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CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: APRIL 7, 2004
Dragon in the Dark: How and Why Communist China Helps Our Enemies in the War on Terror is now available: here, at Amazon, or call 1-888-280-7715.
TOP STORY: EX-PARTY BOSS ZHAO ZIYANG IS SEVERELY ILL
ZHAO SUPPORTED TIANANMEN SQUARE PROTESTORS, HAS BEEN UNDER HOUSE ARREST AFTER MASSACRE; PRC WORRIED ABOUT REACTION AS 15TH ANNIVERSARY NEARS
According to reports, including that of Willy Lam of CNN, Zhao Ziyang, the last real reformer from within the Chinese Communist Party, is very ill. Zhao was party boss (one of Hu Jintao�s posts) when he was bounced from the party and placed under house arrest for opposing the Tiananmen Square massacre of June 4, 1989.
The protestors who came to the square that year did so to honor Hu Yaobang, Zhao�s predecessor and fellow reformer who had died that spring. The Communists are �taking no chances ahead of the 15th anniversary of the June 4, 1989 massacre in Beijing.� This gives some explanation for the arrest of three Tiananmen Mothers last month (see last Update).
Two of the Tiananmen Mothers � women demanding justice for their sons who died in the massacre � are now free, but Zing Dilin, the most vocal leader of the group, is still in a Communist jail cell (Epoch Times, HK). Zhao�s former top aide, dissident Bao Tong, now has more Communist police watchers.
The People�s Republic is also enforcing �a strict gagging order� on Dr. Jiang Yanyong, the very brave doctor who called for the Communists to admit that the massacre was a mistake (see 4/9/03, 3/10, and 3/24 Updates).
The order to send in the military in 1989 was given by Deng Xiaoping from his post of Central Military Commission Chairman. That post is now held by the man chosen by Deng et al to replace Zhao: Jiang Zemin, easily the biggest political beneficiary of the massacre.
NEWS ON COMMUNIST CHINA, EAST TURKESTAN, AND THE TERRORIST WAR
Check out the Communist China and the Terrorist War page.
IRAQI EXILE SCIENTIST SAYS PRC BUILT WMD STORAGE BUNKER FOR SADDAM HUSSEIN
An Iraqi exile in Melbourne, whose name was changed to Rashid by the Age (Australia) for his own protection, says Saddam Hussein had chemical weapons stored in bunkers �built using foreign construction companies, including a company from China.� Rashid was a high-ranking scientist before being accused of an anti-Saddam plot in 1998.
It is not the first claim that Communist China helped Saddam store weapons of mass destruction by building him underground bunkers. Communist China has also helped Saddam Hussein in many military areas, especially air defense (see 2/21/01, 2/28/01, 3/7/01, 3/14/01, 3/21/01, 12/18/02, 2/5/03, 3/19/03, 4/9/03, and 12/17/03 Updates).
FIVE COMMUNIST CHINESE FIRMS PENALIZED FOR SELLING ARMS COMPONENTS TO IRAN
Here we go again. The Bush Administration �imposed penalties on 13 firms accused of providing Iran with items banned under the 2000 Iran Nonproliferation Act� (Washington Times, last item). Five of the thirteen unnamed firms were from Communist China.
NORTH KOREA NEWS
For more on Communist China�s Stalinist ally, sign up for Monday�s North Korea Report.
POWELL SAYS COMMUNIST CHINA �STILL RIGHT THERE� WITH U.S. ON NORTH KOREA
Will they never learn? Secretary of State Colin Powell described the Communist Chinese as �still right there� (Newsmax), as in side-by-side with the U.S. on getting North Korea to end its nuclear weapons program. Does the fact that the PRC has yet to publicly criticize North Korea so much as once mean anything to Powell?
COMMUNIST CHINA LET NORTH KOREAN REFUGEES ESCAPE TO SOUTH KOREA
According to South Korean officials quoted by VOA (via Epoch Times): �China is looking into making it easier for North Koreans to flee to South Korea.� If true, it would be a major departure from previous Communist policy, which was to send back to the Stalinist regime every refugee police could find.
OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS
Sign the petition for an American boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
U.S. TO SELL LONG-RANGE RADAR TO TAIWAN; COMMUNIST CHINA FURIOUS
The U.S. announced plans �to sell Taiwan long-range early warning radar worth almost $2 billion� (CNN). Communist China was especially upset about the deal, which came less than two weeks after Chen Shui-bian�s narrow re-election as President of the island democracy, although �it had been agreed in principle in 1999� (BBC). Also reporting: Washington Post
U.S. PLANNING TO REMOVE PRO-TAIWAN OFFICIAL
The above story was the good news on Taiwan from the Bush Administration. The bad news came days later. The State Department is about to cave in to Communist China�s demand that Therese Shaheen, the anti-Communist head of the American Institute in Taiwan�s Washington office, be replaced. Report: Bill Gertz, Washington Times
The Communist have demanded the removal of Shaheen for her previous comments on Taiwan, and her deep disagreements with Doug Paal, the pro-Communist head of AIT�s Taipei office. State is buckling under to the PRC �as a gesture of good faith and to move the relationship with Beijing forward.� Does anybody else suddenly need to throw up?
TAIWAN REPRESENTATIVE TO U.S. THANKS SUPPORTERS OF ISLAND DEMOCRACY
C.J. Chen, Taiwan�s de facto Ambassador to the U.S., �raised a toast to the congressional veterans who preserved relations with his country 25 years ago when the Carter administration wanted to dump the island in favor of the communist government on mainland China� (Washington Times).
Chen honored those who supported the Taiwan Relations Act, which provided some protections to Taiwan after it lost American diplomatic recognition in 1979. Chen credited TWA with helping Taiwan become �a prosperous, affluent and free democratic country.� For more on the island democracy, see Republic of China (Taiwan) News.
U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE: COMMUNIST CHINA NOT OPENING UP TO TRADE
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick says Communist China �has ceased to make any progress on free trade and remains unnecessarily bureaucratic� (BBC). Whatever progress the PRC had made ended two years ago, while �import barriers, opaque and inconsistently applied legal provisions and limitations on foreign direct investment� have carried the day.
COMMUNIST CHINA MEDDLES WITH UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA ELECTION
Why do Chinese-Americans tell pollsters they support the Communist government (see 3/24 Update)? Look no further than the University of Minnesota for the answer. The school�s Friendship Association of Chinese Students and Scholars board received a visit from the Consul General Jiang Bo, of the Communist consulate in Chicago, this past February.
Jiang announced �that if Falun Gong practitioners have any activity on campus, they should file a complaint to the university� (Epoch Times). Making it clear who was in charge, he then �asked every student their name and where their family lives in China, writing down all the information.� How willing would you be to speak out against the PRC in that situation?
LABORERS IN COMMUNIST CHINA PROTECTED BY . . . THEIR AMERICAN CUSTOMERS?
Some PRC laborers have a new champion in their battle against the Party�s anti-worker policies � if the firms involved are foreign-owned, that is. Korean-owned factories are being forced to treat their local workers fairly by none other than �U.S. multinationals� (Epoch Times) who �canceled their orders when the firm failed to meet their minimum standards�.
U.S. BEGINS INVESTIGATION INTO CHINA LIFE
China Life, the largest insurance firm in Communist China, is under investigation in the United States for �accounting problems in its listing documents� (BBC) in its initial public offering (IPO) last year.
U.S. CALLS FOR DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG
The United States called for �democracy, electoral reform and universal suffrage� (Cybercast News) in Hong Kong, and questioned the Communists� plans to short circuit Hong Kong democracy with a �review� of the city�s Basic Law (see Hong Kong News). Both Communist China and its puppet regime in Hong Kong blasted the U.S. in response.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
COMMUNISTS ADMIT JAPAN BEAT THEM TO RUSSIAN OIL
Communist China�s grand plans for importing 20 million tons of Russian crude oil per year have hit a wall, and now even the Communists are admitting that a Russia-PRC pipeline �is not happening now� (Washington Post). Instead, Russia is likely to send Siberian oil to Japan, through a port that could also ship oil to the U.S.
The PRC�s first mistake was signing the deal with Yukos, the Russian oil firm that ran afoul of President Vladimir Putin. Japan sold its oil plans to the Russian state-owned Trasneft. While no one will admit it now, Tokyo and Beijing fought a fierce battle for Russia�s oil (see 7/16/03 and 2/25 Updates). Thankfully, for all of us, it looks like Japan has won.
COMMUNIST DAMS KILLING THAILAND�S MEKONG RIVER
Thailand�s piece of the Mekong River can no longer handle boats, due to a dramatic drop in water levels. Thai authorities �blame China for damming the river upstream� (BBC).
HONDA SUES PRC CAR FIRM FOR STEALING SUV DESIGN
Honda is taking a Communist Chinese car firm to court for �duplicating their design for the CR-V SUV� (Epoch Times). The Communist firm, Shuanghuan, is allegedly selling its copy of Honda�s CR-V for less than one third Honda�s price. It is the second recent case of piracy among Communist China�s car companies.
NEWS FROM THE FALUN GONG WAR
PRACTITIONER HELD FOR EIGHT MONTHS, SUFFERS TORTURE AND BRAINWASHING
Li Huagui, now an exile living in the United States, suffered �force-feeding and brainwashing� (Epoch Times) while in Communist custody for eight months. Some of her time was spent in the Sanshui Women�s Labor Camp. Labor camps are where the Communists� cruelest punishments are meted out.
OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS
COMMUNIST CHINA USING �EXECUTION VANS�
A number of provinces in Communist China are now using �mobile execution vans� (Washington Times), in a supposed bid to �improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of carrying out death sentences.� This �efficiency� wouldn�t have anything to do with the Communists� selling the organs of the executed, would it (see 5/9/01 and 7/3/01 Updates)?
ANOTHER CATHOLIC BISHOP ARRESTED
Communist China arrested another Roman Catholic bishop, Jia Zhi Guo, less than two weeks after it released Bishop Wei Jingyi (see 3/24 Update). Jia, like Wei, serves in the �underground� Catholic Church, which rejects the Communist �Patriotic� church and remains loyal to the Vatican. Report: Cybercast News
EDITOR OF SOUTHERN METROPOLIS DAILY UNDER ARREST
Cheng Yizhong, the editor of the Southern Metropolis Daily, is now in jail as part of the Communist crackdown against the paper. Two senior staffers �were sentenced to hefty jail terms on charges of corruption� (Time Asia).
The Southern Metropolis Daily blew the lid off SARS and the murder of Sun Zhigang last year (see 5/28/03, 6/11/03, and 6/25/03 Updates). Also reporting: Washington Post
AIDS ACTIVIST UNDER ARREST BEFORE HE COULD PLAN FOR TIANANMEN ANNIVERSARY
Hu Jia, a leading AIDS activist in Communist China, is in a Communist prison. Hu was detained as he �was planning a commemoration of the 4 June 1989 Tiananmen Square killings� (BBC, Link courtesy Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review Online Editor-in-Chief and Member since 2002).
INTERNET ACTIVIST APPEALS THREE-YEAR SENTENCE
Luo Yongzhong, an internet activist arrested for challenging Central Military Commission Chairman Jiang Zemin�s �Three Represents� theory, is appealing the three-year sentence handed down against him by a Communist Court. Report: Epoch Times
BANNERS FROM PETITIONERS IN BEIJING BANNED
Communist China is now demanding that petitioners who come to Beijing with grievances �carry no banners and display no slogans� (Central News Agency, Taiwan, via Epoch Times). The new gag order was defended as necessary for �social stability.�
REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS NAMES COMMUNIST CHINA BIGGEST WEB OPRESSOR
Reporters Without Borders awarded Communist China its Golden Palm for �online repression� (Epoch Times), in particular its �60 cyber-dissidents in prison, hundreds of thousands of websites censored and strict censorship of e-mail.� The group also gave supposed reformer PRC President Hu Jintao its Best Actor award.
COMMUNIST CHINA LEADS THE WORLD IN EXECUTIONS, AGAIN
For the umpteenth year in a row, Communist China executed more people than anyone else, according to Amnesty International (Washington Post), which reported 726 executions in the PRC, over 300 more than the rest of the world combined. Yet AI�s figure could be too low; one source � a PRC legislator, no less � put the figure at 10,000 (see 3/17 Update).
CORRUPTION NEWS
VILLAGE PARTY BOSS GETS AWAY WITH HELPING SEX SLAVERY RING
A Communist court declared that the village Party Secretary in Suizhong County had been �introducing the women who were later abducted to the peddlers� (CNA via Epoch Times) as part of a sex slavery ring. However, the court, through some twisted logic, found the party boss �not guilty.�
TEACHERS LEAVING RURAL PRC SCHOOLS AS ADMINISTRATORS LINE THEIR POCKETS
A number of rural school districts in Communist China have a teacher shortage. While this may sound like a typical labor supply/demand issue, there is one darker aspect to be considered �the school officials concocted various pretexts to give themselves administrative allowances� (Epoch Times).
OTHER MAINLAND NEWS
ONE IN THREE PRC CITIES SUFFER FROM PERSISTENT ACID RAIN
Over one-third of cities in Communist China suffered acid rain so bad that �the average precipitation for the entire year was acidic� (CNA via Epoch Times). Acid rain reached a majority of monitored PRC cities at some level during 2003. Air pollution is so bad in the PRC that it has cost the Communists over 2% of its Gross Domestic Product.
COST OF YELLOW RIVER POLLUTION PASSES $1 BILLION
The cost to the PRC economy of the heavy pollution in the Yellow River stands �about 11.5 billion to 15.6 billion yuan ($US 1.4 to 1.9 billion) annually� (CNA via Epoch Times 4/1). The river is so polluted it is now devoid of fish and shrimp, while the oysters in the river �have an aroma like kerosene� (CNA via Epoch Times 4/2).
GUANGDONG PROVINCE MAY SEE A POWER SHORTAGE
Guangdong Province will need �about 2 million kilowatt-hours beyond what they are capable of supplying� (CNA via Epoch Times) this year, meaning another power shortage in southern Communist China is coming (see 12/10/03, 12/17/03, and last Updates).
NU RIVER PROJECT ON HOLD
PRC Premier Wen Jiabao has ordered the controversial Nu River multi-dam project to be put on hold �until it is more thoroughly scientifically researched� (CNA via Epoch Times). The Nu River has already garnered a reputation as a project that could make Three Gorges Dam (see 9/20/00, 12/5/01, 4/17/02, 6/18/03, and 3/10 Updates) look pristine by comparison.
COMMUNISTS WANT TO NAME AN ASTEROID AFTER TAIKONAUT
Communist China is hoping to have the International Astronomical Union agree to name an asteroid after taikonaut Yang Liwei. Yang is Communist China�s first taikonaut (see 10/15/03 Updates). Report: BBC
REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS
PAN-BLUES DON�T WANT THEIR VOTES RECOUNTED, JUST CHEN'S AND BLANKS
Taiwan�s High Court imposed today as a deadline for President Chen Shui-bian�s supporters and his opponents to agree on the procedures for a recount (BBC). Meanwhile, Chen�s �pan-blue� opponents �argued that only the ballots cast for Chen and around 300,000 ballots declared invalid should be recounted� (CNN).
Chen�s supporters are calling for a recount to include all ballots, not just those the pan-blues didn�t like. His opponents, in case their hair-brained half-recount idea flops, also filed a lawsuit to invalidate the entire election (VOA via Epoch Times).
LIEN REPEATS ACCUSATION CHEN STAGED SHOOTING
60,000 pan-blue backers took to the streets Saturday to �demand an independent inquiry� (CNN) into the attempted assassination of Chen and Vice President Annette Lu (see 3/24 Update). Pan-blue Lien Chan, who lost to Chen by 30,000 votes, accused Chen, again, of �of staging the shooting to garner a sympathy vote.� Also reporting: VOA via Epoch Times
MINISTER RESIGNS FOR NOT PREVENTING SHOOTING
Meanwhile, in the real world, Yu Cheng-hsien, Taiwan�s Interior Minister, took �political responsibility for the shooting� (BBC), and resigned his post. The national police chief presented his resignation as well, but both may stay on until replacements are found.
COMMUNIST CHINA WHACKS CHEN FOR COMMENTS IN INTERVIEWS
Communist China blasted Chen for his comments in interviews with the Washington Post and the BBC (see last Update), including his criticism of the PRC�s one country, one-and-a-half systems rule over Hong Kong. Communist Major General Wang Zaixi said Chen �is not a man of credibility� (Washington Post).
HONG KONG NEWS
COMMUNIST CHINA TO HONG KONG: WE TELL YOU WHEN REFORM IS COMING
Communist China held its �review� of plans for the selection of future Legislative Councils and Chief Executives, and decided �the territory must submit proposed political reforms to Beijing for approval� (CNN 4/6). The Communists basically made official what many had always suspected: �one country, two systems� is really one country, one-and-half systems.
Naturally, Hong Kong�s pro-democracy supporters were livid. About 3,000 of them protests the �review� before Hong Kong police broke up the protests. The city cops seem to be learning Beijing�s police methods pretty well � they �verbally and physically abused reporters trying to videotape the event� (Epoch Times).
A high-ranking cadre is in Hong Kong trying to sell the �interpretation� (Washington Post). First to defend the Communists was none other than PRC-appointed Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa. Tung is widely unpopular in the city, in large part due to his subservience to Beijing (CNN 4/7). Also reporting: Cybercast News, VOA via Epoch Times, BBC
PRESS REACTION TO PRC �REVIEW� DEPENDS ON PAPER�S VIEWS ON PRC
Naturally, pro-Communist papers in Hong Kong criticized the anti-Communist protestors and praised the �interpretation,� while pro-democracy papers, were leery of what the Standard called �the politics of a bully masquerading as law� (BBC).
TIBET NEWS
TIBETAN YOUTH CONGRESS STARTS HUNGER STRIKE
Three members of the Tibetan Youth Congress have begun a hunger strike to protest the Communists� occupation of Tibet and their oppression of the Tibetan people. The protests will occur in New York and Geneva � hosts of major United Nations facilities � as well as in Dharamsala, host of Tibet�s government-in-exile (China Support Network).
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