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» 11/09/2009 13:41
CHINA – EUROPE
No celebrations for the fall of the Berlin Wall in Beijing
by Wang Zhicheng
Chinese media maintain a veil of silence over the anniversary. Only one newspaper with a foreign readership mentions celebrations over German reunification without me a word about the fall of Communism. For Chinese leaders, John Paul II was one of the agents behind the fall of Wall and Communism in Eastern Europe.

Beijing (AsiaNews) – As Europe and the world celebrate the fall of Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War, in mainland China the anniversary has gone unreported. Prominent international public figures are in Berlin today to celebrate the start of a peaceful revolution that would see East Germany disappear, and by domino effect, bring about the end of Eastern Europe’s Communist regimes. However, no prominent Chinese will be there.

The main news item carried by Chinese newspapers and the Xinhua news agency today was the pledge made by Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to provide hungry Africa US$ 10 billion worth in aid. The second most important story related the meeting between President Hu Jintao and top air force brass.

In the last two days, Xinhua has only published photos of the Berlin celebrations, without any commentary.

 The only article that does mention the Wall refers to the call by the government of French President Sarkozy to bring down the barrier that divides the island of Cyprus between Greeks and Turks.  

The China Daily, an English-language paper for foreigners, did publish an article about the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall in relation to celebrations over German reunification but did not cite the word Communism.

The fall of the Berlin Wall came a few months after the Tiananmen Square massacre (4 June 1989).

In China, where martial law was in place and the student and workers movements disbanded, news about the fall of the Wall led the authorities to tighten the screws on associations, free trade unions and the Catholic Church.

In its appraisal of events, the Chinese Communist Party saw John Paul II as an agent for the fall of the Wall.


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See also
06/27/2008 ASIA
Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, stock markets fall due to oil prices and credit crises
05/25/2009 CHINA
Media censorship and anti-liberal crackdown as June 4th Anniversary approaches
08/20/2005 GERMANY - WYD
Pope: Terrorism is a "perverse and cruel decision" to be countered by inter-religious dialogue
06/06/2007 CHINA
Beijing pledges pollution reduction in 2007
08/18/2005 GERMANY – WYD
Benedict XVI: WYD, where cultures and traditions meet, a blessing for Germany and the world

Dossier

Editor's choices
CHINA - VATICAN
Underground bishop: I joined the Patriotic Association for the good of the Church
by Zhen Yuan
Mgr. An Shuxin says he was not pressured by the Vatican for his choice. In front of the division created in the diocese of Baoding, priests and experts are asking the Vatican and China to free the ordinary Bishop Su Zhimin, , in prison for the past 13 years.
PAKISTAN - EU
Blasphemy in Pakistan and the European Court’s attack on the crucifix
by Bernardo Cervellera
Launched today from Rome the European leg (France, Holland, Belgium, Germany) of a campaign to raise awareness in Church and society of the plight and oppression of minorities in Pakistan, particularly the Christian one, due to the blasphemy law. A most unusual unity of purpose joins Islamic fundamentalists and European relativists.
CHINA – VATICAN
In Hebei, underground bishop joins Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association
by Bernardo Cervellera
Mgr Francis An Shuxin spent ten years in police custody. Now he is free but still under surveillance, dragged around to meetings to show the correctness of the government’s religious policy. Three bishops remain in police custody. A priest is arrested whilst two are freed to join the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association. The Vatican is accused of ambiguities.

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