| CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: JANUARY 17, 2001 TOP STORY: POLICE KILL THREE FALUN GONG FOLLOWERS MAY HAVE KILLED PROTESTOR IN TIANANMEN SQUARE; PRC CALLS GROUP �SOCIAL CANCER� Agence France Presse, citing the Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy, reported the deaths of three more Falun Gong followers due to police torture. The Tiananmen Square protest may have included another police killing. The movement claimed that police killed a protestor in the square as they beat her into submission. The Communists denied the claim. Links: AFP - Police torture, AFP - Tiananmen Square death The Communists have banned Falun Gong as a �cult� for nearly two years, and called the group a �social cancer� this week. They cited previously unheard complaints by local officials and people �from all walks of life� as justification for their crackdown. The Washington Post, which called the Communist statements �bizarre,� also noted that until 18 months ago, the PRC usually quashed such complaints against Falun Gong. Link: Washington Post THE BUTCHER OF TIANANMEN: COMMUNIST CHINA�S NEW PRESIDENT? They may only be rumors, but they have to chill the hearts of freedom lovers everywhere. Asiaweek, in a story analyzing the newly released Tiananmen papers and the power struggle they illuminated between hard-liners and reformers, noted that Li Peng, the man who ordered the troops into Tiananmen Square and, goaded Deng Xiaoping into �ordering� him to do so before hand, wants to be PRC President. Li was thought to be on his way out. Despite being No. 2 on the Communist hierarchy, he is 72 years old. Still, according to Asiaweek, �Lately rumors have swirled in Beijing that Li, 72, hopes to make a political comeback after Jiang retires in 2003. Some analysts in China think the book may rally conservative forces around Li because they see the volume as a clear challenge from political reformers.� This is bad news. Link: Asiaweek HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS HUNDREDS OF WORKERS CLASH WITH POLICE IN UNEMPLOYMENT PROTEST Nearly 1,000 workers clashed with police in Guizhou province dispatched to stop them from blocking the railroad near the Guiyang Cotton Textile Plant, according to AFP. The protestors, 10 of whom were injured by police, were angry at low unemployment compensation after the state-run factory announced it was laying off 1,500 people. Link: AFP DISSIDENTS LINK RELEASE OF COLLEAGUES TO BEIJING�S OLYMPIC BID In an open letter to the Communist Chinese leadership, over 100 dissidents asked for the release of their friends and colleagues currently imprisoned. The dissidents noted the release would help the Communists in their bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games. Some of the signatories signed an earlier letter asking the Olympic Committee to consider the PRC�s horrendous human-rights record when making their decision. Link: AFP COMMUNSIT CHINA TO BUILD OWN INTERNET, BLOCK OUT CONTENT IT DOESN�T LIKE In a move dubbed by CNN as building �the Great Fire Wall,� the Communist Chinese Academy of Sciences is building its own, PRC-only internet to block outside information it doesn�t want permeating into Communist China. One of the key players in the PRC-only internet is Dr. Jiang Mianheng, son of Communist President Jiang Zemin. Courtesy of Ron Vogel: member since 2000. Link: CNN CANADIAN FALUN GONG FOLLOWER FREED BY COMMUNISTS AFTER DAUGHTER�S REQUEST The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported last week that Communist China released Zhang Kunlun, a naturalized Canadian citizen and Falun Gong follower. Zhang, who as born in China, was after he returned to the PRC. His daughter, a Canadian college student had publicly asked for his release, as reported in a previous update. Link: CBC COMMUNIST PRESIDENT TELLS PRESS TO TOW PARTY LINE, VOWS TO CONTINUE MARXISM Communist President Jiang Zemin told party propaganda chiefs that the media �is the mouthpiece of the party,� according to AFP, which cited the Communist Xinhua News Agency. Jiang also pledged to hold to a Marxist course, part of his continuing efforts to resurrect the old Communist icons amid rapid growth and several challenges to the Communist supremacy. Link: AFP NEW LANGUAGE LAW DOES NOT APPLY TO ACCENT-PRONE PARTY LEADERS Communist China�s news law against excessive accents � reported in previous updates � has one glaring exception. AFP noted some resistance to the new law, in particular the fact that Communist leaders are not bound by it. Communist President Jiang Zemin and his cohorts have such heavy accents that �their voices are rarely heard on television or radio.� Link: AFP OTHER MAINLAND NEWS AIDS FROM TAINTED BLOOD SPREADING IN COMMUNIST CHINA; DRACONIAN LAWS ENACTED The epidemic of AIDS in rural Communist China from tainted blood, reported in previous updates, spread wide enough to get the Washington Post�s attention last week. The paper noted horrible methods of blood collecting to get them: mixing blood from several donors, using unclean needles, and re-injecting plasma from the mixed, contaminated blood back into the donor. Thousands who sold their blood are now infected. Link: Washington Post The Communists are finally beginning to admit they have an epidemic that could include over 1 million by now. However, they have reacted, at least in one city, with laws isolating AIDS victims from the rest of society, including the darkly worded clause that, according to the Post, said pregnant AIDS victims �may be persuaded� into abortions. Link: Washington Post GUANGDONG TAX FRUAD TRIALS BEGIN The trails of nine men accused of taking part in a $12 billion tax fraud scandal have begun in Shantou and Jieyang. AFP referred to the trails as �the first batch.� The scandal involves over 500 officials, including two mayors and a Communist Party Secretary. Link: AFP ANOTHER EMBEZZLER TO BE EXECUTED A court in Communist China has once again called for blood in a white-collar crime. The Jilin Higher People�s Court order the execution of Li Yufen, convicted of embezzling over $4.5 million. As reported in previous updates, Communist China�s continuing �war� on corruption has led to several executions for crimes that would garner the death penalty almost nowhere else; the corruption has yet to decline. Link: AFP AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS COMMUNIST CHINA TELLS BUSH TO DROP MISSILE DEFENSE Communist China has publicly called on President-elect George W. Bush not to build a planned missile defense, according to the BBC. The PRC was reacting to comments by Defense Secretary-designate Donald Rumsfeld, who said a missile defense was necessary. The nations against whom a missile defense has been justified in the past: North Korea, Libya, Iran, etc., are clients of the Communist military-industrial complex. Link: BBC PENTAGON REPORT WHACKS COMMUNIST CHINA ON WEAPONS A new Pentagon report singled out said Communist China is responsible for much of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, according to AFP. The report labeled the PRC and Russia � one of Communist China�s biggest weapons suppliers � as �the main suppliers of NBC (nuclear, biological and chemical)- and missile-related equipment and technologies, especially to states of proliferation concern.� Link: AFP UMBRELLA GROUP ASKS BUSH TO BLOCK PRC COMPANIES IN SUDAN FROM STOCK MARKET The leader of the Campaign for Sudan told CNS News that he would ask the incoming Bush Administration to block companies in Communist China from U.S. bond and stock markets. The PRC is a major supporter of the Sudanese government�s brutal campaign against black Christian and animist rebels. Link: CNS News INTERNATIONAL NEWS KIM JONG-IL IN COMMUNIST CHINA TO LEARN MORE ABOUT �REFORM� North Korean Communist leader Kin Jong-Il made a surprise trip to long-time ally Communist China this week, according to AFP. There was no confirmation of this from government authorities, but there wasn�t the last time Kim showed up in the PRC, either. He visited Shanghai to get a closer look at the Communist �reform� of their economy. Link: AFP PRC VICE PRESIDENT LAMBASTES ISRAEL AS A �COLONIALIST PLOT� AGAINST ARABS Communist Vice President Hu Jintao laid into Israel last week for its �aggression� in the West Bank. At a dinner hosted by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Ju traced the creation of Israel to a �colonialist plot aimed at detaching from the Arab nation a part that is dear to it � Palestine.� Hu also signed a number of �cooperation� agreements with Syria. Links: AFP - Hu's Comments on Israel, AFP - agreements REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS HIGH COURT RULES AGAINST DECISION TO CANCEL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT Taiwan�s highest court has ruled that President Chen Shui-bian�s decision to cancel the building of a nuclear power plant was �flawed� because the opposition-controlled legislature was not consulted. The BBC reports the President, who was nearly impeached over the move, has agreed to ask the legislature for approval. Link: BBC TAIWAN �ILL-PREPARED� FOR STRIKE BY COMMUNIST CHINA AS NEW PRC BASE IS BUILT In a disturbing story by AFP, an American military delegate quoted by the China Times called Taiwan�s �first strike� defenses �outdated.� He did say dramatic improvement was possible with �structural adjustment.� Meanwhile, Stratfor.com, citing the United Daily News, reported that the Communists are building a new base for their S-300 MPU air-defense missiles, which could alter the cross-strait balance of power. Links: AFP, Stratfor.com TAIWAN RECEIVED STINGER AND AVENGER MISSILES LAST SPRING Taiwan�s army revealed they had received a secret shipment of Stinger and Avenger missiles from the U.S. just before last March�s presidential election. The ROC Central News Agency reported the missiles have been deployed. The Stinger missile is credited with driving the Soviet Union out of Afghanistan almost by itself. Link: CNA MAINLAND TOURIST VISITS TO TAIWAN ISLAND OKED BY ROC GOVERNMENT The Taiwanese government announced this week that it would allow tourists from the mainland to visit under certain conditions, according to the BBC. Tourists can already visit outlying islands under the �three mini-links� policy established on January 1. Taiwan is expecting roughly half a million tourists will visit from the mainland. Link: BBC VICE PRESDIENT LU�S LAWSUIT AGAINST MAGAZINE BEGINS The trial pitting ROC Vice President Annette Lu against the Journalist magazine began last week. Lu is suing for defamation of character after the magazine credited her as the source for a rumor that President Chen Shui-bian was having an extramarital affair. Lu insists she said no such thing to the magazine. Link: BBC CHEN, MEETING WITH DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMEN, SAYS ONE CHINA �NOT A PROBLEM� Several Democratic members of the House of Representatives met with ROC President Chen Shui-bian last week. He discussed the current cross-strait problems and his efforts to restart a dialogue, including his New Year�s speech when he said �the �one China� concept is not a problem.� He also thanked the House for overwhelmingly supporting the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act. The Senate hasn�t acted on the bill. Link: CNA HONG KONG AND MACAO NEWS FALUN GONG CONFERENCE MARRED BY BLOCKING OF 12 ATTENDEES BY CITY Immigration authorities in Hong Kong blocked twelve attendees from attending a Falun Gong conference, according to the Washington Post. Many believe the city acted under pressure from Beijing, which would be yet another end-run around the �one country, two systems� model. At the conference itself, the movement demanded religious freedom in the PRC, and insisted it had no political ambitions, according to CNN. Links: Washington Post, CNN UK-APPOINTED CHIEF SECRETARY ANSON CHAN, DEMOCRACY SUPPORTER, RESIGNS Anson Chan, Chief Secretary of Hong Kong since her appointment by the UK in 1993, has resigned her post. BBC reported she would leave in April for �personal reasons.� Communist China last year strongly criticized Chan, a strong supporter of democracy, for not supporting Tung Chee-hwa � their hand picked Chief Executive. Link: BBC TIBET NEWS MORE PROTESTS GREET TIANANMEN BUTCHER LI PENG IN INDIA; THREE INJURED As Communist ex-Prime Minister Li Peng entered Delhi for more talks with Indian officials, Tibetans protested the PRC�s occupation of Tibet for the second straight day last Thursday, according to AFP. Police stopped the protestors from blocking Li�s motorcade. Three protestors were injured in a clash with Indian police. All were still in the hospital this week, but they were improving. Li left India earlier today. Links: AFP - injuries, AFP - Li XINJIANG/EAST TURKESTAN NEWS COMMUNISTS CLAIM �TERRORIST� GROUP �SMASHED;� AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CRIES FOUL As Communists claimed victory over a �group of separatists� in the region with the conviction of Alerken Abula, Amnesty International charged the PRC with executing to Uighur Muslims based on �unfounded accusations� and �confessions extracted through torture.� The two men were executed for roughly the same things of which Abula is guilty. Link: AFP 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]. |