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Has the Nobel Prize gone to the right man?

| Friday, 10 Oct. 2010 | 18:06 - 19:00 GMT

Jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo has won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Not quite as surprising as last year’s announcement but I’m sure this years won’t be welcomed by Beijing. Just last month, the Chinese foreign ministry warned the committee not to award him the prize, saying it would be against Nobel principles.

The head of the Nobel Prize committee has described Mr Xiaobo as "the foremost symbol of the wide-ranging struggle for human rights in China". So what will this mean for Human Rights in China?

China will surely view this as an attack on their human rights record so could this announcement do more harm than good? Is this kind of pressure the right way to tackle human rights in China?

Your comments

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    That''s all for today''s World Have Your Say. You can see both our TV and radio shows on the blog,

  2. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Tom emailed from Beijing - everybody has to follow rules to make a good citizen. rules are man-made. they're made to be improved. the Nobel Peace Prize is giving it a go, now it's on the chinese people to improve their own rules. Thanks professor Liu.

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    Shana emailed - Liu Xiaobo deserves the Nobel Peace Prize because he has taken it upon himself to stand where others have been to afraid to do so. The unfortunate situation at Tiananmen Square was a result of the governments unfair treatment of it's people, and not Xiaobo's desire to violently confront the government.

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    Oscar emailed - I am of the view that China has become so assured of itself now that it is incrementally asserting its repressive dictatorship ideology around the world.

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    Abel on Facebook - The West always find a way of undermining the Chinese authority. This is politics being played on the wrong level.

  6. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    A Chinese teacher emailed - It's wonderful news, yet I remain cynical. I have 12/13-year-old students expounding the evils of separatism. Recently, I had a highschool student submit an essay titled, "Liu Xiabo the monster".

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    Eric Chen emails from Australia - this is just more prejudice of western countries. In its face, now most people in China are proud of the country

  8. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Bobby in Guangzhou, China emails - Liu Xiaobo is not qualified for Nobel Peace prize because of his drafting of Charter 08. Peace is for people whom really want to bulid harmony around the world, and should exempt politics.

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    Liu Zixia emails from Tianjin, China - I think it is not a good news for China and western countries. It will only deepen the misunderstanding between the China and the west

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    Richard Maidwell in Jo'berg emails - Congratulations Liu Xiaobo, take heart that oppresive regimes and governments will never overcome the human desire for freedom.

  11. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Liu Zixia emails from Tianjin, China - I think it is not a good news for China and western countries. It will only deepen the misunderstanding between the China and the west

  12. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Chaos in Guangzhou, China, emailed - Liu's criticism, both on academics and Chinese political system, is direct but shallow. Maybe we can admire his encouragement and his instinctive seeking for some values, such as human rights and democracy, however, he has never presented any feasible way to get them. There are too many this kind of dissidents in and out of China, among whom Liu even is not the most outstanding one.

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    Zach Jones - Just because he is suffering under the oppression of a regime he opposes doesn't mean he shouldn't have been awarded the Peace Prize. Albert Lutuli was fresh out of unmoral convictions and persecution in South Africa in 1960 when he was awarded the prize.

  14. Comment sent via Facebook

    Meng Xia - The western politicians are double-faced. Fearing lose the current cooperative ties with China in economics, they are ready to sacrafice the freedom of Chinese people at any time.

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    Frederick Aryeetey - Liu Xiaobo deserves to be a Nobel laurate.Its the decision of the Board.I doff my hat for Nobel commitee.

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    Lutali on Facebook - This is not a good idea. Why is the USA always fighting China? This cold war wont help - China is the next SuperPower kid on the Block

  17. Comment sent via Facebook

    Chris on Facebook - Has the Nobel peace prize ever had any effect on making oppressive countries consider human rights? Not at all. They will be no changes here.

  18. Comment sent via Facebook

    Ray on Facebook - This is more than right. It's not a must that such announcements like this one must please Beijing.

  19. Comment sent via Facebook

    Andrew on Facebook - The Nobel Peace Prize lost all credibility in 1973 when it was awareded to Henry Kissinger.

  20. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Gert Myrestrand emailed from Norway - The fact that Chinese authorities blocks the TV-signals from 91Èȱ¬ and CNN speaks volumes about the lack of freedom of speech in China. Hopefully, this award can shine a light on the lack of basic human rights in China.

  21. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Gedion Belay emailed from Ethiopia - the Nobel committee is right in awarding this year's Nobel Peace Prize to Mr. Liu precisely because it recognizes his outstanding and selfless fight against the ruling elite. This man has spent the most productive part of his life in attempting to bring about a democtratic system where all the Chinese will benefit from the vibrant economic growth

  22. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Greg emailed from Wisconsin, USA - The Nobel committee is well within their rights to give the peace prize, as well as any award to the individual(s) who best represents the category. They recognize those who serve as examples for bettering this world.

  23. Comment sent via Facebook

    Marcelo Vianna - I believe the Nobel Prize was given to right person, The Nobel should be given to anyone who is is seeking change. so what he is in prison. why does the world needs to know.

  24. Comment sent via host

    We''re on air now, discussing whether the Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo should have been awarded the Nobel Prize. Listen here: