China angry at dissident honor -- Obama leads call for freeing Nobel winner

BEIJING - Imprisoned Chinese democracy campaigner Liu Xiaobo onFriday won the Nobel Peace Prize - an award that drew furiouscondemnation from the authoritarian government and calls from worldleaders including President Barack Obama for Liu's quick release.

Chinese state media blacked out the news and Chinese governmentcensors blocked Nobel Prize reports, which highlighted Liu's callsfor peaceful political change, from Internet websites. Chinadeclared the decision would harm its relations with Norway andpromptly summoned Oslo's ambassador to Beijing to make a formalprotest.

Norwegian officials explained that the peace prize committee isindependent of the government and that Norway wants to maintain goodrelations with China.

This year's peace prize followed a long tradition of honoringdissidents around the world and was the first Nobel for China'sdissident community since it resurfaced after the communistslaunched economic but not political reforms three decades ago.

Liu, 54, was sentenced last year to 11 years in prison forsubversion. The Nobel committee said he was the first to be honoredwhile still in prison, although other Nobel winners have been underhouse arrest, or imprisoned before the prize.

The Nobel committee praised Liu's pacifist approach, ignoringthreats by Chinese diplomats even before the announcement that sucha decision would result in strained ties with Norway. Liu has beenan ardent advocate of peaceful, gradual political change.

The Nobel committee cited Liu's participation in the TiananmenSquare protests in Beijing in 1989 and the Charter 08 document herecently co-authored, which called for greater freedom in China andan end to Communist Party dominance.

Obama said in a statement that Liu "has sacrificed his freedomfor his beliefs."

"We call on the Chinese government to release Mr. Liu as soon aspossible," Obama said.

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In absentia

China gave no indication Friday that it would allow Liu Xiaobo toaccept the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway.

Several previous peace laureates have been unable to accept theprize in person because of their governments, including Sovietdissident Andrei Sakharov and Polish labor leader Lech Walesa.

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