Fighting Against The West - China's Powerplay To Control Radio Communications

BBC's decision to cut certain services, VOA's situation, Firedrake, the most recent CPC meeting in Beijing where a comment was made about "The fight against the west" and "a victory for communism" have clearly marked China as the enemy of anyone who has gotten used to hearing communications from all over the world. Licensed radio amateurs should also be raising their eyebrows at this because China holds considerable influence over the most powerful medium of communications there is: the airwaves.

Shortwave broadcasters and amateur radio operators share many things in common and the most important of these commonalities are the ability to perform technical experiments, to understand HOW to use radio, and being able to communicate the entire world over. We both know who our audience is, we know how to reach them, and we know how to set up effective communications nets in order to keep the flow of information going.

China's power play for control of the communications medium is encroaching just as aggressively as the Iranian government. Neither of these entities can be trusted. In order for diplomacy to happen, in order for the last communist governments of the world to be effectively dismantled, those of us in the communications arena need to use our medium well. When a person uses communications well, communications actually become ninety nine percent of bringing diplomacy and democracy to the forefront.

It is already well known that communications are ninety nine percent of getting most jobs on the world done, but China needs to be given the message that their so called "victory" is short lived. One step in the right direction would be setting up American-Chinese, or Chinese-International civillian controlled shortwave stations and amateur radio nets on a regular basis.

Although radio amateurs may not broadcast, we CAN talk about technical subjects and pass on vital information that pertains to radio communications. The latest CPC meeting was merely a meeting of foolish minds.