Chinese Spectacular Tour Non-Political, says NTDTV

This interference with our free speech from the Chinese Consulate comes as no surprise. The Ottawa Citizen picked up the story. Look here for Ottawa Citizen's initial story.

Media Advisory

On January 16th, 2007, the Vancouver Sun published an article entitled “ China denounces show depicting killing of a Falun Gong member: Embassy calls performance propaganda and chastises PM for backing event” and the Times Colonist: "China angered by response to visiting Falun Gong Show".

NTDTV Canada would like to respond as follows:

• The NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular is a cultural event with music and dances showcasing traditional Chinese culture and values. The show is now in its fourth year and is touring 28 cities globally including the Canadian cities Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. The show was very well received in previous years, and the New York show was rated as the top 7th internationally according to the Billboard magazine boxscore in Feb. 2006. The 2007 shows were greeted with great enthusiasm by the audience. Many in the audience described the show as “the best show” they have ever seen.

• Some people prefer to ignore the well documented persecution of Falun Gong in China.NTDTV has decided not to shy away from the issue. In a time to celebrate, such as the New Year, it is a Chinese tradition to remember the unfortunate things that have transpired and to celebrate with the victims in mind. The program mentioned in the Citizen’s article is an artistic expression of what is happening in China today. The choreography and the execution of the dance performance are of a high artistic standard, and the content of the program is of high moral standard, depicting the traditional Chinese belief that “doing good will be rewarded, doing bad will be punished.” A program such as this should be celebrated, not criticized. NTDTV believes that Falun Gong’s principles of Truth, Compassion and Tolerance are traditional Chinese values. To avoid Falun Gong in a New Year celebration amounts to self-censorship – something most Chinese-language media groups are all too familiar with. NTDTV will not avoid the Falun Gong values and will continue inviting artists who practice Falun Gong to perform in our shows as long as they meet our artistic standards.

• This is not the first time that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has attempted to interfere with NTDTV’s operations in Canada. Since 2004, CCP officials have been sending letters to NTDTV’s invited artists, supporters and business partners to threaten and discourage them from working with NTDTV (fax copies of the letters are available upon request). The Canadian government, media and general public should be concerned that a foreign government is interfering with Canadian businesses.

"We urge the Chinese Embassies/Consulates to immediately stop interfering with NTDTV activities in Canada and around the world."

Contact: Joe Wang 9647) 206-8388