More info at EarthTimes and Monsters and Critics.

jdmartinsen, September 11, 2009, 9:22a.m.

Here's the whole text (I guess I'd better write ex post facto and ask their permission).

Beijing has hindered the participation of several political dissidents in a symposium ahead of the Frankfurt Book Fair. Organizers opted to turn away some intellectuals rather than risk China pulling out of the event.

The symposium planned in Frankfurt this weekend, entitled "China and the world - perception and reality," was initially intended to clear up misconceptions about the guest country - China - ahead of the 2009 Frankfurt Book Fair, which begins in mid-October.

However, Beijing's refusal to let several prominent dissident authors participate in the event has put a damper on hopes that China was interested in an open exchange of thought.

Among those uninvited to the symposium were writer Bei Ling, who lives in exile in the United States, philosophy professor Xu Youyo and Dai Qing, considered to be one of China's leading investigative journalists and environmental activist.

Beijing threatened the organizers of the symposium that it would withdraw its participation in the two-day event, should the dissidents attend.

"When you hold an international symposium in Frankfurt, it should be about giving Chinese authors a voice when the central theme is Chinese literature," said Dai. "The authorities must give some clear arguments as to why I shouldn't be allowed to express my thoughts."

On Thursday, Dai said she had just been granted a visa to Germany.

"If the organizers believe I'm not suitable for an invitation as a speaker, I will actively take part in the discussions and raise questions," she told reporters.

Eric Abrahamsen, September 11, 2009, 10:55a.m.

Book Fair bends to Chinese will

The director of the Frankfurt Book Fair, Juergen Boos, defended the move to revoke invitations the dissident authors as a compromise.

"We want to talk with our Chinese partners and that's why we have to make compromises," he said.

For Peter Ripken, the organizer of the symposium, it's important that official Chinese representatives participate in this weekend's event.

"We wanted to organize an event where both sides are heard," he said. "We could have had a dialogue with just academics - Sinologists from Europe, without the Chinese side. But now we have a variety of participants, also of an official nature."

Dai said the book fair's organizers had given in to pressure from China in making their decision.

"It has become very clear that the Frankfurt Book Fair has given in to the Chinese government this time," she said, according to the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

Bei Ling, who lives in Boston, said Ripken had told him in a telephone conversation of Beijing's threat to withdraw from the symposium if he attended.

"I feel it is a shame if the Frankfurt Book Fair cannot say 'no' or they cannot control this," Bei told the dpa news agency. "They decided this year for China to be the guest country, so they have to face all these complicated situations. But some rules they cannot turn back, like freedom of expression."

Bei was arrested in China in 2000 for "illegal publications" but was released shortly afterward following US intervention. He had been planning to speak about censorship and self-censorship at the symposium.

China's harmonious society

"China wants to look good," Bonn-based Sinologist Thomas Zimmer told Deutsche Welle. "It doesn't want to present itself as a culture where there are problems and conflicts. For years, there's been talk of a 'harmonious society' in China. It's an ideal that people strive for, but of course it just covers up a lot of problems that are in the background."

Herbert Wiesner, the secretary general of the German branch of PEN, an organization that works to defend freedom of expression, on the other hand, asserted Thursday in light of the reversed symposium invitations that China is not interested in the impression it makes on other countries.

"They have no regard for foreign affairs," Wiesner told German broadcaster RBB.

Ripken said Dai would be attending the book fair itself and would likely participate in the joint panels organized by the German PEN Center and the Independent Chinese PEN Center.

The international PEN organization was founded in 1921 to encourage intellectual cooperation among writers. The chairman of the Chinese PEN organization, Liu Xiaobo, has been in prison since December 2008. He had helped initiate the Charter 08, a manifest demanding political reform and the democratization of China.

Dai Qing was among the signatories of the charter.

Author: Matthias von Hein (kjb/dpa) Editor: Sean Sinico

Eric Abrahamsen, September 11, 2009, 10:55a.m.

"Let the world know China (让世界了解中国)" is one of the main slogans attached to this and other "going out" cultural activities. The irony is self-evident. At least, it ought to be.

Eric Abrahamsen, September 11, 2009, 11:05a.m.

I have to say that I enjoyed this image (re: Frankfurt Book Fair Director Boos) as I read it on the Literary Saloon!

"Juergen, Juergen, Juergen. If that was the compromise ...... From my vantage point it sure as hell looks like Mr. Boos' testicles were part of the 'compromise', too."

Bruce, September 11, 2009, 1:31p.m.

But didn't they see this coming? Obviously they didn't know China...

Anna GC, September 11, 2009, 7:49p.m.

Here's a detailed item from Germany on the brouhaha surrounding who's coming to the event and what may happen if they do:

signandsight.com/intodaysfeuilletons/1915.html

Bruce Humes
Chinese Books, English Reviews

Bruce, September 12, 2009, 1:38a.m.

Here is an excerpt (courtesy of Signandsight.com) from the speech Bei Ling was due to deliver at the symposium in Frankfurt:

"In China every writer knows exactly what he can write and what not. Self-censorship is imperative for survival and for a writer's success, particularly for novelists. Because membership in the state writers' associations is linked to market influence, payment and potential fame after publication, self-censorship and state censorship enter into a complex co-existence. This relationship makes Chinese writers, journalists and publishers into conscious or unconscious accomplices in the state control of the news and press."

If you'd like to read more of the text -- in German -- click here: Bei Ling speech.

Bruce, September 12, 2009, 2:02a.m.

Because membership in the state writers' associations is linked to market influence, payment and potential fame after publication, self-censorship and state censorship enter into a complex co-existence.... (Bei Ling, above)

Granted, self-censorship plays a very negative role in fiction writing in China today.

But as for Bei Ling's assertion that being a member of a writer's association is key to commercial success, I think that's quite out of date. Up until the late 1990s, absolutely. But today?

Sounds like something an "emigre" writer like Ma Jian, who has a clear (not to mention dogmatic) political agenda, would say.

My understanding is that most China writers, regardless of membership in the writer's association, practice self-censorship simply so that they get their works published.

Bruce, September 12, 2009, 4:20a.m.

Five years ago in "Le Salon du Livre" in Paris with China as guest of honour,same story; the chinese authorities did not accept the invitation of Gao Xingjian (who is a french citizen !) and that was it! I regret that the Germans, who generaly are better inspired in their dealings with chinese authorities, are acting in such a ridiculous way.

bertrand mialaret, September 12, 2009, 7:14a.m.

I find it odd that they didn't see this coming and had a plan for it. I mean, either you realize that this is the way the Chinese authorities will react and abstain from inviting any dissidents, or you invite them but figure out in advance what you'll do when this happens. But this...

Anna GC, September 12, 2009, 6:59p.m.

Here are two more links related to the banning of Chinese authors at the Frankfurt Book Fair under pressure from the Chinese government:

Sept 11, 2009 Guardian article

Sept 13, 2009 post on the Literary Saloon: Pre-Frankfurt Book Fair symposium mess gets messier

Cindy M. Carter, September 13, 2009, 7:36a.m.