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Tuesday, July 10, 2018, marks the beginning of a new life of Liu Xia, just days before the first anniversary of the death of her husband in China. Liu Xiaobo, the 57-year-old poet, artist and widow, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, landed at Berlin Tegel Airport in the late afternoon, after almost eight years of work. House arrest. Following in the footsteps of several other Chinese exile dissidents who have made Berlin their adopted country in recent years. The choice of Berlin, whether for a temporary or permanent stay, is not accidental. Compared to many other Western countries, Germany has been the most vocal voice on human rights issues in China, even though economic relations between the two countries have deepened. And with its vibrant cultural scene, the cosmopolitan German capital provides a welcoming environment for Chinese dissidents, who often come from the world of arts and letters themselves.
"Many Chinese dissidents are artists, writers and thinkers. Here in Berlin, they can find like-minded people and a support network. There are places to organize events. Medical treatments and support from political institutions are also available, "said Kristin Shi-Kupfer, director of public policy research and society at the Mercator Institute for Chinese Studies (MERICS) in Berlin
This can make the experience of exile less lonely. "She is not alone. There are Chinese artists living here ready to offer their support. Being part of the community of Chinese artists here in Berlin will be very useful for his new life at the beginning, "said Wolfgang Buettner, Advocacy Officer for Human Rights Watch Berlin.
Liberation of Liu Xia
The news of the liberation of Liu badigned to residence since her late husband won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 – a year imprisoned for helping to draft a 2008 manifesto urging China to reform its style of government and respect human rights – was released Tuesday morning. later confirmed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China which stated that Liu had traveled to Germany for medical treatment. A few hours later, she was spotted in transit in Helsinki as she was traveling to Berlin, where Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday.
China and Germany signed agreements worth nearly $ 24 billion and reaffirmed their commitment to a multilateral trading system, with the United States adopting an increasingly protectionist approach, including with their allies in Europe and elsewhere. The United States and China are already in the middle of a trade war, with $ 34 billion worth of goods on each side subject to a 25% duty, and the United States on Tuesday announced a new list of 6,000 items worth some 200 billions of dollars of Chinese products.
Shi-Kupfer said that Liu's release was significant in the context of international political and economic woes between China, Germany and the United States. Given the difficult relations with the United States, China must make efforts to win Germany – already a key beneficiary of its investment – as a partner and supporter in Europe. Allowing Liu to travel to Germany was a concession of a China that wants to be recognized as a responsible global player, she said. "[It]" [It] looks like a gesture of goodwill from the Chinese government to Angela Merkel, as she was very involved in the pressure for Liu's release, "said Shi-Kupfer.
While Other countries have muted their claims of China in human rights, Germany has not hesitated.The groups of concern in Germany and politicians have been vocal On this front, HRW's Buettner said During her visit to China at the end of May, Merkel met the wives of two Chinese lawyers held under house arrest and discussed human rights with Prime Minister Li in Beijing, a rare decision for a foreign head of state.According to Liu's friend, the ambbadador of Germany to China accompanied him on his trip to Berlin [19659018] Ich bin Berliner The author and Chinese political dissident Ma Jian, who has been banned from China with his books since 2011, lives in London but has a weakness for Berlin. He spent time in the German capital in 2017 as a visiting scholar and admires the political consciousness among the people there, he told Deutsche Welle: " When you walk in the Street, you come across "Stolpersteine" [Stumbling Stones] reminiscent of people who have been persecuted by the Nazis.Also, everywhere in the city, you meet with references and memorials from history and the east-west division of the city and country. " After World War II, the German capital was divided until 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down. Since the reunification of Germany, Berlin recalls the painful lessons in history that have shaped the country's approach to those seeking refuge. More specifically, in 2015, when refugees from Syria, Iraq and elsewhere arrived in Europe, Germany pledged to host a million. More than 10 million foreigners were registered living in the country in 2016. Berlin, in addition to hosting refugees is particularly attractive to artists and the intellectuals. Foreign artists can apply for a special residence permit to live and work in Berlin, where the cost of living is relatively low compared to other major cities and art centers in the world. Ai Weiwei, the most famous Chinese artist-activist in the world, has moved in Berlin in 2015 after being watched for years. In his case too, Germany's lobbying helped to make his departure from China possible. Arriving in the German capital, Ai set up his studios in the Pfefferberg area and took a guest professor (link in German) at the Universität der Künste Berlin. Although Ai said in May that he plans to leave Berlin (link in German) after the expiry of the professorship, he expressed his gratitude to the city for giving him his first exhibition in the country in 2001 and him during his detention in China. He was detained for three months in 2011 for being a virulent critic of Beijing, especially about the death of schoolchildren during the Sichuan earthquake in 2008. When Liu Xiaobo died in 2017, he was arrested. hailed as a symbol of human rights and democratic movements in China. This is not the first time that Chinese artists flock to Berlin. In the 1920s, the city also houses a Chinese art scene, with luminaries like the painter Xu Beihong, considered a master of Chinese modern art, spending some time there. In recent times, artists from China began to make their presence felt in the city about ten years ago (paywall). Other artists such as Ma Yongfeng and Aajajiao from mainland China and Isaac Chong Wai from Hong Kong are among those who call Berlin their new home. Author Zhou Qing, who was sentenced to two years in 1989 for being involved in the Tiananmen protests, also lives in Berlin. But the city is not only a magnet for Chinese exiled artists. A number of internationally renowned artists have chosen the city as their base, among them Tom to s Saraceno from Argentina, Haegue Yang from South Korea and Chiharu Shiota from Japan. It also houses many museums, independent art spaces and daring commercial galleries weaving a promising support network for artists Liao Yiwu, exiled poet, author and longtime friend of Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia, was a key figure in the defense of the release of Liu Xia. Liao was imprisoned in China between 1990 and 1994 for composing the poem "Mbadacre", dedicated to the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. He has been living in Berlin since In May, Liao revealed that Liu Xia told her on the phone that she was "ready to die at home". if she could not leave China. After receiving news about Liu Xia's release, Liao shared his enthusiasm on Twitter, writing "Ich bin so so happy!" 劉霞 的 確 飛往 飛往, 這次 是 毫無 疑問.以此 公告. – 廖亦武 Liao Yiwu (@ liaoyiwu1) July 10, 2018 Liao should attend the memorial on Friday night [19659009] at the church from Gethsemane to Berlin to commemorate the first anniversary of Liu Xiaobo's death. Other prominent cultural figures who campaigned for the release of Liu Xia will participate in this event, led by Rev. Roland Kühne, who has been organizing since 2010 protests on behalf of Liu Xiaobo in front of the Chinese Embbady in China. Germany . and Nobel laureate Herta Müller, a key figure behind Liu Xiaobo's nomination for the Peace Prize; singer-songwriter Karl Wolf Biermann; Tienchi Martin-Liao, editor-in-chief of Liu Xiaobo's works and head of the unofficial badociation of Chinese writers PEN; and the American author and Pulitzer Prize winner, Ian Johnson. Will Liu Xia be present? Liao said on Twitter after meeting with Liu that she is still weak despite her good mood. "Let's wait a bit, maybe she can come to the church in Gethsemane on July 13." Meanwhile, one day after releasing Liu, China sentenced Qin Yongmin, an activist long time for democracy, 13 years in prison for subversion Popular
Supporting Liu Xia in Berlin
ich bin so so happy! Endlich, endlich kommt Xia heute !! https: //t.co/Bip3Agm5uy
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