tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29099853.post7813581519078101830..comments2023-10-26T22:53:59.503+08:00Comments on The Far-Eastern Sweet Potato: Ma ‘elected’ KMT chairman, Hu congratulates him, markets ‘react’J. Michael Cole 寇謐將http://www.blogger.com/profile/12125612369359079447noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29099853.post-41077897608293178472009-07-29T07:37:03.959+08:002009-07-29T07:37:03.959+08:00"Basically by attributing everything (good or..."Basically by attributing everything (good or bad) to China, they make people in Hong Kong unable to think without China in mind. This makes controlling the place much easier. The same can be said about Taiwan's media."<br /><br />-- Interesting point. Maybe. I hadn't previously thought of this focus as tactical.vinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29099853.post-53002358113207576102009-07-29T01:27:15.253+08:002009-07-29T01:27:15.253+08:00I have noticed that media, even the big one like C...I have noticed that media, even the big one like CNN, has the tendency to just "follow the crowd." <br /><br />Right now, the west seems to have a China fever. It is reasonable given the many issues between the US and China.<br /><br />However, this makes everyone just attribute everything to China, and forgot about other factors. I also notice they tone down or ignore negative news about China, probably because those media do not want to touch on too sensitive issues in China to offend their many Chinese viewers. The result is a relatively more positive than reality image of China in the media. <br /><br />The news from Hong Kong which Thomas mentioned, IMO, might be a little bit more. Those news could be subtle propaganda of Chinese government in Hong Kong. Basically by attributing everything (good or bad) to China, they make people in Hong Kong unable to think without China in mind. This makes controlling the place much easier. The same can be said about Taiwan's media.Dixteelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05689510846926854542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29099853.post-28296879987662630882009-07-28T10:04:13.330+08:002009-07-28T10:04:13.330+08:00"Doesn't it strike anyone as odd that the..."Doesn't it strike anyone as odd that the leader of an authoritarian country calls the leader of Taiwan, who happens to now have nearly absolute power, to congratulate him on winning an election that he ran in unopposed?"<br /><br />It doesn't strike me as odd anymore, but yes, what gives with the internaional media not noting the triumph of ethnicity over ideology here -- and, as you say, the convergence in ideologies. My guess is that there is and has always been a "Chinese exceptionalism" (i.e. "The Other") at work in many Western minds, no less including the minds of most reporters.vinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29099853.post-77463665997856515102009-07-28T09:34:21.337+08:002009-07-28T09:34:21.337+08:00The other night, I was running on a treadmill at m...The other night, I was running on a treadmill at my gym in Hong Kong. The markets had risen (again -- bubble anyone?) and the anchor said that the rise was mostly due to more confidence that China's market was rebounding. But China hadn't released any positive data that day, and as the main news program a few minutes later explained, the rise was fueled by actual positive data out of the US and Japan. <br /><br />Once again, it is clear that China WILL rebound and this WILL pull everyone else out of the recession whether China actually can do this or not. If the media, pundits and politicians with special interests say it will happen, then it must happen. Whatever you think about Sarah Palin, she had the right idea when she told the audience at yesterday's press conference to mark her step down, "quit makin' things up!" What happened to the integrity of the media?<br /><br />Aside from this annoyance at the lack of media oversight, I am dismayed that, aside from quickly mentioning that Ma ran unopposed, most reporters don't seem to be delving further into this. <br /><br />Doesn't it strike anyone as odd that the leader of an authoritarian country calls the leader of Taiwan, who happens to now have nearly absolute power, to congratulate him on winning an election that he ran in unopposed? Nobody is reporting on anything but the surface appearances. It is shocking.Tommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13552370490869601403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29099853.post-91505818168649758762009-07-28T08:06:11.694+08:002009-07-28T08:06:11.694+08:00Chiang Kai-shek must be rolling in his grave..
His...Chiang Kai-shek must be rolling in his grave..<br />His KMT successors have abandoned the struggle against communism and goal of "retaking the mainland".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29099853.post-43911031703181989422009-07-28T01:06:07.176+08:002009-07-28T01:06:07.176+08:00I appreciate this information and analysis. What I...I appreciate this information and analysis. What I don't get is how news agencies can be so cursory and shoddy in their reporting. Do they and their reporters not care that they get ably sliced and diced in blog posts such as this one? How, in the information age, can they afford to consistently miss the picture? Does it not seriously damage their reputation? Reuters was once a name that commanded respect; does anyone still see it as an august organization?vinnoreply@blogger.com