From the Annals of Insolent Falsehood (Gao Yaojie Division)

I don’t know whether the Chinese can best us in the making of cars or DVDs or gym shoes, but we certainly have met our match when it comes to insolent public falsehood.

Kudos to the New York Times for fronting the story of Gao Yaojie, who has given so much of her 80-year life in efforts to combat AIDS. And this is her recompense: Here is Jim Yardley in the Times:

BEIJING, Feb. 15 — The photograph and article in Tuesday’s Henan Daily could have been headlined “Happy Holidays.” Three highranking Henan Province officials, beaming and clapping as if presenting a lottery check, were making an early Lunar New Year visit to the apartment of a renowned AIDS doctor, Gao Yaojie.

They gave her flowers. Dr. Gao, 80, squinted toward the camera, surely understanding that pictures can lie. She was under house arrest to prevent her from getting a visa to accept an honor in Washington. Her detention attracted international attention, and the photo op was a sham, apparently intended to say, “Look, she’s fine and free as a bird.”

On Thursday, Dr. Gao said in a telephone interview, a handful of police officers remained stationed outside her apartment building in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou.

“I just can’t simply swallow it all,” she said. “I want to know two things. First, who has made the decision? I am an 80-year-old lady, and what crimes have I committed to deserve this? Second, they must find out who has been slandering my name on the Internet.”

Happy Aftermath: When I went to the Times website this afternoon to pick up the Gao Yaojie story, I found this:

China Allows AIDS Activist to Visit U.S.

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: February 16, 2007

Filed at 4:59 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Chinese officials signaled Friday they will allow a prominent AIDS activist who had been confined to her home to visit the United States next month, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said.

Gao Yaojie, 80, was confined to her home, worrying fellow activists who said the measure was aimed at keeping her from making the trip to the United States to accept an award from a non-profit group.

Clinton had pressed Chinese officials to let Gao travel to accept the reward from Vital Voices Global Partnership, a nonprofit group supported by Clinton, a New York Democrat and presidential candidate.

Clinton aides said the Chinese ambassador called the senator Friday to tell her Gao would be allowed to travel.

Well, hey. Was somebody in Beijing reading the Times?