Deutsche Welle still cherishes the legacy of Cold War Mentality
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Germany's international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) recently fired another four editorial staff of Chinese origin working for the China-Redaktion der Deutsche Welle (DW’s Chinese Department), for what it claims were financial reasons, but in actuality, as a result of expelling “dissidents” with “Communist background”. The four dismissed Chinese editors have probably fallen victim to DW’s intense censorship and deep-seated prejudice.
The company's decision has offended the laid-off editors, who say DW's refusal to renew their contracts is because the four represent a different voice from that of the ideologically oriented China-Redaktion der Deutsche Welle. The four: Wang Fengbo, Zhu Hong, Li Qi and Wang Xueding, have published an open letter with their signature, asking the company to rescind its decision. In the open letter they also expressed their view that China-Redaktion der Deutsche Welle has lost its credibility by adhering to biased reporting against China.
The employment dispute involving the four editors working for DW acts as a reminder of the Zhang Danhong incident.
Zhang, 42, was born in Beijing, studied German in Peking University and in Cologne, Germany. She became an editor of DW-Radio's Chinese program in 1990 and was promoted deputy editorial director of the program in 2004.
Four days before the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Zhang Danhong, an editor with the broadcaster's Chinese program, reportedly said that "The Communist Party of China has more than any political force in the world implemented Article 3 of the Declaration of Human Rights", referring to the Chinese authorities pulling more than 400 million people out of poverty.
Similarly, in a TV talk show in late July of the year, Zhang reportedly said the Chinese government had done a lot to protect local culture in Tibet and criticized German Chancellor Angela Merkel for sapping relations with Beijing.
The German media reacted strongly to Zhang's remarks. On Aug 11, German magazine Focus attacked Zhang as someone who was "courting" China's Communist Party. On Aug 20, the Berliner Zeitung newspaper quoted parliamentary representative Dieter Wiefelsputz as saying that Zhang's performance was a "catastrophe". Two days later, the same newspaper confirmed Zhang's suspension from work.
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