I thought Michael Portillo's article to be fair and balanced. What on earth do we do with this Chinese Government. They do not seem even remotely in tune with the rest of the world. Setting up as a civilisation takes a great deal more than compulsory smiling, banal television programmes and churning out piles of consumer goods. There is history to consider for starters. China has plunged from an ancient monarchical dictatorship into a self appointed communist regime. The problem is that the democracy part that we have all been through over several hundred years is completely missing. Until that issue has been properly addressed then I suggest that we keep China very much at arms length. Sorry, but there is no proper place in our hearts and minds for China on the world stage.

Colin, Carmarthen, UK

The dragon after gobbling Tibet seems to have gone mad and its lunatic behaviour is likely to harm the values of the democratic world which must get together to treat the mailaise. Will someone in Hollywood depict this strange unnatural scenario by pproducing a movie on the sad plight of Tibetan after the Reds' take over of Beijing in 1949 for people all over the world to know the reality?

NK Pant, Dehra Dun, India

I agree with the minister. These games are the biggest political tool in the hands of Chinese government and are very similar to the 1936 Berlin games.
Chinese have mastered the art of turning websites into propaganda battle grounds. Those of you who decry the hegemony of US, just wait for the chinese. Us has population that is vibrant , adheres to the morals of civil society and holds govt accountable, what about China? It has a running feud with every neighbour regarding border disputes and claims half of the world for itself. It readying itself for a showdown with the US over tiawan in 15 years time.
God help the world.." Power flows from the barrel of the Gun ", that's what Mao said.

chandrabhan, Chicago, USA

I am tired of the Chinese Government turning this on the UK, USA & Europe, the problem is the Chinese dont know what the difference is between right and wrong and well and truly messed up in Tibet, and the world eyes are on them, they dont like it.

its pity the chinese are not so engaging in Global Warming, North Korea , Sudan ...................... Swamping Westerm Media with Government narrowed minded bias just shows what an insular society China has become, run by the privalaged (wealthy) few

Philip, Oxford, England

Keep hammering away Michael !!!! China is no better than the Japanese were during WW 2.

Ian Payne, WALSALL,

thank you westerners and mia farrow for uniting the chinese race behind our government with your attempts to humiliate us. Your work has been more effective than anything our government can ever make

David, Weymouth, Dorset

A lot of reports coming out now say that the Chinese government instigated and was responsible for the Lhasa demonstrations. Chinese army soldiers were given Monk robes and they used Chinese army issued swords.

The Communist government in China needs a patriotic rallying cause to keep rally the masses and this incident was made for that. As an added benefit they can explain to their torturers and executioners that their cause is just because "violent" Tibetans are trying to split the motherland.

You will not hear this in the Chinese controlled Global Media.

Chow, Uruguay, Uruguay

Hi jaimetra,
You said "It is the Western Media who has lost its face and credit for its false news. It has never met so high pressure from Chinese all over the world seeking the authenticity, having been covering things in China in a biased and unscrupulous way and washed brains of its own people yrs after yrs."
Can you give us some examples of the losing of face or the false news please? Overall we are very happy over here with respect to objective & free media coverage.
On a sideline issue, how is Falun Gong out there? We hear over here they are prosecuted by the Chinese State. Also the displaced people, the corruption, rural unrest, your (mis)handling of North Korean asylum seekers, support for rogue African states, prosecution of human tights activists, great firewall, environment, etc, etc...

But of course you are correct... These are all figments of the Western Media’s surreal imagination. I know it makes surreal reading for me!

Kindest regards, John in Dublin

John Kelly, Dublin, Ireland

Struck a raw nerve, has it? The truth hurts...

Mark, Durham, UK

How could Michael Portillo being so bullish towards China? what is his comment about his own country still sending force to Iraq? There is culture diffrerence between Chinese and British, please "mind gap", "mind your own business"!

Ron, London, U|K

I haven't seen China really defending itself convincingly. Very flowery insults with no content in response to criticism tend to leave the impression that the content of the criticism isn't in question, just the style. I am not implying that any Western government lies any less.

Jaybird, Olympia,

Hi Guy, It is the Western Media who has lost its face and credit for its false news. It has never met so high pressure from Chinese all over the world seeking the authenticity, having been covering things in China in a biased and unscrupulous way and washed brains of its own people yrs after yrs. Don’t quote the children of the Dragon to tell yr story. Check how many westerners still have the impression that Chinese women have little feet and flat breasts and that Chinese slant-eyes men with pigtails smoke opium.

Sorry if rec'd twice

jaimetra, Shanghai, China