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CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: OCTOBER 13, 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.
The next Summer Olympics, in 2008, will take place in Beijing. Will the U.S. take part in a Communist Chinese version of the Munich Nazi propaganda event of 1936? Sign the petition for an American boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
TOP STORY: COMMUNIST CHINA WAS A MAJOR ARMS SELLER TO BA�ATHIST IRAQ
NORINCO AMONG SADDAM�S SUPPLIERS, PAID OVER $350 MILLION IN OIL VOUCHERS
Communist China �illegally supplied Saddam Hussein's regime with missile technology and other weaponry and was a major beneficiary of the U.N. oil-for-food program� (Bill Gertz, Washington Times). Among the biggest of weapons component suppliers to Hussein�s regime was the Communist-owned Northern Industrial Company (Norinco).
Norinco, which was thrown out of the U.S. for selling missile parts to Iran (see 5/28/03, 7/9/03, 9/24/03, and 4/15 Updates), �agreed in 2000 to supply 200 gyroscopes for use in Russian and Chinese cruise missiles� and �sold machine tools with missile applications,� despite �Baghdad's debt of more than $3 billion to the company from earlier sales.�
The report from the Iraq Survey Group (a.k.a. the Duelfer Report) claimed Norinco �said it would keep the arms trade secret from the Beijing government.� The grain of salt: Norinco is owned by the Communist military. The report also said �Iraq agreed to repay Norinco with crude oil and petroleum products.�
Norinco received 15.5 million barrels worth of oil vouchers from 2000 through 2003. The voucher number is taken straight from the Duelfer Report itself (Volume 1), which also lists the People�s Republic as one of �the top 12 countries that sold Iraq arms despite sanctions� (United Press International via Washington Times).
Communist China also sold Saddam a fiber-optic network to integrate his air defenses, weapons of mass destruction components, and missile launching patrol boats � the U.S. intercepted the last of these (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).
The PRC also protected Saddam�s abuses of oil for food (see last Update), no real surprise given the Norinco vouchers, which � based on oil prices of the period (Financial Forecast Center) � netted more than $350 million for the so-called People�s Liberation Army.
NEWS ON COMMUNIST CHINA, EAST TURKESTAN, AND THE TERRORIST WAR
Check out the latest on the Communist China and the Terrorist War page.
TALIBAN FIGHTER�S FOLLOWERS KIDNAP TWO PRC ENGINEERS
Terrorists in Pakistan loyal to Taliban fighter Abdullah Mehsud kidnapped to engineers from Communist China and �vowed to execute one of the Chinese yesterday if Pakistani police maintain their siege of the hideout� (New York Post). Mehsud, who is speaking for the captors despite not being with them, also wants the release of two Uzbek terrorists.
This would be the first time anyone from Communist China has run afoul of Taliban or al Qaeda backed terrorists � the Uzbeks Mehsud wants freed are from al Qaeda. It will be interesting to see both how the al Qaeda leadership responds, if it can, and how long it will take for the PRC to blame the peaceful, pro-American Uighurs of occupied East Turkestan.
Perhaps the Communists also have some twinges of regret for helping Osama bin Laden launder his drug money, buying missiles from him for millions of dollars, and reaching out to the Taliban on the very day the World Trade Center fell and the Pentagon was attacked (see 9/19/01, 10/24/01, 8/14/02, 5/5 Updates).
NORTHERN KOREA NEWS
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HU JINTAO TELLS BUSH PRC STILL BACKS SIX-WAY TALKS
In a conversation with President Bush, Communist Chinese President Hu Jintao �reiterated his commitment to six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program� (Washington Times). There have been three such rounds of talks on SCNK�s nuclear ambitions; North Korea has ruled out a fourth round for now.
The only tangible results of the talks have been substantial American concessions, and roughly two years for the Stalinist regime to continue developing nuclear weapons since their admission of a uranium weapons program (see 6/30 Update).
OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS
HU DEMANDS U.S. END ARMS SALES TO TAIWAN; ROC PARLIAMENT HOLDS UP SALE
During the aforementioned phone call, Hu also demanded the U.S. �stop selling weapons to Taiwan� (Voice of America via Epoch Times 10/8), echoing the demands of his Foreign Minister (see last Update). Meanwhile, the PRC�s �pan-blue� friends in Taiwan�s Parliament are still blocking the purchase of American arms offered in 2001 (Washington Post).
The delay has become an issue in Taiwan�s legislative elections, with many are tying their fate to that of President Chen Shui-bian�s �pan-green� coalition in the December vote. As the argument spills over into beverage choice (VOA via Epoch Times 10/10), the U.S. is growing increasingly nervous about the fate of the arms sale (Washington Times). For more on Taiwan, see Other Republic of China (Taiwan) News
CHIRAC SIGNS PRC TRADE DEALS, BLASTS EU ARMS BAN ON COMMUNIST CHINA . . .
French President Jacques Chirac cemented his status as one of the leading appeasers of Communist China, blasting the European Union�s arms embargo against the PRC as having �no foundation or justification� (UPI via Washington Times). Chirac made the comments as he visited Communist China to sign �nearly $5 billion in deals for French companies� (CNN).
Chirac, who also called the embargo �motivated purely and simply by hostility toward China� (London Telegraph), was himself ripped by human rights activists. The U.S. also opposes lifting the arms ban (BBC, see also 11/12/03, 12/10/03, 1/28, 2/4, 3/17, 3/24, 3/31 and 6/2 Updates). Also reporting: VOA via Epoch Times
. . . BUT SCANDINAVIA, UK, AND NEW EU MEMBERS KEEP BAN IN PLACE
It didn�t take particularly long for the European Union to shoot down Chirac�s ambition � again. Under EU policy, the embargo must stay in place unless all member nations agree to lift it. Scandinavian nations once again refused to go along, as did newer members Poland and the Czech Republic. The UK, stiffening its resolve, also opposed it (Cybercast News).
FROM PRC: CURRENCY RATE CHANGE? WE NEVER SAID CURRENCY RATE CHANGE!
Remember those reports of Communist promises that they would revaluate their currency upward against the dollar, thus easing the crippling pressure on American manufacturing and the exporters among our Asian allies (see last Update)? It turns out that was all �groundless and a misunderstanding� (BBC).
ELECTRONIC ARTS LOOKS TO ENTER PRC GAME MARKET
Electronic Arts �is setting up a development studio in China� (BBC). Of course, the gaming firm is still �the plan's details with the Chinese authorities,� i.e., making sure its online gaming fits the Communists� censoring objectives (the �Google plan�: see 9/29 Update).
OTHER REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS
CHEN SHUI-BIAN CALLS FOR TALKS WITH PRC; COMMUNISTS TELL HIM TO STUFF IT
Once again, President Chen Shui-bian called on Communist China to enter talks with Taiwan �on arms control and ways to avoid military confrontation� (VOA via Epoch Times). Chen won praise from Washington for his �constructive message� (Singapore Straits-Times); the PRC rejected it in days later (BBC; China Support Network; UPI via Washington Times).
COMMUNIST CHINA BUILDING CYBERATTACK CAPABILITIES AGAINST TAIWAN
Communist China is preparing to use against Taiwan �computers and other weapons to target computer-based and electronic systems� (Bill Gertz, Washington Times) in order to �paralyze� the island democracy. The issue was addressed by U.S. Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Richard Lawless in a speech at the U.S.-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference.
NEWS ON THE VELVET CRACKDOWN (HONG KONG)
PETITIONS TO BEIJING THROWN IN THE TRASH
The people of Hong Kong presented a petition to Communist China �to appeal and condemn the Communist government�s repression of religious freedom in China� (Epoch Times). Did the PRC office in the city send the petition to Beijing? No, the Communists chose to �throw the petition in the trash.� One country, one and a half systems rolls on.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
UN SECRETARY GENERAL WANTS PRC TO TAKE BIGGER ROLE IN THE WORLD
Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, doesn�t get it. Speaking at Qinghua University, Annan called for the Communists to �have a larger role to play in the global community, and a greater share of responsibility for world security� (UPI via Washington Times). One can expect Communist China to jump at that invitation.
SCOTLAND FIRST MINISTERS TALK TOURISM AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN PRC
Jack McConnell, First Minister of Scotland, visited Communist China for talks on �education and tourism� (BBC). While this was yet another foreign leader looking to cash in on the Communist dictatorship, the provincial premier did confront the Communists on their abysmal human rights record.
DESPERATE PRC OPENS UP ENERGY FUEL SECTOR TO FOREIGN INVESTMENT
How desperate is Communist China to fight its crippling energy shortage (see 12/10/03, 12/17/03, 3/31, 6/10, 6/16, 7/21, 8/5, 8/25, 9/29, and last Updates)? The PRC is now �encouraging foreign investors to be part of the nation�s natural gas development and to contribute to the operation of more oil and gas fields� (Epoch Times).
Of course, Communist China has invited foreigners into every sector of the PRC � the more money into Zhongnanhai�s coffers the better. The difference here is that the regime has junked the restrictions on �proportionate foreign investment in large and medium cities.�
FRENCH SINGER DROPS PRO-DEMOCRACY CHINESE ARTIST ON COMMUNISTS� ORDERS
French musician Jean-Michel Jarre performed in Beijing this week, but without the PRC�s �best-known rock star, Cui Jian� (London Telegraph). Why? Jarre �admitted that the Chinese had forced him to drop� Cui, who has been banned by the Communists �since the Tiananmen protests, when his songs were sung as anthems by student demonstrators.�
OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS
COMMUNIST CHINA MAINTAINING GRIP ON INTERNET
Communist China�s �Internet police� (Zhong Guang News via Epoch Times) have resorted to �blacklists of keywords, blocking Web sites and links containing such words,� and banning such words on cell phones. While over 100 or �relating to sex,� the overwhelming majority of banned words are �related to politics�.
EPIDEMIC NEWS
RABIES OUTBREAK IN GUANGDONG LEADS TO COMMUNIST ORDERED DOG SLAUGHTER
Nine rabies deaths in Xingning (Guangdong Province) have led �the local government to issue a command to kill dogs quickly when found� (Epoch Times). In case anyone is wondering, the PRC has already tried vaccination, and it has worked true to Communist form � one Xingning resident died �despite having received a rabies vaccine treatment.�
OTHER MAINLAND NEWS
COMMUNIST CHINA ARRESTS BABY SMUGGLERS
Communist China proclaimed the arrest of over 100 people involved in buying and selling baby boys in the PRC. The Communists chose to ignore the role of the hideous �one child� policy in this (see 8/30/00, 8/8/01, 7/24/02, 8/5, 9/29, and last Updates), but the BBC, to its credit, did not.
JACKIE CHAN MADE PROFESSOR AT BEIJING UNIVERSITY
Jackie Chan is now �an �honorary professor� in the university�s art department� (Epoch Times) at Beijing University. While this is certainly in part due to Chan�s celebrity status, it should be noted that he fell in line with the Communists on many things, including criticism of elections on the island democracy of Taiwan (see 4/28 Update).
CONSUMER SPENDING IN COMMUNIST CHINA CONTINUES TO SLOW
Consumer spending rates in Communist China have fallen nearly 10% in over the last decade and a half. Given that Communist China has supposedly experienced white-hot economic growth over the same period, these numbers make clear the �growth� is either mythical or driven by over-the-top Communist �investment.� Report: Epoch Times
OVER 30 MILLION CHILDREN COMMUNIST CHINA HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
A Beijing University study found �that more than 30m Chinese children are suffering from mental health or behavioural (UK sp) problems� (BBC). Thanks to the hideous �one child� policy, most of these children are their parents� only child, and as such face �huge amounts of pressure . . . to succeed.� One quarter of Shanghai�s children have contemplated suicide.
COMMUNIST CHINA WORRIED ABOUT OBESITY
Communist China has an obesity problem, at least according to the Communists. Obesity �has increased by 97% in 10 years� (BBC). Not surprisingly, the �biggest problem is in China's cities�; folks in the rural interior are spared by cadres how have made them so poor they can barely feed themselves. Also reporting: Singapore Straits-Times
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