[link removed]
FAIR
View article on FAIR's website ([link removed])
Need a Quote From an Official Enemy Denouncing Democracy? Do Like the New York Times and Make It Up Jim Naureckas ([link removed])
NYT: An Alliance of Autocracies? China Wants to Lead a New World Order.
The New York Times (3/29/21 ([link removed]) ) produces a new installment in its ongoing project of demonizing China (FAIR.org, 1/29/21 ([link removed]) ): "As President Biden predicts a struggle between democracies and their opponents, Beijing is eager to champion the other side."
You know you're in for a hard sell when the New York Times (3/29/21 ([link removed]) ) publishes an article under the headline "An Alliance of Autocracies? China Wants to Lead a New World Order."
And Times Beijing bureau chief Steven Lee Myers doesn't disappoint. He asserts:
China hopes to position itself as the main challenger to an international order, led by the United States, that is generally guided by principles of democracy, respect for human rights and adherence to rule of law.
"Generally" is doing a lot of work in that sentence. I don't think I have to spend too much time reminding you that the United States is a massive supporter of coups ([link removed]) and undemocratic governments ([link removed]) ; has an ongoing history of torture ([link removed]) , detention without trial ([link removed]) and extrajudicial killing ([link removed]) ; and asserts the right to invade ([link removed]) and coerce ([link removed]) countries in defiance of international law. But it's what Myers does with this deceptive summary of US policy that I find most striking; he immediately follows with:
Such a system “does not represent the will of the international community,” China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, told Russia’s, Sergey V. Lavrov, when they met in the southern Chinese city of Guilin.
Wang, like the New York Times, defines the US-led international order as one based in democracy, human rights and the rule of law, and says that doesn't represent "the will of the international community"? That doesn't seem likely. When you search for the part of the quote that's actually in quotation marks, you find this release (3/26/21 ([link removed]) ) from the Chinese government:
Wang Yi said, the so-called "rules-based international order" by a few countries is not clear in its meaning, as it reflects the rules of a few countries and does not represent the will of the international community.
So what Wang actually said China was challenging is the "rules-based international order"—which he suggested doesn't deserve its name, since only a handful of countries get to make the rules. He didn't mention democracy or human rights in the statement; as for the rule of law, he said, "We should uphold the universally recognized international law."
It's an article of faith in US establishment media that they represent an independent watchdog press, whereas China's news outlets propagandize the official positions of the state. Articles like this one make you wonder what they're talking about.
------------------------------------------------------------
ACTION ALERT: You can send a message to the New York Times at
[email protected] (mailto:
[email protected]) (Twitter: @NYTimes ([link removed]) ). Please remember that respectful communication is the most effective. Feel free to leave a copy of your communication in the comments thread.
Read more ([link removed])
© 2021 Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting. All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you signed up for email alerts from
Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting
Our mailing address is:
FAIRNESS & ACCURACY IN REPORTING
124 W. 30th Street, Suite 201
New York, NY 10001
FAIR's Website ([link removed])
FAIR counts on your support to do this work — please donate today ([link removed]) .
Follow us on Twitter ([link removed]) | Friend us on Facebook ([link removed])
change your preferences ([link removed])
Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp
[link removed]
unsubscribe ([link removed]) .
