A deeply embarrassed China has responded furiously to the award, threatening it would harm relations with Norway, lashing the Nobel committee as "clowns" and pressuring countries to stay away from the ceremony.
Members of the prize jury denied any link to China's government or suggestions their prize was a response to Liu's award.
A deeply embarrassed China has responded furiously to the award, threatening it would harm relations with Norway, lashing the Nobel committee as "clowns" and pressuring countries to stay away from the ceremony.
Members of the prize jury denied any link to China's government or suggestions their prize was a response to Liu's award.
"The more peace prizes we can have in the world, the better," said Yang, identified by the jury as a professor of "ideology and culture" at Beijing's Tsinghua University.
But the press conference soon took on a farcical tone
when members were questioned about aspects of the award, such
as the timing.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, December 09, 2010, 18:01