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CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: JUNE 10, 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: COMMUNIST CHINA TO ATTACK TAIWAN IN 2006
A consensus is building on both side of the Pacific Ocean that Communist China �is ready, willing and able to attack the island soon� (World Net Daily). Both American experts and a Taiwanese military official say an attack in some form can be expected in 2006. The only disagreement is whether or not it will be a full-fledged assault or a �partial attack.�
The expectation of Communist military action � about the only thing that could possibly knock the Tiananmen Square commemorations off the Top Story moniker � is due to the fact that the People�s Republic is expected to pass Taiwan in military strength � if it hasn�t already � sometime in the next two years.
REMEMBERING THE TIANANMEN SQUARE MASSACRE
PROTEST IN HONG KONG, BLACKOUT ON MAINLAND
The anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre passed on Friday, and Communist China marked the occasion by blacking out Western media coverage, including CNN, and arresting sixteen protestors who apparently tried to commemorate the sacrifice of those who took to the streets for democracy in 1989 (Epoch Times, HK).
In Hong Kong, where demonstrations are still (for now) legal, �thousands of people waved candles in memory of the dead and called for faster moves to democracy� (BBC), i.e., stop the Velvet Crackdown. The Tibetan community in exile in India also paid tribute to the 1989 movement (China Support Network). This was the only news regarding Tibet this week.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International repeated its annual call �on the Chinese government to allow an independent inquiry� (Voice of America via Epoch Times) into the massacre.
TIANANMEN MOTHER ARRESTED
Among the slew of activists either in jail or under hours arrest during the anniversary was Ding Zilin, a leader in the �Tiananmen Mothers� movement. Ding, along with two other women who lost their sons in the June 4, 1989 massacre, founded the movement for other Tiananmen relatives (Epoch Times).
DR. JIANG YANYONG MISSING
Meanwhile, Dr. Jiang Yanyong, the famous doctor who blew the lid off the SARS coverup in Beijing and then heroically called on the Communist Party to reassess its official glorification of the massacre (see 4/9/03, 3/10, 3/24, and 4/7 Updates), has gone missing. He was last seen over a week ago in Beijing. Report: Epoch Times
ZHAO ZIYANG MAY WIN NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
More ominously for the PRC, Zhao Ziyang, the Tiananmen-era Communist Party chief who opposition to the massacre led to his house arrest by then-Central Military Commission Chairman Deng Xiaoping, is once again in the running for the Nobel Peace Prize, and according to one activist, he �has a great chance of winning this year� (Epoch Times).
OTHER REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS
LEGISLATORS AT CHEN�S INAUGURAL THREATENED BY PRC
In a move angering South Koreans of all political stripes, Communist China tried �to bully lawmakers from South Korea into staying away from last month's inauguration of Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian� (Cybercast News). The People�s Republic sent �phone and fax messages to lawmakers and their party leaders� telling the guests not to show up.
According to Chosun Ilbo, �an information officer at the Chinese Embassy said the mission �would remember� the decision of those lawmakers who ignored the request and went to Taipei.� New Zealand�s Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman also received a call from a PRC official, telling him that his decision to attend the inauguration �was not a wise choice.�
THE VELVET CRACKDOWN: HONG KONG NEWS
ANGER AT TUNG HITS RECORD HIGH
Dissatisfaction to Communist-appointed Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa�s support in Hong Kong hit a record high of 58%, while satisfaction with him is at a record low 13%. Only 16% supported Tung staying at his post, 65% want him out (Epoch Times).
Overall approval of Tung�s regime is at lows not seen since the July protests (see 7/2/03, 7/9/03, and 7/16/03 Updates).
NEW STAMP IN HONG KONG �LAUDS CHINA�S ARMY�
The regime didn�t do itself any favors with the announcement of new postage stamps commemorating �China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) garrisoned in the territory� (BBC). The stamps were designed �to drum up patriotic feelings in Hong Kong,� but already many are treating it as �a show of force designed to intimidate those who opposed Beijing.�
NEWS ON COMMUNIST CHINA, EAST TURKESTAN, AND THE TERRORIST WAR
Check out the Communist China and the Terrorist War page.
PRC BACKS U.S. RESOLUTION ON IRAQ AFTER IRAQI FM BLASTS PRC VERSION
Communist China joined the rest of the Security Council in endorsing America�s military presence in Iraq and the Iraqi interim government (Epoch Times). The vote came after Communist China�s proposed United Nations Security Council resolution on Iraq (see last Update) ran into a critical political obstacle � Iraq�s new government.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari called the PRC�s insistence on a declared date for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq �very, very unhelpful� (Washington Times).
Communist China opposed the military action in Iraq, and also helped integrated Saddam Hussein�s missile defense, sold him missile components, and tried to sell him missile-launching patrol boats (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).
ELEVEN PRC WORKERS IN AFGHANISTAN KILLED
In Kunduz, Afghanistan, eleven workers from Communist China were killed by unknown assailants this week (BBC, CNN). The dead were road builders. Communist China had previously blasted the post-Taliban �pro-U.S.� government in Afghanistan, and had ties with the Taliban even after it fell from power (see 4/24/02 and 10/30/02 Updates).
MASSIVE AGATE FIND IN EAST TURKESTAN
A large supply of the mineral agate has been discovered in East Turkestan, and already, the Communists are thinking about how to mine it. East Turkestan (called �Xinjiang� by the PRC) was an independent nation before the Communists began their brutal occupation of it in 1949. Report: Epoch Times
COMMUNIST CHINA STILL ANGRY AT HEARTS OF IRON
The video game Hearts of Iron � already banned in the PRC because it depicted Word War II-ear East Turkestan for the independent nation it was (see last Update) � is now taking propaganda hits from the regime, which called its accurate depiction of Central Asia �severely twisted history� (VOA via Epoch Times).
NORTH KOREA NEWS
COMMUNIST CHINA DOUBTS U.S. REPORTS OF NORTH KOREAN URANIUM PROGRAM
Communist China repeated its claim that the United States has �not presented convincing evidence� (VOA via Epoch Times) that North Korea � its ally of over fifty years � has developed a uranium based nuclear weapons program. The continued assertion came despite the reports of North Korean partially weaponized uranium in Libya�s hands.
Given the Communist intransigence on this subject � North Korea itself admitted to the uranium program twenty months ago � one has to wonder why the Bush Administration continues to view Beijing as helpful regarding the Stalinist North. Didn�t know about the Libya connection? You would have if you had signed up for the North Korea Report.
OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS
Sign the petition for an American boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
FORMER TIANANMEN STUDENT LEADER, OTHERS TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS
Led by Tiananmen leader and survivor Wuer Kai�xi, a number of human rights activists testified before the U.S. Congressional Human Rights Caucus on Communist China�s continuing persecution against pro-democracy activists, Falun Gong, and East Turkestanis, among many others. Report: Epoch Times
MICROSOFT SOFTWARE PIRATED BY 100 INTERNET CAFES
Microsoft has official complained about over 100 internet cafes in Hangzhou City �using pirated versions of its Windows Operating System� (Central News Agency, Taiwan via Epoch Times). This is the latest of a slew of cases of software piracy that has made turning a profit for IT firms in Communist China all but impossible.
MORE AMERICAN COMPANIES THROWING MONEY INTO COMMUNIST CHINA
At least three firms are haven�t seen or haven�t fully processed the above Microsoft information, and are planning to throw more money into Communist China � General Motors (BBC 6/7), Home Depot (BBC 6/8), and Chrysler�s German parent Daimler (BBC 6/9).
NEWS FROM THE FALUN GONG WAR
WOMAN THROWN IN LABOR CAMP FOR HAVING FALUN GONG BOOKS
Yanyan Qiu, a favored woman fluent in three languages and a key player in the Communist effort to ensnare foreign capital, is now in a PRC labor camp. Her crime was �the possession of books relating to Falun Gong� (Epoch Times), the spiritual movement suffering heavily under a nearly five-year Communist crackdown.
COMMUNISTS WONT APPROVE VISA EXTENSIONS FOR PRACTITIONERS IN U.S.
In yet another example of the Communists� long arm of dictatorship reaching American shores, Chinese practitioners living in the U.S. and other nations abroad are finding it nearly impossible to get their visas extended by the Communists, who prefer that they all live in labor camps. Report: Epoch Times
UN TORTURE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS COMMUNIST ABUSES OF PRACTITIONERS
Theo van Boven, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, documented �over 130 cases of reported torture and abuse in China� (Epoch Times). Of those instances, roughly 100 �were perpetrated against Falun Gong practitioners�. An office representative admitted that �many cases of torture may not be included� in the report due to PRC cover-ups.
PRACTITIONERS HOLD EVENTS IN GEORGIA AS G-8 SUMMIT IS HELD
Meanwhile, a group Falun Gong practitioners set up exhibits in Savannah and Brunswick, to cities in Georgia near the Sea Island �G-8� summit of industrial nations. The exhibits included mock torture session to highlight the plight of Falun Gong in the PRC. The practitioners called on the G-8 �to help end the ongoing persecution� (Epoch Times).
OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS
OVER 3 MILLION CHINESE PROTESTED AGAINST THE COMMUNISTS LAST YEAR
Communist China witnessed over 58,000 protests against the regime, with the number of people involved surpassing three million. The protests largely came from economic grievances, such as �wage disputes, social welfare problems, the restructuring of state-owned enterprises, and evictions� (BBC).
PRC CLAMPS DOWN ON TV BROADCASTS
Communist China has banned all foreign programs from airing in prime time as part of its effort to crackdown on programming �deemed unsuitable for China's present national conditions� (Epoch Times). Some of the restrictions on PRC programming were already mentioned in the 5/19 Update.
UNDERGROUND TV STATION FOUND IN SHENZHEN
Meanwhile, Communist police found, and broke up, an underground television station in Shenzhen, just next to Hong Kong. The station, which �could not only receive and broadcast programs that are not authorized by authorities, but could also broadcast its own programming� (Epoch Times), brought non-Communist TV to roughly 10,000 viewers.
SHANGHAI CLOSES NEWS BUREAUS
Shanghai, home of Central Military Commission Chairman Jiang Zemin (see last Update), �has closed the bureaus of six domestic media organizations in a clean-up campaign aimed at tightening control over the press� (United Press International via Washington Times). An unnamed Shanghai cadre said the reasons for the shutdown were �complicated.� Right.
CORRUPTION NEWS
FUYANG BAD BABY MILK WAS ALLOWED BY CADRES BECAUSE OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT
Fuyang city, the source of the bad baby milk that killed at least fifty infants, knew about several substandard factories producing bad milk for over a year (see 4/28, 5/5, 5/12, and 5/26 Updates). Now the Epoch Times revealed the reason: �because of the pursuit for foreign investment.� Take a moment to let the implications of that line sink in.
GUANGZHOU RESIDENTS BLAST CADRES ON FOOD SAFETY
Residents of Guangzhou City �took advantage of Food Safety Promotion Week activities to complain to officials� (CNA via Epoch Times). The cadres� performance on food safety has been so poor that the top PRC food safety official admitted he was afraid to buy packaged food (see last Updates).
MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR FRAUD TRIAL BEGINS IN HAINAN
In Hainan, twenty-five defendants are facing charges for their alleged roles in an embezzlement scheme of over $3 billion (BBC). This would make it the fourth largest scandal in PRC history.
The three larger ones, in order, are the Guangdong tax-evasion scandal ($12 billion, see 1/3/01 and 1/17/01 Updates), and the more well-known Xiamen smuggling scheme ($10 billion, see 8/16/00, 9/13/00, 11/8/00, and 7/3/02 Updates), and an export rebate scam in Shantou that reached nearly $4 billion.
OTHER MAINLAND NEWS
COMMUNIST CHINA FACING �SEVERE� COAL SHORTAGE . . .
Coal reserves in Communist China are at �the lowest level for the past twenty years� (CNA via Epoch Times). The rapidly decreasing reserve �means severe shortage� in coal in Communist China, which is already dealing with electricity shortages (see 12/10/03, 12/17/03, and 3/31 Updates).
. . . WHILE SOME INDUSTRIES HEADED FOR MASSIVE GLUT
Communist China central bank, meanwhile, warned �about three industries experiencing over investment: steel, cement and aluminum� (Epoch Times). The overproduction resulting from this could lead to massive gluts in these industries, which would cripple the factories producing these products � and the banks that loaned them the money to do so.
COMMUNIST POLICIES OF KILLING TIGERS HAS THEM NEARLY EXTINCT
Five classes of tigers in Communist China are now nearly extinct, thanks to earlier PRC orders and encouragement �to kill tigers by all means, including food poisoning, poison arrows, and even military weapons� (Central News Agency, Taiwan, via Epoch Times).
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
RUSSIAN SCIENTIST TO BE RE-TRIED FOR PRC ESPIOANGE
Valentin Danilov, who won a rare acquittal against spy charges (see 12/31/03 Update), will be re-tried under an order from Russia�s Supreme Court. Prosecutors �alleged that jurors were put under pressure during the case� (BBC).
If true, Danilov�s acquittal may after all have had something to do with the alleged beneficiary � Communist China, which happens to be Russia�s biggest arms customer.
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