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Comment by ElBarto | Hacker News Reader

China-bashing is getting really tiring.

There are as many companies working on these technologies in the West as in China.

You're right, the West is also working on the technologies discussed in the article, like Internet monitoring and facial/gait recognition, and people are concerned about that too. But the West doesn't have a President for life, forced reeducation of Muslims, social credit, a Great Firewall, etc.

Technology's potential to empower tyrants is even more frightening in a society already on the verge of tyranny.

This is China-bashing on the same level as during the 1950s, except that the racist aspect cannot be explicit anymore, and you're just repeating the official line that you've heard in the media.

Are you claiming that the "official line" is false? China doesn't censor the Internet, Xi Jinping isn't President for life, China isn't developing social credit or internment camps?

Because if you're not saying that, if you don't have evidence that the "official line" is false, then I am concerned for the future well-being of the Chinese people. I'm not "bashing" them. I'm only "bashing" the Chinese government.

I believe that the Chinese people are perfectly able to take care of themselves and do not need others to pretend to care.

Were murdered dissidents "perfectly able to take care of themselves"? I believe they could have used some help.

I'm not sure how to effectively help them short of starting WW III, but speaking against China's policies and refusing to help the Chinese government is a start.

Call that "China bashing" if you will but in America "bashing" government is an honored tradition.

I'm Swedish, and one of my country men with dual citizenship is imprisoned in China without a trial after being taken from Thailand. His daughter is still in Sweden fighting to get him out through the Foreign Office. The argument that we should just leave the Chinese to themselves goes right out of the window once Swedes too run the risk of being abducted while on vacation and then being imprisoned without a trial.

The things leereeves mentions are objectively, verifiably happening. You're just repeating an official line that you've heard in offically-sponsored media. Look around. There is evidence if you look.

You're missing the point that even it these things are happening there is no need to repeat it again and again every time China is mentioned, and to comment on anything Chinese through that prism. That is what discloses the real motive: China-bashing.

Most political news and discussion on the Internet is bashing government. China isn't being singled out.

How much praise of the US government do you see in the news? How much criticism?

This article wasn't about some new film in China and jerks started interjecting with off topic issues. This article is literally about an Internet conference and the police state tech demos there.

Like most countries, there's much more to love about China than their government. It's a beautiful, amazing place and people. But, like most countries, their government is often a piece of shit.

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