Hao Hao ReportThe best China news and blog posts

“Free Tibet” has become the cry of the backward and the reactionary. Across the West, it has been turned into the pet cause of poor little rich girls (and boys) who feel disillusioned with modernity and the evil forces of progress. "Free Tibet" activists expend much of their energy campaigning against anything that smells modern—especially Chinese jobs, industry, and infrastructure.

KATHMANDU, April 25, 2007—Chinese authorities have detained four U.S. citizens who staged a protest at the Chinese Everest base camp against Beijing's plans to bring the Olympic torch through the region.

On arriving at the base camp, the activists from the U.S.-based Students for a Free Tibet group unfurled a banner which read "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008," Kirsten Westby from Boulder, Colorado told RFA's Tibetan service by telephone from a holding cell.

During the first weeks of April, Treasury officials of the United States, Canada and Great Britain made trips to China to meet with top officials in the Chinese government.

Ignoring pro-Tibet protesters, who opposed the trip, Sandra Pupatello, Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Canadian province of Ontario, furnished the Chinese leadership with her personal support as well as the support of her country (historically friendly to the "People’s" Republic) at this time in which international public opinion is focused on the protests over Chinese oppression in Tibet.

The Mutant Palm reveals the free Tibet movement for what they are: a bunch of self-congratulatory pranksters that are unable to engage the Chinese people on the subject of an independent Tibet.

While the Myanmar government uses military violence to quell peaceful protesters, China expresses it's hope that the situation can reach a happy, tank-free resolution.

An excellent, excellent post by Imagethief on how the Chinese authorities recently made a huge Beijing boo-boo by detaining Olympic protesters one year before the games begin.

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Protesters attempted to douse the Olympic torch with a fire extinguisher on Sunday as its arrival in London triggered angry demonstrations over China's human rights record and recent unrest in Tibet ahead of this year's Summer Games in Beijing.

Hundreds of police officers were guarding the 31-mile route and flanking torch-bearers in an effort to prevent pro-Tibet campaigners from further disrupting the event. At least 30 people have been arrested for public disorder offenses, the Metropolitan Police said.

All those Tibetan flags that have been used in recent overseas protests were actually made in the mainland. D'oh!

"Workers said they thought they were just making colourful flags and did not realise their meaning. "

At least in Hong Kong. On Saturday protesters expressed their disagreement with Beijing. See some pictures of the event.