Abstract

The glass is either half-empty or half-full depending on one’s evaluation of the present situation. International websites, chat rooms, discussion groups and newspapers published outside China provide a colossal amount of (often anecdotal) evidence that there is reason to be pessimistic: almost daily we learn of Chinese journalists being sacked, imprisoned or beaten up; of newspapers forced to close because they have been too critical or have challenged an ideological position; of the Great Firewall that blocks access to the World Wide Web for information-starved Chinese.3 Southern Weekend in 2001 was criticised for publishing reports that were detrimental to good governance and so its editor-inchief was removed. In March 2003, the 21st Century World Herald was closed, and in March 2004, staff at the Southern Metropolitan Post were subjected to official investigation. The list continues ad nauseum.