Europe Tells China "Go Fuck Yourself "

By Geoff Dyer in Beijing and Andrew Ward in Stockholm

European governments are set to defy Chinese pressure to boycott the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony next month even as Beijing warned of “consequences” for countries that showed support for Liu Xiaobo, the Chinese dissident awarded this year’s prize.

Several European governments told the Financial Times on Friday they would be sending representatives to the ceremony in Oslo on December 10.

Cui Tiankai, China’s deputy foreign minister, had earlier said that countries faced a “clear and simple” choice over whether to endorse the award for Mr Liu, who was sentenced to 11 years in jail last year for “subversion of state power”.

“Do they want to be part of the political game to challenge China’s judicial system, or do they want to develop a true friendly relationship with the Chinese government and people in a responsible manner?” said Mr Cui. “If they make the wrong choice, they have to bear the consequences.”
 
Western diplomats said that China’s ambassador to Norway had sent a letter to foreign embassies in Oslo warning against actions that could “destabilise” China, although they said it stopped short of an explicit request to boycott the Nobel ceremony.

The event is traditionally attended by most foreign ambassadors to Norway. The UK was among several European countries that said they would take part as usual.
“China has raised the issue with us. It is the normal practice of the British ambassador to Norway to attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. The ambassador intends to attend this year,” said a UK Foreign Office spokesman.

The pressure from Beijing over the Nobel Prize has set up a delicate diplomatic test for David Cameron, the UK prime minister, who visits Beijing next week with a large business delegation eager to sign trade deals.

UK officials have said that Mr Cameron will raise the issue of Mr Liu’s imprisonment but have given little indication of what he will say. The December ceremony will be a test of how European governments respond to such lobbying from a Chinese government that is trying to transform its economic power into greater diplomatic clout.

France, which is currently hosting a visit by President Hu Jintao, has been careful to avoid antagonising China during the trip by keeping human rights demonstrators away from the president’s appearances and agreeing not to hold a press conference to avoid awkward questions over Mr Liu.
France’s foreign ministry said it would announce before December 10 whether it intended to attend the Nobel Prize-giving.

Maimo Henriksson, the Finnish ambassador to Norway, said she had received the letter from her Chinese counterpart and had no objection to Beijing raising concerns but she planned to attend the ceremony. Denmark’s ambassador, Hugo Ostergaard-Andersen, said he too would be there.
Mr Liu was charged with subversion over his work in organising Charter 08, a pro-democracy manifesto, and several online articles that were heavily critical of the Communist party. The Nobel committee praised him for his“peaceful and non-violent” support of political reform.