Following is a Letter to the Editor published July 20 in Sweden’s biggest daily Dagens Nyheter in connection with the ongoing visit of Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia in China beginning July 17:
Trip to China a success – for the Chinese
The King and the Queen have now arrived in Kanton together with the East Indiaman the “Götheborg”. The interest among the Chinese is great, 900 million Chinese TV-viewers can follow this spectacle live, and in the week the royal couple will meet with Hu Jintao, President of China.
At the same time as the royal couple are delighted over the visit, it is forgotten that China is in the lead when it comes to executions, censorship of media, imprisonment of dissidents, and the occupation of Tibet.
It is alarming to see how Sweden’s representatives of government and monarchy are rubbing the Chinese dictatorship the right way. Either this is due to sheer ignorance, or the Swedish special representatives feel that personal satisfaction goes before human rights.
Meng Zi
(Translated by Monica Masuda)
Note: The Gotheborg is an 18th century Swedish merchant ship which mysteriously sank off Sweden’s coast in 1745 with a cargo of Chinese porcelain, silk and tea. According to Xinhua report July 20, Swedish king’s visit coincides with the arrival of a replica of the 18th century Swedish merchant ship Gotheborg in south China’s Guangdong Province after a nine-month voyage. Other issues related to trade and commerce are on the agenda of the royal couple’ meetings with Chinese leaders.
