It is vitally important for me, both personally and for my writing, to be able to return to China freely, so being barred entry has caused me deep concern and distress.

China is completely lacking in self-awareness and as someone who has stepped outside that society, I have a responsibility to write about it as I see it.

The Beijing Olympics represent China's grand entrance onto the world stage and confirmation of its new superpower status.

I wanted to analyse and understand how the Chinese people could have their lives so crushed by fear.

To become self-aware, people must be allowed to hear a plurality of opinions and then make up their own minds. They must be allowed to say, write and publish whatever they want. Freedom of expression is the most basic, but fundamental, right. Without it, human beings are reduced to automatons.

Everything I was I carry with me, everything I will belies waiting on the road ahead.

The literal meaning of the Chinese characters for revolution is elimination of life