In China¡¯s upside-down world where black is white, the great honor of the Nobel Peace Prize being given to Liu Xiaobo, a writer, intellectual and human rights activist, has been denounced by the government as a ¡°desecration¡± of the award because it was given to ¡°a criminal who broke China¡¯s laws.¡±

That is more a condemnation of Chinese laws than of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which said in its announcement, ¡°China is in breach of several international agreements to which it is a signatory, as well as of its own provisions concerning political rights.¡±

The committee honored Liu for his ¡°long and nonviolent struggle for fundamental human rights in China.¡± But, assuming the mantle of defender of Alfred Nobel, creator of the prize, a Chinese government spokesman said the proper recipient should be someone who has worked for ¡°fraternity between nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.¡±