Zhang Zhan: China jails citizen journalist for Wuhan reports

Zhang Zhan: China jails citizen journalist for Wuhan reports

It seems China don't like hearing true reports of events if they put them in a bad light. Jailing journalists and putting them in shackles and solitary confinement 24 hours a day is obviously gravely against human rights. The West needs to tackle these issues with China. Trade cannot be at any price, or we are all responsible for these abuses.

 

As the news item states, "There is no free media in China..." and the criminal charge in this case is "... a frequent charge against activists."

So, the PRC has a criminal prosecution and incarceration system that violates international human rights norms, and journalists operate independently there at their own peril. The case against Zhang Zhan is a specific example. It's a dog-bites-man story.

The questions are: what to do and who to do it? Your answers are "no trade," and, as vaguely as possible, "the West."

Congratulations if you neither own or use anything produced in China, assembled in China, or produced from raw materials or components from China. Congratulations if none of your labor goes into produce or sell anything used or consumed in China. You're living up to the standard you set for "the West."

You also use few or no electronic devices personally or professionally, and are therefore highly selective and limited in how you access the Hip Forums site. There really aren't many ways of accessing any website without touching some device or using software that results from trade with China. You probably do not ever ride in an automobile, or even ride public transportation. Essentially all motor vehicles have components that involve trade with China. Good for you, and for traveling only on foot, and only then with socks and shoes not involving trade with China!

Now as to "the West," it's interesting that you absolve more than half of the world's population from acknowledging an issue or basing trade on human rights and a free press. Instead, how about placing some responsibility on the people of the PRC itself, and the rest of the responsibility on the whole rest of the world's population, including "the West"?

I don't see a basis for believing that the people of Portugal or Uruguay should have a stronger interest in press freedom in China than the people of Japan or Indonesia do, nor than the Chinese people themselves do.

 

The reason I said 'The West' is because my impression of hipforums is that most members are from The West, and so that is the audience I was addressing. I agree that the rest of the world which trades with China have equal responsibility if they care about human rights. As a consumer you are right that much of what we use is produced in China. I suggest our governments should put diplomatic and political pressure on China to improve their treatment of their own people. The people of China are under a dictatorship. In those circumstances it is difficult for them to effect change, and those who try are locked up. I don't see your post as being constructive in any way to be honest, do you have any suggestions yourself as to how to improve the situation?

 

"What we use"? You're personally trading with China, and in the West no less. I gave you way too much credit.

Honor your stated principles. Stop trading with China from your western longitude. That's easy. Next, go to China, but don't buy anything there, and become a citizen journalist. That is my obvious suggestion for improving the situation, and it should have been obvious to you from your own posting, and from my helpful posting that you found unhelpful. It's specifically your suggestion, one within your individual capacity to undertake.

Be the free press of China. Yes, you. It was your idea. You posted it here. Take a risk. Take responsibility.

Wringing your hands and saying "somebody ought to do something" is what is unconstructive. When people want to do something, they find a way. When they don't, they find an excuse, or say "somebody oughta."

 

Do you honestly think that me moving to China, 'not buying anything there' (I suppose I'll live off air then), becoming a Chinese citizen (if they would have me as one), and then a critical journalist (and subsequently being locked up) will influence Chinese government policy? I can't see it myself.

I agree with you that individual actions are important and one person can make a difference, but the action plan you're suggesting for me here is not going to change a bean imho. Supporting an organised pressure group such as Amnesty International, and emailing government lawmakers would be two more productive actions for example.

China is now a superpower, has been for years. I think only coordinated action by groups of governments around the world would have any chance of influencing their domestic policy. One person emigrating to China and trying to be some kind of political Rambo is not going to cut it in my opinion.

As to me personally 'stopping trading with China' I would have to basically live in a cave on bread and water to avoid consuming their products. Maybe you're suggesting I do that as well, but then I wouldn't be able to post stories like this on the Internet.