He was eventually released in June, but was given a one-year probation during which he cannot leave Beijing, and has been subjected to constant police surveillance.
Now the artist has turned his attention to China’s censorship of the internet, in a comment piece penned for The Guardian today.
“In the long run they [the Chinese government] must understand it’s not possible for them to control the internet unless they shut it off – and they cannot live with the consequences of that,” he explained.
The artist, who made headlines earlier this month when he revealed he has set up four live webcams in his home in a symbolic reference to the 24-hour police surveillance he has been subjected to since his detention a year ago, thinks the Chinese authorities are going to set the country back because of the attitude towards the web.
“It's [internet censorship] putting this nation far behind in the world's competition in the coming decades. You can't create generations just to labour at Foxconn [the Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, employed by Apple and other technology giants, currently being investigated by the Fair Labour Association]. Everyone wants an iPhone, but it would be impossible to design an iPhone in China because it's not a product; it's an understanding of human nature,” Ai said.
He continued: “But the government cannot give up control. It blocks major internet platforms – such as Twitter and Facebook – because it is afraid of free discussion. And it deletes information. The government computer has one button: delete.”
When he was released, the 54-year-old was charged with tax evasion linked to Fake Cultural Development Ltd – a company founded by Ai but owned by his wife.
But he has denied the charge and insists it is an attempt to silence his activism. Lawyers for the firm have also pointed out inconsistencies in the case.
"Until now, there have been no clear answers as to why they put me in this kind of situation," he said.
His art work has sold worldwide and he was named the world's most powerful art figure by influential British magazine Art Review last year.
Ai said he was "doing OK" a year after his detention, adding he had regained all the weight he lost in detention and was preparing an exhibition due to take place in Washington DC in the autumn.
His one-year probation, meanwhile, is expected to end on June 22.
On that day, "I'm supposed to be a free man, unless they accuse me again and put me in jail. Otherwise, I should be free. But I don't know, it's never really clear," he said.
Ai concluded that the Chinese government will ultimately fail to control the internet as web is “uncontrollable”.
“Censorship is saying: ‘I'm the one who says the last sentence. Whatever you say, the conclusion is mine.’ But the internet is like a tree that is growing,” Ai said.
“The people will always have the last word – even if someone has a very weak, quiet voice. Such power will collapse because of a whisper… But in the long run, its [China’s] leaders must understand it's not possible for them to control the internet unless they shut it off – and they can't live with the consequences of that.
“The internet is uncontrollable. And if the internet is uncontrollable, freedom will win. It's as simple as that.”
