China's Publicity Stunt Backfires

Oh my Goddess! This is funny, LOL! What an eye-opener, too!  I thought at least some of the Chinese ruling elite were more sophisticated than this. Guess not.

From Yahoo News
China stood up by winner of 'Confucius peace prize'
By Michael Martina Michael Martina – Thu Dec 9, 6:00 am ET

That grimace on the unidentified little girl is supposed
to be a smile!  She was obviously chosen to evoke
an "awwwww, ain's she cute" reaction.  Yes, she
is very cute.  No, your stupid "Prize" didn't work.

BEIJING (Reuters) – It was meant to be China's answer to the Nobel Peace Prize, a timely riposte to the honoring of jailed dissident Liu Xiaobo. But the winner of the first "Confucius Peace Prize" didn't even bother to show up.

Instead, it was left to a scared-looking girl, whom organizers did not properly identify, to collect a stack of bills for the $15,000 cash prize meant for former Taiwan vice-president Lien Chan.

Lien had won the prize for his efforts to improve relations between China and Taiwan, the self-ruled island Beijing claims as its own, beating out five other nominees, including past Nobel Peace Prize winners Mahmoud Abbas and Nelson Mandela.

"We believe that Mr. Lien Chan, with his knowledge, dignity, and political wisdom, would not refuse peace, and he would not refuse this prize," Confucius Prize organizer Tan Changliu gamely told a packed news conference in Beijing.

Lien, now honorary chairman of Taiwan's ruling Nationalist or KMT party, has not commented publicly on the prize.

Lai Shin-yuan, chairwoman of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, told Taiwan lawmakers that the island's government found the prize "amusing."

"As far as we know it is an unofficial prize. We don't plan to make any comment on it," she said. "But we do find it amusing." [I'll bet you do, LOL!]