The population is growing larger. Naturally when the population is larger, there will be more arrests. The Chinese government also puts way more emphasis on the interior and domestic tranquility than most other countries.
You want cold hard facts about China?
I'll walk outside right now.
Okay.
I see everyday people carrying out their everyday business: shopping, going to work, going to school, talking with friends. I see no signs of any rights being violated. I would think first-hand primary source accounts are the most reliable, no?

__________________

^
first-hand account ? sure. i have a friend in china myself. she's constantly frustrated that the news sources she wants are all blocked and censored, as well as proxies that could have gotten her there. she wanted to write a simple article about voting in the school newspaper, but the school wouldn't let her run it.

i don't think anyone's arguing the fact that chinese in general have a good life. heck, i've been there myself, and met with a bunch of my parents' friends (though, one of them was talking about how the black market holds true power.... that was a bit weird. but i digress). we're arguing that there isn't much *political* freedom. stuff like voting or independence gets clamped down on.

Kind of on topic

Also an attempt at an objective look I guess.

^
awesome reads. the latter one definitely should be distributed to all the major western newspapers - really puts things in perspective.