When a US President says something like this in a worldwide televised speech on the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, it sends a signal, even though the words may seem mild.
I know there has been controversy about the promotion of democracy in recent years, and much of this controversy is connected to the war in Iraq.
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But I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn’t steal from the people.
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Governments that protect these rights are ultimately more stable, successful and secure. Suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away.
Obama said this at a moment when China has the internet completely locked down, with thousands of websites and channels of communication shut off days ago due to the anniversary. These words were carefully chosen.
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