cannot be Distorted and the Human Heart Has a Natural Sense of Justice"]
Beijing, 23 Mar (Xinhua) – Facts cannot be twisted and the human heart has a natural sense of justice.
Ten days ago serious violent criminal activities, including beating, smashing, looting, and burning, occurred in Lhasa, Tibet. There is not a single person with a conscience who is not filled with indignation at the brutal crimes committed by the thugs or who does not feel sad for the innocent victims. After the incident, the Chinese government, armed with facts and figures, gave an explanation to the international community and strongly condemned the violent incident. Appearing at the press conference held in conjunction with the “two sessions”, Premier Wen Jiabao laid bare the separatist agenda of the Dalai clique and offered an explanation of China’s policies and measures. In an interview with foreign reporters, Chairman Qiangba Puncog of the Tibet Autonomous Region detailed the incident from the beginning to the end. The Chinese Foreign Ministry and Chinese embassies in various foreign countries explained the circumstances to the governments concerned and briefed foreign media and the general public about the policy position of the Chinese government on the Tibet issue.
Notwithstanding all that, some Western media, ignoring the facts, have published one shocking piece after another over the past ten days that distorts the facts and attacks the Chinese government’s Tibet policy and the way it has handled the Tibet situation. Many Western newspapers, television networks, and web sites are filled with reports about the Chinese government repressing the Tibetan people, images of the Dalai and “Tibet independence” elements raising a hue and cry overseas, and speculation that the situation in Tibet would continue to worsen. Even worse, some media and reporters stealthily have been doing some doctoring of their own, planting photos of policemen in foreign countries subduing demonstrators in reports on the incident in Lhasa and editing pictures showing thugs attacking military vehicles in such a way that they conveyed the impression that the military vehicles were threatening people on the street, thus creating horrifying scenes of “Chinese military and police brutalizing Tibetan people.” Some foreign reporters in China wrote dispatches based on facts only to have the head offices sit on them or re-write them beyond recognition. Meanwhile, rumours that “hundreds of Tibetans have been killed” have been circulating extensively.
Overnight these Western media have turned themselves into the defenders of morality and justice. They lash out at the Chinese government at will as if “Chinese occupation of Tibet” were the root cause of the violent incident in Tibet. The Chinese government’s effort to restore social order in Tibet has been portrayed as the suppression of “peaceful protests.” They disregard the reality of Tibet’s economic, social, and cultural developments and instead accuse the Chinese government of “depriving the Tibetan people of their religious freedom” and “wiping out Tibetan culture.” Their ulterior motive is to drag the Beijing Olympic Games into the picture. Using others as the mouthpiece, they call for the boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games. It is almost as if they were hell- bent on ruining the games.
Given such reports in the Western media, the Chinese people cannot help but wonder whether the media understand Tibet’s history and culture, whether they realize how much the Tibetan people cherish the current excellent situation of inter-ethnic harmony, economic development, social progress, and cultural flourishing, and whether they understand the eagerness with which the Chinese people look forward to the Beijing Olympic Games and their sincere desire to pull off this spectacular sporting event jointly with the people of the world. Where are their much-touted objectivity and justice? Where are the freedom of the press and freedom of speech that they hold sacred? Where are their professional ethics?
Facts cannot be distorted. The truth cannot be hidden. Lies cannot become the truth. The human heart has a natural sense of justice.
The international community is on China’s side. The Chinese government’s position and measures have won widespread support and understanding in the international community. More than 100 countries and international organizations have sounded their voice of justice. Russia supports the Chinese government in taking all necessary measures to stop lawless conduct and says any attempt to politicize the Beijing Olympic Games is unacceptable. Pakistan chides certain political forces for inciting violent criminal behaviour in China’s Tibet. Singapore is opposed to boycotting the Beijing Olympic Games. India has demanded that the Dalai and his followers refrain from engaging in any political activities. African and Arab nations have expressed their support for China, their ambassadors and envoys in China collectively indicating that they support the Chinese government’s measures to preserve national unity and social stability. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has issued a statement expressing its support for the Chinese government in preventing lawless conduct and stabilizing the situation in Tibet and its belief that the Chinese government and the Chinese people will be able to host an Olympic Games of a high standard. All these expressions of friendship and support embody the respect for facts and truth on the part of countries and people in the world who uphold justice and fairness. They also embody their trust in and friendship with China and the Chinese people. The Tibetan people are on the side of unity and stability. In the course of the violent incident in Tibet, citizens of both the Zang and the Han nationalities, risking their own safety and working as one, rendered one another assistance and made a joint effort to protect their homes, thus avoiding even heavier losses of life and property. A Zang doctor was badly beaten by the thugs for protecting several Han children. A Han woman suffered crippling injuries for saving two Zang children. People will not forget the brotherly feelings they displayed in saving others at the risk of their own death. Nor will they forget the great achievements of the Han and Zang compatriots as they built the new Tibet side by side. In Tibet, people of all nationalities have now gotten an even clearer understanding of the wicked intent of the Dalai clique, which has sought for years to separate Tibet from the motherland and sow discord between the Han and Zang nationalities. They will not be fooled by the West’s anti- China opinion but will support the measures taken by the government to restore social order and maintain Tibet’s stability. They will continue to fight in unity and continue to build a new Tibet that is tranquil, prosperous, and harmonious.
International opinion will ultimately be on the side of truth. In this age of globalization and informatization, it is becoming harder and harder to monopolize the right to speak for the world by distorting the facts. The arrogance, lies, and biases of some Western media do not represent the true international opinion. Chinese media have spent the last few days covering the situation on the spot in Tibet so that they can shed further light on the truth of the matter with ironclad facts. The Chinese people at home as well as overseas Chinese are very unhappy with the Western media’s practice of distorting the facts to malign China. They have been vocal in their protests in blogs and forums on Chinese and foreign web sites, at the same time exposing some Western media’s despicable conduct of fabrication in their reports and expressing their firm support for the Chinese government’s measures to maintain stability and restore order. Western tourists who have a sense of justice and who respect facts also have come forward to describe, from their own personal experiences in Lhasa, the cruelty of the thugs and the victimization of innocent people and to praise the Chinese government for its proper handling of the incident. One Western reporter has reported what he heard and saw in Lhasa and told the truth about the incident. Some foreign media have aired several reports exposing “Tibet independence” forces as the incident’s evil backstage manipulator. Objective, fair, and reasoned reports and commentaries have gradually been increasing in recent days.
We firmly believe that the Chinese people, including the Tibetan compatriots, and the people of the world who passionately love peace and cherish friendship will certainly be able to differentiate between right and wrong and clearly see through the evil schemes of the Dalai clique to separate the motherland and destroy its unity and support the Chinese government’s policy and measures to preserve national unity, maintain social stability, and promote the development and progress of Tibet. Athletes and people in all nations will certainly actively participate in the Beijing Olympic Games. They will be welcome by the bright smiles of the Chinese people.
Originally published by Xinhua news agency domestic service, Beijing, in Chinese 1716 23 Mar 08.
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