Dear Kristoffer,
I was forwarded your mail to CPN regarding your recent articles about
China in Aftenposten.
Although I am not a CPN member, I would like to respond to your mail.
First for all, don't you find it interesting that so many Chinese in
Norway suspect that Aftenposten and/or you have a political agenda
behind your articles? Seriously, is this really that hard to
understand when 80-90 percent of the articles about China in
Aftenposten since March were negative?
As a journalist, you will naturally report news stories that you find
relevant and interesting. The interesting thing is: Why those stories
you found relevant and interesting were mainly negative. There is a
Chinese saying: 'To pick bones out of egg'. I feel you were exactly
doing that in the past few weeks.
You are right, it's not fair to compare living standard of those boys
with students in Oslo. One must not forget that China is still a
developing country. I suggest that you visit university dormitories in
China and compare living standard there with those boys'. You won't
find much difference. Hopefully you will also understand why Chinese
don't 'take the side of the 2500 students'. Do Chinese university
students complain? yes they do. Jut as I complain about all those
beggars, prostitutes and garbage on the street of Oslo. The thing is
that you made a big fuss out of something most Chinese wouldn't think
of as a big deal, especially at the time when focus shall be given
to the athletes.
Even when you wrote about blue sky in Beijing, an article that
supposed to be 'positive', you just have to indicate that the
government has created a 'fake' picture of Beijing. I just want to
ask, if you invite friends home for dinner, wouldn't you clean up your
mess at home before your guests show up? Or by doing so, you were just
faking something to 'lie' to your friends?
There are so many negative news about China since March this year
(Yes, there are positive/good news and negative/bad news, let's just
be honest about that.), I don't even know where to start if I want to
comment on one or two single articles. But let me just say this: If a
native Norwegian who doesn't know much about China tried to understand
China through your paper in the past few months, then I am quite
certain there is no way he would have gained the right picture of the
country.
The Chinese government is far from perfect. But I just find it
unbelievable that an independent, free and serious newspaper in Norway
wouldn't be able to notice, and has the ability to write about the
tremendous improvements the Chinese government has had in the past few
decades. Your view of the Chinese government is not balanced if you
only pick on negative things all the time. It is really naive of your
paper to still try to describe the Chinese government as a cold
dictator. Wake up! The cold war is over long time ago.
There is nothing wrong to criticize Chinese government or people. But
the goal of a serious newspaper shall be to present a balanced view of
world events. I regret that Aftenposten's journalists have failed to
do so.
You said you had been an admirer of China and the Chinese people even
since you first visited China in 96. Well, I find it difficult to see
your admiration by reading your recent articles. If you really are,
then act like one.
By the way, I also want to comment on the picture on the front page of
Aftenposten on the opening day of the Beijing Olympics. Isn't that
typical? It really shows how enthusiastic your paper is about the
Beijing Olympics. If you still can't see political in this, then I
have no words.
As I mentioned in my earlier mail to you last week, I have stopped my
subscription of the newspaper.
Sincerely,
Tommy
Former Aftenposten reader