To receive this publication via e-mail, click here.
CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 3, 2003
TOP STORY: PRC TO U.S. ON CURRENCY: WE�LL STOP DEVALUATION SOMEDAY
VISITING TREASURY SECRETARY GETS OLD COMMUNIST RHETORIC
Treasury Secretary John Snow met with Communist leaders over the value of the Communist currency, known as the yuan or the renminbi (Fox News). The deliberately weak currency (pegged at roughly 12 cents) has hurt both the American and the Japanese economy, and given the People�s Republic a massive increase in foreign currency reserves.
All Snow achieved was a statement from the Communist central bank leader saying, �the yuan's value will eventually be set by the market� (BBC). Even Snow admitted that this was merely a repeat of past Communist rhetoric. Meanwhile, the Communist China Daily said the whole argument was due to next year�s presidential election (Washington Post).
Check out the Communist China and the Terrorist War page.
NORTH KOREA NEWS
COMMUNIST BLAME U.S. FOR TALKS FAILURE
According to Communist China, the problem with North Korea�s nuclear weapons is not the Stalinists� string of broken promises, but �America's policy toward the DPRK� (Cybercast News). Of course, one would expect this coming from the North�s half-century ally.
For more on Communist China�s Stalinist ally, sign up for Monday�s North Korea Report.
OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS
U.S. DROPS SUPPORT FOR UNFPA/PRC-LINKED AIDS GROUP
The Bush Administration has stopped funding for Marie Stopes International, an organization that works with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Communist China, home of the hideous �one child� policy. Six other organizations that work with MSI turned down the U.S. money offered to them. Reports: Cybercast News, Newsmax
The Administration has blocked all funding for UNFPA because of its work in the PRC, whose �one child� policy has led to forced sterilizations, forced abortions, and the murder of newborns (see 8/30/00, 8/8/01, 7/24/02 and 7/16 Updates).
HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS
JIANG ZEMIN IS LEADING FORCE BEHIND PRC CRACKDOWN; HU LOOKING TO MAO
Remember Jiang Zemin? In Communist China, they have no choice; as Central Military Commission Chair, Jiang is pulling the strings behind �the on-going crackdown on liberal intellectuals in China� (Willy Wo-Lap Lam, CNN 9/2). Jiang is looking to block political reform, and any other efforts to challenge the supremacy of his faction.
Meanwhile, the supposed harbinger of political reform � PRC President and Party chief Hu Jintao - has decided to hold off on even his weak �intra-party democracy� plans for at least another four years, and probably a lot longer. Hu also �has sought to boost his legitimacy by portraying himself as a disciple of Chairman Mao� (Lam 9/3). Oh dear!
LAWYER WHO HELPED EVICTED SHANGHAI RESIDENTS NOW UNDER ARREST
Zheng Enchong, the attorney helping residents of Shanghai evicted from their homes thanks to a sweetheart Communist deal with �private� businessman Zhou Zhengyi, is now on trial for �providing state secrets to foreigners� (BBC). Arresting someone for crimes involving �state secrets� has long been a Communist catch all for nabbing anyone they don�t like.
The name Zhou Zhengyi might ring a bell � he was one of the favored �private� businessmen in Central Military Commission Chairman Jiang Zemin�s �Shanghai faction,� still the largest in the Party. Zhou is under arrest himself for corruption (see 6/4, 6/11, and 6/18 Updates).
AIDS SPREADS AS PATIENTS DENIED TREATMENT, BLOOD SCANDAL IGNORED
Human Rights Watch blasted Communist China for �tolerating the social discrimination of sufferers� (CNN) of AIDS. In particular, the human rights group � ripped the Communists for not coming clean on �one of the world's greatest HIV/AIDS scandals� � the unhygienic 1980s Communist blood drive which infected over one million in Henan province alone.
After interviewing �HIV/AIDS sufferers as well as police, drug users, and AIDS workers in Beijing, Hong Kong and Yunnan province� � HRW found �discrimination of HIV sufferers was widespread.� Meanwhile, �the number of people infected with the virus was far higher than the government admitted.� See also 9/4/02 and 9/25/02 Updates.
COMMUNISTS BAN TOMB RAIDER SEQUEL
Communist China was not happy with how Lara Croft Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life treated the PRC. In response, the Communists banned the film. Report: BBC
OTHER MAINLAND NEWS
COMMUNIST CHINA CUTTING 200,000 MORE MILITARY POSITIONS
Communist Central Military Commission Chair Jiang Zemin announced that the military plans to reduce about 200,000 positions. This is not a sign of dovishness in the PRC. Rather it is part of the Communists� continuing plans �to make the Chinese military more efficient, and to increase its technical abilities� (BBC). Also reporting: CNN
COMMUNIST CHINA ADMITS MORE JOB CUTS ARE COMING
The �one billion customers� myth took another hit this week when the PRC admitted �hundreds of thousands of staff at state-owned firms (would be) losing their jobs in the next five years� (BBC). The losses will come from over 2,000 Communist-run firms going under.
COMMUNIST CHINA ANNOUNCES OLYMPIC PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN
Communist China kicked off its publicity campaign for the 2008 Beijing Olympiad. The usual suspects, including International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, were thrilled. Report: BBC
Sign the petition for an American boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
COMMUNISTS RIP �RE-MILITARIZATION� OF JAPAN
Communist China blasted recent Japanese hints that they would pull their self-defense forces into the 21st Century as �re-militarization� (Willy Wo-Lap Lam, CNN). The PRC, ignoring its own behavior and that of its ally North Korea, call the entire Japanese effort a plan by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi �to win re-election later this year.�
REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS
NEW, �CONTROVERSIAL� PASSPORTS COMING OUT
Taiwan began issuing new passports this week. Why is this news? Because for the first time, the passports have �Taiwan� printed on the cover. Naturally, Communist China, which still claims that it alone is the rightful ruler of Taiwan, was �dismayed� (BBC) by the news.
EL SALVADOR AND GUATEMALA STILL IN TAIWAN�S CORNER
El Salvador and Guatemala, two Central American democracies, �reiterated their support for Taiwan� (Washington Times, third item) in its longstanding efforts to get back into the United Nations. The island democracy is the only piece of real estate on Earth not represented in the UN.
HONG KONG NEWS
COMMUNIST HOPING MONEY WILL QUIET THE PEOPLE; LOCALS ARE SKEPTICAL
Communist China is �betting that residents of this shopper's paradise care more about their pocketbooks than the ballot box� (Washington Post). As such, the focus is on economic measures, not democracy, although the �anti-subversion� law that inspired massive protests in July has gone into the deep freeze (see 7/2, 7/9, and 7/16 Updates).
However, even Beijing�s allies in the city are skeptical. One of them, Allen Lee told the Post his expectation of the Communist attempts to soothe the people: �the democratic forces will bring 1 million people onto the street next time. The equation in Hong Kong has changed, but I am not sure if Beijing recognizes it."
TIBET NEWS
DALAI LAMA COMING TO UNITED STATES; COMMUNIST CHINA FURIOUS
The Dalai Lama, Tibet�s spiritual leader, will come to the United States to meet President Bush and commemorate the anniversary of September 11. The Communists, naturally enough, are furious with the trip, and demanded the U.S. uninvited him. Report: BBC
THE SINICIZATION OF TIBET: POLITICAL LESSONS AND �DEVELOPMENT�
Communist China is now forcing Tibetan monks to study CMC Chairman Jiang Zemin�s �Three Represents� as part of their Communist-approved religious study. The mandated political classes are yet another example of the Communist attempt to destroy the Tibetan Buddhist faith (Agence France-Presse via Washington Times 1).
Another example of the Communists war on Tibetan culture is, oddly enough, the massive economic development they plow into the occupied nation. Unfortunately for the native Tibetans, the development �has been more beneficial to Chinese immigrants than to Tibetans� (AFP via Washington Times 2).
Despite this, some still believe new PRC President Hu Jintao �may relax Beijing's hard-line policy on Tibet� (AFP via Washington Times 3). Hu�s previous history should give any optimist pause � he authored a massive crackdown on dissidents during his term as Tibet Communist chief from 1988 to 1992.
TIBETAN SOCCER TEAM RUNNING INTO DIPLOMATIC WALLS
The Tibetan National Football (Soccer) Team is headed for Europe �to learn footballing skills� (BBC). However, thanks to concerns about Communist China, France and Switzerland have already �refused to grant them visas.� The only nation willing to stand up to the Communists on this issue has been Denmark.
Miss an Update, Weekly Links, or a North Korea Report? Find it via our home page.
Feel free to forward this to anyone you think might be interested in receiving it Anyonewho wishes to join can send his/her name and e-mail address to [email protected]. Please feel free to send any news on Communist China you happen to find to the same address.