CHINESE BLOGGERS FEEL INCREASING GOVERNMENT PRESSURE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 GUANGZHOU 000644

SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM, INR/EAP, and EEB/CIP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2034
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SCUL KWWW SOCI EINT KEMS CH
SUBJECT: CHINESE BLOGGERS FEEL INCREASING GOVERNMENT PRESSURE
BUT REMAIN HOPEFUL

Ref: a) 08 BEIJING 4522

GUANGZHOU 00000644 001.2 OF 003


Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Goldbeck. Reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The Chinese government has been tightening its
grip on the Internet, and the trend won't be reversed any time
soon, according to prominent bloggers attending the 5th Annual
Blogger Conference (Septel). Bloggers viewed the role of the
Internet in Chinese society alternatively as a virtual public
square and a training ground for the government and people.
Netizen conference goers also rallied around the fall of the
Berlin Wall 20 years ago, comparing it to China's Great
Firewall and their hope for its ultimate destruction. End
Summary.

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Feeling the Heat
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2. (C) "The Internet situation in China is worsening," said
Zhang Shihe (aka Lao Hu Miao, strictly protect),who was part
of a panel of some of China's most well-known bloggers
speaking at the 5th Annual Blogger Conference on the current
state of the Internet. He said that the Internet space had
become "smaller" in the last two years, and he fears that the
trend will be permanent. Prolific blogger Yang Hengjun
(strictly protect),another panelist, expressed similar
sentiments, adding that blogging is an increasingly dangerous
activity in China.


3. (C) In a separate meeting, Yang told ConGenOff that the
Chinese government's control of the Internet had become much
tighter in the last two years, particularly since the lead up
to this year's National Day on October 1. Chinese Internet
users account for almost 25% of the population, and should
thus be considered a form of mass media, said Yang.
Therefore, he argued, the Chinese government is beginning to
feel an urgency to strengthen its control. Yang believes that
the recent tightening is not a temporary policy, but will be
long-term because the Chinese government has continued to take
measures to further censor Internet content. According to
Yang, his writings no longer appear on the first page of chat
rooms and other websites as they have in the past.
Consequently, his writings have gone from receiving 1 million
hits a day to around 35,000 hits, he explained. Other
attendees noted that their hope for post-October 1 National
Holiday loosening of online censorship had not materialized.


4. (C) Conference organizers Wen Yunchao (aka Bei Feng,
strictly protect) and Mao Xianghui (aka Isaac Mao, strictly
protect) pointed to China's current political situation as the
reason for the Chinese government's Internet clamp down.
Specifically, Wen said the Chinese government feels that it
does not have a good handle on society. Mao added that the
government recognizes and fears the strength of the social
force that can be generated through the Internet. David Feng
(strictly protect),a longtime conference participant, also
pointed to the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and significant
anniversaries in 2009 as reasons for the government's harsher
line. He expects little to change in the next two years given
the November Asian Games in Guangzhou and the May to October
World Expo in Shanghai in 2010.

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Hot on the Trail of the Censors
--------------


5. (C) The more outspoken bloggers attending the conference
said their sites were closely observed by the Chinese
government censors, and they had a good sense of which
comments posted to their blogs were authored by the so-called
"fifty-cent club." (Note: The "fifty-cent club" refers to
people hired to write pro-government comments on the Internet.
They are reportedly paid fifty "Chinese cents" (i.e., one-half
of one renminbi) per post. (ref a) End note.) According to Mao
in a separate conversation with ConGenOff, many bloggers
believe that one group of censors is headquartered in
Beijing's Chaoyang District where approximately 60 people work

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around the clock to monitor, block, or delete certain Internet
content. Mao believes that the head of this operation is the
president of Beijing University of Posts and
Telecommunications. Mao said that netizens often received
tips from the censors themselves on how to avoid Internet
censorship. (Comment: Mao's description likely only accounts
for a small portion of the mechanisms charged with censoring
the Chinese Internet. We have not been able to independently
confirm Mao's claim about the censorship unit in Chaoyang, nor
the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications
president's involvement. End Comment.)

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Internet Connects and Enlightens People
--------------


6. (C) The Internet is the virtual "square" where citizens can
gather and collectively voice their opinions, said Yang
Hengjun during a meeting with ConGenOff. It is a tool for
freedom of speech, and many citizens can utilize this tool
without having to step foot outside their house. Yang
explained that the Internet enlightens not only Chinese
citizens, but also the Chinese government. Through the
Internet, Chinese citizens can learn about what is really
happening in China and internationally. Likewise, the Chinese
government reads what is posted in cyberspace and reacts to
it. This is a good thing, said Yang, because it is important
for the government to know what is of concern to the public.
Evaluating the power of the Internet, Yang said that it had
changed China dramatically in terms of law and political
management. He explained that a few high-ranking officials
had met with prominent bloggers to discuss current events and
economic development and had drawn on policy and legislation
ideas found in Internet writings. However, Yang also said
that the Chinese government's control of the Internet allows
the state to use it as a propaganda tool. Assessing the
Chinese government's online public relations efforts, Yang
said that it's doing a good job projecting a positive image.
(Comment: Over the last four years, the Chinese government
appears to have increased and improved its online presence
through concerted efforts to centralize and professionalize
online information about governmental developments and
national events. End comment.)


7. (C) For Mao Xianghui, the Internet's main role is to
connect people. He points to the blogger conference as an
example of the Internet bringing people with common interests
together and enabling them to work towards for a common goal.
People in China are beginning to realize the Internet's power,
and the Internet will inevitably have an effect on government
officials at all levels, said Mao.


8. (C) In a speech at the conference, Ran Yunfei (strictly
protect),a blogger known for his outspoken and sarcastic
style, held a more cautious view of the Internet's influence.
The Internet will not immediately change Chinese society,
warned Ran, but he too believes that in time, the Internet can
help the Chinese government "learn to compromise" with the
citizens. Ran said that as competent as Premier Wen Jiabao
appears, he does not understand that public criticism is a
citizen's right. Ran explained that Chinese citizens need to
"train" the government, not through violence, but through law.
The Chinese government is not accustomed to criticism, he
argued, so it needs to be trained to accept criticism. Ran
reasoned that if criticism is rationally delivered to the
government by the public, the government will slowly become
accustomed to it. At the same time, Chinese citizens must
also train themselves to follow the law to make this process
effective. Ran called the Internet a public training ground
for both Chinese citizens and the Chinese government.

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Berlin Wall and Great Firewall
--------------


9. (C) Bloggers at this year's conference rallied around the
fall of the Berlin Wall, repeatedly comparing the event and
its symbolic significance to their efforts to tear down the
Great Firewall. During a panel discussion, Zhang Ping (aka

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Chang Ping, strictly protect),a celebrated blogger and former
journalist, commemorated the 20th anniversary of the fall of
the Berlin Wall, calling it the greatest achievement of the
last century. He then predicted that the fall of the Great
Firewall would be the greatest achievement of this century.
Likewise, Teng Biao (strictly protect),a Beijing human rights
lawyer and co-founder of Open Constitution Initiative (aka
Gongmeng),which was shut down by authorities in July,
compared the two "walls" and quickly won enthusiastic applause
with his call to "tear down the Great Firewall." Others with
whom ConGenOff spoke made similar statements. Zhang Le
(strictly protect),a second-time conference participant,
talked emotionally about the Berlin Wall as a motivator and a
model for China's online community. He said that if the East
Germans were able to risk their lives to tear down the Berlin
Wall, then what does that say for Chinese citizens and their
drive for freedom. David Feng, another attendee, said it was
only a matter of time before "the fall of the wall" became a
reality.

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Chinese Bloggers Remain Hopeful for the Future
-------------- -


10. (C) In the final sessions of the blogger conference, Yang
Hengjun had this assessment: "Writing blogs in China is
dangerous, but at the same time, a beautiful thing." He
concluded that if the Chinese government did not change the
Internet, the Internet would change the regime. Conference
organizer Mao Xianghui said that despite the Chinese
government?s tightened grip on the Internet, the government
was also learning from the Internet. He believes that the
Internet can and will change the government mindset over time,
and that netizens will "win in the end." Wen Yunchao
speculated that the Chinese government might pull a 180 and
cooperate with bloggers once it realizes that it cannot
completely control the Internet. He said that the government
might very well start viewing the blogging community as a
resource and not fight it. Though some disagreed with his
prediction, Wen said that it was not entirely impossible.
David Feng, believing that the government would loosen its
hold on the Internet in two or three years, said he was
placing his hopes on Vice President Xi Jinping, whom he
described as more forward thinking and practical than current
President Hu Jintao.


11. (U) This cable was coordinated with Embassy Beijing.


GOLDBECK