Hong Kong protests: What’s making news in China?

AS THE world watches the extraordinary images coming out of Hong Kong, Chinese residents are getting a heavily censored version of the news.

The National Pigeon Show will be held in Ipswich this weekend. Ipswich pigeon specialist club secretary John Wiseman. Photo by Stuart Quinn.

FOR the last five days, the world has watched Hong Kong transfixed at scenes of tear gas raining down on thousands of protesters in one of the world’s financial hubs.

MORE: Hong Kong protesters issue ultimatum for China

The “umbrella revolution” has seen finance workers, civil servants and student activists turning out side by side in order to protest their right to hold free and fair elections for their leader in 2017 — rather than choose from a preselected panel of candidates as Beijing wants.

Protesters and student demonstrators hold up their cellphones in a display of solidarity outside the headquarters of Legislative Council in Hong Kong. Pic: AFP.

The mass demonstration has caused a major headache for China, who want to ensure Hong Kong’s next leader is selected from within those nominated by a pro-Beijing committee.

MORE: Inside the Umbrella Revolution

They’ve gone to great lengths to stop the spread of information and images from the streets, including blocking photo-sharing site Instagram and branding the protest “illegal”.

Meanwhile state run news agencies have reported a government sanctioned version of events, if the protests appear at all. Here’s a selection of what’s making news:

10,000 pigeons go through anal security check for suspicious objects Tue, ready to be released on National Day on Wed pic.twitter.com/HitEpLMv8o

— People's Daily,China (@PDChina) September 30, 2014

Chen Zhou, a legless man conquers Bird's Path, a 2080 meters long precipitous cliff path in Sichuan on Sept 26. pic.twitter.com/fn9vBDYMOq

— People's Daily,China (@PDChina) September 30, 2014

Chinese tennis player Li Na waved to audience at her retirement ceremony held at the 2014 China Open in Beijing, Tue pic.twitter.com/GO5BleN6Gw

— People's Daily,China (@PDChina) September 30, 2014

Students sang patriotic chorus song at Monument to the People's Heroes in Tian'anmen Square Tue, the 1st Martyrs' Day pic.twitter.com/X5kS6HHHdr

— People's Daily,China (@PDChina) September 30, 2014

A man in Wuling city of Hunan demonstrates his virtuosity of riding motorcycle on Sept 29. The police were stunned pic.twitter.com/rAaOAKznZL

— People's Daily,China (@PDChina) September 30, 2014

Despite limited coverage, Chinese news agencies haven’t completely ignored the protest.

The People’s Daily has tweeted pictures and the most read story on their site is illegal assembly in Hong Kong leads to clashes which details how the Chief Executive has called for an end to the demonstrations.

20,000 protesters continued #OccupyCentral in Hong Kong on Mon, leading to school suspension and traffic disruption. pic.twitter.com/xjjJDHfEeY

— People's Daily,China (@PDChina) September 30, 2014

Earlier, another story “Street movement ruins Hong Kong image” reports that radical activists have jeopardised the global image of the city. Neither contains quotes from protesters themselves.

Public broadcaster CCTV published a story stating Hong Kong officials are calling for protesters to act in a rational, calm way, without any images of the scenes. Meanwhile their US counterpart CCTV America said China opposes foreign interference in the country.

China News Services is running two stories saying protests have disrupted lives and depressed stock, focusing on financial workers and those who were disrupted by the event. Another piece reports Hong Kong Chief Executive C Y Leung urged Occupy Central organisers to end the event immediately.

State media agency Xinhua also doesn’t have anything about Hong Kong in the top ten stories on their site. Their Twitter feed has news of a new Xbox launch and how to tell panda triplets apart, with no mention of the mass demonstration taking place.

How to tell panda triplets apart? http://t.co/3ieHMALksb

— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) September 30, 2014

Dogs surf too! 80 dogs take part in the Surf Dog-A-Thon competition in California, U.S. pic.twitter.com/AyGK5lNsAf

— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) September 29, 2014

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