The Nobel Peace Prize medal and diploma meant for Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo sit on an empty chair that he would have occupied, during the awards ceremony in Oslo in December 2010. Liu was at the time serving an 11-year prison term for inciting subversion of state power. Photo: AFP
The Nobel Peace Prize medal and diploma meant for Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo sit on an empty chair that he would have occupied, during the awards ceremony in Oslo in December 2010. Liu was at the time serving an 11-year prison term for inciting subversion of state power. Photo: AFP
China’s Communist Party
Comment /  Opinion

Tragedy of Liu Xiaobo shows why China is not Mandela’s South Africa

John Chan says Liu Xiaobo was misled by an illusory but honest belief in a peaceful change to democratic governance, but the confident one-party system of China probably renders any such hopes futile

John Chan
John Chan

Updated: 6:57pm, 25 Jul, 2017

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The Nobel Peace Prize medal and diploma meant for Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo sit on an empty chair that he would have occupied, during the awards ceremony in Oslo in December 2010. Liu was at the time serving an 11-year prison term for inciting subversion of state power. Photo: AFP
The Nobel Peace Prize medal and diploma meant for Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo sit on an empty chair that he would have occupied, during the awards ceremony in Oslo in December 2010. Liu was at the time serving an 11-year prison term for inciting subversion of state power. Photo: AFP
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