Print

Mail

wiki links

Li Ao says China in `halcyon days'

Independent Legislator Li Ao yesterday claims that today's China is in its best days during his speech at Tsinghua University in Beijing. PHOTO: CNA

Writer, TV commentator, political gadfly and independent Legislator Li Ao (李敖) claimed yesterday that today's China is in its halcyon days that have not been seen since the Han (206 BC-AD 220) and Tang dynasties (AD 618-907).

Li, in his second speech in China to Tsinghua University faculty and students, lauded the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) several times, saying that while China was bullied by Western powers in its modern history, "no-one dares to bully China any more" and "only one party could have achieved that, which is the CCP."

He also claimed that after the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) fled to Taiwan after being defeated by the CCP in 1949, it took "all the money" to Taiwan and left 3 million "bad elements" behind.

He said that after 1949, China was stripped and in poverty, and yet it has managed to stand up for itself.

He referred to the Constitution of the People's Republic of China during his speech, claiming that it lists all kinds of freedoms to which the people are entitled.

"If we are serious about them, then the stipulations in the Constitution are bona fide," he said without elaborating.

Li's first speech at Peking University, in which he advised the CPC to relax restrictions as he glorified freedom of speech, won enthusiastic response from the students, but caused embarrassment to some school faculty and party officials.

Reports said that the Beijing authorities were concerned about his speech and wanted to block it. The reports were unsubstantiated, but official Web sites such as Xinhua and other major media did not print the parts of Li's speeches that were deemed sensitive yesterday.

Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV, which arranged for Li's 12-day visit to China, aired Li's speech live on Tuesday, but taped the second one for later airing.

Li will make a third and last speech at Fudan University in Shanghai before returning to Taiwan toward the end of this month.
This story has been viewed 2902 times.