Author Yu Jie discusses "China's Best Actor: Wen Jiabao"

Yu Jie 余杰 is a remarkably prolific writer. Born in 1973, Yu graduated from Peking University in 1997 and took a master's degree in 2000. Even while still a student, he published a collection of his essays, Fire and Ice. Numerous books have followed, including a novel Fragrant Grass Mountain. He's not been able to publish his recent work in China, but has found an audience in Hong Kong and Taiwan. His newest book, China's Greatest Actor: Wen Jiabao, sold out almost immediately. Yu Jie says that press attention following efforts by Beijing police during the summer to discourage him from publishing the book did much to drive sales.

Yu Jie spoke at USC on October 7 and returned to China a few days later. Press reports say that he and his wife Liu Min have been under virtual house arrest since October 18. These reports describe Yu's confinement as part of a larger effort by China's government to silence critics following the announcement on October 8 that Liu Xiaobo, a writer and democracy activist imprisoned since 2008, would receive the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize.

Yu argues that the notion that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is reform-minded, someone who wants to open up China's governing system, is wrong. He suggests that as with previous Chinese Communist Party leaders, Wen plays a carefully defined role and that any perceived "space" between his ideas for China's present and future and those of Communist Party General Secretary Hu Jintao is an illusion.

Yu believes that he has a duty to speak out. He draws inspiration from both Liu Xiaobo and Vaclav Havel. He says that a democratic China must be built by ordinary people and that it's pointless to wait for leaders to initiate democratization. He concludes by saying that he's chosen to live freely -- even if he doesn't live in a free society.

Yu Jie was among the Chinese Christians meeting with US Pres. George W. Bush at the White House in May 2006. Below is a photo of Pres. Bush, Li Baiguang, Wang Yi, and Yu Jie.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
http://www.china.usc.edu
FACEBOOK:
http://www.facebook.com/uschinainstitute

Classroom use of this video is permitted. We would appreciate feedback from viewers. Please write to us at uschina@usc.edu.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• USC
• US
• China
• Institute
• author
• writer
• Yu
• Jie
• China's
• Best
• Actor
• Wen
• Jiabao
• reformer
• Chinese
• Premier
• government
• system
• communist
• party
• leader
• president
• Hu
• Jintao

[jow5588]

Yes, what he said is right..

[MrBarreloflaughs]

An honest, perceptive, brave man, who should be supported and defended by all decent people, including all westerners who claim to be 'liberal-minded'. There is enough brutal repression in China, carried out on the orders of Hu and the CCP leadership, without people calling "stupid" a brave, intelligent man like Yu Jie - who, I understand, has now been forced to seek political asylum in the US.

[zjjj31]

他是不是口吃

[zhaoxing614]

瞅这儿哥们儿的德性，挤眉弄眼，一幅猥琐像。

[KnightsHospitallerBC]

五毛儿都是中华民族的败类，畜生，不是人！！！你们都给我滚！

[keynesac]

Mainland locust

[1989Chiang]

For future, We need a change!

[thomasie64]

Another STUPID man speaking up about Chinese Premier. Proud to have met with another stupid man (who sent thousands of troops to their death in Iraq and Afghanistant ) in White House in 2006. Did he know that he was just being used as a pawn in a political games? Stupid Chinaman Yu Jie. All the politicians always makes promises and promises, if none delivered...what's a big fuss/ just look at US presidents..US governors...they all made promises and disappoints the public, thus they got booted.

[uworldtrip]

洋奴代表人物，有奶就是娘的文艺、政治投机分子，还在这里念念有­词，真是丢人。一个抄袭者还自我标榜了。

[uworldtrip]

洋妈代表人物，有奶就是娘的文艺投机分子，还在这里念念有词，真­是丢人。一个抄袭者还自我标榜了。