On October 30, 2008, Nan Fang Daily published an article by Du Guang, a retied party official. The title is “Why do they slander democracy and freedom?” The author criticized an article “Democracy in the Fists” in “Beijing Evening” on October 22, 2008. The latter article cited recent incidents in Taiwan and Thailand to ridicule democracy and freedom in other countries. This is an old tactic used by the Communist party since Mao’s era to belittle western values. What’s usually about Du Guang’s article is his strong defense of universal values such as democracy, freedom, equality and human rights. When talking about the role of Chinese media, he wrote: “What common understanding (among medias) should be achieved? Is it maintaining a complete agreement with the Party and be the Party’s tamed tool, or forming a common understanding on universal values?”
Source: Nan Fang Daily, October 30, 2008
http://www.nfdaily.cn/opinion/opinionlist/content/2008-10/30/content_4678061.htm