Chinese Media Censors Obama's Remarks on Censorship

On Monday, U.S. President Barack Obama spoke to more than 400 Chinese students at the Shanghai Museum of Science and Technology. Obama spoke and answered questions on a range of issues—including freedom of speech and religion.

However, its not clear how many Chinese people could actually see or hear the event in the media. A scheduled live video stream of the event on the website of state-run Xinhua News Agency turned out only to be a transcript of the event. And while it was shown on a local Shanghai TV station, it was not broadcast on national television.

During the hour-long town hall style meeting, Obama brought up the issue of freedom of expression:

[Barrack Obama, United States President]:
These freedoms of expression and worship—of access to information and political participation—we believe are universal rights. They should be available to all people, including ethnic and religious minorities—whether they are in the United States, China, or any nation.

Obama also voiced his support for Internet freedom, while answering a question about Chinas Great Firewall.

[Barrack Obama, United States President]:
I think that the more freely information flows, the stronger the society becomes, because then citizens of countries around the world can hold their own governments accountable. They can begin to think for themselves. That generates new ideas and encourages creativity. And so I've always been a strong supporter of open Internet use. I'm a big supporter of non-censorship.

But it seems his call for non-censorship was met with just the opposite. Although news of Obama's comments appeared quickly on several Chinese media websites, including Xinhua, they were almost all taken down soon after. And any attempt to access these pages shows theyve either expired or been deleted.

Category:

News & Politics

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• U.S.
• Obama
• Chinese
• Shanghai
• Museum
• Xinhua News Agency
• United States
• China
• Great Firewall
• non-censorship

[tahboobi]

MMM how about assange? I htink obama does like censoring wikileakes.. LOL such a liar.

China FTW, it's not even comparable to a country occupying half the middle east killing women and children. Go China

[joshkilla67]

this is why china will fall before america, without freedoms it encourages civil war. we wont owe them jack shit if they crumble

[nicksum29]

Media does not matter. Things spread by word of mouth. Revolutions happen from within. Ask Comrade Mao. 

[Oglenthorne]

I get your point, it's a shame we're financing our runaway deficits with Chinese money. This gives them undue leverage over our domestic policy and cuts the legs out from under America's ability to advocate for Chinese civil rights reforms. Past presidents have been more forceful, but they didn't have the 800 billion dollar albatross around their necks. BTW, Obama is breaking records with his budgets, so he's making things worse at a rapid pace.

[Meda01]

Both were before we took the 800 Billion in loans from them, but alright so you're mad at him because he didn't demand the conference to be live? I don't see anything in either of those saying those Presidents demanded a live feed to the Chinas viewers.

[Oglenthorne]

Washington Post:

It was, to put it charitably, a low-key way of spreading American values. A decade earlier, in that very same hall, President Bill Clinton criticized China's Tiananmen Square crackdown during a news conference with then-President Jiang Zemin. President George W. Bush, no fan of the media, made Hu squirm at the White House three years ago when he insisted that they take questions from U.S. and Chinese journalists.

[Meda01]

Why should I do that? You're the one saying his actions aren't as good as that of other Presidents. I'm simpling asking for proof so you don't look like you're full of it. Guess to Obama haters proof is just another word for liberal attacks.

[Oglenthorne]

How about you google it and find out for yourself.

[Meda01]

Considering we owe them 800 BILLION dollars thanks to moronic Americans who buy things they can't afford, houses that cost more then they are worth then complain that it's all the governments fault why they are in debt, America is in no position to "demand" anything from China. Why don't you show me one single example of any President whos done what you say?

[Oglenthorne]

It's Zero's fault for not insisting on live, unedited interviews, speeches and that joke of a "town hall" meeting, as past American Presidents have done. Zero fails once again.