According to the Melbourne International Film Festival, China has been angered by the fact that the festival is showing a documentary about Rebiya Kadeer and that she has been invited as a guest. (The Chinese don't like her because she's a leading Uighur.) That they are angry is one thing, but that they are actively trying to stop the event is quite something else. The festival's website has been attacked by hackers, and the Chinese contacted the festival, urging them not to invite Kadeer or show the film. The festival didn't budge though.
This is obviously not the way to behave if you want to be regarded as a benevolent world power. The hacking of the festival's website is bad enough but that could have been the work of ordinary punks. But that Chinese officials are trying to decide which films the festival may or may not show is just plain wrong, and rather disturbing.
BBC reports.
The festival's website.
