Last weeks Prelude received a stereotypical “seminar” comment sympathetic to media control. The Prelude considered this comment seriously, even after it was censored. Here is the comment, followed by the Prelude’s response:
This article is a typical anti-China piece which misreports, omits and distorts. The Chinese Central Government supports democracy in HK and has agreed to have it materialize in 2017. For 156 years of colonial rule, the British Government gave HK zero democracy. The so-called “pro-democracy” movement is a name created by the ill-intentioned Western press and anti-China elements to confuse the world.
The Prelude has never taken sides between the West and China. The only thesis that the Prelude has ever and will ever seek to prove is that conflict is as much foreseeable as it is avoidable. Because of the repeated choices and reactions from both the West and China, conflict in Southeast Asia, affecting the rest of the world, is growing.
As for Beijing’s supposed democracy in Hong Kong, if it is a real democracy, then “real democracy” means that the people don’t get to choose their candidates, otherwise it means that Hong Kongers are allowed to choose their own candidates and Beijing has fooled the world into thinking that Beijing chooses the candidates. The comment was removed because it did not address these matters and because, like stereotypical media control, it did not understand the Prelude, but quickly assumed (as State media controllers often do) that the Prelude was against China merely because the Prelude does not sing praises of China. State-controlled media always has difficulty understanding the concept of being objective or criticizing all sides with equal scrutiny.
The Prelude does not take sides in Hong Kong’s democratic process, but it does report events with earnestness.
As per the information provided to CDM, the commenter had a Hong Kong email address with an IP address in Canada. The email and name will not be released. However, it is curious as to why a Hong Konger who claims to trust Beijing so much chose to operate in Canada.
Now, to this week…
The week of internal trouble. For the first time in history, Taiwan’s Premiere was required to answer allegations in court. He was accompanied by three co-defendants, all leaders of Taiwan’s police. Later, Kaohsiung, the larger of the twin cities in Taiwan’s South, had a propylene gas line explosion spanning several kilometers, throwing cars on rooftops, and having a death toll of 28 at press time. The Pacific Daily Times had a reporter on the ground and a thorough journal is expected by the end of the week.
By contrast, China had a factory explosion that killed 65 and an earthquake that killed 150. Definitely a week of trouble and, hopefully, a reevaluation of everyone’s priorities.
Inside Taiwan
Premier to face court over evictions
…First time Taiwan’s Premier, a non-elected bureaucrat more powerful than America’s Secretary of State, has faced charges in court. This is another first caused by the Sunflower movement, where Premier Jiang, along with a Taiwan National Police Agency Director-General, along with Taipei Police Commissioner and First Precinct Chief stand accused of attempted murder with the brutality involving the parallel occupancy attempt where Taiwan’s government accused (Dennis) Wei-yang of being the main organizer. These four top government officials, all KMT (Nationalist Party) appointees, face 23 plaintiffs injured by police in potential human rights violations, as being investigated by Amnesty International.
Premier in court over violent evictions
…One attorney pointed out that the 300 police outside the courthouse were under the direction of their police chief standing trial inside the courthouse, though there were no reports of abuse in this incident.
Premier dodging responsibility: DPP
…from the opposition party
Defense mission director removed
Legislative Yuan rejects 11 Control Yuan nominees
…The very next day…
KMT caucus whip resigns over Control Yuan vote
Most people favor ban on China 4G base stations: poll
…Taiwanese distrust tech made in China for national security reasons.
Pre-Press time stories on Kaohsiung gas explosion
Gas blasts kill 25, injures hundreds in Greater Kaohsiung
Gas blasts kill 24, injure 271 in Taiwanese port
Kaohsiung gas explosion casualties increase to 292
President briefed on Kaohsiung explosion
Taiwan Gas Explosions Kills 24 in Southern City of Kaohsiung (Bloomberg)
…residents are terrified. 8:00pm, firemen saw a gas leak, but the gas line wasn’t shut off because there were too many gas lines to know which one. The explosion erupted at about midnight and sounded like thunder. Some residents dismissed it as such until the next morning when the news reported the propylene gas line explosion. As of Friday evening, determining which company owned the gas line was still under investigation.
Other Gasline Stories
KAOHSIUNG DISASTER: Blasts blamed on decades-old pipes
Release pipeline data: academic
Death toll climbs as probe deepens
Rescue efforts continue amid investigation
Tragedies in China
China car-parts factory blast kills at least 65
…and China has it’s own problems
Yunnan Province quake kills at least 150: reports
Israeli Headlines in Taiwan
Gaza battle rages into fourth week
Temporary lull in Gaza fighting as US, UN up pressure for truce
Left-wing, semi-pro-China newspaper in Taiwan claims that Gaza has a “lull” in fighting after the UN becomes involved…
US ups pressure on Israel as UN demands Gaza truce
…The article the day before the same paper reported the UN had a positive effect on Gaza.
Israeli strikes on Gaza, rocket fire break lull in fighting
Israel intent on destroying Gaza tunnels, snubs UN
Israel, Hamas agree 72-hour ceasefire from Friday
Hamas defends ceasefire-smashing ambush
Israeli strike kills at least 10 at Gaza UN campus
China
Chinese police remove church’s cross amid crackdown in Zhejiang Province
Hong Kong
Anti-Occupy Central campaign plans march in protest of sit-in threat
…the “soft-spoken” Anti-Occupy Central leader hardens
Carrie Lam tells Occupy democracy ‘will never be achieved’ through civil disobedience
…Lam: “I believe their goals will never be achieved.”
Hongkongers’ mistrust of Beijing hits record level after white paper: poll
…telephone survey by the University of Hong Kong, 813 interviewed, 43.6% distrust central government, highest since the survey began in 2009, up 5.2% from last month’s report. 23.6% trust Beijing, 31.2% neutral, 3% margin of error.
