Missing Chinese artist to 'pay price'

THE Global Timesnewspaper in China criticised western governmentsfor demanding the release of disappeared artist Ai Weiwei yesterday.

In an editorial, the newspaper said Ai had been testing thebounds of China's laws and would pay a price. The newspaper,published by the People's Daily, marks the first occasion that state-controlled media have taken up the controversy over Ai, who wasstopped on Sunday from boarding a flight from Beijing to Hong Kongand taken away by police.

An outspoken critic of the Communist Party, Ai (53) has not beenin contact with his family since Sunday.

Describing the artist as a "maverick", the editorial stated: "Theexperience of Ai Weiwei and other mavericks cannot be placed on thesame scale as China's human rights development and progress."

His detention has prompted widespread condemnation from westerngovernments and Chinese human rights defenders, who see the case asmarking a tougher crackdown on freedom of speech.

The editorial makes it clear that Ai will pay the price for hisregular criticism of one-party rule.

"Ai Weiwei will be judged by history, but he will pay a price forhis special choice, which is the same in any society. China as awhole is progressing and no one has power to make a nation try toadapt to his personal likes and dislikes, which is different fromwhether rights of the minority are respected."

Meanwhile, China's online community has started using a cleverlycoded phrase, "Love the Future", which in Chinese looks and soundssimilar to Mr Ai's name, and posted numerous phrases about "lovingthe future".

The internet is tightly controlled by the system of checks knownas the Great Firewall of China and these blog entries and postingshave been deleted by the authorities.

"Justice doesn't die; faith is forever. Love the future!" ran oneposting on Sina Weibo microblog.

Dissidents and activists have been rounded up recently anddetained.

The crackdown comes against a background of "Jasmine Revolutions"ousting regimes in the Middle East and also reflects official nervesahead of next year's change of leadership in China.