Xinhua News Agency reporter Shi Rong isn’t the first Chinese state journalist to become the subject of headlines in Canada.
In 2005, a press conference held on the eve of Hu Jintao’s first official visit to Canada was interrupted by Li Wenzheng, director of the Foreign Affairs Bureau of the People’s Daily, who went on to instruct all present about why the regime should not be criticized for its human rights abuses.
“I am a journalist for Beijing. When we talk about the human rights about China, I think for the most important thing, first of all, to consider the stage of the development of Chinese society,” he told reporters and speakers at a press conference on Parliament Hill held by Amnesty International and other groups concerned about human rights in China.
“When I talk to my friends, maybe Chinese or Western, I always give them a metaphor ... like two families, one family is quite rich, with one son, and the neighbour is rather poor, but with 10 children...” He went on for three minutes, making a case as to why it was wrong to criticize China’s human rights abuses, before being interrupted and prompted to ask a question.
While Chinese state media are expected to lead public opinion and define the positions other Chinese media in China should take, Li’s attempt to do something similar in Canada sparked a news story by the Canadian Press.
In an Epoch Times news analysis of the incident, Yang Shu described it as a clumsy example of the party’s “media diplomacy” effort.
Li once wrote an article to memorialize Xu Zhongtian, former Director of the People’s Daily, especially praising Xu’s diplomatic work. Li pointed out how “certain departments of the central government repeatedly emphasize the importance for key Chinese Communist Party media to contact foreign media, take the initiative, and conduct more activities.”
In other words, CCP media were not just to cover events, but try to shape them and take a proactive approach.
Another Chinese state journalist made Canadian headlines in 2003 when he was denied immigration to Canada because of concerns he was a spy.
Former People’s Daily reporter Yaohai Quan, once stationed at the United Nations headquarters in New York, was denied an immigration status after CSIS determined he was a spy.
In 2005, a press conference held on the eve of Hu Jintao’s first official visit to Canada was interrupted by Li Wenzheng, director of the Foreign Affairs Bureau of the People’s Daily, who went on to instruct all present about why the regime should not be criticized for its human rights abuses.
“I am a journalist for Beijing. When we talk about the human rights about China, I think for the most important thing, first of all, to consider the stage of the development of Chinese society,” he told reporters and speakers at a press conference on Parliament Hill held by Amnesty International and other groups concerned about human rights in China.
“When I talk to my friends, maybe Chinese or Western, I always give them a metaphor ... like two families, one family is quite rich, with one son, and the neighbour is rather poor, but with 10 children...” He went on for three minutes, making a case as to why it was wrong to criticize China’s human rights abuses, before being interrupted and prompted to ask a question.
While Chinese state media are expected to lead public opinion and define the positions other Chinese media in China should take, Li’s attempt to do something similar in Canada sparked a news story by the Canadian Press.
In an Epoch Times news analysis of the incident, Yang Shu described it as a clumsy example of the party’s “media diplomacy” effort.
Li once wrote an article to memorialize Xu Zhongtian, former Director of the People’s Daily, especially praising Xu’s diplomatic work. Li pointed out how “certain departments of the central government repeatedly emphasize the importance for key Chinese Communist Party media to contact foreign media, take the initiative, and conduct more activities.”
In other words, CCP media were not just to cover events, but try to shape them and take a proactive approach.
Another Chinese state journalist made Canadian headlines in 2003 when he was denied immigration to Canada because of concerns he was a spy.
Former People’s Daily reporter Yaohai Quan, once stationed at the United Nations headquarters in New York, was denied an immigration status after CSIS determined he was a spy.
