Real Political Debate broadcast from China

[kirovman]

Just for those who are interested,
There is a special political debate from Shanghai (what? democracy in action?), Question Time visits China.

The programme will be broadcast on Thursday 10 March on BBC One at 2235 GMT and on BBC World on Saturday 12 March.

BBC Television's flagship political discussion programme, Question Time, will broadcast a special edition from Shanghai on Thursday 10 March.
The panel includes a wide variety of political views, from within China and from outside. The debate will be in English with David Dimbleby in the chair as normal.

This week's panel

As part of the BBC's China Week, Question Time visits Shanghai for a special debate looking at issues affecting China and its relations with the UK and the rest of the world.
David Dimbleby will be joined by Chinese Government spokesman Liu Jianchao, former Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten, entrepreneur David Tang, General Secretary of the Boao Forum Long Yongtu and writer Isabel Hilton.

For those of you who don't have BBC1 (those of you not in the UK), the programme should be posted here after it is broadcast:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/question_time

Seeing as they have the foreign minister of China there, it should be interesting to see some debate between him and the other people, I'm sure something about democracy will crop up in the show.
It will also be interesting to see the Chinese government directly respond to people saying "Why do you threaten Taiwan?" or something and get the show shut down

 

[Calanen]

I bet the whole thing has been staged though. There will not be any 'surprises' on a public debate. Ie both sides will have their questions and answers put toghether, I'd imagine. Id be very surprised if the CHinese govt agreed to do a show cold. I hope im wrong.....but...

China is democratic, you can vote for any Communist you like.....

 

[the_lone_wolf]

could be interesting, i did see an article in the paper (well it was someone else's daily mail ) that the chinese government had been allowed to "plant" a quarter of the audience, although the beeb were denying it was a clause for the continuation of the show.

we shall see

 

[kirovman]

could be interesting, i did see an article in the paper (well it was someone else's daily mail ) that the chinese government had been allowed to "plant" a quarter of the audience, although the beeb were denying it was a clause for the continuation of the show.

we shall see

Daily Mail, lol, fearmongers. They can't tell the difference between asylum seekers and legal economic migrants.

We shall see indeed. I'm sure the BBC will disclose all the specifics after the show is broadcast.

China is a democracy in that you can vote for your favourite communist, yes.

 

[Calanen]

When I was at law school, there was an exchange program with china, for the criminology course, and you got to spend time looking around Chinese correctional facilities. This was carefully stage managed, with groups of bedraggled looking prisoners joyously proclaiming how much they liked being there, playing tennis on a court that was probably for the guards, and singing songs much like christmas carolers would. A friend of mine who went said that he was in advance of the main party as they headed up the road one time, and he heard them say in Mandarin, 'Every1 get ready! They are coming!'

Also there were places you were not allowed to see in the prison, which you were steered away from firmly by your 'minders'.

The other thing that should be bourne in mind is, lets say the audience has complete freedom to say whatever they like. You would be a bloody idiot to embarass the Chinese govt on international television, and think that the security forces would not want to have a quiet chat with you after the cameras turned off.... so freedom to speak is one thing, the wisdom to keep quiet is probably more important.

 

[kirovman]

Well the show has been done, there's some feedback before we get the opportunity to see it tonight.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/question_time/4335687.stm

There's a few points.

The panel were asked if they accepted recent criticism of China's human rights records.

Liu Jianchao said there was freedom of expression in China and that he did not believe people were tortured or killed for free expression. "Torture in prison is completely banned by Chinese law. If anyone is detected, they will be punished" he said.

Former Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten told the Question Time audience it was ironic that the man likely to get the job [Governor] is Donald Tsang, who is also the man who would probably win any election.

He said Britain should have introduced democracy in Hong Kong back in the 40s or 50s as in other parts of the former British Empire.

Hong Kong business man, David Tang said he came across the issue of human rights whenever he travelled abroad.

"A lot of foreigners accuse my country of abusing human rights in this country", he said, "Whenever that is raised, I am ashamed."

"I just hope that the government would do something about it", he added, "not only in China, but everywhere in the world."

 

[staticprimer]

That's pretty much what I expected it to be. Anyone who doesn't realize that this a fabricated publicity stunt is a fool.

 

[el Chi]

Daily Mail, lol, fearmongers. They can't tell the difference between asylum seekers and legal economic migrants.

We shall see indeed. I'm sure the BBC will disclose all the specifics after the show is broadcast.

China is a democracy in that you can vote for your favourite communist, yes.

Aaah, the Mail. The rag-Bible of the "I'm not racist, but..." population of Great "Get back to where you came from" Britain.

This debate sounds rather intriguing, although more than a tad dubious.

 

[gh0st]

Hmm. They are communists so I'm pretty sure anything they do is full of shit. Debate doesnt mean anything, and argument doesnt equal democracy. Why you make that comparison is beyond me.

Especially when its 2 commies debating.

 

[The Monkey]

Hmm. They are communists so I'm pretty sure anything they do is full of shit. Debate doesnt mean anything, and argument doesnt equal democracy. Why you make that comparison is beyond me.

Especially when its 2 commies debating.

I debated with a commie less than an hour ago. Does the fact that he's communist make him a liar.

If this debate is not staged it will be very intersting to watch.

 

[kirovman]

Hmm. They are communists so I'm pretty sure anything they do is full of shit. Debate doesnt mean anything, and argument doesnt equal democracy. Why you make that comparison is beyond me.

Especially when its 2 commies debating.

It's one commie vs. a panel of people from outside of China.

This debate is organised by the BBC, Question Time is quite a respected show over here in the UK, and they are taking advantage of the recent liberties the BBC have been given with respect to China.

Last week they were debating the new anti-terror legislation, with the UK home secretary on the panel.

Edit: And the Chinese Communist Party is only communist in name. They aren't following the influence of Marx, Lenin, Kruchov, Stalin or Mao anymore.

They still have a long way to go in terms of civil and political freedoms though, although it's improving from the cultural revolution days, which I have been told was exactly like the movie 1984.

 

[short recoil]

Communism is working for china like it once did for russia, however there will come a time where it will no longer work and become unstable.

Its a good job USA dosn't care that much about commies anymore.

 

[The Monkey]

Edit: And the Chinese Communist Party is only communist in name. They aren't following the influence of Marx, Lenin, Kruchov, Stalin or Mao anymore.

They still have a long way to go in terms of civil and political freedoms though, although it's improving from the cultural revolution days, which I have been told was exactly like the movie 1984.

The only one of those people that are communists are Marx.

1984 is a book, not a movie. (There might be a movie too, but I'm sure the book is better.)

 

[No Limit]

I bet the whole thing has been staged though. There will not be any 'surprises' on a public debate. Ie both sides will have their questions and answers put toghether, I'd imagine. Id be very surprised if the CHinese govt agreed to do a show cold. I hope im wrong.....but...

China is democratic, you can vote for any Communist you like.....

Actually you would be amazed how real debates in other countries are; we seem to be the only ones suffering from this crappy political show and staged debates or town hall meetings where only supporters are invided. Also, I am not pointing at any political party as both do it so don't turn this topic to one side vs the other. I do hope that this will be interesting; I think I might get the BBC for a part of the day here.

 

[el Chi]

Communism is working for china like it once did for russia, however there will come a time where it will no longer work and become unstable.

Its a good job USA dosn't care that much about commies anymore.

I beg to differ. It seems to me - not that I'm in a massive position of authority on China's financial history - that China is becoming more and more adopting a slightly capitalist element into its own brand of Communism. A lot of cut-throat capitalist countries have sweatshops, manafacturing plants, etc. there and that kind of sleeping with the enemy seems to fly in the face of ant-Globalisationary Communist ideals.
But, hey, that's just my interpretation of things.

1984 is a book, not a movie. (There might be a movie too, but I'm sure the book is better.)

Sadly there is a movie. I've never inted to see it and I intend to keep things that way. I wouldn't miss my own execution to see some adaptions, and that's one of them.

 

[kirovman]

The only one of those people that are communists are Marx.

1984 is a book, not a movie. (There might be a movie too, but I'm sure the book is better.)

Yeah I'm reffering to the movie or the book, but they are both similar, I only cite the movie because it gives you a good visualisation for this purpose.

I was told it was frighteningly similar - blue boiler suits, shouting hate at the West and Taiwanese traitors (Goldstein), encouraging children to spy on their parents. Instead of the telescreens, they have a portrait of Chairman Mao at home.

Of course, China has improved so much since then, even in the human rights.
They are gradually improving the human rights, but you can't have everything in one day. If you change the political system in one day like Russia, without setting up all the laws and systems, you will plunge the country into chaos.
Political change doesn't happen so fast, China will eventually get their civil rights.
Hu Jintao seems more concerned for the ordinary chinese citizen than his predecessors, if you watch anything he talks about.

Actually you would be amazed how real debates in other countries are; we seem to be the only ones suffering from this crappy political show and staged debates or town hall meetings where only supporters are invided. Also, I am not pointing at any political party as both do it so don't turn this topic to one side vs the other. I do hope that this will be interesting; I think I might get the BBC for a part of the day here.

If you miss it on BBC World, you'll be able to watch it online until this time next week.

Sadly there is a movie. I've never inted to see it and I intend to keep things that way. I wouldn't miss my own execution to see some adaptions, and that's one of them.

It's Richard Burton's last movie!
I think it's good.


If anyone wants to comment more on the human rights in China, and hasn't been before, I suggest going to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/asia_pacific/2004/china/default.stm# and clicking on the link that says:
BBC NEWS: VIDEO AND AUDIO (I can't link directly)

Found the links:
Economic divide in China
Education system
Inqualities in Minorities
Class system
Environment pays the price in China
Hong Kong Chief Steps Down

There was something about a secret visit to coal mines but I can't find it now :|

 

[kirovman]

Well that was an interesting programme.

They discussed Democracy in Hong Kong (and mainland), Taiwan, Are Chinese kids being spoilt, human rights and will China become the world's biggest economy in the next 20-40 years.

The talks included China has improved significantly in freedoms (hence this programme) and China will become democratic eventually, it will be a gradual process.
Oh and some steps towards human rights is in their written constitution now.

The TV show will return to Shanghai next year apparently.

Don't think they've uploaded the video on the web to watch yet.

It was a reasonable debate with varying opinions, so it wasn't a commie publicity stunt as some seem to think.