Chinese Dissident on Trial Releases Statement: Country Has to Democratize

How do you say balls in Mandarin?

Xu Zhiyong, a Chinese activist who has pressed officials to disclose their assets, championed equal access to education and fought for other causes, released a strongly worded statement Thursday defending his New Citizens Movement and stressing the need for China to democratize as his trial on charges of disrupting the public order came to a close.

"Good politics is a result of true democracy and rule of law. On every level, the government and the legislature must be elected by the people. The power to govern should not come from the barrel of a gun but through votes," he wrote.