In 2012 Yang Rui (杨锐) was a presenter for "Dialogue," a program on CCTV-9, the English-language channel of China's state-run China Central Television. The following is a chronicle of events relating to several Sina Weibo posts that Yang made in 2012, and which were subsequently deleted (whether by Yang or Sina Weibo remains a question).
May 8, 2012 - Chinese Government Expels Melissa Chan, Al Jazeera's Correspondent in Beijing, From China
May 14, 2012 – Beijing Public Security Bureau Announces 100 Day Crackdown on Illegals
May 18, 2012 – The Wall Street Journal Reports Yang Rui's Tweet, and Yang Responds
In "State TV Host Offers Advice on How to Throw Out ‘Foreign Trash’" the Wall Street Journal wrote:
At 9:55 am, Charlie Custer, a foreigner working in China, posted the following on the ChinaGeeks Sina Weibo: (http://www.weibo.com/1749775840/yjRr2oOsS):
May 8, 2012 - Chinese Government Expels Melissa Chan, Al Jazeera's Correspondent in Beijing, From China
May 14, 2012 – Beijing Public Security Bureau Announces 100 Day Crackdown on Illegals
May 14, Beijing police announced that they would cleanse the capital of foreigners who had entered illegally, were staying illegally, or were working illegally. The number to report this is 010-64038685. We understand that there are almost 200,000 foreigners in Beijing on any given day, and that some illegal aliens are mixed in amongst them, including the "three illegals" foreigners, most of whom have no source of livelihood, no fixed residence, no appropriate jobs, and some have even come to China for the specific purpose of violating the law. The Beijing police will adopt measures such as sweeps of specific districts, regular checks of specific businesses, and strict checks of visa applications. They will increase the scope of rectification of the "three illegals" and other foreigners who violate the law, and at the same time will gather information on "three illegals" foreigners from the public. [Details]
[Related Topic] Foreign Guy Subdued by Onlookers After Sexually Assaulting Chinese Girl, Currently Detained by Beijing Public Security.
北京清理"三非"外国人
5月14日，北京警方宣布，将清理在京非法入境、非法居留、非法工作外国人，举报电话为010－64038685。据了解，北京每日实有近20万外国人，一些外籍不法人员混杂其间，其中"三非"外国人多无生活来源、无稳定住所、无正当职业，有的甚至专门来华犯罪。北京警方将采取重点社区清查、重点部位定期整治、严格审查签证申请等措施，加大整治"三非"等外国人违法犯罪工作力度，同时向社会征集"三非"外国人线索。[详情]
【相关话题】老外当街性侵中国女子被路人制服，受北京公安拘留May 16, 2012 - Yang Rui Says "Sweep Out the Foreign Trash"
The Public Security Bureau wants to sweep out the foreign trash: arrest foreign thugs, protect naive girls, Wudaokou and Sanlitun are disaster areas. Cut off the foreign snake heads, the jobless from the U.S. and Europe who come to China to corral money, engage in human trafficking, and spread deceitful lies to encourage emigration. Identify foreign spies, they find Chinese girls and shack up with them, and their job is to gather intelligence, pretending to be tourists while surveying and mapping for Japan, South Korea, the US and Europe, and improve GPS. Kicked out that foreign bitch, closed Al Jazeera's Beijing bureau, and shut up and kick out those who demonize China.This post was deleted. Original URL: http://weibo.com/1348026261/yjnYxsVVn
公安部要清扫洋垃圾：抓洋流氓，保护无知少女，五道口和三里屯是重灾区；斩首洋蛇头，美欧失业者来中国圈钱，贩卖人口，妖言惑众鼓励移民；识别洋间谍，找个中国女人同居，职业是搜集情报，以游客为名义为日本韩国和美欧测绘地图，完善GPS；赶走洋泼妇，关闭半岛电视台驻京办，让妖魔化中国的闭嘴滚蛋
May 18, 2012 – The Wall Street Journal Reports Yang Rui's Tweet, and Yang Responds
In "State TV Host Offers Advice on How to Throw Out ‘Foreign Trash’" the Wall Street Journal wrote:
In a rather perplexing move this week, Chinese Central Television host Yang Rui added a dose of poison to an already vitriolic debate about the behavior of foreigners in the Chinese capital by posting a message online in which he accused foreign spies in the city of pursuing Chinese women to cover up their activities, blamed Western residents for encouraging Chinese people to move abroad and appeared to take a certain vulgar delight in the recent expulsion of al-Jazeera correspondent Melissa Chan.Yang Rui responded to the Wall Street Journal's report on his Sina Weibo (http://weibo.com/1348026261/yjNszA5w6):
Sweep out the foreign trash, what is the idea behind the Wall Street Journal's report? It implies I'm xenophobic, hardly! There are many scumbag foreigners in China, but there are also many outstanding friendly and law-abiding foreigners. Look at this again, sweeping and cleaning, approaching relationships objectively, Chinese people are extremely hospitable, some to the point of fawning on foreign powers, to the point of surrendering their personal and national honor. Have a nice weekend, buddies, have fun on weekend.May 19, 2012 – Charlie Custer Calls on CCTV to Fire Yang, and Yang Responds
清扫洋垃圾，华尔街日报这么在意？暗示我排外，扯吧！在华的外国人渣不少，优秀的友好的和尊守中国法律的外国人也很多。甄别一下，打扫卫生，理性相处，中国人是非常好客的，有些好客得有些媚外，丧失了人格和国格。周末愉快，buddies, have fun on weekend
At 9:55 am, Charlie Custer, a foreigner working in China, posted the following on the ChinaGeeks Sina Weibo: (http://www.weibo.com/1749775840/yjRr2oOsS):
Strongly call for CCTV to fire @HostYangRui! (Please look at the attached image, and if you agree, repost!)Twenty minutes later, Yang responded with two posts on his own Sina Weibo.
强烈要求央视开除@主持人杨锐！（看看长微博，同意的话请转载！）
You're so worked up and self-conscious. You really look unsettled and are behaving badly, part of the trash that should be swept out, and I suggest the police do a little investigating into his background. You're advised to calm down and take a look at this blogger's other posts. I oppose xenophobia, and was referring to that minority of foreign thugs, foreign trash who can't find jobs in their own countries. Foreigners who come to China to run wild of low quality need to be deported. You go ahead and get your ticket for a seat, my job is done here.This post was deleted. Original URL: http://www.weibo.com/1348026261/yjRzHyakE
你那么激动，不自信，看来真的行为不端，有劣行，是该当垃圾被清扫出去，建议公安部门查一下他的背景。劝你冷静一下，看看博主另一篇围脖，我反对排外，特指那些少数洋流氓，洋垃圾，在自己国内找不到工作，来中国胡来的素质很差的外国人需要被驱逐出境。你对号入座，我的任务完成了。
He has foreign nationality, just take a look at a few of his hysterical posts and you'll know. //@WuSuYun: If he is a foreigner, he's definitely foreign trash, and is feeling scared he'll be deported. If he is Chinese, then he is definitely a reverse-racist, you say drive out the foreign trash, and he feels sorrow.This post was deleted. Original URL: http://www.weibo.com/1348026261/yjRDcs4g1
他是外籍，看他的歇斯底里的几条博文就知道了 //@无俗韵:如果他是外国人，定是洋垃圾，感到了被驱逐的恐惧；如果他是中国人，定是逆向种族主义者，你说驱赶洋垃圾，他却如丧考妣。
Later in the evening of May 19, Yang followed up with another post.
One last point, foreigners who have no skills and are unemployed in their own country who come to China can only find one job that is stable and respectable, and that's peddling English. This isn't debatable. 1. They can earn money, the market is big. 2. They can encourage emigration, collecting fees as middlemen. 3. They make girlfriends, getting close with home tutoring, and using the girls' affection to illegally obtain intelligence. Many of these kinds of foreigners get tourist visas to come to China to do black work, eating and drinking and whoring, some of them engage in organized crime.This post was deleted. Original URL: http://www.weibo.com/1348026261/yjVBgq3jr
最后一点，没有技能，在自己国家失业的人来到中国唯一稳定和被尊重的职业是兜售英语，这无可厚非1，可以赚钱，培训市场大，2，可以鼓励移民，收取中介费，3，交女朋友，近距离的家教，并利用女方的感情套取情报。许多这种洋人拿旅游签证到中国打黑工，吃喝嫖赌，部分人从事有组织犯罪
May 20, 2012 – Yang Rui Threatens to Sue Charlie Custer
On the morning of May 20, Yang Rui made two additional posts on his Sina Weibo about Charlie Custer, both of which were subsequently deleted.
This person's real name is Charlie Custer, and he actually has been interviewed by the China Daily and has used our channel in order to promote his own website ChinaGeeks that specializes in translating Chinese language blogs. He has been mentioned in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, and has relied on hawking Chinese topics to gain a modicum of notoriety. Now he's biting the hand that feeds him. The reason he's so worked up is directly related to his long-term criticism of China. He used to be an English teacher in Harbin, and has no other skills.This post was deleted. Original URL: http://www.weibo.com/1348026261/yk2FczmV8
此人真名叫Charlie Custer, 竟然也接受过中国日报的采访，利用了我们栏目，为自己专门翻译中文博客的网站ChinaGeeks扬名立腕，被纽约时报和华尔街日报提到过，是靠吆喝中国话题出了点小名气。现在过河拆桥。他之所以如此亢奋和激进跟他长期批评中国有关。他先是在哈尔滨教英语，没有别的技能。
Custer seriously damaged my reputation, and I retain the right to sue him. This affair is entirely the result of his malicious speculation, and he is inciting racial hatred. I can see his eyes are filled with anti-Chinese hatred! I hope he will respect China's laws. I would also add that he was never an appropriate guest for my program, and compared to most Western guests, for example James Fallows, his quality sucks.This post was deleted. Original URL: http://www.weibo.com/1348026261/yk2OtkzeT
Custer严重伤害了我的名誉，我保留起诉他的权利。此事完全是他恶意炒作自己，煽动种族仇恨. 我看他的眼睛里充满了反华仇恨！希望他遵守中国法律。顺便说一下，他当初根本不配上我的节目，与绝大部分优秀的西方嘉宾相比，比如@JamesFallows 他的水平很烂。
May 21, 2012 – Yang Says He Was Not Referring to Any Group
From the China Daily's "Host May Sue After Claims of Xenophobia." Some excerpts:
Yang Rui, who hosts Dialogue, an English-language show on CCTV News, said Charlie Custer, editor of China Geeks, had "damaged his reputation". He is consulting friends about filing a lawsuit, he said. . . . .
"His remarks are nothing but libel against a sincere and conscientious host who has been devoted to international cultural exchanges for 13 years," Yang said in a telephone interview. . . . .
"It's necessary that foreigners remember they need to abide by local customs and laws when they are in China," the TV host said, although he added that his post did not refer to any individual or group, and that the wording may have been misunderstood by some people.
"I stick to my opinion, even if my wording is harsh," Yang said.May 22, 2012 – Yang Says He Was Referring to a Group
From the Wall Street Journal's "State TV Host Responds to Controversy Over ‘Foreign Trash’":
On Monday [May 21], Mr. Yang sent The Wall Street Journal a statement addressing the controversy around his Sina Weibo post. It goes as follows:
For a long time, many young Chinese took it for granted that Westerners are well-educated and polite since they come from industrial nations, where the rule of law prevails. Most of them are friendly. They travel, do business and make a living here honestly. But, some are not, as a number of recent videos involving the apparent attempted rape of a young Chinese girl on one of the main streets of our capital and the disrespect shown to a middle aged woman on a Chinese train.
The sensational nature of the empowered new media means that some isolated events can ignite strong public reactions. After looking at these incidents I termed these expats "foreign trash," and I believe they should be brought to justice if they are found to have violated our laws. I want to separate them from the silent majority in the expat communities who obey and respect our culture and society. Singling out these Foreign Trash serves to protect the good reputation of decent Westerners. My posting of May 16 is a wake-up call. Western and Chinese, no one should be above the law.
I hope this will put this issue to rest for those who are willing to listen.May 24, 2012 – Shanghaiist Blog Publishes Yang's Tweets About Jews
The Shanghaiist blog published a post entitled "Is CCTV host Yang Rui an Anti-Semite?" The post consisted of five of Yang Rui's Sina Weibo posts from 2011 and 2012. Here are three of them:
The media and the republic go up and down together. The US has done this to the extreme, but Wall Street's greed was not exposed because the Jews who manage the finances also control the media. Why does the US media not dare to support the call for the establishment of a Palestinian state? They're afraid of getting fired by their Jewish bosses. When I interviewed the chairman of the US Jewish Association and expressed my doubts about this, he snarled at me ferociously and said that in America no one would dare to speak to him this way. Like a mafia don. Do not idealize American press freedom.This post was deleted. Original URL: http://www.weibo.com/1348026261/xpdzQlgQX
新闻与共和同兴衰。美国做到了极致，但是华尔街的贪婪没有被揭露，因为掌管金融的犹太人同时控制媒体。美国的媒体为何不敢为巴勒斯坦建国呼吁？怕被犹太老板炒鱿鱼。我采访美国犹太人协会主席质疑过此事，他凶相毕露地说，在美国没有人敢这样对他说话，一副黑老大的样子。不要美化了美国的新闻自由
Americans are free but not equal -- two party politics opposes government interference with society, after the financial crisis blew up not one person has been brought to task. Whoever wants to be the President has to curry favor with the Jews because they hold both the financial and media worlds in their grasp. Whoever wins a general election must yield to the choices of the voters. Average Americans have the right to bear firearms, but the right to be free from harm is extremely not equal. America has freedom in immigration but there are several million illegal immigrants, and these illegal immigrants essentially become like black slaves.This post was deleted. Original URL: http://www.weibo.com/1348026261/xufzEf5NO
美国人自由但不平等：两党政治反对政府干预社会，金融危机爆发后无一人被问责；谁想当总统必须讨好犹太人，因为他们掌握金融和新闻界；获得普选胜利者要让位选举人的选举；美国平民拥有枪支的自由，但是免于受害的自由非常不平等；美国移民自由，但是非法移民者有几百万，这些非法移民成为变相黑奴
Who can convince me that US foreign policies have brought peace, stability, and prosperity to the Middle East and Central Asia? Who can convince me that US foreign policies are truly benefiting others and are not selfish? Post 9/11 America is bloodthirsty and has greatly robbed the world of peace. But has it reflected on its flawed biased policy of shielding Israel? It is impossible because the Jews are too powerful in the US domestically, controlling finance and the media. You need the support of the Jews in a presidential election!This post was deleted. Original URL: http://www.weibo.com/1348026261/xE70UtUGl
有谁能说服我，美国的对外政策为中东和中亚带来了和平稳定和富庶？有谁能说服我，美国的对外政策是利他的，非自私的？911后的美国杀红了眼，搅得世界鸡犬不宁。可是它反省了自己偏袒以色列的错误政策了吗？不可能，因为犹太人在美国国内势力太强大，控制金融和媒体。总统大选需要犹太人！
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| Yang's thoughts on Jews in America, before they were deleted. |
August 21, 2012 – Yang Rui Says He Apologized to Jewish Scholar For Any Misunderstanding
Yang posted the following on his Weibo - http://weibo.com/1348026261/yy8Z81ArU
At around noon on October 16, Yang made the following two posts on his Weibo at http://www.weibo.com/1348026261/z0IUu9np6 and http://www.weibo.com/1348026261/z0IXMCCv6:
Yang posted the following on his Weibo - http://weibo.com/1348026261/yy8Z81ArU
Recently I had some sincere communication with a renowned American Jewish scholar that I respect regarding my views on Israel and Jews: during World War II China took many risks to protect Jews, and I have profound sympathy for what Jews experienced at that time, respect for the unity of Jews and their enormous success in the realms of politics and commerce, and appreciation for Sino-Israel relations. He praised the Dialogue program. I emphasized that I deeply apologized if there was any misunderstanding caused. Dialogue and communication is extremely important.October 16, 2012 – Yang Says He Has Apologized for Harm His Incautious Words Caused Melissa Chan
最近跟我尊敬的美著名的犹太人学者认真沟通了关于我对以色列和犹太人的看法：二战时中国冒风险保护过犹太人，我深切同情当时犹太人的遭遇，尊重犹太人的团结和政商界的巨大成功，赞赏中以色列双边关系。他表扬了本栏目Dialogue。我强调如果造成误解深表歉意。对话与沟通十分重要！
At around noon on October 16, Yang made the following two posts on his Weibo at http://www.weibo.com/1348026261/z0IUu9np6 and http://www.weibo.com/1348026261/z0IXMCCv6:
[My Attitude Toward Western Media -1]: News media values have common characteristics, for example seeking out novelty, public opinion supervision, and commercialism. However, I also understand the Chinese government's concerns about social stability and national security, and I do not approve of demonizing China. From the time that China Central Television's English International Channel came into being I have pursued a news ideal: using dialogue to frankly look into prejudices. Our Dialogue program has realized this. Weibo has opened another forum, mutually criticize, eliminate misunderstanding.
[My Attitude Toward Western Media -2]: Since I do not approve of demonizing each other, since mid-May I have, at many times and in different venues, expressed my sincere apology for the harm my incautious words caused the former female Beijing correspondent for Al Jazeera English. As for the Chinese government's attitude towards here, that has nothing to do with me. My Weibo space is mine personally, and the author takes sole responsibility. A suddenly-risen China needs more self-confidence and frankness, when criticizing others don't fear being criticized, shouldn't be terrified of speech.
「我对西媒态度-1」：新闻价值有其共性，比如猎奇，舆论监督和商业性。但是，我又很理解中国政府对社会稳定和国家安全的担心，不赞同妖魔化中国。从央视英语国际频道诞生之日起我就追求一个新闻理想：通过对话坦率地探讨分歧。我们的栏目Dialogue实现了。微博则开辟了另一个论坛，相互批评，消除误解。
「我对西媒态度-2」：既然不赞同妖魔化彼此，从五月中旬到现在数次不同场合下对我曾经措辞不慎伤害了的前半岛电视台英文频道驻京女记者我表示了真诚的道歉。至于中国政府对她的态度与我无关。我的微博空间是个人的，文责自负。崛起的中国需要更加自信和坦诚，在批评他人时也不怕被批评，不应惧怕言论。At around 5:00 pm that same day he posted the following in response to a user writing to him that "It really took a lot of guts to make a 'sincere apology' like this. Would big-name Western media journalists sincerely apologize for their inappropriate reports on China?" (这样“真诚的道歉”确是需要有勇气的。西媒大牌记者是否也为其对华报道的失当真诚道歉呢？)
It really was incautious to use "bitch," the foreign correspondents in China united to rally a counter-attack, which once again proves 1, the influence of our program, 2, public figures must be circumspect in their speech, 3, when facing Western criticism you can't demonize the other side, and must maintain some decorum when bandying words, can't be like CNN commentator Jack Cafferty's insults to China.This post was deleted. Original URL: http://www.weibo.com/1348026261/z0KWf33BI
＂泼妇 ＂用语的确不慎，在华外国记者集体抱团反击，再次证明1，我们栏目的影响力，2，公众人物言论必须谨慎，3，面对西媒批评不能妖魔化对方，舆论交锋也要有风度，不能学CNN的评论员卡福蒂的辱华
October 19, 2012 - Yang Sends Email to Former Dialogue Guests
According to the Wall Street Journal, Yang wrote:
Since I do not approve of mutual demonization, from mid-May until now, I have on numerous occasions and in multiple venues expressed my sincere apologies to the ex-Beijing correspondent for al-Jazeera who was wounded by my incautious words. The attitude of China’s government towards her has nothing to do with me. My Weibo account is personal and writers should take responsibility for what they write. A rising China needs to be more self-confident and candid, and should not be afraid of being criticized for criticizing others – it should not be afraid of public speech.
