Al Jazeera journalist Mehdi Hasan who anchors the Head to Head show, engaged in a fiery debate with Victor Gao, former translator for the late leader Deng Xiaoping, and current Vice President of the Center for China and Globalization. The discussion focused on President Xi Jinping’s rule, China’s foreign policy, and the country’s crackdown on dissent.
Highlights of the Debate
The interview with a live audience grossed over 1 million views.Hasan’s probing questions touched on sensitive topics includng the detention of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, the disappearance of former foreign minister Qin Gang and defence minister Li Shangfu, the lack of free speech in China, and Beijing’s military actions towards Taiwan.
Can one criticise Xi Jinping, he asked.
Gao ducked and evaded the question, claiming the president was liked by his people. Nor was he forthcoming on how he could call China a democracy when only one person, Xi Jinping, was allowed on the ballot and people could only vote for him with no challengers allowed.
Hasan cited figures from the authorities in Xinjiang which showed that thousands of people had been detained in camps and subjected to “re-education”. Gao offered to personally take Hasan to Xinjiang but when told he would prefer to go without a “minder”, had no answer.
Hasan also challenged Gao on China’s increased military manoeuvres and cyberattacks on Taiwan, suggesting these could be preparations for an invasion. Gao defended China’s stance, insisting that Beijing seeks peaceful reunification but will act against separatist movements.
A clip of Gao’s defence was turned into a short video by Global Times and posted on Weibo, where it quickly started trending and received mocking comments from netizens
尽管高志凯在半岛电视台的节目上丑态百出，但是环球网依然“精剪”出了一分钟“精华”，赞扬高志凯“舌战外媒”的表现，引发网友群嘲。 https://t.co/EJ1UpiE8rK pic.twitter.com/ThnoKIAZzh
— 李老师不是你老师 (@whyyoutouzhele) August 13, 2024
Reaction And Censorship In China
Global Times edited and shared a one-minute “highlight” of the interview, lauding Gao’s “verbal battle with foreign media.” The edited clip went viral on Weibo, China’s version of X (formerly Twitter), but major segments of the interview were censored when users attempted to share the full video.
Weibo viewers responded with sarcasam and criticism. One mocked the selective editing, asking “Do you dare to post the whole interview?” Another, in a similar vein, asked “Why are you only posting a small clip of this interview?”
Asked another netizen, “Do you really think I haven’t seen the entire video? I laughed so hard.” Another commentator added: “If you post the entire video of this interview, I might believe you.”
The exchange underscores the tension between the Chinese government’s need to ensure narrative control and the global spread of information. Hasan’s grilling of Gao has resonated with audiences worldwide, further fueling discussions on China’s policies, its extravagant claims and its treatment of its own people.
