China's official double-speak: more than just a joke
"Vacation-style treatment” becomes the latest meme in China after a crime-fighting government official's suspected defection attempt.
- Here are some of the highlights from around the web:
- English translation of the Chongqing government's post on Sina Weibo. Nearly 60,000 people reposted the announcement within 24 hours.According to our information, Deputy Mayor Wang Lijun is highly stressed and in poor health due to long-term overwork. He is now accepting vacation-style treatment.
- Photos from Sina Weibo show police gathering outside the U.S. consulate in Chengdu where Wang allegedly sought asylum.
- U.S. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland confirmed that Wang had arranged a meeting with U.S. officials this week, but "left the consulate of his own volition." She would not comment on issues related to asylum or refugee status.
- Wang's most recent whereabouts have not been reported. His abrupt departure has left many wondering about his fate and his "vacation-style treatment." Internet jokes about phrase show a critical view of Chinese authorities. From Sina Weibo:
- Should the U.S. set up a consulate in every city in China in order to meet the particular needs of Chinese party members [who seek political asylum]?
- For those communists who have made a mistake, if the party relies on you, you can have a vacation; if the party abandons you, you accept "treatment"; if the party hasn't decided yet, you will be under "vacation-style treatment".
- I wonder how many people will accept the "vacation-style treatment" before the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
- Egao, which roughly means using rude sarcasm to get certain messages across, has become part of the mainstream internet culture in China. A screenshot of a Weibo post shows one netizen's suggestion for those who try to seek asylum in the United States.
- Who can seek political asylum from the U.S. government? And how? And what kind of preparation do they need? Those are professional questions. Don't take it for granted that you can seek refuge by just running away. That is why I would consider the United Nations Refugee Handbook as a must-read for those who seek asylum.
- This cartoon mocks "double-speak" by Chinese officials.
- "Manager Liu, I highly recommend you to take a vacation-style treatment."
- This Star Wars spoof - The Empire Strikes Back: Darth Vader's vacation - is circulating widely in China. It describes Wang Lijun (portrayed as Darth Vader) eventually submitting to the "dark side" or the Sith (referring to Bo Xilai).
- Tweets about Wang's "vacation":
- I think the dispute over the winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in medicine is pointless. The prize should be shared by Wang Lijun and the Chongqing government for their collaborated medical innovation: vacation-style treatment.
