Summary: The Miss World pageant will begin in the middle of December, but one contestant will be missing as China denied a visa to the Canadian winner for her outspoken views against the Communist Party.
The winner of the Miss Canada pageant, Anastasia Lin, has not been shy about her thoughts and views on China’s human rights and religious freedom issues. However, with the Miss World pageant set to begin in Hainan Island, China, on December 19, Ms. Lin will not be present to represent her country.
Ms. Lin was born in China and her father still lives there. She is a religious follower of Falun Gong, a practice banned in China. With her outspokenness and religious practices, she says her father has been scrutinized by local security forces.
With no visa and the pageant set to begin, Ms. Lin purchased a ticket to China via Hong Kong where she was prohibited from boarding the plane. The Chinese Embassy in Canada confirmed that she is a “persona non grata.” Others placed in this category by China include bands Oasis and Maroon 5 and actors Brad Pitt and Christian Bale.
The Communist controlled newspaper Global Times complained that “When such a 25-year-old pretty girl grumbles that she is denied a visa for speaking the truth and criticizing the Chinese government, her words can easily gain sympathy from the Western public that already holds prejudices against China.” The newspaper then warns that people should not be fooled, “Lin has to pay a cost for being tangled with hostile forces against China.”
It is a common practice for China to deny visas to those that speak out against the country, especially Chinese scholars. Unfortunately, the Miss World pageant would not move the pageant to another country where all contestants would be welcomed.
Photo: ctvnews.ca