-Caveat Lector- http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,3-215020,00.html
WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War! February 22, 2002 Chinese leader lost for words as he meets press >From Oliver August in Beijing CHINA’S President yesterday gave a baffling performance in front of hundreds of journalists that made his often tongue-tied American counterpart look eloquent by comparison. President Jiang Zemin stood in front of the assembled foreign and local journalists, whom he had formally invited to Beijing’s Great Hall of the People for a “joint meeting” with President George Bush, and refused to answer all their questions. Seeking guidance from his press secretary, Mr Jiang simply pretended, live on national television, that he had not heard two separate questions about imprisoned Catholic bishops and religious freedom. Chinese audiences, whether journalists, party members or peasants, are never allowed to ask the President a spontaneous question. Everything is screened and vetted. So when Mr Jiang came face-to-face with the unruly White House press, he chose to answer only the questions posed by the reporters of the loyal Chinese state media. And while Mr Bush improvised, Mr Jiang read out his scripted answers. The audience laughed and snorted — sheer heresy in the pantheon of Chinese communism. The ornate Great Hall of the People, built by Mao Zedong on the edge of Tiananmen Square, is the venue for elaborately staged Chinese political theatre, not an arena for verbal jousting. Some 25 minutes after Mr Jiang had ignored questions from non-Chinese journalists, he changed tack, seemingly aware of the consternation he had caused. He turned to Mr Bush and said in English: “You are much better at this.” In his 13 years as a member of the politburo, Mr Jiang has given only a handful of press conferences, usually on foreign soil. He said: “Now I will answer the questions of the American reporters,” and launched into an unprompted admission that he had read the Bible as well as other religious texts. Rather implausibly, he also claimed to have no influence over who is imprisoned in China and why. Shortly before Mr Jiang finally addressed the question of religious freedom, the television lights in the Great Hall of the People dimmed. Kremlinologists wondered whether the live transmission on Chinese state television had been cut, allowing Mr Jiang to answer the question without losing face in front of a domestic audience. Last night, staff at China Central Television insisted the transmission had not been cut. Asked when they would next have the chance to show a Jiang press conference live, they refused to answer. Just like their President. *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for nonprofit research and educational purposes only.[Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ] Want to be on our lists? Write at [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a menu of our lists! Write to same address to be off lists! <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substancenot soap-boxingplease! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright fraudsis used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
