Blurring And Cervical

The Chinese government censorship fears contagion and the word''Egypt in the microblogging '

The riots in Egypt and images of tanks on the streets of Cairo have brought to the memory of many Chinese memories of the Tiananmen Square protests

JOSE REINOSO


Chinese authorities taking no chances with the possibility of a contagion effect of the protests for democracy occurred in Egypt, Tunisia and other Muslim countries. Beijing has blocked the word "Egypt" in the micro-portals such as Sina.com and Sohu.com, which, when you do a search, return the message " accordance with the laws, regulations and relevant policies, the results can not be displayed "or say they have not been found.

The Chinese are similar to microblogging Twitter, which, like Facebook and YouTube, is blocked in China Asian, and have become a powerful tool for disseminating information, although hearsay, because of lack of trust of young people in the mainstream media. Sina.com service has more than 50 million users a breeding ground for the overly sensitive sensors neglect it.

Beijing has one of the Internet censorship systems more sophisticated in the world, thanks in hand, technology supplied by foreign companies with which manages quite successfully to control what you see, read and post its 450 million Internet users.

The riots in Egypt and images of tanks on the streets of Cairo have brought to the memory of many Chinese memories of the Tiananmen Square protests in the spring of 1989 and the subsequent repression by the Army, that killed hundreds and thousands of people, according to sources. The demonstrations for political reform and democracy, were catalyzed by corruption and inflation.

China is very different from that of those years. The economy has progressed at a rapid pace and the political consciousness of the vast majority of young people, more interested in making money than to ask for freedom-is anesthetized, in large part by the absence of information in the media and history books about what occurred in 1989, and the lack of any political debate in a totally controlled press by the Government.
However, corruption remains rampant social inequalities are among the largest in the world, inflation has reached dangerous levels (4.6% in December) and among the intellectuals are growing demands for freedom and reform.

The official press has reported on last days of the riots in Egypt, and even the courts of the Internet and mobile phone service in Cairo. But it has done to a limited extent, and has taken what happened to send a message that seems aimed more consumption of their own population. The Global Times newspaper published by the Communist Party, said in an editorial today that democracy is not compatible with existing conditions in Egypt and Tunisia, and that "color revolutions", in reference to the term first applied to describe protests for political reform in the former Soviet republics, they can not achieve real democracy.

"Democracy is still far in Tunisia and Egypt. For democracy to succeed are necessary solid foundation in economics, education and social issues. When it comes to political systems, the Western model is only one option, "says the publication. The Chinese leadership has repeatedly stated that China would never copy the Western system of democracy.

Ignacio Cembrero