Internet can destroy Communist control over China, party supporters fear

[xchrom]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/Internet-can-destroy-Communist-control-over-China-party-supporters-fear/articleshow/9838872.cms

BEIJING: China's Communist thinkers are warning the government to nail down the runaway growth of Internet as it could destroy the party's control over the giant nation. This reveals rising fears about the possible impact of people's rebellion seen in some Arab countries, where Twitter and Facebook played key roles.

"Internet opinion is spontaneous, but increasingly shows signs of becoming organized," a group of Communist writers said in an article by a group of writers in the Communist Party of China's theoretical journal, "Qiushi," which means "Seeking Truth."

It is clear the article was vetted by high officials in the CPC before it was published.

The writers warned the party and government that a lot of what is being written and distributed over the Internet is not voluntary. It is driven by vested interests.

[Fumesucker]

1. Gee, where have I heard *this* before?

The writers warned the party and government that a lot of what is being written and distributed over the Internet is not voluntary. It is driven by vested interests.

Edited due to caffeine deficiency.

[xchrom]

2. indeed. nt

[pinboy3niner]

3. A European foreign policy expert describes China's predicament...

In this sense, the Chinese stance on Libya is curious and indicative, as described by Jonas Parello-Plesner, Senior Policy Fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations. On the one hand Beijing is seeking to win a place for its business in the reconstruction of Libya. On the other, however, it refrains from commenting on issues such as democratic transition and the people power in the Chinese society, and prefers to launch the thesis that overthrowing of dictators leads to chaos.


“It is becoming increasingly difficult for China to make friends abroad and protect growing commercial interests while conveying the right narrative at home,” the author commented. However, it is difficult to control “the right narrative” in the blogosphere, as shown by the Arab spring, as there can be found sarcastic comments like this: in response to official Chinese position that the Libyan people's choice should be respected, a Chinese blogger asked “When can you respect the Chinese people's choice?”


http://www.euinside.eu/en/news/the-friends-of-the-new-libya-counted-themselves

[Fumesucker]

4. Heard this line before too... In late 2000 I think it was..

“When can you respect the Chinese people's choice?”

[siligut]

5. The control of information is nothing new, it is just much harder now. nt

[Jkid]

6. The real reason why the CCP wants to control the internet

...they may be forced to face reality and possibly be resigned to history via true democracy.