I am a very big fan of Channel 4 news and documentaries as I think they cover stories and angles that are not covered by other mainstream TV stations.

However, I've noticed that their coverage of China has had a very negative slant. For instance, I've just seen this documentary about the effect Chinese businesses are having in African countries. What the documentary maker was implying was that the Chinese were behaving like a colonial power and exploiting the local population. I can't really dispute that fact but on the other hand, the politicians in these countries also have a share of the blame and this was not really covered. There are various other examples of this biased coverage when China or the Chinese government are concerned.

Maybe I am overreacting as I am of Chinese origin but it also got me thinking about why the same kind of coverage is not applied to India. Is it because the Chinese community still is not confident enough to assert itself in British society and defend itself when attacked? I brought up India because a few months back there was the Shilpa Shetty incident and the consequent brouhaha that ensued. I wonder if the same thing would have happened had it happened to a B-list Chinese star? Any thoughts?

yes negative...yes propaganda.
the brits are bitches and like to find something to bitch about....the program programs topic of conversation and when brits talk about how negative china is having on africa...they feel empowered and makes themselves feel good..they forget that they did the same to other places....even worse...they enslaved people...shame we didnt have the kinda medai exposure back then as we do now.

britain has done many bad things behind close doors that will have bad international relations...they dont talk about such things....similarly...japan would rather deny nanking...similarly china would rather not talk about tinamen square.
germans would rather not talk about WW2..thats a fact of life...

yet...britain and other countries will happily air programs telling the shits that other countries have done... thats the way it is.

knowledge..my friend..is key.

Agreed, the media over here is somewhat hypocritical. Sometimes, not just the channel 4 documentary, the news stories on china seem to be too negative at times. BTW how did Hong Kong come under British rule?

A vegetarian who eats fish is like a pacifist who occasionally punches a small child in the face!

You've both brought up fair points specially the bit about Brits being negative and trying to bring others down to make themselves feel good. There is nothing much we can do about that I would say.

The point I wanted to know more about is why, we as Chinese don't make more fuss like other ethnic minorities would do e.g. Shilpa Shetty situation as I mentioned previously. We seem so docile.

we dont know how.

Too busy minding the shop

if i did watch that program and generally more tv...then i would find out where i can make complaints.

i would say this:

Dear Sir,

As a British citizen i felt ashamed that you have bashed China for its business interactions in africa whilst we ourselves have in the past enslaved those very same people. I feel embarrased that you are ignoring that fact and teaching our population half the story, spreading bads news about another country yet refraining from tell them the whole truth about what we ourselves have done to that country. It simply ownt help to tie international diplomatice relations in the futute. in fact it may even cause unwarranted friction.

if we as a collective feel it is our right to report bad practise because we've been there and now know better...then it is even more important to tell the younger audience the reasons why we are in position to preach, to help atone for our wrong doings.

I am deeply dissappointed and expected better from you.


ok i've sent a complaint..even though i havent seen the program.

i alone wont affect a thing...but at least...channel 4 will know there is at least one guy who would not hestitate to bitchslap them.

Aazhion, don't fuss about thing like that in POM's media. POMs will always be POMs. Their portraying China as the next colonial power in Africa is their knee-jerk reaction of their past colonial crimes in that continent. It reflects that they aren't able to shake off their colonial past. Did the POMs pick on Chinese? I don't think so. Simply look across the channel. The POMs have never got along with their French neighbors since the William the conquerer. Also they still think the Germans are Nazis and Americans their colonial subjects. POMs are self-righteous and think they still have the empire (In their mind, India is their vassal state).

On the other hand, I'm glad that they are alarmed by the increasing Chinese influence in Africa. It shows that they are afraid of us.

Turn off your television.