East Asian Studies professor Perry Link has testified before two Congressional committees during the past two months to denounce the treatment of public intellectuals in China and the Communist Party's role in shaping Chinese public opinion through the media.
Link, a renowned expert in Chinese culture, spoke to the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) in March and the U.S.-China Commission earlier this month.
"These hearings are held partly so congressmen can inform their constituents [about China]," Link said in a phone interview. "But the main function is to educate [the congressmen] so they can cast votes properly and participate in intelligent debate."
Link attributed the lack of Chinese intellectuals' voices to the Communist Party's success in co-opting intellectuals by using "higher salaries, better housing, higher status," according to the transcript released by CECC after the March session.
Public intellectuals do still exist, though, Link argued, and fall into five spheres: Internet essayists, journalists, muckraking novelists, special cause activists and lawyers. Link cited an incident last December where "prominent essayists" were arrested by the government.
"[The essayists'] computers were confiscated and the contents of their computers were copied," Link said in the interview. "The government gave the message that 'We're watching you' and the police followed these essayists around."
Link added that while news of the essayists' detention appeared in publications around the world, nothing appeared in China's domestic news outlets.
"The firewall in China that blocks websites and monitors emails and phone messaging is more effective than I would have thought," he said.
Link focused on such extreme media control in his second testimony, explaining how Communist propaganda induces the Chinese public to perceive domestic issues in a certain way.
Referring to the lingering tension between Chinese and Taiwanese leaders over Taiwanese independence, he said, "You can't see anything good about [Taiwan President] Chen Shui-bian in the media in China right now. If they are going to get a more well-rounded view of Taiwan independence, people can't get it from the mainland Chinese media."
Link said that the congressional hearings were "more like background hearings" to help staffers write position papers for their congressmen.
He said that while some congressmen take a special interest in freedom of expression in China, many organize such hearings to learn more about China so they can address issues that arise in congressional voting.
"These hearings have a public discourse element, too," Link added. "It's how our democracy hashes things out."
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