Pro-China protests in Wellington(onenews)
Apr 26, 2008 7:37 PM
As the Olympic torch continues to court controversy, hundreds of Chinese living in New Zealand converged on Wellington's Civic Centre in defence of their homeland.
The group, made up mostly of students from Victoria University, says media organisations have unjustifiably made China the villain in the wake of a recent crackdown in Tibet.
"They want to make money (the news media) because people want to see something bad happen in China, that's what people want to see, that's what they are making money out off but we want to change that," Jerry Dai, the rally organiser
The demonstrators say the Beijing Olympics will be a chance for the world to see the real China.
Around 700 people, mainly Chinese students marched through the streets of Wellington today in support of the Beijing Olympics.
The protestors say New Zealanders are getting distorted messages through the media about china.
Meanwhile, the Olympic torch has arrived in Japan where it continues to attract protest.
Jun Feng Wu, an international politics student at VictoriaUniversity reinforces the message that today’s marchers took to thestreets.
Like other gatherings in recent weeks among China’s ex-patriotcommunities, these people say, this is not a political protest butpolitics are unavoidable.
Many of the placards claimed media were distorting China's human rights record.
One protester claimed that: “New Zealand media have been blind folded. They don't know the truth.”
The Chinese government has been accused of encouraging itsex-patriot communities to represent them in protest, but protestorganisers claimed that was not the case.
The colourful protest, with rousing patriotic songs drew the attention of weekend shoppers who had mixed feelings about it.
Therewas no sign of any counter gathering of pro Tibet supporters - theywill be watching developments in Beijing where officials say they willnow at least meet with the Dalai Lama.
In the meantime, the Olympic torch has made its way to Nagano Japanwhere supporters and protestors were kept in order after the lessons ofLondon and Paris.
Chinese protestors here say they will send a signed banner to Beijing to show their support for the Olympic Games.
Pro-China rally in Wellington this afternoon (tv3 audio) TV3采访的音频
Hundreds of Chinese New Zealanders are expected in downtown Wellington this afternoon holding a pro-China rally.
One of its organisers Gerry Dai, says they want to give Kiwis another side to anti-Beijing sentiment, which has flared-up after a crackdown in Tibet.
The rally will start at the end of Lambton Quay at one o'clock, ending up at Victoria University.
Pro-Chinese rally in Wellington(The Dominion Post)
Several hundred Chinese people took to the streets of Wellington on Saturday to support their country hosting this year's Olympic Games
The protesters, mostly Victoria University students, said they were upset at perceived media bias in the reporting of human rights issues in China and the China-Tibet situation.
"New Zealand you are being poisoned, you don't know the truth," one protester told TV3.
Protesters denied the Chinese government was behind the march.
"Oh no, no, this is all student-made," one woman said.
"Support China, support Chinese, support Olympics," she chanted.
Images of Massey University students waving pro-Chinese Government banners at a rally in Australia have angered human rights campaigners, who say Chinese embassies have drummed up support with free food and travel.
Massey University academic Li Dong, a senior lecturer in Chinese, believed that the students pictured in The Dominion Post at a Canberra rally on Thursday to welcome the Olympic torch were from the Albany campus.
He said the banner read: "New Zealand Massey Overseas Students".
Mr Dong had no proof their travel had been paid for, but suspected it was organised by Chinese embassies. That was not to say the students did not believe what they were supporting.
"They have been spoon-fed propaganda since they were in kindergarten.
"In many cases the ones who can afford to come to New Zealand to study are ones whose parents have done very well out of the CCP [Communist People's Party]," he said.
There was widespread anger among different groups in China over the government's "failure" to clean up its human rights record before the Olympics.
Journalist and human rights campaigner Nick Wong said he believed the education division of the Chinese embassy had been encouraging overseas students to mobilise.
Chinese language websites had called on people to join rallies, with instructions on where to catch free buses from Sydney to Canberra and where to go for banners and free meals.
However, a spokesman for the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Wellington denied the government had been involved in the Canberra rally or similar rallies in London, San Francisco and Paris.
Victoria University student Jun Seng Wu, who is organising a pro-Olympics rally in Wellington today, denied he had got support from official sources.
"We say the Olympics should not be a political issue, the Olympics are about friendship ... we just wanted to do something personally." The march to Te Papa starts at 1pm at Victoria's Pipitea campus.作者: fantastic7 时间: 2008-4-26 23:59:51
Beijing Olympics will be a chance for the world to see the real China.作者: ilovethisgame 时间: 2008-4-27 02:35:31
原帖由 fantastic7 于 2008-4-26 22:59 发表
Beijing Olympics will be a chance for the world to see the real China.
we are ready!!!作者: Gusu 时间: 2008-4-27 14:56:06
针对dominion post 那篇造谣的文章,我和朋友都分别 post comment 抗议了。我都不知道新闻的真实性何在了。li dong 说 他 suspect, 王宁说他 believe。 全都是主观用语!作者: Civic_R 时间: 2008-4-27 16:37:18
how long do you think before we are singing 'THE RED FLAG' ??
jim
27-Apr-2008 17:32
I walked through the Auckland Chinese demonstration today and was twice asked by 'Security Guards' to have my bag searched. I refused to allow this as they were not dressed in any uniform but they assured me that they were security guards. They then tried to refuse me access to Aotea Square. I also noticed that they were only checking the bags of non asian visitors. This is totally against the spirit of democracy that they were trying to demonstrate.
Joel Stutter
27-Apr-2008 17:14
I support student speak out their oppion, I disagreen f.t
jack, auckland
27-Apr-2008 00:13
I think these people should remember whose country they're living in. If China is the great workers' paradise of the free, then why don't they go back. They have been brainwashed by their governments propaganda for decades and cannot see the wood for the trees. I only wish that our government and others would cease trading with China. It is no different to dealing with Nazi Germany. Do we really want to make money from governments that murder and repress their peoples, illegally occupy neighbouring countries and support other murderous regeimes? I think Jun Feng Wu and his friends need to look at who really has a free media and the right to voice their opinions. Would he be allowed to protest against the Chinese government in China? I doubt it. Maybe he thinks Tienamman Square never happened or that practioners of Falun Gong aren't tortured and murdered in mini concentration camps. Does he think it's ok for the Chinese government to ban all reference to Falun Gong on the internet? If they want to live in New Zealand they need to embrace democracy and maybe fly the New Zealand flag and not the Chinese. It may not be PC to say, but the truth is, people are sick of these mini communities springing up that seperate themselves from mainstream society and do not intergrate as New Zealanders. If this is not addressed we will end up like England, where in some parts you do not hear English being spoken by anyone, and whole communities live in distrust of each other and increased racial tension. I think most New Zealander welcome almost anyone to our country, but only those who wish to intergrate and become part of our collective multicultural community. Given that we've just comemmorated Anzac Day, should we not remember the sacrifices made to keep our country free.
Nigel Taylor
26-Apr-2008 22:06
You kids do not have a say,so don't waste your time,we know you have been put up to this and it is political,we are not stupid and been around a lot longer then you s. Your country would not let a ChineseNzer enter China,because you had something to hide,now you think we are going to take exception to words,over the trues and what had happen to Tibet,i.ve been there over time and picture speak for its self and also chinese people in & outside china,will confirm what china doesn't want the world to know. So too you kids stop trying to think you can come here and brainwash NZers. Real joke
tolduso作者: cornettoo_o 时间: 2008-4-27 23:50:49
26-Apr-2008 23:13 www.anti-cnn.com.... because of the prejudice and bias reports from the westen media, china should banned them entering china... moreover, no one force anyone to attend the olypic games, if no one comes, china simply turn it into a national olympic games, there are plenty of people attend the event, those don't come make a better place for china...
andrew
26-Apr-2008 18:41
That makes me sick. I dare you to hold a pro china rally in Christchurch.
I have alot of chinese friends but if you support the Chinese government you need to go back to China.
Matt, Christchurch
26-Apr-2008 18:08
Boycott the games; Kiwi s will not get the support who attend the games
tolduso
26-Apr-2008 14:26
Question: Why won't the Chinese government not-let ChineseNZ reporter into the country,[got something to hide]The first Chinese immigrated to NZ had a reason to come here and know the trues of what happened back then and this is why china has never allow the outside world to become envolved in what happens in China,even to this very day {Anything to hide} Guess there is
tolduso
26-Apr-2008 14:26
Go and do Rally in your country
I am getting sick and tired of this issue for some time now.
James Burgman, Christchurch作者: hk007 时间: 2008-4-28 12:53:13