Charter 08, a powerfully written affirmation of universal human rights circling Chinese cyberspace, includes the entreaty: “We should end the practice of viewing words as crimes.” Sadly, China is a long way from that. Liu Xiaobo, a literary critic and one of 300 founding signatories, has been detained without trial. Dozens of others have been warned off by police. References to the charter are routinely blocked by cyber-police. Some words, evidently, still frighten.

That is a pity. Communist party officials claim they seek a more open society. In practice, most moves to freedom of expression or association have been strictly circumscribed. Recent scandals over poisoned milk and collapsing schools highlight the limits on free speech – and the consequences of such controls. Anguished parents’ attempts to warn about toxic milk were hushed up before thousands of children fell ill and four died. Parents pushing for answers and compensation have been arrested. The same fate met those wanting to know why poorly built schools, approved by corrupt officials, collapsed and crushed their children during the Sichuan earthquake.