China censors Clark interview on CNN

Helen Clark

BEIJING - Helen Clark became a victim of China's censorship regime when she did an interview on international broadcaster CNN yesterday.

She was doing an interview summarising her talks with China's political leaders when the CNN interviewer asked her about human rights in the region.

Despite the Prime Minister treading a careful diplomatic line on the issue, the CNN broadcast to Beijing went blank for about 15 seconds as she replied to the question.

Her voice returned to the air as she said if New Zealand only traded with countries with similar values and political systems it would be left dealing with a small group of nations.

Chinese officials censor CNN in Beijing, removing references to the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and also edit the news when it refers to protests in Hong Kong or other issues considered sensitive to China.

Some have raised concerns that New Zealand is looking at a trade deal with China when the country does not have many basic democratic rights such as freedom of expression and freedom of worship.

Helen Clark said she raised the issue with Premier Wen Jiabao, but also noted that China was looking to improve its human rights framework.

Helen Clark later said she was not surprised by being censored.

"This underlines what I have been saying for several days - China is not a democracy, there isn't freedom of expression," she said. "That, of course, is not a reason for not having a dialogue with China."

- NZPA