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CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: JANUARY 14, 2004
Dragon in the Dark: How and Why Communist China Helps Our Enemies in the War on Terror is now available! My book detailing Communist China�s history of aiding terrorist states, Saddam Hussein, the Taliban, and al Qaeda can be ordered here, at Barnes and Noble, or at Amazon. � D.J. McGuire
TOP STORY: COMMUNIST CHINA USING RAPE AS ANTI-REFUGEE TACTIC
COMMUNIST SECURITY FORCES TORTURE NK REFUGEES WITH STALINIST APPROVAL
Communist China is engaging in �systematic terrorization of female defectors� (Radio Free Asia via Epoch Times, HK), including rape. The Communist security forces watching the North Korea-PRC border routinely do this �with the tacit approval of their North Korean counterparts.� The women are then sold � you read that right, sold.
North Korean refugees, escaping the Stalinist regime and the mass starvation it has spawned, are non-persons in Communist China � who sends back any refugee they can�t sell. According to one recent escapee, �Some say the Chinese police are taking the eyes or organs of North Korean girls, but not a single institution is investigating the rumor.�
OTHER NORTH KOREA NEWS
PRC CADRE MEETS WITH ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS ON NORTH KOREA TALKS
Fu Ying, Director General for Asian Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the PRC, held talks with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Assistant Secretary James Kelley regarding the prospects for more talks over North Korea�s nuclear weapons programs. Fu called the talks �useful� (CNN).
For more on Communist China�s Stalinist ally, sign up for Monday�s North Korea Report.
NEWS ON COMMUNIST CHINA, EAST TURKESTAN, AND THE TERRORIST WAR
COMMUNIST CHINA DEMANDS �EXPLANATION� FROM JAPAN ON IRAQ TROOPS
Communist China actually demanded that Japan explain itself for its recent decision to send troops to Iraq. The People�s Republic had a long history of arming Saddam Hussein (see 2/21/01, 2/28/01, 3/7/01, 3/14/01, 3/21/01, 12/18/02, 3/19/03, 4/9/03, and 12/17/03 Updates). Still, the demand was quite a move. Report: Washington Times
U.S. AND COMMUNIST CHINA SIGN PROLIFERATION AGREEMENT
Communist China and the United States �signed an agreement that sets up a process for establishing future cooperation in the field of nuclear non-proliferation� (United Press International via Washington Times). The Voice of America (via Epoch Times) put it best: �Whether China will follow through on these pledges remains to be seen.�
The PRC has already violated self-imposed export controls to sell missile and weapons of mass destruction components to Iran, using a North Korean firm as a middleman to get around the much touted arms restrictions (see 8/28/02 and 9/10/03 Updates).
NORTHWESTERN PRC AND EAST TURKESTAN HAVE HEAVILY POLLUTED WATER
Rampant overdevelopment � the kind that would never occur in a free market � has taken its toll in northwest Communist China and occupied East Turkestan (called �Xinjiang� by the PRC). In these areas, nearly four-fifths of the people have water that is so polluted it poses �a critical threat� (Central News Agency, Taiwan, via Epoch Times) to them.
Check out the Communist China and the Terrorist War page.
OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS
U.S., U.K. CALLS FOR DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG; PRC SAYS BUZZ OFF
The State Department issued a statement in support of the demands of the Hong Kong people (See Hong Kong News) for a full-fledged democratic government to replace the Communist-appointed regime and the minority-elected Legislative Council. Report: Washington Times 1/10
Great Britain, who established an all-elected legislature in Hong Kong�s before the PRC took over, echoed the U.S. call for democracy. A Communist Foreign Ministry hack responded telling the U.S. to buzz off, or as he put it: �not to do anything harmful to the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong and to Sino-U.S. ties� (Cybercast News).
LIEBERMAN CRITICIZES BUSH SLAP AT TAIWAN
As Taiwan sends diplomats to the U.S., the European Union, and Japan to �quell concerns� (Cybercast News) over its March referendum on Communist China�s missiles, Connecticut Senator and Democratic Presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman �accused the president of turning his back on Taiwan and giving in to pressure from Beijing.�
ZOELLICK�S REPORT ON PRC TRADE VIOLATIONS REACHES CONGRESS
U.S. Trade Ambassador Robert Zoellick�s report on Communist China�s violations of trade agreements, including the one that won the PRC Permanent Normal Trade Status in 2000, reached Congress last week (Epoch Times, see also 12/24/03 Update).
HEAD OF JOINT CHIEFS VISITS COMMUNIST CHINA
General Richard Myers, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Communist China to look at the Communists� space programming center and discuss �North Korea and Taiwan� (BBC). The two will also try to �improve relations and boost cooperation between the U.S. and Chinese militaries� (Cybercast News). Oh, joy. Also reporting: UPI via Washington Times
RUMSFELD PREDICTS �TENSION� IN COMMUNIST CHINA
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld predicted the PRC would face �tension� (Washington Times, fourth item) between �gaining the economic benefits that will accrue to their people by engaging the world economically (versus) the extent to which they're willing to give up their control over the political system.� Anyone care to guess how that will go down?
HARVARD PROTESTOR HAULED BEFORE DISCIPLINARY BOARD FOR WEN INTERRUPTION
A Harvard student who interrupted Communist Premier Wen Jiabao�s speech to highlight the cause of Tibet (see 12/17/03 Update) is facing possible disciplinary action the University (Harvard Crimson). Megan Howard, co-president of Students for a Free Tibet, faced a hearing yesterday.
NON-PROFIT, ANTI-COMMUNIST CHINESE LANGUAGE STATION TO HOLD NEW YEAR EVENT
New Tang Dynasty Television, the first international, independent non-profit Chinese-language TV station, will hold a Chinese New Year�s gala in New York over the weekend. The network �will not be silent on tough issues such as bureaucratic corruption, the reemergence of SARS, or the controversy between Beijing and Falun Gong� (Epoch Times).
U.S. WINS INDIA AND AUSTRALIA SUPPORT FOR MISSILE DEFENSE DESPITE PRC WORRIES
India and Australia �said yesterday they would join the Bush administration in developing a missile defense� (Washington Times). Already, in Australia, some were worried about the fact that, in one analysts words, �China would be very much concerned that this policy is about the containment of China� (The Australian).
U.S. TO WORK WITH INDIA ON SPACE, ENERGY, AND TECHNOLOGY
Meanwhile, the U.S. �will increase cooperation with India on civilian nuclear energy, civilian space programs and high technology trade� (CNN). It was yet another sign of the warming between the U.S. and India, a longtime PRC rival. Also reporting: Washington Post
PRESIDENT BUSH TO CALL FOR U.S BASE ON THE MOON
President Bush will later today �announce plans next week to build a permanent space station on the moon that could serve as a base for sending astronauts to Mars� (Fox News, Newsmax, UPI via Washington Times). Communist China has already announced plans for a moon mission in 2020 (see 12/10/03 Update).
NEWS FROM THE FALUN GONG WAR
GEORGIA DOCTOR�S BROTHER LOST IN COMMUNIST CHINA
Dr. Huang Wanqing, who practices both his medical trade and Falun Gong in Georgia, is deeply worried about his brother Huang Xiong, who �was forced to leave his home and wander the streets of China to avoid persecution� (Epoch Times), and has gone missing for more than half a year.
OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS
GUANGDONG CRACKS DOWN ON MEDIA AS CADRE BEHIND IT GETS PROMOTED
Communist China held the editor in chief of Southern Metropolis Daily, and other members of the paper�s staff for �questioning� (VOA via Epoch Times) after the paper broke the story on the re-emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Guangdong (see 12/31/03 and last Updates).
Frank Lu, head of the Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy, called this �part of an official strategy to pressure local media not to report things that could make the government look bad.� Meanwhile, the Communists promoted Guangdong propaganda chief Cai Dongshi to deputy provincial head of the Party committee (RFA via Epoch Times).
Severe acute respiratory system began in Guangdong in November 2002; the Communists covered it up for four months; the disease spread to Beijing, Hong Kong, Canada, and around the world (see 3/19/03, 3/26/03, 4/2/03, 4/9/03, 4/16/03, and 4/23/03 Updates). For more on SARS, see Other Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome News.
TIANANMEN PROTEST LEADER DEMANDS COMMIUNISTS LET HIM BACK IN PRC
An exiled leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests is in Hong Kong, demanding the Communists to �let us go home� (BBC 12/11). Wuer Kaixi left for the U.S. after the PRC killed thousands of protestors in the bloody June 4 massacre.
Wuer also had high praise for the pro-democracy forces in Hong Kong and attended the funeral of Anita Mui, a Hong Kong megastar who openly supported him and his fellow protestors in 1989 (BBC 12/12).
RETIREES PROTEST PENSION CUTS FROM PRC-OWNED FIRM, FACE POLICE ABUSE
Over 1,000 retirees from the Communist-run China Petrochemical Company protested the firm�s decision to cut pensions by 10%. The protestors have vowed to remain until �they received a satisfactory answer to their demands� (RFA via Epoch Times 1/7).
The protests lasted nearly a week before being temporarily stopped for the upcoming Chinese New Year, even as some of the protestors faced harassment by Communist police. At least three were �approached by police� (RFA via Epoch Times 1/12). Another protestor �believed his telephone was bugged.�
OTHER SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME (SARS) NEWS
TWO MORE VICTIMS IN GUANGDONG; WHO CRITICIZES PRC ON DISEASE INFO
Guangdong province, the origin of the virus, now has two more victims, for a total of three. The PRC also continued its questionable, strategy of killing thousands of civet cats (see last Update), even though the latest victim had no contact with them (United Press International via Epoch Times). Also reporting: CNN, BBC
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization, in a disturbing repeat of its complaints last year, �criticized China's handling of the recent re-emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in recent days, saying that it has yet to receive detailed information regarding two of the newly reported cases� (RFA via Epoch Times).
CORRUPTION NEWS
HU JINTAO LAUNCHES NEW ANTI-GRAFT RULES, TARGETS JIANG ZEMIN�S FACTION
PRC President and Communist Party boss Hu Jintao has launched a �plethora of anti-graft regulations� (Willy Wo-Lap Lam, CNN), and has immediately begun pointing them at the faction led by his top rival and predecessor, Central Military Commission Chairman Jiang Zemin. Jiang, meanwhile, is keeping Hu �out of high-level military decision-making.�
OTHER MAINLAND NEWS
COMMUNIST CHINA LYING ABOUT INDUSTRIAL SAFETY CONDITIONS
Communist China is already willing to admit over 120,000 people died in industrial accidents last year. However, corrupt cadres looking to win foreign investment dollars have led to �a disincentive to regulate these facilities� (RFA via Epoch Times). As such, �the scale of the problem is far greater than reported officially.�
COMMUNISTS FIRE THOUSANDS OF POLICEMAN
Over 40,000 policemen in Communist China are no longer working, due to �lacking proper qualifications� (BBC), or �sub-standard work.� While the Communist mouthpiece Xinhua refused to go into much detail, the brutality of the Communist police force has earned it widespread scorn from the rest of the world.
DEMOLITION OF HOMES CONTINUES APACE IN SHANGHAI
Shanghai is continuing to destroy residents� homes to redevelop the land on which they were built. The destruction belies the flowery new rhetoric coming from the Communists about respecting residents, who own the homes but not the land (Epoch Times).
COMMUNISTS PLAYING NAME GAMES WITH �MARTIAL LAW� IN CONSTITUTION
Communist China is certainly hoping for a big splash in their move to �strike the term �martial law� from its constitution during an upcoming legislative session (Agence France Presse). Of course, they�re also hoping no one will notice their plan to substitute the phrase with the equally tyranny-enabling �state of emergency.�
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
COMMUNIST CHINA HITS FIVE NATIONS WITH STEEL TARIFFS
Communist China plans �to impose tariffs of up to 55% on cold-rolled steel imports from five countries, which it says are hurting its domestic producers� (BBC). The five slapped with tariffs are Russia, South Korea, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Taiwan.
GERMANY CLOSER TO COMMUNIST CHINA THAN MOST REALIZE
Relations between Germany and the PRC are �better than most Western observers would believe� (Jane�s Intelligence Review), in part due to that fact that, in Dr. Sebastian Bersick�s words, �Germany - in contrast to the USA - does not perceive China's integration in the world economy and its rising role in world politics as a potential threat.� How nice.
FORTY-FOUR ESCAPEES REACH CANADA WITH FALSE PASSPORTS
Forty-four escapees from Communist China are awaiting a Canadian decision on their fates after they entered Toronto on false passports. The Canadian government is certain a �people smuggling� enterprise is involved, and with good reason: several such �snakehead� groups forge documents to help PRC residents escape. Report: VOA via Epoch Times
For the escapees, the choices are gruesome: probable indentured servitude to pay off the heavy fees �snakeheads� charge for the forged documents, or notifying police and being sent back to Communist China.
COMMUNIST CHINA WANTS FOREIGN HELP FOR ITS DEBT-LADEN BANKING SYSTEM
Communist China �wants foreign investors to help modernize its debt-ridden state-owned banks� (VOA via Epoch Times). The PRC just threw $45 billion into to Communist-owned banks to improve their financial pictures (see last Update).
FIRST SCHOOL FOR PRC RESDIENTS AND FOREIGNERS IN THE WORKS
Next fall will witness the �first school in China operated by Westerners to accept both Chinese and foreign students� (Epoch Times). Already, �government regulations� are making the school curriculum closer to Communist propaganda.
INDIA-PRC BORDER TALKS BEGIN
Communist China and India have begun �a new round of talks aimed at resolving the two countries' long-running border dispute� (BBC). India lost 40,000 square miles of territory to the Communists in a bitter 1962 border war.
REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS
COMMUNISTS NAME SEVEN �SPIES�; TAIWAN HEATEDLY DISPUTES CLAIM
Communist China �has announced the detention of seven alleged spies from Taiwan� (BBC). Taiwan, for its part, denied that any of the seven were spies, and claimed the Communists were inventing the charges. Some have noted the arrests �could be part of a bid to make (ROC President Chen Shui-bian) look irresponsible and harm his re-election bid.�
CHEN TESTIFIES IN CORRUPTION CASE
ROC President Chen Shui-bian became the first leader of the island democracy �to testify in court while in office� (BBC). The case involves charges of vote buying against a member of the Democratic Progressive Party, which Chen leads.
POWELL SAYS TAIWAN �HEARD AND RECEIVED� MESSAGE IN BUSH VERBAL SLAP
Secretary of State Colin Powell told the press that Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian �heard and received� (Agence France Presse via Straits Times, Singapore) the message sent by President Bush in his December verbal slap at the island democracy over its decision to hold a referendum on the 500 Communist missiles pointed at it (see 12/17/03 Update).
TAIWAN DELEGATION VISITS PARIS TO DEFEND REFERENDUM
Meanwhile, a delegation sent from Taiwan to defend the referendum began its European tour in Paris, explaining that the Communists� claims that the vote was a move toward independence were �wrong� (CNA via Epoch Times).
HONG KONG NEWS
PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADERS VOW ANOTHER MASS PROTEST AS PRC FLEXES MUSCLES
The cavalier attitude toward the people�s demand for democracy from Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong�s PRC-appointed Chief Executive, has sparked plans from pro-democracy activists for �a mass protest� (CNN) similar to that on January 1 and last July (see 7/2/03, 7/9/03, 7/16/03, and last Updates). Also reporting: VOA via Epoch Times
Meanwhile, Communist China made it perfectly clear that Tung would have to �conduct thorough consultations with relevant departments of the central government� (Washington Post) before any democratization would be allowed. In other words, �Beijing is making key decisions in Hong Kong now,� as one country, one-and-a-half systems rolls on.
COURT BLOCKS HARBOR �RECLAMATION� PLANS
A Hong Kong court blocked plans by the Communist-appointed regime to �reclaim,� i.e. create, more land around the city�s harbor, saying the regime violated its own laws in the plans. The regime, in a somewhat chilling reminder of its contempt for the true rule of law �said reclamation work around the Central district will still go ahead� (BBC).
TIBET NEWS
UK PRIME MINISTER SNUBS DALAI LAMA
British Prime Minister Tony Blair will not meet the Dalai Lama during the latter�s visit to London this May. The PM cited �diary pressures� (BBC) as the reason he won�t see Tibet�s spiritual leader. A Tibetan rights activist called the reason a �feeble fob-off response�
TWO YOUNG TIBETANS ARRESTED FOR PUTTING UP PRO-TIBETAN POSTERS
Two teenage Tibetans are under arrest for �putting up pro-independence posters on local government buildings in their town� (RFA via Epoch Times). The two protestors are from Karze, a region sliced off from Tibet by the Communists and given to Sichuan province.
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