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Is there a Link Between Tibet and the China Earthquake Response?
Posted in The Vance Report on 05/18/2008 07:23 am
I recently wrote a post about State Council Decree 492 and how this new ordinance in China has most likely affected the Chinese government’s decision to be so open and transparent in the aftermath of Monday’s earthquake. Over the weekend, however, as I have watched the powerful images and devastating numbers flow out of Sichuan on CCTV, it occurred to me that there is likely another important and perhaps more sinister reason why the CCP has chosen to allow this flow of seemingly unrestricted information. After all, when has the Chinese government ever forced itself to follow its own laws? Laws that allow free speech and restrict pollution, for example, all exist in China but they are routinely ignored especially when it is not convenient for the government to enforce them. Therefore, just because the CCP passed an ordinance last year that requires the government to be more forthcoming with information does not mean that it will actually follow the new guidelines.
So why else might the CCP be more willing this time to share information with its citizens and the world? One word says it all. Tibet. Does anyone remember Tibet? It is a province in South Western China that up until last Monday was basking in the world spotlight as Tibetans and their supporters attempted to portray what they view as ‘cultural genocide’ and ‘religious opression.’ No one that I know of is suggesting that the Chinese government somehow artifically created the earthquake to take the world’s attention off Tibet or that they are happy with the tragedy. Such an accusation would be ridiculous. However, there is little doubt that the tragic event in Sichuan has produced one positive aspect for the CCP; the world’s eyes, which were full of harshness and criticism just a few days ago, are now filled with compassion and understanding towards China. As a result of the state owned media’s detailed and up-to-date information about the earthquake, thousands of heart-wrenching images, photos, and stories are being sent around the world. People, including the Chinese, are truly shocked (and rightfully so) by what they are seeing. The detailed flow of information out of Sichuan has dictated that hardly anyone is focusing on Tibet now. Or at least not the world media.
I am certain that the CCP will ensure that the state owned media organizations continue to portray an accurate and up-to-date picture of what is occurring as the recovery and rebuilding process begins in Sichuan Province. It would be to the government’s advantage to keep this earthquake story fresh in people’s minds right up until and through the Olympic Games in August. Even the Tibetan people’s plight does not seem so terrible when compared with the hundreds of thousands of people in Sichuan who are missing family and have no home.
I know that some will accuse me of bashing the Chinese government in this post. That is not my intention. If in fact the Chinese government has used the earthquake coverage to shift the world focus away from Tibet, it is simply engaging in ’smart politics.’ As I remarked earlier, I doubt that anyone in the Chinese government wanted to see such a tragedy occur in Sichuan, but it is not surprising to me that they would try to take advantage politically of the situation.
There is one cause for concern, however, about the intense focus that has and will continue to be placed on Sichuan Province. Will the government use this time to ‘take care of some unfinished business’ in relation to political protesters and dissidents who could cause trouble for the Olympics in 2008? Hopefully the Chinese government’s full energy will be concentrated on the earthquake survivors and not on trying to ’slip one past’ the international community during this time of heartbreak in China.
Even as I write this post, I find myself hoping that I am wrong. I am encouraged by the new openness in the media and I would like to think that perhaps the Chinese government has truly made some lasting changes to the way that it disseminates information. However, I am not convinced yet. The government will have to show to the its people and to the world that it is ready to be transparent in other matters as well before I can be sure that it has ‘turned over a new leaf.’
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05/18/2008 at 9:23 pm
The Chinese government has always been good at opportunistic media spin. It is important, however, not to ascribe the coverage solely to cold-blooded political calculation. This is a genuine disaster of epic proportions that requires the whole country’s resources to help solve.
That said, there is no doubt that this is a bit of a godsend, in terms of international press coverage of China. I don’t think, however, that we’ll see the government forgetting about Tibetan or Xinjiang separatists. The Chinese government has shown us in the past that it’s capable of decentralized decision making and pursuing, simultaneously, many programs. Sometimes this backfires, when provinces pursue mutually contradictory policies. However, I would not be surprised by a quiet roundup of a few “unreliable” people.
There is already spin going on in the Chinese media, however. While coverage of the quake has been amazingly open, coverage of the government response to the quake has been going through a great deal of spin. The quake has exposed a lot of the military’s inadequacies in terms of equipment, preparedness, and training. You say that “the CCP will ensure that the state owned media organizations continue to portray an accurate and up-to-date picture of what is occurring as the recovery and rebuilding process begins in Sichuan Province”. I would respectfully disagree. I believe what will be shown are selected segments calculated for maximum pathos value–human interest stories showing how much people have suffered and how the indomitable Chinese spirit is recovering. Hard facts and coverage of where the recovery efforts are inadequate will not be very forthcoming.
05/19/2008 at 12:53 am
Hi Yulin,
Thanks for your comments. I certainly did not intend to suggest that the Chinese government would forget about Tibet because of the earthquake. To the contrary, I think that the CCP wants the world to forget about Tibet and they will continue to deal with that situation quietly.
As far as your analysis of the media is concerned, I am sure that many probably agree with you. The Chinese media still has a long way to go in terms of how they cover stories but you have to admit that the flow of information coming out of Sichuan through state media is stil quite impressive when compared to the past.
05/19/2008 at 2:55 am
It takes 320 atom bombs to create an earthquake of this magnitude.
You think CCP created it?
China don’t need morons to teach their children.
05/19/2008 at 3:59 am
Yugung
I think you need to read my post again. This is exactly what I said in my post above…
“No one that I know of is suggesting that the Chinese government somehow artifically created the earthquake to take the world’s attention off Tibet or that they are happy with the tragedy. Such an accusation would be ridiculous. However, there is little doubt that the tragic event in Sichuan has produced one positive aspect for the CCP”
I also wrote,
“I know that some will accuse me of bashing the Chinese government in this post. That is not my intention. If in fact the Chinese government has used the earthquake coverage to shift the world focus away from Tibet, it is simply engaging in ’smart politics.’ As I remarked earlier, I doubt that anyone in the Chinese government wanted to see such a tragedy occur in Sichuan, but it is not surprising to me that they would try to take advantage politically of the situation.”
As you can clearly see, I never suggested that the CCP created the earthquake. Before you call people names why don’t you take the time to actually read the post instead of skimming through it and making things up because you have a bone to pick with me.
09/09/2008 at 10:47 am
Yes all we need know is a billion more Earthquakes and other lively natural disasters to strike this godless, evil country so the whole 1 point whatever Billion die along with the corrupt, greedy souless government
so righteous, good wholesome Tibetans can be free.
Hey admit it you would only be sad for a short while, its a win-win situation.
10/25/2008 at 11:47 am
I won’t bother commenting directly on Mark’s comment but the thoughts come from an obvious lightless void of irrational reasoning and common sense decency.
It was a very tragic event but as RV suggests, it certainly took the focus of the world away from the misunderstandings of Tibet and the role of the central goverment as a liberator from the past to a new and brighter future for Tibetans.
Yep! You read right - liberated!
Amazing how so many foreigners since the games, now see the Chinese, as a people worthy of a greater depth of understanding from western quarters and not through the glass so darkly trumped up by propaganda that was perpetrated not only from east to west but also from west to east during the cold war.
For every reason there is a season, that can shade the past or enlighten the future.
(Quote Kaibo)