BEIJING�It seemed a fine way to demonstrate to its countless millions of viewers that China is a powerful, modern nation connected to, and interested in, world events.
Airing a live broadcast of U.S. President Barack Obama's inaugural speech with simultaneous translation? It seemed harmless.
But then Obama derisively mentioned the "C" word � communism � and sent China's state broadcaster CCTV scrambling.
An on-air host cut in, the translation cut out and the host moved swiftly to awaken an apparently slumbering panelist in another studio for an urgent discussion on the economy. It was, by anyone's measure, ham-handed and embarrassing, making CCTV look foolish.
And it was also yet another reminder that censorship is not just a common or even daily occurrence in Chinese life. It is, in fact, tightly woven into the country's entire information system.
Every newspaper, magazine, radio and television program in mainland China is accountable to the Central Propaganda Department, the powerful arm that seeks to shape Chinese thought.
"Ah, how the Chinese (read: Chinese Communist party) wish their media to be able to influence people, sway their thought to their direction, and win friends," wrote one commentator on a popular Chinese English-language website.
"And then they continually pull the bumbling, heavy-handed moron move, each and every time ... ."
There were two offensive passages for CCTV and a number of Chinese language websites.
And a double standard seemed to emerge, with English language Chinese websites allowing the offending words and passages, while many Chinese language websites � read by hundreds of millions of Chinese netizens � deleted them.
"Recall that earlier generations faced down communism and fascism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions," Obama said.
And later: "To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."
Obama did not name China.
But Chinese censors, by their actions, clearly felt the sting.
Chinese-language Web portal Net Ease was a rare exception, killing the paragraph that mentioned communism but allowing the paragraph in which Obama mentioned dissent. But dissent itself is still not allowed in China.
The Reuters news agency reported that an advocate of free elections in China, who had been invited to a reception in honour of Obama's inauguration at the American consulate in Wuhan, was prevented from attending this week.
Relatives of 50-year-old Yao Lifa, a school official in the small town of Qianjiang near Wuhan, said they believed he was detained on the weekend in Beijing.
He has previously been detained for helping to mobilize disaffected farmers and promoting democracy.
Yao is also a signatory to Charter '08, a manifesto issued by reform-minded Chinese citizens last month calling for freedom, democracy and respect for human rights in China.
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