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CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: APRIL 21, 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: NORTH KOREA�S STALINIST-IN-CHIEF VISITS COMMUNIST CHINA
KIM JONG-IL MEETS HU JINTAO AND JIANG ZEMIN TO DISCUSS NUKES AND ECONOMY
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Stalinist-in-chief Kim Jong-il met President Hu Jintao and Central Military Commission Chairman Jiang Zemin this week. The two major topics of the meetings were �Pyongyang's ailing economy� (BBC) and �the nuclear crisis.� The People�s Republic officially had no comment, but its mouthpieces in the press reported on the get-together today.
London�s Daily Telegraph got the thickest slice of propaganda via �leaks,� and it reported as follows: �China's three most powerful men told him to compromise in talks on the fate of his covert nuclear weapons arsenal and to embrace capitalism.� More likely, the Communists pushed their version of �reform,� of which Kim is already fond.
As for nuclear weapons, according to Chosun Ilbo, Kim stuck to his script, saying he would only end his nuclear weapons development �if the United States changes its hostile attitude� (Cybercast News). He also said he would �continue to adopt a patient and flexible manner� (Washington Post, CNN), which begs the question: When has Kim ever been �flexible�?
After Kim left for home, United Press International, via Washington Times, reported that he had �agreed to a third round of six-nation talks aimed at ending his country's nuclear program.� While that may sound good, it should be noted that North Korea had already agreed to that at the end of the last round of talks (see 3/3 Update).
NEWS ON COMMUNIST CHINA, EAST TURKESTAN, AND THE TERRORIST WAR
Check out the Communist China and the Terrorist War page.
CHENEY OBLIQUELY HITS COMMUNIST CHINA FOR UIGHUR REPRESSION
It was buried at the end of the piece by Bill Gertz (Washington Times), and wasn�t in any story that was available for the last Update, but Vice President Richard Cheney told students in Fudan University that the war on terror �must never be used as an excuse for silencing legitimate expressions of political dissent.�
Gertz called the quote �another slap at China's government that has used the war on terrorism to crack down on ethnic separatists.� Those especially include the Uighurs of occupied East Turkestan, the brutally oppressed people that are arguably the most pro-American Muslims on Earth (see 10/17/01, 12/21/01, 10/23/02, and 11/5/03 Updates).
OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS
Sign the petition for an American boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION DEFEATS COMMUNIST CHINA CENSURE, AGAIN
By a vote of 28-16 (with nine abstentions), the commission voted to table � or kill without a vote � this year�s American resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Commission condemning abuses by Communist China. The China Support Network listed the twenty-seven nations � the PRC was the 28th � that voted to kill the resolution. Also reporting: BBC
COMMUNIST VICE PREMIER VISITS U.S. FOR TRADE TALKS . . .
Communist Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi is in the U.S. for talks on various trade issues. The PRC has, among other things, deliberately devalued its currency for a decade, which has wreaked havoc on America�s manufacturing and its Asian allies� export sectors. Report: BBC
. . . AS U.S. TECH FIRMS SEETHE AT COMMUNIST CHIP RESTRICTIONS
High tech firms from the United States are enraged at Communist China�s new restrictions on foreign computer chips, including the WAPI encryption system, which is used only in the PRC. The firms see the move as �compelling a transfer of technology� (BBC). The U.S. complained about the restrictions to the World Trade Organization (see 3/24 Update).
The firms also �object to shotgun marriages - with Chinese co-producers from a list of 24 state-picked Chinese firms, who would need commercially sensitive codes to retool imports to add Wapi.� Sadly, no one in the story thought beyond the usual economic factors, but common sense points to a national security disaster if the PRC wins this fight.
PRC AND INDIA TO SEND MORE CLOTHES TO THE U.S. AS QUOTA SYSTEM ENDS
Meanwhile, Communist China is gearing up for the end of �a global textile-quota system that capped sales from factories in developing nations and shielded domestic industries in the United States and Europe and in some smaller countries� (Washington Times). Longtime PRC-rival India is also looking to score on exports to the U.S.
The Communists still have to deal with Bush Administration restrictions on some textiles; imports of certain types are only allowed to increase 7.5 percent (see 11/19/03 Update). India, however, is not affected by those restrictions.
GREENSPAN TALKS PRC ECONOMY AND CURRENCY
Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan expressed concern over the latest economic fad � that Communist China�s economy is �overheating� (CNN). Greenspan also expressed hope that the Communists would increase the value of their currency, the deliberate devaluing of which has hurt American manufacturing and exporters among our allies.
One thing preventing the Communists from hitting the economic brakes was something the �engagement� crowd rarely mentions: �Greenspan said China's state-run enterprises make up a significant proportion of the country's output, which makes the economy less flexible than that of the United States.� You don�t say!
HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS
TIANANMEN SQUARE PROTEST LEADER NEAR DEATH DUE TO HUNGER STRIKE
Zhang Ming, a Tiananmen Square protester jailed for three years for �counterrevolutionary incitement� (Agence France Presse via Washington Times), is in jail again on what Human Rights in China called �purely political grounds.� Zhang responded with a hunger strike, which, combined with several jail beatings, has put him in critical condition.
DISSIDENT�S FATHER PLEADING FOR HIS MEDICAL RELEASE
Wang Xiuyu, father of jailed cyber-dissident Wang Jinbo, pleaded for his son�s release on medical grounds. The elder Wang said his son �looked quite feeble with a bad cough and complained about a constant fever� (Radio Free Asia via Epoch Times, HK). The younger Wang has suffered several �beatings by other inmates, apparently encouraged by police.�
SURPRISE! COMMUNIST CHINA PUTS NEW RESTRICTIONS ON TIANANMEN RALLIES
With less than two month to go until the fifteenth anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, Communist China �introduced new rules to prevent demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in Beijing� (BBC). The new rules were justified as needed to �maintain sound and stable social order in the area.� Right.
OTHER MAINLAND NEWS
SUICIDE IS TOP KILLER OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN COMMUNIST CHINA
For those aged 15-34 in Communist China, the biggest killer is, literally, themselves. Suicides in Communist China top 250,000, attempts are over two million (Voice of America via Epoch Times).
GAS LEAK IN CHONGQING FORCES OVER 140,000 TO EVACUATE
A chlorine gas leak at the Tianyuan Chemical Industry Plant in Chongqing, and the subsequent tank explosions caused by it, forced the evacuation of 148,000 people. This was the same city where a plant owned by PRC-owned firm PetroChina suffered a gas blast that killed over 200 (see 12/31/03 and 1/7 Updates). Report: BBC
CANCER UP 60% IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE
Due to �environmental pollution, synthetic chemicals and poor lifestyle� (Central News Agency, Taiwan, via Epoch Times), cancer in Guangdong Province is up 60 percent. The ecology in the PRC continues to suffer from overdevelopment no free market would allow.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
EUROPEAN ARMS BAN TO STAY
The European Union shot down, again, an attempt by France to lift their fifteen-tear arms embargo against Communist China (see 11/12/03, 12/10/03, 1/28, 2/4, and 3/17 Updates). France�s efforts, which had Germany�s support, was turned back in part by �The US, Scandinavian nations, the European Parliament and human rights groups� (BBC).
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL RIPS EUROPEAN ARMS EMBARGO END-AROUNDERS
Meanwhile, Amnesty International demanded the European Union �close loopholes in its code of conduct for weapons exports� (Washington Times, second item). Those loopholes allowed seven unnamed EU members to sell weapons to Communist China despite the aforementioned ban.
REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS
ELECTION RECOUNT TO BEGIN ON MAY 10
The recount of President Chen Shui-bian�s narrow re-election will begin on the 10th of May, ten days before Inauguration Day. The recount �will also examine the 330,000 spoiled and therefore invalid votes� (BBC), although a spoiled-ballot campaign may end up accounting for the overwhelming majority of them.
COMMUNIST MILITARY OFFICERS ARRESTED FOR SPYING FOR TAIWAN
Almost a dozen high-ranking members of the Communist air force are now in jail, charged with �supplying information on the deployment of fighter aircraft and air defense systems to Taiwan� (UPI via Washington Times). The accused spies include �at least four serving or retired generals,� according to the South China Morning Post.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION TO TAIWAN: LET THE COMMUNISTS TAKE CARE OF YOU
Lee Jong-Wook, director-general of the World Health Organization, flatly told Taiwan that there was �no room� (Cybercast News) for the island democracy in the WHO �as an observer or as a member.� Lee then had the audacity to say that Communist China �has always cared for the health and well-being of the people in Taiwan.�
HONG KONG NEWS
PRO-DEMOCRACY LEGISLATORS FURIOUS AT TUNG�S MOVE AGAINST REFORM
Pro-democracy legislators joined HK Democratic Party leader Martin Lee (see last Update) in blasting Communist-appointed Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa�s report on political reform in the city. The report, �set out nine conditions he sees as a pre-requisite for any reform� (BBC). The democracy supporters call them �nine obstacles on the road to democracy.�
TIBET NEWS
DALAI LAMA AGAIN REJECTS TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE
The Dalai Lama, Tibet�s spiritual leader, once again called for �meaningful autonomy� for his people in the latest of his specific rejections of independence. Communist China has repeatedly ignored him. This time, he even told an audience in Vancouver, �Chinese spies can visit his offices in India to find out the truth for themselves� (VOA via Epoch Times).
COMMUNIST CHINA RIPS CANADIAN PM FOR MEETING WITH DALAI LAMA
Communist China blasted Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin for his decision to meet the Dalai Lama during the latter�s visit to Canada (see last Update). The Communists even tried �comparing the Dalai Lama to secessionists in the French-speaking province of Quebec� (Washington Times, third item) and telling Canada �to cancel the trip� (BBC).
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