• umbrella@lemmy.ml
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    9 months ago

    doesnt make much sense, china doesnt prohibit emigration.

    i wouldnt be surprised if this turns out to be sensationalized or exaggerated, the guardian always seem to spew anti-china bullshit for some reason.

    • Vodulas [they/them]@beehaw.org
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      9 months ago

      I am not a fan of the Guardian, but according to the subject of the article (they call him Li), he is a dissident and was under active investigation. I don’t think they would have just let him leave

      • umbrella@lemmy.ml
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        9 months ago

        thats fair, but from an outside perspective (from either country) it looks exactly like how the US treats its dissidents. i doubt someone like julian assange would get better treatment.

        also, i dont know how they defined “dissident” in this case but its vague enough that i wont judge too hastily.

        • raccoona_nongrata@beehaw.org
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          9 months ago

          While I personally don’t think Julian Assange did anything ethically or morally wrong, and the US government’s dogged pursuit of him was unjust, he did leak military intel which is much more serious and legally significant than what people often get jailed and harassed for in China. Like, I would not expect to leak info about the military in any country and just walk away as if nothing happened.

          People have literally been jailed for making Tweets in China, people have been punished as retaliation against someone in their family being a dissident, we really shouldn’t be comparing the two countries as if they’re the same, regardless of the numerous major issues the US has. And even if they were the same, it doesn’t make anything China does even slightly more justifiable.

          • umbrella@lemmy.ml
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            9 months ago

            people have been jailed for making tweets in the uk.

            and probably the us too, im just too lazy to look it up.

            communists are considered dissidents in the us, ask one of them how would they be treated if they got singled out.

            you dont even have to get that far, look at how all the recent big protests went…

            also assange exposed american war crimes, thats what this is truly about.

          • umbrella@lemmy.ml
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            9 months ago

            why is the us torturing him then?

            do you think they would let him up and cross the border?

        • Vodulas [they/them]@beehaw.org
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          9 months ago

          Just because one state is also shitty to dissenters does not mean another state isn’t. They don’t cancel each other out.

          Dissident is pretty vague, probably on purpose. As much as I dislike the US government, I can say the government here is shit and not get hauled to jail for the most part. The same is not necessarily true in China

          • umbrella@lemmy.ml
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            9 months ago

            is it?

            how is the us treating communists, smaller trade unionists, palestine supporters, blm people and such over there? those people have sharp criticism and are the true dissenters to varying degrees.

            ask one of those what could happen to them if they get singled out as a leader or something. i judge by actions not words.

            e: immigrants too

            • Vodulas [they/them]@beehaw.org
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              9 months ago

              I think you 100% missed the point. No matter how the US treats people, China can also treat people terribly. They are not mutually exclusive.

              • umbrella@lemmy.ml
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                9 months ago

                You were saying the US is better, all I said is that it isn’t.

                One of them never sponsored a coup in my and most of my neighbouring countries.

                • Vodulas [they/them]@beehaw.org
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                  9 months ago

                  I did imply the US is better, and I probably should not have. And even in that I did not mean the government doesn’t do horrific things. Probably should not have made the comparison TBH. That doesn’t mean China doesn’t also do horrific shit, even if the way they do it is different

    • tardigrada@beehaw.orgOP
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      9 months ago

      @umbrella

      There is ample evidence that China is suppressing its own people, including prohibiting emigration. One good source among many is the Safeguard Defenders, an NGO focusing on China.

      You’ll find many good sources, including here on Lemmy. The situation has even been getting worse in recent years.

      • Bartsbigbugbag@lemmy.ml
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        9 months ago

        Geez that’s one of the most openly state-backed NGOs I’ve seen in a long time. They don’t even hide their direct US backing.

        • tardigrada@beehaw.orgOP
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          9 months ago

          @Bartsbigbugbag What’s a good source on that issue in your opinion? I know a lot more, but would like to learn new ones if possible. Would be great if you posted a link.

    • Drusas@kbin.social
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      9 months ago

      China is pretty egregious about taking away passports/not letting its own nationals leave its borders. Sometimes because they are political dissidents, sometimes because they are being retaliated against in some way, etc.