Beijing’s new round of censorship

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The Chinese government has decided to tighten controls as well as censorship on the internet to eliminate social disturbances and keep things under tighter control. This will be done through new legislation that will require users to register with their name when they go online. Thus, Beijing will "continue expanding the real-name system, build an online scrutiny team of both professionals and volunteers and establish an effective evaluation mechanism to regulate information dissemination", a state newspaper reported.

The new internet legislation has been welcomed by state media. Yesterday, the Beijing Daily published a commentary on Monday criticising micro bloggers for spreading rumours and their lack of responsibility. "If it is not restricted, it will do great societal harm," the article said.

Informed opinion is divided. For some, the proposed legislation is a great idea; for others it is too impractical. If it is implemented, it will require verified accounts on micro blog platforms to register real names, national identity card numbers and employers’ names.

Chinese authorities have also not given up on more traditional methods. Yet, despite the repression, new and old, some continue to resist.

Police have in fact warned renowned dissident Hu Jia, who rose to prominence for his AIDS and rights advocacy, not to release interviews.

Although he is a free man since June when he was released after three years in jail, he remains a nuisance for the government. State security police “told me,” he said, “that even if I could cope with [the pressure], my mother wouldn't be able to."

Speaking to Radio Free Asia, Hu Jia said he was warned not to give interviews. However, he told the RFA's Cantonese service that there was no legal basis for the order.

"We are all free citizens with freedom of movement, and there is no legal basis whatsoever to prevent us from meeting up with each other," he said. All this “made me extremely angry," he added.