As soon as Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo was announced as this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, China’s government began a high-decibel campaign to discredit the prize and the recipient of the prestigious award. Liu was honored for his calls for an end to communist rule and for improved human rights in China.
China’s leaders say Liu is a common criminal. He currently is serving an 11-year prison term for publicly criticizing China’s one- party government — a violation of the nation’s criminal code. The Nobel committee’s decision to honor Liu embarrassed the Chinese government. Its heavy-handed attempt to ridicule the Peace Prize, and Liu, failed. It brought heightened attention to Liu’s campaign to reform China’s legal and political systems.
The effort to discredit Liu did succeed only in part. The government did make it impossible for the laureate to receive the prize. He remains in prison, despite calls for his release. His wife and other family members are either under house arrest or not allowed to leave China. Thus, it was impossible for Liu to meet the Nobel committee’s long-standing requirement that the winner or a relative be present at the award ceremony on Friday. That didn’t matter. The Nobel Peace Prize diploma and medal were placed in an empty chair. The need to do so validates Liu’s view that China should have a democratic constitution and institutions.
Norwegian Nobel Committee Chairman Thorbjorn Jagland demanded as much in his speech. “He [Liu] has done nothing wrong. He must be released.” He noted China’s refusal to allow Liu or a relative to attend the ceremonies. “This fact alone,” Jagland said, ” shows that the award was necessary and appropriate.” How true.
China’s attempt to convince other nations to boycott the award ceremony and its apparent blackout of both CNN and BBC TV broadcasts during the hour when the Peace Prize was presented help tell a tale far different than the one China’s government would have the world believe.
China, despite its arguments to the contrary, is not a progressive country. It remains, at heart, a repressive nation where people and institutions are not free. That’s been Liu’s contention all along. His government’s effort to denigrate him and the prize he deserves underscore the truth to his message.