Xinjiang Unrest and Information Control

By chinafreepress.org (translation)
Sep 11, 2009 – 11:31:08 AM

Boxun reports that in May 2008 reporter Bi Yantao wrote about information control for the mainland publication “Young Reporters” and the Hong Kong publication “Media Transparency.” He commented that the March 14, 2008 unrest in Lhasa, Tibet provided Beijing with a model opportunity to practice shutting down communications to a region without disrupting normal economic activity.

This has been clearly illustrated by the government’s actions in response to the bloodshed of July 5 of this year in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region. Beijing has learned to go from playing a passive role to an active role in controlling information flow. Of course there remains much room for improvement. It would still not be accurate to describe Beijing’s approach as “pro-active.”

Full Chinese report: http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/pubvp/2009/09/200909112234.shtml