| Sign the Boycott Petition: In reaction to the 2008 Olympic Games being awarded to Beijing, the China e-Lobby has begun a petition for an American boycott of those games. As Communist China�s allies and customers enter the cross-hairs, check out the latest on �Communist China and the Terrorist War,� either directly or via our main page. CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: MARCH 13, 2002 TOP STORY: TENS OF THOUSANDS PROTEST COMMUNISTS ECONOMIC POLICIES BROKEN SEVERANCE PROMISES, LACK OF INDEPENDENT UNIONS BRING 50,000 PROTESTORS Spurred by promised severance payments for laid-off workers that the Communists never delivered, and the Communists barring any unions outside the PRC-controlled one, up to 50,000 have protested daily at Daqing oil field the northeastern province of Heilongjiang since the first of the month, according to CNN. The Communists are already preparing �police and an army tank regiment,� for a response. Most, if not all, of the protestors were former workers at the Daqing facility laid off in 1999. While many are upset over the payments, others �are calling for the right to organize their own unions.� The only legal union in the People�s Republic is the one the Communists, owners of the oil fields, control. TOP AMERICAN STORY: U.S. SHIFTING NUCLEAR TARGETING TO PRC, AXIS OF EVIL RUSSIA NO LONGER CONSIDERED MAJOR THREAT; COMMUNISTS ARE �SHOCKED� The United States is looking away from Russia as a possible threat that requires a nuclear deterrent � or the use of nuclear weapons against other weapons of mass destruction. The Washington Post reported that the U.S. is shifting away from seeing Russia as a threat, and toward the axis of evil, other terrorist states, and Communist China. Also reporting: Los Angeles Times It didn�t take very long for the Communists to shriek that they were �deeply shocked� by the news, which was based mainly on their continued efforts to expand their nuclear arsenal, and the possibility of war with the island democracy of Taiwan (CNN 1). North Korea also took umbrage at the news (CNN 2, BBC) Regarding the ROC, CNN�s Willy Wo-Lap Lam, citing an unnamed Communist army source, noted that �Jiang is facing more pressure particularly from mid-ranking PLA officers to be tougher with Taiwan and the U.S.� Jiang, still hoping to remain as Chairman of the secretive yet powerful Central Military Commission for five more years, spoke of �solid preparation for military struggle� to win back Taiwan. OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS FROM THE FALUN GONG WAR: FOLLOWERS TAKE OVER COMMUNIST TV STATION Falun Gong practitioners in Changchun took over local Communist television stations for 50 minutes with �footage of Falun Gong's U.S.-based leader Li Hongzhi and a film charging the government with staging the fiery deaths of alleged followers in Tiananmen Square last year,� according to CNN, who cited Reuters. Changchun, a city in the northeast part of the People�s Republic, is Li�s hometown. The move was �one of the most defiant protests� by Falun Gong in its battle to survive the brutal Communist crackdown, what we like to call The Falun Gong War. BBC reported that the broadcast was on �eight of the 32 TV channels broadcast to Changchun, starting at 2000 (8AM EST) local time on Tuesday.� Also reporting: Los Angeles Times, Washington Post ALSO FROM THE FALUNG GONG WAR: TWO AUSTRALIAN PROTESTORS EXPELLED Meanwhile, the Communists expelled two Australians over the week for protesting the crackdown against the spiritual movement (BBC). Their protest coincided with the opening of the Communist National People�s Congress (parliament) and was on the same day as the Falun Gong broadcast. ALSO FROM THE FALUNG GONG WAR: COMMUNISTS SUED IN U.S. COURTS Falun Gong practitioners have also looked to the U.S. courts, suing Communist officials under the Alien Tort Claims Act of 1789. They have already one in one case, and are involved in at least three others. Sadly, all is not well in the American part of the Falun Gong War: members of the embattled movement say Communist officials �have threatened them or their relatives in China.� (Washington Post) OTHER NEWS ON COMMUNIST CHINA AND THE TERRORIST WAR SEPTEMBER 11 TOUTED AS EXCUSE FOR PRC CRACKDOWN IN EAST TURKESTAN, AGAIN As new �anti-terrorist� measures were announced in the PRC, the Communist took another opportunity to wrap the American flag � or, to be more precise, the September 11 attack � around its hideous crackdown on the most pro-American Muslims on the planet: the Uighurs of East Turkestan (CNN). The Communists have repeatedly insisted, without ever proving, that the Uighurs are bin Ladenites. No other news on East Turkestan was reported this week. No news from Hong Kong and Tibet were reported this week. COMMUNISTS MIFFED AS JAPAN INVESTIGATES POSSIBLE NORTH KOREAN SPY SHIP Japan is planning to raise from the ocean a ship it sank last December to investigate if it was a North Korea spy vessel. Communist China expressed �strong opposition� through its Foreign Minister for the action. What may really scare the PRC is the possibility that its ally for over 50 years had a spy ship firing on Japanese vessels. Report: World Net Daily/Stratfor. Courtesy Ron Vogel: Member since 2000. See the January 2, 2002 update for more on the incident. OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS COMMUNISTS TRY TO PEG �SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS� ON U.S., BLAST MILITARY Still smarting from American criticism of its phony war brutality in East Turkestan (see last update), the PRC tried to hit the U.S. for �serious human rights violations� (CNN). The Communists were also upset at �the expansion of US military operations overseas since 11 September,� according to the BBC. Also reporting: Cybercast News Service, Fox News HUTCHISON WHAMPOA BUYOUT OF GLOBAL CROSSING GETS MORE FLAK As Global Crossing CEO John Legere �went on the road this past weekend� (Washington Post) to tout a proposed buyout by Hutchison Whampoa, a number of creditors and investors cast more doubt on the idea, �orchestrated just before the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January.� One new concern is the possibility that Gary Winnick, the company founder, may have �investment ties� to HW. Li Ka-shing, founder of Hutchison Whampoa, is a Hong Kong businessman � and an open sympathizer of Communist China. A decision from a bankruptcy judge on the proposed buyout is due today. Check out the Week�s Links on Friday for a Special Report on the judge�s decision. CORRUPTION NEWS THOUSANDS OF COMMUNISTS ARE CORRUPT; TRIADS HAVE GROWING ROLE The Communist National People�s Congress (parliament) heard a report from Han Zhubin � the PRC�s top persecutor � detailing the extent to which corruption has run rampant within the Chinese Communist Party. Han�s report revealed that over �2,600 influential officials were last year implicated in crimes including corruption,� and nearly 2,000 triad members were tried, according to CNN�s Willy Wo-Lap Lam. The triads � the �Chinese-style mafia� � had a major role in a corruption scandal in Yunnan province � according to Lam, the now ex-governor�s son was a triad leader � and organized crime is rampant in Liaoning province � the capital of which is the thoroughly corrupt city of Shenyang. To make matters worse, �Fifty six procuratorate cadres (prosecutors) were put on trial for criminal offences.� COMMUNIST SURPREME COURT HEAD ADMITS COURTS SUCCUMBING TO CORRUPTION Xiao Yang, president of the PRC Supreme Court, acknowledged yesterday that �almost 1,000 court officials were disciplined last year for corruption,� according to the BBC. Xiao also admitted that several �instances of judicial officials violating laws and being incompetent.� COMMUNISTS RESURRECT RULE DEMANDING PERSONAL INFO IN ATTEMPT TO STEM GRAFT Hoping it can head off the next major corruption scandal, Beijing�s Communists brought back a rule �last used more than 20 years ago� forcing officials in the PRC to reveal personal information, according to the BBC. Everything down to �details of their children�s wedding ceremonies� will be examined. Beijing�s ex-mayor and party chief �was jailed for 16 years in 1998 for . . . $37M (in) embezzlement.� OTHER MAINLAND NEWS MILITARY FLEXING ITS POLITICAL MUSCLES WITH BIGGER BUDGETS The Communist military won a big budget increase (see last update), and a push for �modernization� of its forces. According to CNN�s Willy Wo-Lap Lam, the showering of funds is due in large part to its support for Communist President Jiang Zemin. Jiang is hoping to keep the very powerful but secretive Chair of the Central Military Commission (see Top American Story) despite this year�s reshuffle. THREE GORGES DAM LOOKS TO STOCK SALE FOR CASH AS PROJECT CREATES LANDSLIDES The problems surrounding Three Gorges Dam continue to mount. BBC and reported that new construction near the town of Wushan �had reactivated old landslides in the geologically unstable area� that threatened to �submerge� the town of 10,000 resettled people. The dam project � brainchild of Tiananmen butcher Li Peng � has been mired by corruption, embezzlement, and ecological destruction. The BBC and CNN also reported that the Communist dam is so short of money � thanks to �corruption and embezzlement� � that the PRC plans to sell stock shares for the dam in the West to raise the funds. REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS ROC DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS U.S.; ANGRY COMMUNISTS MAY BLOCK HU JINTAO TRIP Taiwanese Defense Minister Tang Yiau-ming attended a defense in Florida, which upset the Communists so much they may decide against sending heir apparent Hu Jintao to the U.S. in a fit of pique, according to CNN�s Willy Wo-Lap Lam. Lam noted that Communist President Jiang Zemin, who recently had boasted of Hu�s future trip to the U.S., now says he �had always been �most unenthusiastic�� about it. SWEDEN TURNS DOWN VISA FOR PRESIDENT Sweden, meanwhile, was more malleable to Communist pressure against the island democracy. They denied a visa for ROC President Chen Shui-bian, according to the BBC. HUNDREDS PROTEST POSSIBLE LIFTING OF RESTRICTIONS ON CHIP-MAKING IN PRC As the ROC government faces pressure from businesses to allow them to shift microchip production from Taiwan to the PRC, hundreds protested the idea (BBC). The protestors were not alone; the notion of chip production in Communist China � no matter who owns the firm � is deeply opposed by former President Lee Teng-hui, a major thorn in Communist China�s side, and the man who brought democracy to Taiwan. Feel free to forward this to anyone you think might be interested in receiving it. Anyone who 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. |