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New Zealand Herald Publishes Letters Condemning the CCP's Interference with Divine Performing Arts
(Clearwisdom.net) The Divine Performing Arts concluded two
performances successfully in Auckland on April 5, 2007. Before the performances,
the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand exerted pressure on seven city mayors in the
greater Auckland region via telephone and suggested that they not watch the
show. This incident caught the attention of many local media. The New Zealand
Herald carried two letters from readers on April 7 condemning the CCP's
interference with residents in a democratic country's attendance at a cultural
performance. One reader stated, "Since when does the Chinese Consulate have the right
to phone some of our mayors and suggest they do not attend a Chinese cultural
show at our Civic Centre? I am ashamed that some mayors will not be attending the show. I thought they
would go if only to show that in this democracy, they defend the right of people
in this country to see, read and visit anything they please. It is time for the
Government to let the Chinese Consulate know we will not tolerate this sort of
interference and coercion." Another reader stated, "Once again the Chinese Government is interfering
in the decisions of New Zealanders to attend events. First, it was Tibetan
meetings, and now it is the Divine Performing Arts show. Often, when excessive force is brought to bear, the result is the opposite to
the intention--the French increased the size and resources of Greenpeace
immensely by giving it free publicity. The Chinese have just given the Divine
Performing Arts show the best exposure it could get. Roll up." New Zealand's mainstream media exposed the CCP's interference with the
performance of The Divine Performing Arts before the shows. Reading the reports,
many New Zealand citizens came to watch the show. Staff at the performance
indicated that the CCP's interference played the role of advertising for the
troupe.
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