As regular readers will know, we’re always on the lookout for lessons from China on how [not] to do public diplomacy. So we’re happy to be able to pass on that faced with a Free Tibet protest in Beijing today, the Chinese authorities decided that as well as arresting all eight protestors, it might be as well to err on the side of caution by roughing up and then detaining ITN’s China correspondent too.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Doz4zjg9Bx8]
ITN: “John Ray is a fully accredited China correspondent who was doing his legitimate job as a journalist. We intend to protest in the strongest possible terms to the Chinese authorities and seek assurances that the treatment meted out to Mr Ray will not be repeated.”
International Olympic Committee: “The IOC has learned through media reports that a British journalist was allegedly assaulted today while covering a demonstration near an Olympic venue in Beijing. The IOC’s position is clear: the media must be free to report on the Olympic Games. We are endeavouring to discover the full facts of this incident and, if necessary, will raise our concerns with the appropriate authority.”
Reporter: “the level of force was unbelievable”.
This small victory for brand China follows yesterday’s news that the cute 9 year old girl who sang at the Opening Ceremony was in fact lip-synching:
According to the ceremony’s musical director, Chen Qigang, Miss Lin actually lip-synched “Ode to the Motherland” to the voice of another girl after the politburo decided her own singing was not good enough. The replacement singer, however, was deemed not attractive enough to grace the world’s television screens.
“I think all China’s viewers and listeners should understand that was a matter of national interest,” Mr Chen said in an interview with Radio Beijing.
Absolutely. After all, there’s a reputation to uphold.
