Re: Jian Yang allegations
It’s unfortunately that the news media are scaremongering again about China.
Our relationship with China has been framed poorly by this country’s media, and this is just another example of it.
China is one of our largest trading partners, but not for this reason alone should we do more to understand it rather
than whipping up hysteria akin to “Reds under the Bed” - reminiscent of the Muldoon years.
Recently we have sadly seen a lack of understanding about China in our news media. It was hoped that burgeoning trade
with East Asia would create an appetite for understanding this region better. But this has not happened in our media.
News readers still struggle to pronounce the names of our Chinese MPs, which is simply indicative of our media’s lack of
serious interest in China issues.
Our support goes out to the National Party MP Jian Yang and his family and we urge the mainstream media take a more
reasoned approach when running such stories.
Dave Bromwich – President of the New Zealand China Friendship Society
ENDS