Media censorship in China is very strong. On the surface China seems to be a happy country, but scratch the surface and you find a people frightened and manipulated by their governing clique. I have visited China many times over the last 10 years. You will find NO mention of june 4th 1989 Tiananmen Square "incident" in any book, magazine, film on any TV show, radio station... nowhere. This topic is banned. People have lost their jobs and even been imprisoned for discussing it. Furthermore people are frightened to talk about this event. Many young people do not even know what happened. The government calls such talk "unpatriotic".

Edward James, Manchester, UK

Some of the Chinese correspondants here are very sensitive. Governments are not always correct. Ours and yours. Do not be afraid to criticize. Chinese government bans the internet because it wants to control the people and keep itself in power. Criticizing a government of this type is acceptable.This criticism is not anti-chinese, just anti-corrupt government. In the UK we feel free to criticize our own rulers. Chinese readers - do not be frightened to criticize!

Pete Ronson, Newcastle, UK

it seems to me that the Sunday Times isn't as polpular as FT and economist ,BBC,etc,,,,,

you could see a lot of native chinese visiting those sites as manifistated by its readers' comments in defense of China and its government on the very tibet issue

i'd like to friendly remind you that China is an ever changing society and very complex....do not try to make a judgement based on limited information(usually one-side story and one-side ideology) whatever the western media fed you with...

Tracy Hong, nanjing , China

How Dalai gets attention from Western nations

By Anthony Monaghan Australia ( bbs.chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-04-02 14:11

In my home town of Sydney, where I have worked as a journalist as well as a barrister, our newspapers and television and radio collate pictures and stories of people in the most degrading ways. People who bribe elected party politicians by the foregoing methods.

That's how the Dalai and his clique get attention.

In Sydney and the rest of Australia, we're sick of it. We want a decent, family oriented, fair dinkum, dignified and future oriented society, which is served by its news media.

So we would like to learn. China come on down, and bring CCTV and your mates, say India and Africa, too.

You're most welcome.

Sam, LA, CA US

I really sympathize you guys. You are the one actually manipuated and brainwashed by your gov and media. CNN told you Iraq has nuclear weapon. Can your great army find it finally? You blindly believe what you hear. I wonder why not come to China and see by yourselves. Many pictures used in western media to show tibet crackdown have been proved to be distorted or misused. Some are outdated photos in other occasions. It is ridiculous. You say Chinese gov block freedom speech; but what's the situation in the west. Your gov and media use misleading material to show you a uglified China. And Uk, look back to your grandfathers of grandfathers who came east and plundered wildly and cruelly. Your colony times developed based upon invasion and plunder in other countries and earned your wealth, and now you are criticizing such countries their human rights. It is totally unfair!

Eva, Shenzhen, China

There were 2mil Tibetans in 50s when DL ruled Tibet with average lifespan of 35. There are 6million NOW with lifespan 67.

lilly, Peking,

Its the old case of were right and the rest of the world is wrong. Internet blocking, political prisoners, compulsary Tibetan sterilisation, shooting legimate protesters with bullets, shooting and killing of tibetans escaping to Nepal, lying to the world.....................

The Chinese govt is a joke, it doesnt realise that most itelligent people can see thro` the smokescreen. As more " world bodies" criticise the Chinese govt, it consolidates and reinforces world opinion, it about time China listened.

Philip, Oxford, England

i hope that all this blows up the the point that things have to change. that is all i can say. it has been nearly 50 years of tth tibetans suffering and being killed. it has been a while since the olmypics were in berlin, a shockingly similar story. and then the governments would say it is better to be nice to the then nazis and reason with them rather than boycott. and looked what happened there!

hail free press.... let the voices be heard....!!!!!!!!

maia

maia sutherland, devon, england

Even the people who are currently posting, in defence of the Chinese are the bugs of that govt, which the chinese govt has deployed.

If ever once, the chinese mainstream sees what actually goes around, there would be a massive revolution.

Any case for that govt. people are just puppets which can be planted and removed the way they wish for thier vested interest.

It wouldnt be long, taking into consideration the history of china, that what it has done to tibet and the countries around it, it would be manifesting its pathetic ideology futhermore with its stake increasing in the economic pie.

the govt there should once realise that the world is not war outside. There might be disputes but a lot of world still remains peaceful and a good place to live.

Andy, London,

Equity, Justice and Fairness and Equality should be stressed and pursued in the world including China

any unlawful act also should be dealted with strictly according to the stipulation of the law

david , shenzhen China, China

To all Chinese who disappoint with the West's prejudice and stupidity, I suggest

1. not to lecture the west about history of China and Tibet, for the west will think either you are brainwashed or biased. The west learn history from Hollywood films in the name of freedom of speech.

2. not to lecture the west about problems in China, e.g. scarce resource, huge population, millions of people in poverty, unemployment, environment .....

3. the west believe that by giving people living on $1 per day the right to vote, every problem in the planet can be solved.

4. the west wish to see China engaging in endless/useless political arguements without developing economics.

5. the west does not really care about the well being of ordinary Chinese people.

the westerners enjoy touring the 3rd world and spend money like KINGS. People in 3rd world shall serve them like MASTERS. This scenarios shall NOT be reversed. Therefore, the west will make use of anything to do China bashing.

rymnd2008, Shanghai, China

Its the old case of were right and the rest of the world is wrong. Internet blocking, political prisoners, compulsary Tibetan sterilisation, shooting legimate protesters with bullets, shooting and killing of tibetans escaping to Nepal, lying to the world.....................

The Chinese govt is a joke, it doesnt realise that most itelligent people can see thro` the smokescreen. As more " world bodies" criticise the Chinese govt, it consolidates and reinforces world opinion, it about time China listened.

Philip, Oxford, England

Don't talking about freedom,No absolute freedom,even in USA,

Qin, Shanghai, China

@Alex in Beijing

Point not made in the slightest bit, and what point are you trying to make (?): that getting onto one page on the internet from Beijing means the Internet is freely accessible in China? Surely you know there is much, much more to the Internet than this one page, in the same way that there is much more to human politics that the weird hybrid of Marxist-Leninism and cut throat capitalism that currently runs riot in China. There is also more to China than ecstatic Tibetans, joyous unemployed workers doing their bit, the glorious PLA, the festive minorities all clamouring for more warmth and cheer from Beijing, the magnificent Mao Zedong without whom modern China would sadly resemble a huge Taiwan, the pathbreaking Three Gorges Dam, the truly inspiring Cultural Revolution and the magnificent felling of Beijing's hutong. There is more to China than that, honestly.

Emma Hilton, Changsha, Hunan, China

I can't tell if the article is saying that internet restrictions will be lifted only for the 30,000 journalists during the Olympics or if some broader lifting is being demanded and may occur.

Richard, Anchorage, Alaska

Alex in Beijing, can you access the "Tiananmen Square protests of 1989" article on Wikipedia?

John, London,

“The drums of war are sounding, a decisive battle is at hand. For the sake of the Chinese nation’s image and for the honour of the People’s Armed Police, let us never forget our duty.”

What a strange comment form the peace loving People's Armed Police!

Phoenix, Wuhan, People's Republic of China

Why China blocks? Is has a lot to hide.

Mclovin, Delhi, India

like the WTO and IMF gatherings, and the G8 meetings of world leaders, the Olympics have become just another tool for the powerful to advance their agendas. Far from the original games of brotherhood and amateur competition, these bloated, propaganda exercises are of benefit only to large corporations and totalitarian regimes. "The Spirit of the Olympics" is a sham, an empty slogan fit for advertisments.

John Wu, Chegdu, China

Nice to see someone has a backbone. If the Chinese govt was half as concerned with what it actually is and the welfare and human rights (i.e., nonviolent freedom of speech and expression) of its citizens and the Tibetans as it is with the image it wants to present to the rest of the world, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Hosting the Olympics might very well backfire on it and expose the wizard behind the curtain. Silence doesn't necessarily equal peace or harmony, and without true peace, there is no real stability.

Tiffany, St. Louis, USA

The political climate in China runs completely counter to the openness of the games and they must not be allowed to have their cake and eat it, too, lest they turn the event into a glorified PRC propaganda opportunity.

Shaun Smith, Toronto, Canada

"The drums of war are sounding"

That doesnt sound at all sinister! China, these are Games we are talking about, not battles!

James, London,

Definitely the internet should be opened during the Olympics. The RED China needs to understand that they cannot control the personal freedoms and freedom of information flow any longer. Also freedom of worship and human rights need to be respected at all costs. Personally I do not think the Red China is deserved to host this Olympics event which presents the free world in general. This government is not straightforward, honest, open and truthful under “host city agreement”. So why we are as the free world has to put up with their wicked manner. Why????? Let’s boycott the Beijing’s Olympics to show this wicked government and the IOC that human rights and freedoms cannot be ignored and disregarded any longer.

DaYao, Houston, Texas, USA

Alex in Beijing, if you are so proud of your country's internet access, try to open bbcchinese.com
I have no idea why you are defending your government's sin on the internet.

Dexter, Singapore, Singapore

China has nothing to fear but fear its self.
Everybody loves the Chinese.
China has bent over backwards to make inroads into world acceptance, even hurting its own business, people, and face to the world by listening to all.
Their humility and honesty has reward. That reward need to be open Olympic Games for the people, not the old guard. Its a new day. So get your tube tops on and come on down to Beijing, Lu May, and Su, and meet the guys playing for your heart like those basketball players. Take some pic and put them on Sophie's My space page. Armed Police for internet security, thats just ridiculous. who's going to be the next godaddy girl from China?

Keith Richard Radford Jr, Burbank, USA CA

Brilliant - about time to make it possible to look at the BBC website.

Caroline Guest, Nanjing, China

I am reading this reprt on the Internet in Beijing. Point made?

Alex, Beijing, China

i used to think that the forthcoming Olympics in China is going to be a great event to look forward to. No doubt it will still be spectacular but watching it, enjoying it will be harder if even possible.
Where is the wisdom, China?

Where is the world player?

And where is the love?

Sun, berlin, germany