Daily commentary about China by TIME correspondents.

The Silencing of "silencing of dissent"

From the AP, a look at what lines were cut from Obama's inauguration speech by some mainland Web portals:

Chinese translations of President Barack Obama's inauguration speech posted Wednesday on popular online portals were missing his references to communism and dissent.

The comments by the newly installed U.S. president veered into potentially sensitive territory for China's ruling Communist Party, which maintains a tight grip over the Internet and the entirely state-run media.

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  • 1

    Some parts of Obama's inaugural speech is not exactly convenient to the chinese government.

    But whether US has really defeated communism remains debatable. What matters at present is that the bottom has seemingly fallen out on capitalism, US style at least. US and UK are tied in the race for socialist make-over, by nationalizing their once all-powerful financial institutions................how ironic.

  • 2

    What a second rank country and dictators: they have censored the absolutely normal (to freeminded people) speech of the president of US.
    What a bunch of old incrusted fossiles and losers!

  • 3

    By simply cutting parts of the speech, the Chinese government has admitted that China was at the butt of the joke, or criticism, and probably the crime. This subconscious action showed the world what China is really doing.

  • 4

    You want 5jiao? Here is 1yuan, boy. Keep the change.

  • 5

    [...] everybody is talking about it, I have a question: if the Chinese state media are supposed to be such masters [...]

  • 6

    At one point, Obama said earlier generations "faced down communism and fascism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions." He later addressed "those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent — know that you are on the wrong side of history."

  • 7

    It shows that the CCP has been on the brink of ruin, considering this evilest and weakest regime hasn't any confidence to hear a "unharmonious" note!

  • 8

    http://www.mutantpalm.org/2009/01/21/obamas-janet-jackson-moment-on-cctv.html

    CCP thinks dissidents can undermine their regime, CCTV can do it also. ................how ironic.

  • 9

    john2008obama: I have viewed that episode from the link you offered. It's really ironic and laughing. I were so happy to watch them making a show of themselves.

  • 10

    [...] I think the title of Austin’s post at the Time China blog captures very concisely the depressing irony here: “the silencing of ’silencing of dissent‘”. [...]

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