| Link of the Week Jim Hoagland rips the Administration�s softer line on Communist China in the Washington Post. Interview of Communist President Jiang Zemin by The New York Times Communist President Jiang Zemin held a �wide-ranging� interview with The New York Times. He repeated his mantra of Falun Gong as an �out-and-out cult,� insisted American scholars Gao Zhan and Li Shaomin were Taiwanese spies, and said parliamentary democracy would lead the PRC into a famine. Jiang also insisted on getting some questions ahead of time. Excerpts of Text of Interview, Article on Interview, Pre-interview Q&A On Several Recent PRC Actions Editorial in the Washington Times looks at Communist China�s recent arrests of scholars, forced abortion and sterilization quotas, and weapons proliferation in violation of agreements. On the Arrests of Scholars in Communist China Suzanne Fields, in the Washington Times, looks at the Communist arrests of American scholars and notes that they have sent a message: discuss Taiwan and human rights at your own peril. Editorial in the Washington Post discusses the Communists� continuing battle against dissent, stretching from Falun Gong all the way to expatriate scholars threatened into silence to avoid arrest when they return. On the �Press� in Communist China John Derbyshire, in National Review Online, laments on what passes for �news� on Communist Chinese television. He cites Russian writer � and long-time anticommunist � Vladimir Nabokov, who labeled Communist �news� programs �advertisements for a firm of slave-traders.� Derbyshire himself comments that, �There are few things more depressing than watching Chinese TV �news.� � On Other Events in Communist China Willy Wo-Lap Lam (CNN) analyzes the politics of tragedy, and how lax safety concerns and rampant Communist favoritism has led to a slew of industrial accidents that have �undermined people's confidence in the Communist party and government.� On Taiwan Nora Boustany, in the Washington Post, tells the story of Lee Ming Liang, ROC director of general health, and his efforts to get the island democracy into the world health establishment. Communist China has repeatedly blocked Taiwan�s efforts to join the World Health Organization. On Hong Kong Editorial in the Washington Times about Li Shaomin�s return to Hong Kong, the editors warn not to get complacent just because �Hong Kong and the international community won � this time.� On Tibet John Derbyshire (National Review Online) wonders why Tibet is the new tourist attraction in his latest notes from Communist China. On International Affairs Constantine Menges, in the Washington Post, on the coziness of the Russia-Communist China relationship. Lawrence F. Kaplan, in The New Republic, comments on the continued warming of ties between the U.S. and India, with the useful reminder that it is not Pakistan, but its Communist Chinese arms suppliers that concern the Indian government the most. Wes Pruden, Editor in Chief of the Washington Times, says Colin Powell had �something up his sleeve� during his talks in Beijing. Would he mind letting us in on what that something was? . Feel free to forward this to anyone you think might be interested in receiving this. Anyone who wishes to join can send his/her name and e-mail address to [email protected]. Please visit our web site. |