They are canceling Tienanmen,again

"Monuments to historic people and events have also recently been removed in both the US and UK."

Oh so you are justifying the Chinese regime's behaviour because people over here object to slave owners exploiters and traders being accorded deference with their statues remaining on public display down the years?

Perhaps we could erect a statue to Cromwell in the Phoenix Park? I am sure it could be justified too if the will was there.

You "think" the Chinese get a say?

Quaint.

We are talking about an anti democratic regime.

Of course there are those among us who would be quite happy with unrepresentative regimes....

In the case of a putative Cromwell statue that would be a matter for democratic debate and decision making.

My opinion might be not very interesting in that context.

Who is a Sinophobe?

Someone you can give a misleading label to to mischaracterize their ideas?

Are you a Democratophobe ?

Who is?

"Others might see Tiananmen Square as a rebellion of sorts and don't hold them in any great stead"

Others?

Who are these "others" that support the crackdown in Tienanmen square

Is there a separate group of "others" who support the attempted erasal of those events from recorded history

Let's drink to a future without "rebellions" :'-(

Why did you think it wasn't serious?

In what sense ,the subject or the treatment of the subject?

Some other way?

To me it is indeed a very serious subject.

Be careful how you reply ,you may have used up most of your sarcasm allowance.

Well this is a serious thread, so if it doesn't suit you post (or go) elsewhere.

The two actions have not been equated by me

viz

"How does this barbaric vandalism compare to the Taliban's destruction of ancient religious monuments in the recent past?"

but I did describe it as "barbaric vandalism", (so the description could apply to either)

You think the Chinese authorities are simply exercising their rights .

I point out that they are an illegitimate regime ,and I can add ,extremely repressive with very little open dissent allowed.

In that context the removal of artworks depicting a bloody repression should be pointed out and discussed by those of us who have the liberty and privilege to do so without fear of being rounded up .

To be fair ,as a huge economic power with a huge population the Chinese can reasonably expect to have a comparable zone of influence.

The problem only arises because the centre of power in China is illegitimate and repressive.

So we can anticipate they will spread that nasty influence around either by hard means or ,as they no doubt prefer by soft means.

I don't expect the Chinese empire to last forever but it will probably outlast my lifetime.

I remember the East Germans'(was it them?) incredulity as to why we believed that they swallowed the lies of their government when they had no choice to express their real views

The same is likely to apply to Chinese nationals forced to live under that regime.

There will be a day of reckoning but we may not see it and that regime may do for us too before that happens.

That is one reason they are wary of swallowing up Taiwan

I agree they must have much of the nationalist sectors of society supporting their policies for now.

You are living in a dream world if you think democracy is some kind of a passing fad that belongs to the victors of economic power

Democracy is as intrinsic a function of human society as breathing and will always resurface after periods of repression

Indeed it is wrong to attempt to crudely impose one's ideas of "correct" democracy on any other political state but there is also the principle of solidarity at play(do you remember when they shot people trying to escape into Western Germany -which practice continues of course and is aided and abetted by the Chinese state)

Of course it was naive to expect the Chinese (or any) state to keep its word but perfidy should be called out at every opportunity surely?

It is my belief that the path of human progress and enlightenment lies through democracy.

Maybe you consider that to be "imposing my views on others"?