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CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: DECEMBER 3, 2003
Dragon in the Dark: How and Why Communist China Helps Our Enemies in the War on Terror is now available! My book detailing Communist China�s history of aiding terrorist states, Saddam Hussein, the Taliban, and al Qaeda can be ordered here and here. � D.J. McGuire
TOP STORY: DEMOCRACY IN TAIWAN AND HONG KONG WORRYING COMMUNISTS
CADRES CAUGHT FLAT-FOOTED ON ISLAND DEMOCRACY AMID WHISPERS THAT HK DEMOCRATS CAPTURE THE CITY LEGISLATURE; HK PRO-BEIJING PARTY HEAD QUITS
Hong Kong�s Communist-appointed Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa went to Beijing to meet with Communist Party boss Hu Jintao. Hu reiterated Communist China�s continued support for Tung�s regime (BBC 12/3), but said nothing on �whether Beijing may change its opposition to universal suffrage elections in Hong Kong� (Willy Wo-Lap Lam, CNN-1).
The support for democracy in the city is so strong that come September�s elections for the Legislative Council, �the democrats may gain more than 30 of the legislature's 60 seats, after which their momentum may be unstoppable� (Lam-2). Given that the people will elect only half of the seats, a pro-democracy majority would be a stunning achievement.
Jasper Tsang, the leader of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB) � Hong Kong�s leading pro-Communist Party � made his resignation official this week (United Press International via Epoch Times, Hong Kong).
Regarding Taiwan, its legislature passed a referendum bill watered down by the opposition parties � the Nationalists and People First (Washington Post). The bill �bars referendums on changing Taiwan's flag or the island's official name, the Republic of China� (CNN 11/28).
On the issue of an independence referendum, the law is a little vague, allowing one if there is �imminent attack from abroad.� President Chen Shui-bian, running for re-election this March on the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party ticket, cited the nearly 500 PRC missiles pointed at the island democracy as enough to meet that condition (BBC 12/1).
Lien Chan, the candidate for president on the joint Nationalist-PFP ticket, blasted Chen�s logic, accusing Chen �of exploiting tensions with China in an attempt to win votes.� However, the PRC, according to Lam, was badly surprised by the Nationalists and PFP�s decision to drop their earlier opposition to any referendum.
Of course, as Lam noted, citing an unnamed cadre, �The CCP leadership is faced with the fact that in order to preserve their influence � and gain votes � even its would-be allies . . . have to adopt fairly populist policies.� Before the opposition acceded to the referendum bill, Chen had drawn even with Lien in Taiwanese polls after trailing for months.
However, the Communists appear to have support from within the Bush Administration itself, at least according to the Weekly Standard. One official, the odious de facto Ambassador to Taiwan Doug Paal, apparently wants the President to oppose Taiwan�s independence � something the State Department may have already done (CNN 12/2).
Even worse, James Moriarty, senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council, wants the U.S. to publicly say it won�t come to Taiwan�s defense if it makes any �provocation� towards the PRC that leads to an attack, a major departure from President Bush�s previous vow to do �whatever it takes� to help Taiwan (see 4/25/01 Update).
Meanwhile, the PRC called, again, for the U.S. �to stop selling arms to Taiwan� (UPI via Washington Times). No other news on Taiwan was reported this week.
NEWS ON COMMUNIST CHINA, EAST TURKESTAN, AND THE TERRORIST WAR
PRC CLAIMS TO HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH WMD AND MISSILE TRADE
In a White Paper on its arms selling policies, Communist China actually included this line: �China does not support, encourage or assist any country to develop WMD and their means of delivery� (BBC). Never mind the help given Iran�s nuclear weapons development, the deals with Pakistan, and nuclear chemicals sold to North Korea, etc.
The most detailed accounts of Communist China�s ties to terror can be found in yours truly�s new book Dragon in the Dark.
Check out the Communist China and the Terrorist War page.
For more on Communist China�s Stalinist ally, sign up for Monday�s North Korea Report.
OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS
GAO ZHAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SELLING MICROCHIPS TO COMMUNST CHINA
Gao Zhan, the American University professor held for months in Communist China as a Taiwanese spy (see 3/21/01, 3/28/01, 4/18/01, 5/2/01, 6/27/01, 7/25, and 8/8 Updates) pleaded guilty to selling dual-use microchips to the PRC roughly a year before she was arrested (Washington Post). Also reporting: BBC, Washington Times
U.S. authorities say Gao is cooperating with them. Gao�s husband pleaded guilty to tax fraud � i.e., hiding the profits from the IRS. Gao herself said she pled guilty �to accept responsibility for her actions� (Post 11/28), not typical weasel words after a guilty plea. She also insisted she was an anti-Communist, and chalked up the sales to �lack of discretion.�
Despite her words, the news raises new and very disturbing questions about the arrest itself, such as whether it was really an arrest, or cover for Gao to communicate with her handlers � according to the Post, �the shipments arranged by Gao continued while she was in prison in Beijing.�
U.S. TO FIGHT COMMUNIST CHINA�S PLANS FOR INTERNET CONTROLLED BY UN
The United States will oppose any effort to turn the internet over to United Nations control � a move �reportedly led by China� (Fox News) in hopes of wresting control away from the U.S.-based International Corporation of Assigned Network and Numbers. The conference will take place late next week.
HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS
INTERNET ACTIVISTS FREED, ONE BANNED FROM FOREIGN PRESS; MORE LOCKED UP
Communist China freed three internet dissidents over the weekend, including Liu Di (see 11/12 Update). However, Liu�s freedom has a condition, namely �that she avoid contact with foreign news media, RFA's Mandarin and Cantonese services report� (Radio Free Asia via Epoch Times). Also reporting: BBC
While the PRC is certainly hoping the world would take this as a sign of its lightening up, �at least a dozen-odd dissidents who have posted �anti-government� articles on the Web remain incarcerated� (Willy Wo-Lap Lam, CNN). One of those dozen, Jiang Lijun, was sentenced to four years in prison (Washington Post).
FROM THE FALUN GONG WAR: GROUP FORMED TO WATCH PRC MENTAL INSTITUTIONS
Dr. Abraham Halpern, from New York Medical College, became the first president of China Mental Health Watch, and organization dedicated to exposing �the unlawful use of mental institutions to persecute people of belief� (Epoch Times) in the PRC, particularly against Falun Gong, which continues to suffer under a four-year Communist ban.
FROM THE FALUN GONG WAR: JAPANESE CITIZEN HELD IN LABOR CAMP RELEASED
Communist China finally released a Chinese-born Japanese citizen after holding her for eighteen months in a labor camp, during which time �she was apparently both physically and mentally tortured� (Epoch Times). Her crime was handing out flyers about Falun Gong in Beijing. Two Japan-born friends had been deported from the PRC last year.
CORRUPTION NEWS
RAILWAY OFFICIALS AND COMMUNIST CADRE ON TRIAL FOR EMBEZZLEMENT, BRIBERY
Four officials at the Guangdong Hainan Railway Company and one Communist Party secretary went on trial for �for embezzling large sums of state funds and for taking bribes� (Epoch Times). They created a fake construction project to bilk over $750,000.
VILLAGE ELECTIONS MARRED BY VOTE BUYING
Those village elections touted by all �engagement� supporters as signs of reform in the PRC suffered another symbolic blow when Radio Free Asia (via the Epoch Times) reported that most of the �election� winners: �are increasingly being elected on the basis of post-election cash payments to villagers.�
OTHER MAINLAND NEWS
BABY SMUGGLERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
Communist China slated two baby smugglers to be executed, and �dozens of others involved in the racket were imprisoned� (BBC). The baby smuggling ring was flourished thanks to the Communists� hideous �one child� policy, which has led several couples choosing to buy a male child rather than risk a female conception.
WEN JIABAO VISITS HOSPITAL ON AIDS DAY
Communist Premier Wen Jiabao visited �people with Aids in a Beijing hospital� (BBC) to mark World AIDS Day. Funny, Wen never mentioned the million-plus AIDS sufferers in Henan province and others who contracted the disease through a Communist-sponsored blood drive (see 9/4 and 9/25 Updates). Also reporting: Washington Post
COMMUNISTS VOW TO CUT BAD DEBT, INCREASE FOREIGN ENTRY
Communist China will �push ahead with reforms of its debt-ridden banks� (BBC) with the express purpose of reducing the bad debt in the banking sector. The PRC admits to 22% of all loans being bad; �the real figure could be twice as high.� The Communists also made it a little easier for foreign firms to enter the banking sector.
COMMUNIST CHINA TO �EASE� ECONOMIC GROWTH
Communist China is planning economic growth of only 7%, somewhat below the 9% growth that allegedly occurred this year (BBC). The PRC has a history of fudging economic data; perhaps just being truthful will lead to enough �reduction� in growth (see 10/30/02 Update).
MILLIONS IN RURAL PRC �CAN�T AFFORD TO GET SICK�
Throughout the impoverished rural interior of Communist China, a new catchphrase is heard: �Can't afford to get sick� (Radio Free Asia via Epoch Times). This is thanks to both the cost of medical care in the PRC and the fact that the excess Communist fees in the rural interior make it nearly impossible for farmers and laborers to survive.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
COMMUNISTS DISMANTLING KIRIBATI SPACE/SPY STATION
Communist China is taking apart its space station in Kiribati, including �burning files at the high-security compound� (Washington Times). The station, which may or may not double as an espionage facility, became politically vulnerable after Kiribati gave diplomatic recognition to Taiwan (see 11/19 Update).
Days later, the PRC broke off diplomatic ties with Kiribati (Washington Post, Cybercast News). As for the station, its dismantling will at least set back the Communist space program for a while, to say nothing of its alleged espionage operations.
ZIMBABWE�S MUAGBE WANTS �ALTERNATIVE� GLOBAL ORDER LED BY COMMUNIST CHINA
Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwe strongman best known for stealing last year�s elections and cracking down on the democratic opposition in his country, called for �a new global paradigm� (Cybercast News) led by Communist China.
MEXICO FEARS �THE CHINA THREAT� TO ITS ECONOMY
Anti-communism is on the rise in Mexico, thanks to an influx of Communist imports and an exodus of Mexican jobs to the PRC. The reactions include a �call for higher trade barriers to protect Mexican goods� (Washington Post) and �a new slang expression, to be �China-ed,� word play on a common vulgarism in Spanish.� Should we make the Updates bilingual?
CANADIAN LAWYER RIPS COMMUNIST JUDICIAL SYSTEM
Declaring in his report on the Communist judiciary that �A Chinese Court is not a Court� (Epoch Times), Canadian attorney Clive Ainsley � who has experience trying cases in the PRC � bluntly declared, �the Chinese government and the Chinese (Communist) party has no intention whatsoever of implementing the rule of law.�
GERMAN CHANCELLOR VISITS COMMUNIST CHINA
Gerhard Schroeder, the Chancellor of Germany, is in Beijing for �a four-day visit aimed at boosting the already burgeoning trade between the two countries� (BBC). German Transport Minister Manfred Stolpe is with Schroeder.
HONG KONG NEWS
HONG KONG�S ECONOMY RECOVERING
Hong Kong�s economy grew 6.4% in the last quarter thanks in large part to a �surge in returning tourists� (BBC) following the end of the SARS epidemic in the city. The PRC hoped a growing economy would undermine support for pro-democracy politicians in the city, a hope dashed after last week�s district council elections (see last Update).
No news was reported on Tibet this week.
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