An anonymous Nanjing resident paid for an advertisement on the front page of a local newspaper in support of the ongoing Olympic Torch Relay and denounced Tibetan separatist activities.
The front page of the Modern Express April 18 issue features a striking red Chinese map against a bright yellow background. Inside the map of China is a heart shape and the word "China" next to it, meaning "Love China". The slogan, "Expect the Olympics, escort the sacred flame, oppose Tibetan separatists" is underneath the map in large characters.
On April 16, a reporter met the man after he contacted the newspaper. The Nanjing local in his 30s insisted on not giving his name despite the reporter's repeated requests. It turns out this man was also the one who bought 10,000 yuan worth of tickets for other locals when the documentary film Nanking, about the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese troops in 1937, was released in cinemas last year.
"Our country is growing stronger. As a Chinese, I'm very proud of it," he said. "The Beijing Olympics is opening in about 100 days, and I'm looking forward to it!"
"Recently the Olympic torch relay was disrupted by Tibetan separatists in Paris and other places. It's really irritating," he continued. "Tibet is a part of Chinese territory. No one can change the fact that Tibet is an inalienable part of China."
For this reason, he decided to publish an advertisement in the popular newspaper which sells more than a million copies a day in the eastern province of Jiangsu.
He also condemned some of the Western media for distorting the truth about the Tibetan riots and deliberately tarnishing China's image and attacking its people.
"That was infuriating!" he exclaimed, adding that those malicious attempts [to criticize China] were doomed to fail.
"When I saw patriotic overseas Chinese fight to protect the Olympic flame and the motherland's dignity, I could not hold back my tears. I couldn't contain my emotions," he said, bearing tears in his eyes.
"Besides, I want to tell the younger generation to work hard to build our country stronger," he said.
(China Daily April 18, 2008)