Tag Archives: Xi Jinping

Fṛm Đ Obzrvr: The London art student whose Chinese political slogan mural caused a storm

Wang Hanzheng said the mural was a ‘silent reminder of the oppression of thought’ in China. Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian
Wañ Hanźeñ sd ɖ ḿṛl wz a ‘sîḷnt rmîndr v ɖ opreśn v ʈt’ in Ćîna. Foṭgraf: Devid Lvīn/Ɖ Gardịn

Ɖ Lundn artstydnt huz Ćînīz p’liticl-slogn ḿṛl cōzd a storm

Transcription of an Observer article of 30 August 2023

Royl Colij v Art stydnt Wañ Hanźeñ ʈt a Bric Len wōl wz betr ɖn a gaḷri

Geneva Abdul
Jnīva Abdŭl

Wnzde, 30 Ōġst 2023

Ẃn Wañ Hanźeñ, a Ćînīz stydnt at ɖ Royl Colij v Art, atndd a grajụtśo in a wérhǎs on Bric Len in īst Lundn in Jlî, h faund ɖ spes crǎdd, unimajiṇtiv n unfit fr prizntñ art.

It wz wɖ ɖs in mînd ɖt at 11pm wn nît rlịr ɖs munʈ Wañ n a tīm v 22 uɖrz pentd a Ćînīz p’liticl slogn in bold red caṛctrz alñ a nirbî wōl strećñ nirli 100 mītrz.

Ɖ artwrc – ẃć spelt ǎt ɖ Ćînīz guvnmnt’s “soṣ́list corvalyz”, includñ ɖ wrdz pṛspeṛti, dmocṛsi n frīdm – wz dzînd t b a “sîḷnt rmîndr v ɖ opreśn v ʈt, presfrīdm n fri spīć ɖt z stl rampnt in Ćîna in 2023”, ɖ artists sd.

It pṛvoct uɖrz t gṛfīti ovr it wɖ refṛnsz t ɖ Tiaṇnmn Sqer maṣcr in 1989, n ɖ frezz “Fri Tîwan”, “Fri T’bét” n “Fri Uigrz”. Bt in a muv dscrîbd bî sm az îronicli ttaḷterịn, Tǎr Hamlits caunsl swiftli pentd ovr ɖ wōl’z mes v slognz n iśùd Wañ a £50 fîn.

“Cntmprri art z ol abt dǎtñ evrʈñ n hvñ a rbełs spirit,” sd ɖ 27-yir-old, hu olso gz bî ɖ nem Yi Ćua. In ɖt sns ɖ wrc – cnsrnd wɖ dmocṛsi, fri spīć n ɖ poḷrîzd îdioḷjiz v Ćînīz n YC culćrz – wz īvn mor s’xesfl fr him ɖn xpctd.

Activist Lydia L sprays an anti-Beijing slogan on the wall. Photograph: snapshot/Future Image/M James/Shutterstock
Acṭvist Lidia L sprez an antīBêźñ slogn on ɖ wōl. Foṭgraf: snapśot/Fyćr Imij/M Jemz/Śuṭstoc

Ɖ gṛfīti rspondñ t ɖ wrc startd apirñ wɖn aurz, smʈñ ɖt Wañ sd h welcmd. Bt it wz ɖ baclaś onlîn ɖt alarmd him. H hd a toṛnt v deʈ̓rets on sośl mīdia n hiz faṃli rsivd ʈreṭnñ cōlz at ɖer hom in Ćîna’z īstn Źeijañ provins.

“Ppl mcñ deʈ̓rets n xpresñ objx́nz ʈru vayḷnt mīnz, ɖt’s xacli śowñ ɖr’z a lūphoul in ɖ sistm v dmocṛsi alawñ ttaḷterịn forsz t xplôt ɖs lūphoul,” h sd, spīcñ in Manḍrin. “Y canot solv ɖ probḷm v ttaḷtẹrịnizm ʈru ttaḷterịn mīnz.”Ɖ wrc hz cm at a momnt ẃn YC-Ćîna rleśnz r ptiklrli strend. Last munʈ, Hoñ Coñ oʈoṛtiz ofrd a bǎnti fr ɖ arest v et oṿsìz acṭvists – ʈri v hūm r livñ in Britn – amd incrisñ cnsrnz v trnznaśnl opreśn. Ɖ foṛn secṛtri, Jemz Cleṿli, z traṿlñ t Bêźñ on Wnzde fr mītñz, in a bid t rny p’liticl daylog btwn ɖ tū neśnz.

“Art z riyli abt hǎ t rflect ẃt’s in ɖ public n gv ɖ public a spes t dscus n rflect on ɖer ǒn,” sd Wañ, hu intrpṛts ɖ slogn az poẓtiv n az reprizntñ ẃt śd b yṇvrsl valyz, nt jst ɖoz ɖ Ćînīz Coḿnist parti clemz t hold.

Az an artist, Wañ sz h z inṭrestd in xplorñ ɖ crosnaśnl pspctiv on hǎ ɖ YC n Ćîna difr îdịlojicli, n ẃr ɖe c’lîd.

In a prīvịs wrc, h plest fîv matṛsz in Pic̣dili Src̣s, oḟrñ t pe wilñ ptisipnts a minimm wej t lî dǎn in ɖ hart v sntṛl Lundn – smʈñ h b’livz wd’nt b axptd in Ćîna. Bfr muvñ t Lundn a yir ago, h peid duznz v Ćînīz farmrz t b rcordd jumpñ lîc frogz in a fīld.

Fr Wañ, ɖ setñ v hiz lêtist artwrc in Bric Len z simbolic v ɖ YC’z “fri” n “ceotic” culćr ɖt standz in starc contrast t Ćînīz ssayti, ẃr sć gṛfīti dz nt xist.

Ɖ caunsl’z dsiźn t pent ovr ɖ slogn, n ɖ gṛfīti ɖt foloud, riḍklz ɖ “wstn cnspśn” v fri spīć n dmocṛsi, h sd. “It’s olso part v ɖ frīdm v spīć in ɖ YC’z valyz. Mcñ ɖs dsiźn t pent it ovr z riyli śowñ ɖ hipocṛsi v ɖ wst.”

Tower Hamlets council painted over the artwork but the slogans continued. Photograph: Carl Court/Getty Images
Tǎr Hamlits caunsl pentd ovr ɖ artwrc bt ɖ slognz cntinyd. Foṭgraf: Carl Cort/Geti Iṃjz

In ɖ wīcs sins, Wañ sz h hz traid t prṣvir ʈru ɖ criṭsizm n h hz bn most hartnd bî an anoniṃs letr snt t ɖ art colij in hiz dfns.

Ẃn asct f ɖ wrc hd bn misintrpṛtd, Wañ sd mni ppl d’nt rflect proprli on art n ɖt tù mć v ɖ foc̣s hd bn on him rɖr ɖn ɖ wrc itslf.“Ɖ oʈr z olrdi ded aftr ɖ wrc z publiśt,” sd Wañ, a refṛns t ɖ Frenć raitr Roland Barthes.

“I c’nt cntrol it, I’m jst ɖr fr ɖ wrc t hapn.”

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Obzrvr: China wants to erase Tibet. Will Britain stay quiet about this crime?

China is accused of the ‘forced assimilation’ of 1 million Tibetan children. Photograph: Héctor Retamal/AFP/Getty Images
Ćîna z akzd v ɖ ‘forst asiṃleśn’ v 1 miłn T’bétn ćildṛn. Foṭgraf: Héctor Retamal/AFP/Geti Iṃjz

Ćîna wonts t irez T’bét. Wl Britn ste qayt abt ɖs crîm?

Transcription of an Observer article of 27 August 2023

Ɖ YS hz tecn a public stand ovr Ćîna’z crîmz agnst hymaṇti. In Bêźñ ɖs wīc, ɖ YC foṛn secṛtri śd d ɖ sem n śem hiz hosts

Simon Tisdall
Sîmn Tizdl

Súnde, 27 Ōġst 2023

Last wīc’s YS sañśnñ v Ćînīz ofiślz involvd in Bêźñ’z ongwñ criminl eḟts t irez T’bét az a sepṛt p’liticl, eʈnic, culćṛl, linḡstic n rlijs entti śoud America at its bst.

Fy uɖr guvnmnts gv a hūt. Most crevnli lc ɖ uɖr we.

Sáitñ a rīsnt YN rport on ɖ “forst asiṃleśn” v wn miłn T’bétn ćildṛn ordrd intu Manḍrin-lanḡj stet bōrdñscūlz far fṛm ɖer homz n faṃliz, Anṭni Blincn, ɖ YS secṛtri v stet, dmandd Ćîna stop trayñ t iradcet T’bét’s dstñt îdntti.

“W rj PRĆ [Ppl’z Rpublic v Ćîna] oʈoṛtiz t end ɖ coŕśn v T’bétn ćildṛn intu guvnmnt-run bōrdñscūlz n t sīs rpresiv asiṃleśnpoḷsiz in T’bét n uɖr parts v ɖ PRĆ,” Blincn sd – apaṛntli rfŕñ t Śinjañ, Inr Mongoła n Hoñ Coñ, ẃr ɖ rît t slf-dtrṃneśn z olso dnaid.

Ɖ fact America’z sīńr dipḷmat wz redi t tec a public, prínsipld stand wl infyriet n puzl Bêźñ, ẃć hz okpaid T’bét sins 1950. Prezidnt Ći Jinpñ n hiz caḷs Coḿnist cādraz d’nt d prínsiplz. Fr ɖm, altruizm in foṛn poḷsi z an ełn consept.

Ɖ Bîdn admiṇstreśn z trayñ t pać p roci rleśnz wɖ Ćîna. So it’s ol ɖ mor impresiv ɖt it fīlz stroñli inuf abt Bêźñ’z sstemic abysz v deṃcratic n hymn rîts t spīc ǎt, rgardlis v poṣbl neġtiv rīṗcuśnz.

It’s dubli rfreśñ aftr a wīc ẃn a hrd v midl-rancñ, eʈicli ćalinjd, mostli undeṃcratic guvnmnts kǎ-taud t Ći at ɖ Brics sumit in Sǎʈ Africa. Ɖe sīm t ʈnc Ćîna wl bild a fẹrr, justr wrld. R ɖz līdrz nîīv, c’rupt, or mirli stypid?

Jemz Clevrli, foṛn ministr v anɖr miḍlñ pǎr, sz h, tù, wl rêz hymn-rîts cnsrnz ẃn h vizits Bêźñ ɖs wīc. Britiś ministrz olwz se ɖt. Ɖen nʈñ ćenjz. Ẃ z h gwñ t Ćîna at ol? Apaṛntli it’s t mnten daylog (az f wn jenyinli xistd). H clemz ɖ YC hz “ejnsi”, cn xrt inflụns.

Ɖs z dluźnl. Ɖ Ćînīz parti bhīmoʈ, spayñ, bŭliyñ n hacñ, bìtñ p pṛtstrz in Manćestr, torćñ ɖ Hoñ Coñ jônt decḷreśn, bacñ niofasist Vladīmir Pūtin, bsijñ deṃcratic Tîwan n plotñ an oʈoṛterịn “ny wrld ordr” z simpli nt liṣnñ, ispeṣ́li nǎ Yṛp n Britn no longr spīc az wn.

Ći gvz nt a fig fr ɖ YC’z Ćîna poḷsi – nt līst bcz ɖ Cnsrṿtivz canot agri wn. Bt ɖ YS z a difṛnt matr. Phps Blincn’z demarche wl gv him pōz. T’bét z anɖr denjṛs flaśpônt amñ tù mni. N ẃt’s haṗnñ ɖr z wn hyj crîm agnst hymaṇti.

Ɖ mas abysz v T’bétn ćildṛn – it’s hard t imajin ɖ trōma ɖe mst sufr – z part v a dlibṛt scīm t oltr T’bét’s deṃgrafics, intrenć ɖ dominns v mjoṛti Han Ćînīz ppl n culćr, n s’pres T’bétn Bŭdist rlijs practis, lanḡj n mīdia.

Gyal Lo, a T’bétn edyceśnl sośioḷjist, tld ɖ Fri T’bét preśrgrūp: “Ɖ Ćînīz guvnmnt z tẹrñ faṃliz apart n forsñ ɖz vulnṛbl ćildṛn t bcm strenjrz t ɖer ǒn T’bétn culćr.”

A secnd YN inqîri ɖs yir rportd ɖt hundṛdz v ʈǎzndz v T’bétnz hv bn rmuvd fṛm ɖer homz n wrcplesz in rṛl eriaz n asînd t lo-scil “voceśnl trenñ” n lo-peid implômnt, ɖr-bî unḍmainñ îdntti n tṛdiśnl cḿṇtiz.

Campenrz pṛvîd evidns v ńmṛs xesz, includñ arbitrri dtnśn, torćr, sx́l crîmz, dis’piṛnsz n svir puniśmnt v dsnt. In a sns, T’bét z in prṃnnt locdǎn. Pasports t līv r vrć̣li un’bteṇbl. Foṛn mīdia r dnaid entri. Ćîna wonts it fgotn.

Vijilz, marćz n sit-inz stl tec ples, dspt hevi-handd paṛmilitri p’līsñ n ybiqiṭs sveḷns, n r yẓ́li pīsfl, Fri T’bét sz. “Hvr, ɖ Ćînīz oʈoṛtiz r growñ incrisñli intolṛnt … Mni [protests] r met wɖ a vayḷnt rspons”. In 2022, at līst ʈri T’bétans slf-iṃletd.

Ɖ YS Cmiśn on Inṭnaśnl Rlijs Frīdm olso wornz ɖt “ɖ Ćînīz guvnmnt’s cntrol n s’preśn v T’bétn Bdizm hz intnṣfaid, wɖ oʈoṛtiz rstrictñ T’bétans’ axes t rlijs saits, banñ rlijs gaɖ̇rñz, n dstroyñ saits n simblz.

“Muncs n nunz hv bn sbjctd t torćr in prizn, n T’bétans hv bn dtend fr rlijs activtiz oṇrñ ɖ Dalai Lāma [T’bét’s xîld spirićl līdr] or pzesñ hiz portrits,” ɖ cmiśn sd. Hymn Rîts Woć sz ɖ guvnmnt z olso cnductñ mas DNA c’lex́nz, t betr surveil ppl.

Ɖs c’laṃti cd sn tec an īvn darcr trn – ovr ɖ dspytd s’xeśn t ɖ 88-yir-old Dalai Lāma, fri T’bét’s Nobél pīsprîz-winñ fes t ɖ wrld. An uņemd mel ćîld, ɖ ʈrd most sīńr lāma n hed v ɖ feʈ in Mongoła, z rportidli in ɖ frem. Bt Bêźñ z vawñ t impoz its ǒn canddet.

Ɖt Ćîna z atmtñ t wîp c’lectiv meṃriz n cnsîn ɖ old T’bét t oblivịn z nt sirịsli dspytd (xpt bî Bêźñ’z lî-mśīnz). Ćîna argyz its ax́nz r bnîn, ɖt it hz invstd heṿli ɖr. Bt ɖt’s drivn bî its hungr fr naćṛl rzorsz. Az elsẃr, Ći’z obseśn wɖ cntrol, yṇforṃti n cnforṃti trumps ol.

Bî ignorñ Ćîna’z dêli flǎtñ v besic hymn dīsnsi n inṭnaśnl lw, guvnmnts arnd ɖ wrld r cmplisit in T’bét’s sîḷnt ireźr. Nn recgnîzz ɖ T’bétn ppl’z soṿrin rîts or ɖ T’bétn guvnmnt-in-xîl.

So hir’z a ćalinj fr Clevrli in Bêźñ. Ɖ Ćînīz, az yźl, wl tec litl or no notis v Britn’z vyz abt Ruśa, fer tred, s’kṛti n ɖ rest. So ẃ nt yz yr uɖ̇wz mīnñlis vizit t pubḷcli cndem Ćîna’z crîmz agnst hymaṇti in T’bét?

Yr hosts wd b angri. Ɖe wd srtnli b imbaṛst. Bt hu nz? Ɖe mt start trītñ T’bét, n Britn, wɖ a litl mor rspct.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Obzrvr: Putin has become a global bogeyman. Russians must exorcise this ghoul

Russian president Vladimir Putin, right, and Chinese president Xi Jinping toast during a dinner in March at the Kremlin. Photograph: Pavel Byrkin/AP
Ruśn prezidnt Vladīmir Pūtin, rît, n Ćînīz prezidnt ĆI Jinpñ tost jrñ a dinr in Marć at ɖ Cremlin. Foṭgraf: Pavel Byrkin/AP

Pūtin hz bcm a globl bǒgiman. Ruśnz mst xorsîz ɖs gūl

Transcription of an Observer article of 23 July 2023

Acrst, ostṛsîzd bt hīdlis v ɖ miẓri h cōzz, ɖs akzd wor criminl z dragñ hiz ppl intu a moṛl abis

Simon Tisdall
Sîmn Tizdl

Súnde, 23 Jlî 2023

Evrwn wonts a pìs v Ruśn prezidnt Vladīmir Pūtin. Vira Ćernŭca, dfaynt amd ɖ ruinz v hr vilij in norʈīst Ycren, crsz him ć mornñ. Ś wonts t si him spinñ in hiz cofin, tormntd, unśrivn n dámd fr ol itrṇti. Ćernŭca mt b sd t spīc fr hr neśn f nt ɖ intîr wstn wrld.

Ɖ Inṭnaśnl Criminlcort (ICC) wonts t arest Pūtin fr worcrîmz, alejñ mas ćîld abdux́nz. Ḿtiṇs Wagner mrṣnriz brīfli wontd t topl hiz reźīm – n grevli wìcnd him. Hrǒic opziśn līdr Alexe Nvalni jst wonts him t śut p. H’z bn forst t lisn t ɖ sem Pūtin spīć in jel ć de fr mor ɖn 100 dez.

Nirli 18 munʈs intu hiz inveźn v Ycren, a ctastṛfi hol̦i v hiz mcñ, ɖ mć-loɖd, riḍkld, ostṛsîzd n acrst Pūtin, hol̦i indifṛnt t ɖ miẓri h cōzz, hz bcm, in difṛnt wez, ɖ wrld’z most wontd man – n poṣbli its most denjṛs tù.

Pūtin imbodiz Ruśa’z inṭnaśnl îṣleśn n growñ spirićl degṛdeśn. Lîc a dìmn, hobgoblin or Crācn v enćnt foclor, h’z meṭmorfozd intu globl bǒgiman or buġbu – a monstṛs, nîtmẹriś figr psoṇfayñ īvl. Pūtinizm z a graf ćartñ ɖ arc v modn mraḷti. Ɖ ziro on ɖ scel z him.

A wst-sntric xaɉreśn? Phps. Mor Ruśnz s’pozidli apruv v Pūtin ɖn d’nt, jst az ɖer dludd fōrberz adord Stalin ẃl h mrdrd miłnz. Mni amñ Doṇld Trump’s Maga mob aplōd him. N ɖ Cremlin clemz Pūtin rsivd an “astǎndñ” rocstar welcm in Daġstān aftr ɖ Wagner scer.

Big dīl. N fec nyz enwe.

Īvn bfr Ycren, fy arnd ɖ wrld mć lîct or trustd ɖs smrcñ, snīci-lcñ x-CGB ʈug. Rspctd him az Ruśa’z līdr? Śr. Toḷretd or fird him, yes. Bt admîrd him prsṇli? No. Frendlis, paṛnôd Pūtin z t c’rizma ẃt a slug z t leṭs. N nǎ, h’z Ruśa’z hyj, hazmat lạbiḷti.

Ʈri probḷmatic preẓdnśl trips abrōd ɖs yir draṃtîz ɖ lonlinis v ɖ loñ-distns tîṛnt. Ɖ frst, t mīt felo Brics līdrz in Sǎʈ Africa nxt munʈ, wz abrupli cansld last wīc in a vri public hymilieśn.

Pūtin wz disinvîtd bcz, az a stetparti t ɖ ICC, Sǎʈ Africa z līġli oblîjd t infors ɖ cort’s arestwoṛnt. Ɖ Cremlin hd wontd t g ahd, insistñ h hd dipḷmatic iḿṇti. Bt Carim Cān, ɖ ICC’z ćīf proṣktr, sd inṭnaśnl lw mst hv presidns.

Pūtin wns travld ɖ wrld lîc eni uɖr naśnl līdr. Bt ɖt wz bfr Litṿńenco’z mrdr. It’s bn dǎnhil evr sins

Siril Ramaphosa, Sǎʈ Africa’z prezidnt, wz còt on a hc v hiz ǒn mcñ. “Ńtṛl” Sǎʈ Africa rfyzz t cndem Pūtin’z inveźn. Yt it’s akzd v smuglñ wepnz t Ruśa. Oponnts se ɖ rūlñ parti’z vy z skwrd bî caś-dneśnz fṛm Cremlin-linct oḷgarcs. Ɖ guvnmnt fest līgl ax́n t fors it t obe ɖ ICC.

So Ramaphosa cevd, telñ Pūtin t ste hom. Arestñ him wd b “a decḷreśn v wor”, h clemd. Pifl. It wd hv bn a rzǎndñ decḷreśn v lw. Ramaphosa míst hiz ples in hisṭri.

Pūtin’z prsnl pôznclǎd cd tent Trci, tù, f a vizit t Anc̣ra gz ahd nxt munʈ. Trci z a membr v Nato, wɖ ẃć Pūtin dīmz Ruśa t b at wor. Yt its prezidnt, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, apirz mor inṭrestd in ćīp Ruśn gas ɖn nośnz v wstn yṇti n soḷdaṛti wɖ Cyīv.

Erdoğan portrez himslf az a pīs-mcr, ẃć z hǎ h jusṭfîz Pūtin’z invteśn. Bt Ruśa’z imoṛl recñ last wīc v ɖ YN-bact Blac Sī gren-xport dīl ɖt Trci hlpt ngośiet līvz him lcñ lîc a ysfl idịt. Prṗsḟli or nt, Erdoğan z “norṃlîzñ” Pūtin – bî gvñ him a ćans t ple ɖ stetsmn, sîdlîn Cyīv n dvîd Nato.

Pūtin wns travld ɖ wrld lîc eni uɖr naśnl līdr. H met Jorj W Bś at ɖ Ẃît Hǎs, turd Yṛp n injoid a stetvizit t ɖ YC in 2003. Bt ol ɖt wz bfr Aḷxandr Litṿńenco’z mrdr in Lundn in 2006, ńmṛs adiśnl asaṣneśnz v Pūtin critics at hom n abrōd, n ɖ 2008 inveźn v Jorja. It’s bn dǎnhil evr sins.

Az hiz spectṛl bǒgiman imij grù, so Pūtin’z inṭnaśnl axpṭbiḷti śranc. Sins Febrri last yir, onli Iran, Beḷrūs n sm formr Sovịt rpublics (plus adorñ Daġstān) hv bn onrd bî hiz prezns. H brīfli travld t okpaid Ycren in Epril – bt ɖt wz stricli nt bî invteśn.

Pūtin’z bêlfl prezns z stl flt in a rogz’ gaḷri v bnîtd cuntriz. Ɖ Sirịn reźīm v felo worcriminl Baśar al-Asad z a prîm xampl. Last wīc’s YY sumit wɖ Latin Americn cuntriz wz olmst rect bî Nic̣rağa, Kba n Veṇzwela’z rluctns t snśr Pūtin. Telñli, Norʈ C’rīa’z Cim Jong-un, ɖ ultiṃt ǎtcast, ʈncs ɖ wrld v him.

Yt hǎ mć longr wl Ruśnz toḷret ɖs wicid, incompitnt, ostṛsîzd man hu cōzz ɖm sć dredfl repyteśnl, ic̣nomic n hymn harm? Ɖ Wagner rbełn spouc t a dīpr mleiz v ɖ Ruśn soul. Hǎ lo mst ɖe ol snc, ẃt depʈs mst ɖe plúm, in ordr ɖt Pūtin cn avôd dfit n oblivịn?

Ɖz r qsćnz Ćîna’z prezidnt, Ći Jinpñ, wl śrli asc himslf az h priperz t grīt Pūtin in Bêźñ in Octobr. It’s poṣbl Ći olrdi rgrets ɖ “no-limits” partnrśp agrìd prīYcren. Ćîna hz sins run intu big probḷmz v its ǒn, prîmṛli a slumpñ icoṇmi. Ɖ deṃliśn v ɖ Pūtin stroñman-miʈ hz unsetld Bêźñ.

Ɖ last ʈñ Ći wonts rît nǎ z a nīdi globl p’raia nocñ at hiz dor, sīcñ ri’śuṛns, armz n asistns. Phps, unlîc so mni uɖrz, Ći dz’nt wont a pìs v Pūtin. Phps, on ɖ contrri, h wonts rid v him – n wd welcm a les denjṛs, mor pridictbl rplesmnt.

Wl Ći d evrwn a fevr n hlp Ruśnz xorsîz ɖ bǒgiman? It’s an intrigñ, hopfl ʈt.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Frank Poems: DEAR MR XI

NASA Science: Total lunar eclipse from Abu Dhabi

Please don’t undermine our Moon.
What harm’s it ever done to you?

You’ve got Tibet,
you’ve got Hong Kong,
and now you’re set upon Taiwan

but if you’re still not satisfied
and do decide on lunacide,
the Moon might not like it.

You see, Mr Xi,
you’re just another dire dictator
who, thank God,
will be gone quite soon

whereas, lest you forget,
the Moon – our magnificent Moon –
will hang around for some time yet,
waxing and waning,
enchanting the night
and dictating the tide.

Tides flow, tides ebb.

Woe betide!

此致

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on China’s Covid U-turn: from all-out war to all but nothing

People hold white sheets of paper in protest over Covid restrictions, after a vigil for the victims of a fire in Urumqi, China, on 27 November. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters
Ppl hold ẃît śīts v pepr in protest ovr Covid rstrix́nz, aftr a vijil fr ɖ victimz v a fîr in Ŭṛmćī, Ćîna, on 27 Nvmbr. Foṭgraf: Toṃs Pītr/Rôtrz

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Ćîna’z Covid U-trn: fṛm ol-ǎt wor t ol bt nʈñ

(Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 13 Dec. 2022)

Ɖ cuntri hz abrupli abandnd ɖ vast bulc v its harś meźrz t cnten c’roṇvîṛs folowñ protests. Ɖt cariz cnsidṛbl risc

Tyzde 13 Dsmbr 2022

Dspt ɖ r’jidti v ɖ Ćînīz Coḿnist parti’z poḷtics n grip on pǎr, it cn smtmz ćenj cors at a starṭlñ pes. Ɖ most obvịs wz its ic̣nomic trn fṛm Mǎ t marcit. Mor rīsntli, it flipt fṛm its wn-ćîld poḷsi v liṃtñ brʈs t activli trayñ t būst ɖm.

Bt ɖ trn’rnd on its ziro-Covid poḷsi z trūli astoṇśñ in its spīd. In mid-Octobr, Bêźñ wz stl bostñ v an “ol-ǎt wor” on Covid-19, dspt its evidnt unssteṇbiḷti n pyṇtiv ic̣nomic ifcts. Tū wīcs ago, ɖ foṛn miṇstri’z spocsprsn twītd sceɖñli v 1m Covid deʈs az part v “Ɖ prîs v ‘frīdm’ in ɖ YS … Ẃt w wont z t pṛtct ǎr ppl’z lîvz.”

Nǎ ɖ guvnmnt hz cast of cntrolz in a matr v dez. Qoṛntīnrūlz n travl rstrix́nz hv bn sgnificntli rlaxt; ɖ guvnmnt hz scrapt its prîṃri Covid-tracñ ap. Xprts worn ɖt hospitlz cd b rapidli oṿẃlmd; wn anaḷsis sjsts ɖt p t 2.1 miłn lîvz cd b at risc. Tstñ buɖz r biyñ dsmantld, bt Bêźñ oʈoṛtiz sd fīvrclinics in ɖ siti rsivd 16 tîmz mor peśnts on Súnde ɖn ɖ wīc bfr.

An end t ziro Covid wz loñ oṿdy. Uɖr cuntriz hv s’xesḟli x’td similrli tît rstrix́nz ʈru vax̣neśn n ɖ grajl rīlaxeśn v meźrz. Bt ɖ lac v preṗreśn, ɖ tîmñ v ɖs voltfās – at ɖ hît v wintr – n ɖ scrapñ v most (ɖo nt ol) mitgeśnmeźrz ol xasbet ɖ riscs. Oldr ppl in ptiklr r unḍvax̣netd, n Ćîna stl dpndz on les ifctiv dmestic vaxīnz ɖt wr dzînd t cǎntr ɖ orijinl stren.

Ɖ xtrordnri anti-ziro-Covid protests ɖt brouc ǎt last munʈ hv clirli pleid a part in ɖs dsiźn. Bt ic̣nomic factrz me wel hv bn mor dsîsiv. Foxcón’z fǎndr ptiśnd ɖ oʈoṛtiz t īz p arnd a munʈ ago, wornñ ɖt Ćîna’z pziśn in globl s’plîćenz wz undr ʈret. Octobr’z particongres, s’mentñ Śī Jinpñ’z pziśn az Ćîna’z most pǎrfl līdr sins Mǎ, z sefli ǎt v ɖ we.

Rīlaxeśn olso pozz p’liticl riscs, dspt ɖ unḍstanḍbl unpopylaṛti v ziro Covid in sitiz. Ɖ cuntrisîd wz reḷtivli un’fctd bî rstrix́nz; it z olso mć wrs srvd bî hlʈcer, n ɖrfr wrs iqipt t handl a srj in cesz. W r lîcli t hír far les abt sicnis n deʈs ɖr, n sm wundr f mni Covid deʈs wl b ascrîbd t uɖr cōzz. Bt ẃl ɖ partistet z xprt in olṭrñ ɖ naṛtiv, it z hard t d so oṿnît. Hvñ hamrd hom ɖ mesij ɖt mć v ɖ wrld hd bn caḷsli abandnd bî its līdrz t a dedli ilnis, ofiślz nǎ sudnli portre Covid az litl wrs ɖn a bad cold. Stetmīdia hz swićt fṛm hîlîtñ ɖ tol v loñ Covid t anǎnsñ ɖt ɖ ćansz v gtñ it r “vri lo”, n īvn qotñ a doctr qsć̣nñ its vri xistns.

Hd Ćîna pord a frax́n v ɖ eḟt n rzorsz dvotd t tstñ n locdǎnz intu vax̣neśn n planñ ɖ end v ziro Covid, it wd nǎ b in a mć betr ples. Ɖs rvrsl z nesṣri, bt śd nt b vyd az prūf v an ifctiv slf-c’rex́n mec̣nizm – ptiklrli ẃn pṛtstrz r peyñ ɖ prîs fr ɖer dfayns. Rɖr, it z evidns v ɖ fełr v a sistm ɖt rerli lisnz t its sitiznz n z incrisñli subjict t ɖ dsiźnz v wn man.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on the future of China’s unrest: more complex than it seems

Shanghai residents scuffle with staff dressed in protective clothing on Wednesday, in an image obtained from social media. Photograph: Reuters
Śañhî rezidnts scufl wɖ stāf drest in pṛtctiv cloɖñ on Wnzde, in an imij obtend fṛm sośl mīdia. Foṭgraf: Rôtrz

Ɖ Gardịn vy on ɖ fyćr v Ćîna’z unrest: mor complex ɖn it sīmz

(Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 30 Nov. 2022)

A bîṇri rīdñ v ɖz rmarcbl ziro-Covid protests dz nt hlp enwn unḍstand ɖer sgnificns

Wnzde 30 Nvmbr 2022

Amñ ɖ Coḿnist reṭric clevrli rīprṗst bî Ćîna’z anti-ziro-Covid pṛtstrz z a frêz ɖt Mǎ Tsetŭñ imploid: a sngl sparc cn start a prẹrifîr. Ẃn a p’liticl sistm z so rijid, obzrvrz cn īẓli fōl prei t wn v tū cnflictñ tndnsiz. Ɖ frst z t sīz upn eni sgnificnt unrest az ɖ frst crac in ɖ eḍfis, ẃć cd brñ ɖ hol sistm dǎn – az ẃn ɖ deʈ v Mhaṃd Bụzīzi prisiṗtetd ɖ Aṛb sprñ. Sins sć c’lapsz r yẓ́li astoṇśñ at ɖ tîm, īvn f xplicbl in retṛspect, ɖ tmteśn t sjst ɖt ɖe riyli cd b cmñ ɖs tîm cn b hard t rzist.

Ɖ uɖr tndnsi z t lc at ɖ unlîcli trîumf v ɖ Coḿnist parti n cnclud ɖt eni dsnt z nt onli dūmd bt fytîl. Ɖ parti hz spent yirz studiyñ ɖ dmîz v ɖ Sovịt Yńn t enśur ɖt it dz nt sufr ɖ sem fet. It ruʈlisli cruśt ɖ stydnt-léd protests v 1989, in ẃć miłnz, nt mirli hundṛdz, tc t ɖ strīts. It lrnt fṛm ɖt xpirịns tù, rfînñ uɖr mīnz v rpreśn. It z a sîn v hǎ liṃtd ɖ p’liticl spes hz bcm ɖt ɖz protests, atacñ a poḷsi ataćt t Śī Jinpñ bî nem, n in a fy cesz īvn cōlñ fr hiz dparćr, sīm so utrli astoṇśñ. Unlîc in 1989, ɖr r no sînz v fiśrz at ɖ top, dmestic s’kṛti spendñ dworfs īvn Ćîna’z hefti militri bujit, n tecṇlojicl advansz hv md sveḷns īvn mor xtnsiv.

Ɖo hevi p’līsñ n snsrśp me hv sìn of unrest fr nǎ, ɖ nyz ɖt ɖ formr līdr Jañ Tsemin hz daid me compḷcet matrz. Ɖ pasñ v līdrz hz ofn trigrd muvmnts, n it z hardr fr ɖ parti t śut dǎn mōrnñ fr a sīńr līdr ɖn a demnstreśn: in 1989, Hu Yǎbañ’z deʈ prisiṗtetd ɖ proriform protests ɖt bgan in Tiannmn Sqer. Mr Jañ dd nt injô ɖ sem popylr simṗʈi; amñ uɖr ʈñz, h wz instṛmntl in ɖ 1989 cracdǎn. Bt cmeṃreśn cn b yzd az a rbyc t cuṛnt oʈoṛtiz n fr sm, at līst, h apirz t stand fr a tîm v c’lectiv līdrśp rɖr ɖn stroñman rūl, ẃn Ćîna wz injoyñ rapid ic̣nomic groʈ n oṗnñ p t ɖ wrld, in starc contrast t ɖ picćr undr Mr Śī.

A bîṇri rīdñ v ɖ posbiḷtiz v ɖz protests – victorịs, or stamt ǎt n ɖus pôntlis – canot capćr ɖer importns. Ɖr z no rīzn t b’liv ɖt ɖ sinicl tec on ɖz ivnts, az nt onli flītñ bt isnṣ́li mīnñlis, z mor akṛt ɖn a nîīv b’lif ɖt ɖe wl ultiṃtli līd t a scrapñ v ɖ ziro-Covid straṭji, or īvn a fri n deṃcratic Ćîna. Nɖr vy capćrz ɖ cmplex̣ti v sośl muvmnts.

Ẃɖr ɖ protests riignît in ɖ cmñ dez or munʈs, n ẃɖr ɖe hv an obvịs n imīɉt impact on ɖ parti n its poḷsiz, r nt ɖ onli meźrz v ɖer importns. Ɖe hv boroud tactics fṛm Hoñ Coñ’z s’prest uprîzñ (ɖ blanc śīts v pepr) n slognz hv ivoct Octobr’z wn-man protest agnst Mr Śī at Sitoñ Brij in Bêźñ, ẃć at ɖ tîm sīmd utrli qixotic. In ɖ loñ trm, ɖe me hlp t opn p an oltrṇtiv viźn v Ćîna fr yuñ ppl ispeṣ́li, n criet a sns v ɖ posbiḷtiz fr sośl ax́n in ɖ fyćr. Sparcs d nt olwz start a confḷgreśn: ɖe me, hvr, cindl a flem ɖt z nt īẓli xtnḡśt.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on China’s protests: zero Covid, maximum frustration

Protesters hold up blank sheets of paper to express their dissent at the Chinese University of Hong Kong on Monday. Photograph: Kanis Leung/AP
Pṛtstrz hold p blanc śīts v pepr t xpres ɖer dsnt at ɖ Ćînīz Yṇvrṣti v Hoñ Coñ on Munde. Foṭgraf: Canis Łñ/AP

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Ćîna’z protests: ziro Covid, maximm fṛstreśn

(Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 28 Nov. 2022)

Harś c’roṇvîṛs cntrolz hv promtd an xtrordnri ǎtporñ v discntnt acrs ɖ cuntri

Munde 28 Nvmbr 2022

Ɖ  xtrordnri ǎtbrec v unrest ɖt spred ʈru Ćîna at ɖ wīcend z v a cnd ɖt hz nt bn sìn fr decedz. Protests r nt uncomn, gvn ɖ liṃtd mīnz fr ppl t xpres ɖer vyz, bt r yẓ́li locl insidnts best on sṗsific grīvnsz. Ẃl ɖr hv bn larjr indivijl protests in ɖ rīsnt past, ɖz hv rapidli spruñ p acrs mejr sitiz, includñ Bêźñ, Śañhî, Wūhan n Ćuñdū, n nǎ Hoñ Coñ. Ɖe hv tecn ples in prestijs yṇvrṣtiz tù.

Ɖe ćalinj a ziro-Covid poḷsi ɖt cmz fṛm ɖ vri top. N ɖo mni pṛtstrz r cōśs or sîḷnt – holdñ p blanc śīts v pepr t xpres ɖer dsnt – sm hv cōld fr hymn rîts, presfrīdm n īvn ɖ dparćr v Śí Jinpñ n ɖ Coḿnist parti, onli wīcs aftr Mr Śí imbarct upn a norm-brecñ ʈrd trm n ɖus indefiṇt līdrśp. Sć cōlz wr an increḍbl act v dfayns gvn ɖ cuntri’z incrisñli tît p’liticl cntrol.

At frst, Ćîna’z c’roṇvîṛștraṭji alaud most ppl t gt on wɖ lîf az yźl, ẃl uɖr cuntriz strugld wɖ rpitd locdǎnz or hî deʈtolz, or bʈ. Bt it hz loñ bn clir ɖt iliṃneśn z nt fīẓbl, n a poḷsi nǎ in its ʈrd yir z cōzñ incrisñ fṛstreśn n ic̣nomic damij, līdñ t a growñ numbr v locl Covid-rletd protests.

Ćînīz ōdịnsz woćñ ɖ Wrldcup notd unmasct crǎdz seḷbretñ n riylîzd ɖt plenti v plesz – nt jst ɖ reclis YS – wr livñ haṗli wɖt sć strinjnt cntrolz. Ɖen cem rports ɖt 10 ppl, includñ ćildṛn, hd bn cild in a blêz ẃl undr locdǎn in Ŭṛmćī, Śinjañ. Vidio śoud a fîr enjin venli trayñ t spre ɖ bildñ fṛm a distns. Dspt ɖ tît s’kṛticntrolz in Śinjañ, rezidnts gaɖrd t pṛtst. S’prîzñli, ɖ unrest spred t Śañhî, n ɖen onẉdz, wɖ ɖ ces bcmñ embḷmatic v uɖr deʈs rletd t ɖ poḷsi n inhymen inforsmnt.

Ofiślz iniṣ́li tc a reḷtivli handz-of aproć, wɖ a fy dtnśnz rɖr ɖn a swīpñ cracdǎn. Xtnsiv sveḷns mcs lêtr retṛbyśn stretfwd. Bt f incrist snsrśp n p’līsprezns d’nt si ɖz protests of, wrs me folo. Ɖ rspons in Śinjañ z lîcli t b hardr ɖn in prospṛs Śañhî. Ɖoz cōlñ fr lūsr cntrolz cn xpct mor līńns ɖn ɖoz śǎtñ “Opoz dictetrśp”. At ɖ locl levl, ispeṣ́li, ɖr me b pìsmīl cnseśnz. Ɖ parti dz nt rlî sol̦i on rpreśn n propganda – az potnt az ɖe r – bt olso on recgnîzñ ppl’z nīdz n inṭrests, n mītñ sm v ɖm, īvn f b’letidli n parṣ́li. Yt it hz incrisñli rlaid on tufnis in rīsnt yirz.

Mni sitiznz stl bac ziro-Covid meźrz, rgardñ ɖm az nesṣri. Ɖ laclustr vax̣neśncampen, n rfyzl t yz mor ifctiv foṛn vaxīnz, hz left eldrli ppl vulnṛbl. Infx́nz r olrdi rîzñ stīpli; frɖr rīlaxeśn cd si a wev v deʈs. Ɖ bst hop wd probbli b t dcler ziro Covid a lîf-sevñ trîumf, ẃć wl alǎ ɖ cuntri t muv t an intnsiv vax̣neśnprogram yzñ importd dosz n mitgeśnmeźrz includñ mascñ, tstñ n îṣleśn, ẃl invstñ heṿli in hlʈcer. Bt ẃl oʈoṛtiz rīsntli sīmd t b trayñ t īz sm aspects v ɖ ziro-Covid poḷsi, śorṭnñ qoṛntīn n telñ locl ofiślz nt t “oṿinfors” poḷsiz, ɖt cd, f enʈñ, b pt in rvrs bî ɖz protests. Bêźñ wl nt wont t apir t bǎ t preśr.

Ẃtvr ɖ s’lūśn, Ćîna’z ppl śd b fri t dscus ɖ dsiźnz biyñ md n ɖ līdrz hu impoz ɖm, n t pṛtst agnst ɖm. Ɖ parti dz nt rec̣gnîz ɖoz rîts, v cors. Bt ɖz ivnts śd rmînd it ɖt rlayñ on rpreśn hz its limits.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Observer view on Britain’s feeble response to China’s assault on human rights

Jimmy Lai is being held in solitary confinement before his latest trial on conspiracy charges. Photograph: Vincent Yu/AP
Jimi Lai z biyñ hld in solitri cnfînmnt bfr hiz lêtist trîl on cnspiṛsićarjz. Foṭgraf: Vinsnt Yu/AP

Ɖ Obzrvr vy on Britn’z fībl rspons t Ćîna’z asōlt on hymn rîts

(Transcription of an Observer editorial of 27 Nov. 2022)

Śí Jinpñ’z rpresiv poḷsi on dsnt in ɖ formr coḷni z startñ t rzmbl a vndeta az Jimi Lai fesz a ny trîl

Súnde 27 Nvmbr 2022

Ɖ  trîl v Jimi Lai, ɖ Hoñ Coñ pro-dmocṛsi campenr n mīdịtîcūn, ẃć z dy t bgin ɖs wīc, marcs anɖr lo pônt in Ćîna’z rlentlis asōlt on indivijl n sivl rîts in Britn’z formr coḷni – huz tṛdiśnl frīdmz Bêźñ z līġli baund t uphold.

Lai, a YC sitizn hu fǎndd ɖ popylr Apl Dêli nyzpepr, fesz ćarjz v cnspiṛsi t publiś sdiśs mtirịl n c’luźn wɖ foṛn pǎrz undr Bêźñ’z dṛcońn 2020 naśnl-s’kṛti lw. Ɖ akześnz r ofnsiv n r’dikḷs. In ifct, Ćîna’z Coḿnist parti z mǎntñ a śǒtrîl.

Lîc hundṛdz v uɖrz biyñ hld wɖt beil, Lai, f faund gilti bî a hand-pict, ʈri-juj panl actñ wɖt a jri, fesz a lîfsntns. H z olrdi in solitri cnfînmnt aftr an rlịr cnvix́n fr unlwfl asmbli n frōd. Lai dnîz ɖ ćarjz. Ɖs p’liticl prṣkśn mst sīs.

Hoñ Coñ’z hyj pro-dmocṛsi protests in 2019-20, ẃć léd t mor ɖn 10,000 arests, wr sparct bî Ćîna’z intṛdux́n v an ilibṛl xtṛdiśnbil. Ɖ fūliśli vayḷnt rspons v ɖ s’kṛtiforsz trnsformd ɖ demnstreśnz intu a stydnt-léd masmuvmnt ćaḷnjñ Bêźñ’z rît t rūl. Fr an oʈoṛterịn, wn-parti sistm, eni sć dsple v dfayns, ẃɖr in Śinjañ, Tibét or in locdǎn-strest Śañhî, z unfgiṿbl. Fr ɖ inṣkr prezidnt, Śí Jinpñ, spredñ dsnt z mor denjṛs ɖn spredñ Covid. Hiz Hoñ Coñ poḷsi nǎ rzmblz a vndeta.

Last wīc’s cnvix́n v Hoñ Coñ’z rspctd Caʈ̇lic līdr, Cardinl Jozif Zen, n fîv uɖr acṭvists śoud agn hǎ litl rspct Śí’z Ćîna hz fr prsnl liḅtiz n līgl obḷgeśnz undr ɖ 1984 Sîno-Britiś jônt decḷreśn. Zen wz faind fr felñ t rejistr a s’portfund fr dtend pṛtstrz. Its aṛgnt n ʈreṭnñ bhevyr on multipl frunts rqîrz a r’bust rspons fṛm Britn. Ẃɖr ɖ iśu z ɖ vayḷnt antics v Ćînīz dipḷmats in Manćestr or insidịs ʈrets t YC acdemic frīdm, guvnmnt diɖrñ, indisiźn n pysiḷniṃti canot cntiny.

Cardinal Joseph Zen outside the West Kowloon court after he and five others were found guilty of failing to register a support fund for prisoners. Photograph: Jérôme Favre/EPA
Cardinl Jozif Zen ǎtsd ɖ Wst Kǎlūn cort aftr h n fîv uɖrz wr faund gilti v felñ t rejistr a s’portfund fr priznrz. Foṭgraf: Jérôme Favre/YPE

In 2020, ɖ YS impozd sañśnz on ofiślz involvd in rpreśn in Hoñ Coñ. Britn hz stl t tec eni iqivḷnt steps. Last wīc, Libṛl Deṃcrat MP Aḷster Carmîcl, hu coćerz ɖ ol-parti parḷmntri grūp on Hoñ Coñ, dmandd swift ax́n. “It z vîtl ɖt ɖ guvnmnt implimnts sañśnz on indivijlz hu hv bn îdnṭfaid az d’recli involvd in ɖ sstemic vạleśnz v hymn rîts… L’jitiṃt targits fr sañśnz includ formr ćīf xektiv, Cári Lam, n formr depyti p’līscmiśnr, Cris Tañ,” Carmîcl rout.

It z vîtl ɖt Britn tecs a stand ẃn antīdeṃcratic guvnmnts sć az Ćîna ter p trītiz, rzort t ʈrets n ignor inṭnaśnl lw. Ɖs z ɖ ces wɖ Ćîna’z armd intiṃdeśn v Tîwan, its Sǎʈ Ćîna Sī bŭliyñ, n industrịl n p’liticl espịnāź tarġtñ ɖ wst.Ćîna’z rportd crieśn v “p’līșteśnz” in Yṛpiyn n YS sitiz t monitr n preṣ́rîz oṿsìz disidnts z anɖr ćilñ xampl v un’xptbl activti. Ɖ guvnmnt wz rît t ofr vīzaz t ʈǎzndz v Hoñcoñrz. It wz olso rît last wīc t bloc ɖ tecovr on s’kṛtigrǎndz v ɖ YC’z larjist pṛdysr v semicnductrz bî a Ćîna-ǒnd biznis.

Bt its oṿol aproć t rleśnz wɖ Bêźñ rqîrz rjnt clariḟceśn. Ẃt z Britiś poḷsi? Nwn riyli nz. Spīcñ in Bāli, ẃr a loñ-scejld mītñ wɖ Śí wz abrupli cansld, Riśi Sūnac apird cnfyzd ovr ẃɖr Ćîna wz a “ʈret” or a “sstemic ćalinj”. H cōld it bʈ. Sm Tōriz cōl it an eṇmi.

Sūnac mst sort ǎt hiz îdīaz. Ćîna z on ɖ marć – n Śí tecs no priznrz.

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"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on China’s response to dissent: repression, at home and away

Chinese president Xi Jinping. ‘No one doubts what his third term will bring’. Photograph: AP
Ćînīz prezidnt Śí Jinping. ‘Nwn dǎts ẃt hiz ʈrd trm wl brñ’. Foṭgraf: AP

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Ćîna’z rspons t dsnt: rpreśn, at hom n awe

(Transcription of an editorial published in the Guardian on 30 October 2022)

Ɖr r growñ cnsrnz ovr Bêźñ’z atmts t rstrict p’liticl xpreśn oṿsìz

Súnde 30 Octobr 2022

Śí Jinping’z līdrśp v Ćîna z nǎ indefiṇt. Nwn dǎts ẃt hiz ʈrd trm wl brñ: mor rijid p’liticl cntrolz. Ɖ parti dmandz obīdịns at hom. It asrts itslf mor confidntli abrōd. A sīńr ofiśl tld rportrz ɖt Ćînīz dploṃsi wd mnten its “fîtñ spirit”.

Ɖt rmarc cem dez aftr Manćestr p’līs sd ɖt ɖe wr invstgetñ ɖ asōlt v a Hoñ Coñ acṭvist hu hd bn dragd intu ɖ Ćînīz consyḷt’s grǎndz ẃn men fṛm ɖ bildñ dsruptd a protest on ɖ strīt ǎtsd. Asct abt ftij v him pŭlñ ɖ man’z her ɖ consl jenṛl, Źeñ Śiyuan, dnaid atacñ enwn bt olso sd it wz hiz “dyti”. P’līs hv nǎ sd ɖe r invstgetñ ɖ fl srcmstansz, n ftij śoz anɖr man, apaṛntli fṛm ɖ consyḷt, olso biyñ asōltd. Ẃt z bynd qsćn z ɖt ɖ protest wz pīsfl untl ɖ ofiślz cem ǎt n tòr dǎn a postr, n ɖt Ćîna’z chargé d’affaires in Lundn hz wornd ɖt “[pṛvîdñ] śltr t ɖ Hoñ Coñ indipndns elimnts wl in ɖ end onli brñ dzastr t Britn”.

Dez lêtr cem a storm ovr a netwrc v 54 “p’līs oṿsìz srvișntrz” – mostli in Yṛp – rportidli preṣ́rñ Ćînīz sitiznz, includñ disidnts, t rtrn hom. Ɖ Îriś guvnmnt hz ordrd wn in Dublin t clos; ɖ Duć guvnmnt n Cnedịn p’līs r invstgetñ ɖ activtiz v fsiḷtiz on ɖer sôl. Ɖ saits hlp Ćînīz sitiznz wɖ srṿsz sć az rnywñ drîvñ lîsnsz, bt ɖ Sefgard Dfndrz grūp, ẃć frst rportd on ɖm, sz ɖt ɖe r olso linct t pswedñ mîgṛnts t rtrn t Ćîna, includñ ʈru preśr on faṃlimembrz at hom. Ẃl most v ɖoz involvd apir t b sspctd v crîmz sć az teḷcomz frōd or c’rupśn, sć pṛsijrz ignor dy proses n srcmvnt forml xtṛdiśnmec̣nizmz, biyñ cnductd wɖt īvn ɖ nolij v hostneśnz. Mor cnsrnñli stl, disidnts in ɖ Neɖrḷndz rportd ɖt ɖ fsiḷtiz wr olso biyñ yzd t trac ɖm n ʈretn ɖm.

It hz loñ bn clir ɖt Bêźñ’z rpreśn dz nt end at Ćîna’z bordrz. In 2016, a Hoñ Coñ bcselr wɖ Swīdiś naṣ́naḷti, Ḡi Minhai, dis’pird fṛm hiz hoḷdehom in Tîland n ri’pird in cusṭdi in Ćîna. Hoñ Coñ’z dṛcońn naśnl-s’kṛti lw, impozd bî Bêźñ for yirz lêtr, gvz ɖ Ćînīz guvnmnt pǎrz t arest enwn vayletñ it ǎtsd ɖ rījn. Its ambiśnz t p’līs n limit p’liticl xpreśn oṿsìz r growñ.

F ɖ wst z sirịs abt dfndñ its valyz, it mst liv ɖm tù. Ɖ parḷmntri jônt cmiti on hymn rîts hz wornd ɖt ɖ public-ordr bil, ẃć gz t ɖ Hǎs v Lordz ɖs wīc, nt onli pozz an un’xptbl ʈret t a funḍmntl rît, bt “riscs … incuṛjñ uɖr neśnz hu wś t crac dǎn on pīsfl protest”. A deṃcraticli ilectd guvnmnt, subjict t ćecs n baḷnsz, includñ an indipndnt mīdia n hymn-rîts lw, z nt xmt fṛm cnsrnz abt ɖ iroźn v frīdmz. It śd b mor alrt t ɖ denjrz.

Abv ol, Britn mst mc clir ɖt it w’nt tred awe hymn-rîts cnsrnz fr ic̣nomic advantij, az it hz in ɖ past. Ɖ YC’z rspons t ɖ Manćestr insidnt hz so far bn strîcñli ḿtd. A promt invstgeśn intu, n ɖ cloźr v, rportd “srvișntrz” in Lundn n Glazgo, n a stroñ asrśn v ɖ Britiś cmitmnt t p’liticl frīdmz in ɖs cuntri, includñ pīsfl protest, z isnśl.

Instroduction to Ñspel

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: Trump, Putin and Bolsonaro have been complacent. Now the pandemic has made them all vulnerable

Simon Tisdall
Sîmn Tizdl

Trump, Pūćin n Bolsonaro hv bn cmplesnt. Nǎ ɖ pandemic hz md ɖm ol vulnṛbl

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on 17 May 2020)

Ɖ wrld’z stroñmen me wel end p peyñ a p’liticl prîs fr ɖer siṇsizm n incompitns

Sîmn Tizdl, Súnde, 17 Me 2020

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, centre, and his ministers arriving in Brasilia. Photograph: Joédson Alves/EPA
Bṛziłn prezidnt Jair Bolsonaro, sntr, n hiz ministrz arîvñ in Bṛziła. Foṭgraf: Joédson Alves/YPA

F  Boris Jonsn z mshanḍlñ ɖ pandemic, h z nt alon. Fōlsli clemñ evrʈñ z undr cntrol, dojñ rsponsbiḷti, hîdñ fṛm public vy, xplôtñ ɖ crîsis fr p’liticl gen, mǎntñ arṭfiśl dstrax́nz n blemñ ɖ mīdia: ɖz r comn bhevyrpatnz xibtd bî sm v ɖ wrld’z most pǎrfl – n śifti – līdrz.

Wl ɖe pe a prîs fr ɖer līʈl incompitns n siṇsizm? It’s poṣbl sm wl, ɖo it me tec a ẃl. Ɖ pandemic z ćenjñ p’liticl calkleśnz arnd ɖ glob. Līdrz hu lct invulnṛbl sudnli apir les so. Ɖt in trn cd śift ɖ stṛtījic calkḷs n oltr ɖ baḷns v pǎr btwn cuntriz in wez bʈ unixpctd n prṃnnt.

Doṇld Trump’s pformns z a lésn in hǎ nt t handl an imrjnsi. It me bcm a cmpulsri ceștudi fr fyćr stydnts v crîsismanijmnt. Trump miṇmîzd ɖ ʈret rli on, ofrd foni aśuṛnsz, n feld t mc a plan. H hz sins akzd Ćîna v dlibṛtli spredñ “pleg” ẃl weṗnîzñ ɖ crîsis t smir hiz Deṃcratic rîvl, Jo Bîdn.

Ɖ prezidnt’s mirịd caṛctrflwz nīd no rhrsl hir. Bt it sīmz a despṛt Trump wl stop at nʈñ t rībūt hiz riilex́nprospects. F ɖt mīnz f’mntñ a cold wor wɖ Ćîna, or stǒcñ reśl dviźnz n anti-mîgṛnt, anti-Mŭzlim bays, h’z p fr it. N f ol ɖt felz, h me trî t dle Nvmbr’z ilex́n, a s’nario nt rūld ǎt bî hiz sic̣fantic sun-in-lw.

C’roṇvîṛs hz md a sort v lepr v Trump. A lac v fedṛl līdrśp n hiz s’port fr preṃtyrli endñ stet locdǎnz h nvr trūli s’portd apirz t b pṛpelñ a rîz in Covid-19 cesz in smōl mid-wst tǎnz n rṛl cḿṇtiz fṛm Aywa t Texs. Ɖz r ɖ hartḷndz v Trump’s America, ẃr hiz most loyl votrz liv.

Az a rzult, Rpublicnz runñ fr Congres r runñ awe fṛm Trump, firfl v infx́n fṛm ɖ miazma v lîz n dstrust inveḷpñ ɖ Ẃît Hǎs. Az jobz dis’pir bî tnz v miłnz, Deṃcrats’ hops v winñ ɖ Senit r rîzñ. Bîdn’z līd in ci batlgrǎnd stets z wîḍnñ, fyld bî ic̣nomic meltdǎn n Trump’s gafs.

Vlajīmir Pūćin z anɖr līdr in sirịs vîṛl dificlti. Onli munʈs ago, h lct invinsbl. Ol ɖ tōc in Ruśa wz v consttyśnl “rformz” ɖt wd ifctivli mc him prezidnt fr lîf. Ɖoz planz r nǎ on hold, phps prṃnntli. Pūćin’z dsiźn t śīld himslf fṛm harm, îṣletñ awe fṛm Mosco, hz badli dntd hiz imij az firlis tuf-gai līdr.

Aftr wīcs v cmplesnsi at ɖ top, Ruśa fîndz itslf wɖ ɖ secnd fastist ret v Covid-19 infx́nz in ɖ wrld. Pūćin’z hand-pict prîm̦inistr, Miħîl Miśŭstin, z in hospitl, az z ɖ Cremlin spocsmn Dmitri Piskov. In vidioconfṛnsz hld t dscus ɖ crîsis, Pūćin hz lct mor bord ɖn cnsrnd. Emṗʈi wz nvr hiz stroñ sūt.

People wear face masks and gloves on the Moscow Metro. Russia now finds itself with the second fastest rate of Covid-19 infections in the world. Photograph: Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP
Ppl wer fes mascs n gluvz on ɖ Mosco Metro. Ruśa nǎ fîndz itslf wɖ ɖ secnd fastist ret v Covid-19 infx́nz in ɖ wrld. Foṭgraf: Alexander Zemłańićenco/AP

Ɖ p’liticl impḷceśnz r ptnṣ́li far-renjñ. Añśs t avôd prsnl blem fr twin hlʈ n ic̣nomic dzastrz, Pūćin hz śiftd rsponsbiḷti fr maṇjñ ɖ crîsis t ɖ rījnz, ẃć hv ifctivli bn left t fnd fr ɖmslvz. Wlʈi biznisṃn – ɖ so-cōld oligācs – hv stept intu ɖ brīć. In sć wez dz a līdr’z pǎr irod n slip awe.

Uɖr poḷtiśnz r śowñ a dgri v reclis insūsịns ɖt mcs Boris Jonsn lc poztivli swićt on bî cmparisn. Bṛzil’z prezidnt Jair Bolsonaro hit a ny lo fr irisponsbiḷti bî ridklñ public-pṛtx́n meźrz. Bṛzil hz ɖ hîist Covid deʈret in Latin America. Bt Bolsonaro prifŕz barḅkpartiz t hospitlvizits. H me yt pe wɖ hiz job in a cuntri ẃr preẓdnśl impićmnt acć̣li wrcs.

In Trci, mnẃl, ɖ vîṛs hz bròt a gret mni pijinz hom t rūst. A strucćṛli frajîl icoṇmi, a holoud-ǎt sivl ssayti n mīdia, n a clîṃt v fir crietd bî Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hz nt pruvd cndysiv t a yṇfaid naśnl ef̣t – līdñ aṇlists sjst ɖ sultnprezidnt’s rên me b drw̃ t a cloz.

Mjoṛti Crdiś eriaz in īstn Trci, fr xampl, ɖ sīn v frīqnt conflict wɖ ɖ sntṛl guvnmnt, hv rportidli bn hard hit. Diyarbakir-best acṭvist n oʈr Nurcan Baysal tlz a fmiłr têl v hlʈwrcrz afreid t g t wrc dy t a lac v pṛtctiv iqipmnt. Bt it’s a p’liticl probḷm, tù.

“Tde, ɖr r nt inuf tsts, nt inuf doctrz, no sivl ssayti, no mẹrz, n nt inuf meźrz t tacl ɖ c’roṇvîṛs in Crdiś sitiz,” Baysal sd – partli bcz mni Crdiś doctrz n nrsz wr sact in Erdoğan’z prjz.

A sntṛl actr in ɖs globl drama, Ćîna’z modn-de emprr Śí Jñpñ z nt abt t fōl – olɖo h rićli dzrvz ɖ sác. Rɖr, an imboldnd Śí riscs ovr-pleyñ hiz hand az h sīcs t trnsform a c’laṃti intu a PR vicṭri fr Ćînīz soft pǎr, streñʈ̇nñ Bêźñ’z clǎt at ɖ xpns v wìcnd wstn cuntriz.

Americn fumḅlñ, plus Ruśn n Yṛpiyn dbiḷti, ofr Śí a mcābra oṗtyṇti t advans hiz viźn v Ćîna az dominnt globl pǎr. Bt ɖ agresiv, Boxr Rbełn-stîl provceśnz v hiz “wlf-worịr” dipḷmats n parti cādraz r fīdñ an inṭnaśnl baclaś.

Preśr z growñ t rtaliet bî qoṛntīnñ Bêźñ, p’liticli n ic̣nomicli. N ɖt, in trn, būsts Trump’s confṛnteśnl, slf-xculṗtri campeņaṛtiv.

Trump clemz Ćîna wonts t dnî him a secnd trm. Yt ɖ oṗzit me b tru. Śí nz a ysfl idịt ẃn h siz wn – n ɖs YS prezidnt z īẓli ǎtfoxt. Ɖ ʈt ɖt Ćîna’z oṗziśnl tactics cd hlp gt Trump riilectd z inuf t mc enwn sic.

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