To receive this publication via e-mail, click here.
CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: MAY 21, 2003
TOP STORY: COMMUNIST CHINA STILL HIDING SARS CASES, SAYS WHO
SHANGHAI CONTINUES TO COVER-UP THE EXTENT OF THE DISEASE
The World Health Organization (WHO) charged Communist China with �overlooking SARS patients with only mild symptoms of the disease and . . . sending them home or placing them among other patients in general medical wards when they still can infect people� (Washington Post). The stunning statement put the lie, again, to the Communists� assertions that they are being open and honest on the disease.
Earlier, a WHO official said of Communist China�s supposed willingness to provide any and all information, �We don't have detailed information from China on about half of the cases - We need this information to stop the spread of SARS� (Newsmax, link courtesy Susan Prager, Member since 2003).
The aforementioned openness on SARS is also missing in Shanghai. For the political base of Central Military Commission Chairman Jiang Zemin, it remains business as usual, even down to hiding SARS patients until they die: �You can hide suspected patients . . . but it's hard to hide deaths� (Time Asia).
Even in Beijing, the cover-up is continuing, as the Taipei Times revealed late last week. Communist secrecy on SARS allowed the disease to spread from Guangdong Province in November to Beijing, numerous provinces in the rural interior, neighboring nations in Asia, and around the world (see 3/19, 3/26, 4/2, 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, and last Updates). For more on the disease, see Other American-Related News, SARS News, and Republic of China (Taiwan) News.
NEWS ON COMMUNIST CHINA AND THE TERRORIST WAR
COMMUNIST CHINA HELPED IRAN DEVELOP BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS, SAYS NRCI
Communist China and Stalinist North Korea �are cooperating with the ministry of defense� (Fox News) in Iran to help the Islamic regime develop biological weapons, some of which Iran now already has. This was the assertion of the National Council for Resistance in Iran (NRCI)
Although NRCI has ties to the Saddam Hussein-tainted Mujahedin-e Khalq (People�s Mujahedin), it is usually reliable on information it uncovers about the mullahs� ambitions for weapons of mass destruction, including its exposure of Iran�s Natanz nuclear weapons facility last year (see 12/26/02 Update).
Check out this story and more on the Communist China and the Terrorist War page.
NORTH KOREA NEWS
CFR SAYS PRC, U.S. MUST HAVE GREATER ROLE IN NORTH KOREA NUCELAR ISSUE
A task force for the Council on Foreign Relations told the United States to offer �American security guarantees, diplomatic relations and economic assistance� (CNN), if North Korea drop its nuclear weapons program. The CFR also called on Communist China to take tough action against the North � its ally for over 50 years � if it refuses to cooperate (fat chance there, CFR).
For more on Communist China�s Stalinist ally, sign up for Monday�s North Korea Report.
OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS
COMMUNISTS STILL THINKING SARS IS AN AMERICAN BIOWEAPON
Willy Wo-Lap Lam, CNN has a disturbing revelation from within the PRC military: �allegations that the coronavirus behind SARS may have come from bio-chemical weapons laboratories in the United States,� based on Hong Kong�s pro-Communist Wen Wei Po�s claim that the first SARS case was in the U.S. in February 2002 (see last Update). The case cited, however, involved a bacterial infection, not a virus.
HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS
HUANG QI SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON
Huang Qi, the web site manager who became an internet activist for the victims of Tiananmen Square (see 6/7/00, 7/5/00, 2/14/01, 8/15/01, and 8/22/01 Updates), had his two year trial end with a sentence of five years in prison. The Communists convicted him of �subversion� about two weeks ago. Report: BBC
Huang had run an internet site to help find missing people. It became an electronic home for anti-Communist essays � on everything from Tiananmen Square to the Falun Gong and East Turkestan crackdowns � until his arrest in June 2000.
REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS REVEALS COMMUNIST �SELF-DISCIPLINE� CENSORSHIP
Reporters without Borders (RSF), a group of journalists and others who support freedom of the press around the world, exposed the effects of the Communists� browbeating of internet providers in the PRC to follow �self-discipline� (BBC) censorship. The results: �Messages critical of the Chinese Government either never appear or are purged from popular chat rooms.�
It gets worse: �Chinese law enforcement agencies regularly track down and even jail the authors of the critical messages . . . China employs 30,000 people to watch what its people are doing online.�
SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME (SARS) NEWS
CNN INVTERVIEW CENSORED BY PRC; REPORTER SAYS SARS CASES UNDERRERPORTED
In a CNN interview, Newsday reporter Laurie Garrett �accused the government of ordering doctors to underreport the number of patients� (CNN) with SARS. CNN�s attempt to air the interview in Communist China, the news group was told the interview �positions a negative coverage of China� and would be blocked by Communist sensors. So much for Communist openness on SARS (see last Update).
COMMUNISTS RELYING ON PARTY CADRES FOR SARS INFORMATION
In its battle with SARS, the Communists are more heavily relying on, well, themselves. The Chinese Communist Party is looking to its own members, above everyone else, to gather information and ferret out SARS victims, the same force and system �used to smash political dissent and was most recently employed to crush the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement� (Washington Post). How comforting.
MILLIONS LEAVING CITIES FOR RURAL HOMES, MAY SPREAD SARS
The SARS epidemic has led to �about eight million migrant workers escaping China's major cities in recent weeks� (Newsmax), desperate to avoid being infected, and obviously less than fully trusting of the Communist effort against the disease. Sadly, those escapees who are infected my simply be spreading SARS to the hinterlands, which are completely unprepared for it (see 5/7 Update).
OTHER MAINLAND NEWS
PRC ORDERS: BANKS TO GO EASY ON AIRLINE LOANS, AND FIRMS NOT TO FIRE ANYONE
Communist China�s central bank �ordered commercial lenders to provide short-term, low-interest loans to airlines, travel industries and retailers in regions worst-hit by Sars� (BBC). Meanwhile, the PRC �earlier ordered companies in areas badly affected by the disease not to lay-off employees.�
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
PRC PRESIDENT HU REVEALS HIS TRAVEL PLANS
PRC President/Communist Party chief Hu Jintao will visit the G7 summit in France (after the host invited him last month � see 4/30 Update), Moscow, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan this month. The trips could include meetings with President Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Report: CNN
COMMUNIST CHINA MAKING ANOTHER HUGE INVESTMENT IN SUDANESE OIL
Communist China, already a major investor in the oil extracted by the radical Islamic regime in Sudan, is plunking more millions into the regime�s oil efforts. The China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) is joining Sudan in �planning to invest $1bn� (BBC) into Sudan�s oil industry.
JAPAN APPROVES STRONGER MILITARY
As Japan�s people grow more worried about Communist China and its Stalinist ally North Korea, the Japanese Diet (Parliament) voted to �give the government more powers to respond to an attack on the country� (BBC). The governing coalition and the loyal opposition supported the measures.
REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS
COMMUNIST CHINA CONTINUING MISSILE BUILDUP AGAINST TAIWAN
Communist China is continuing its buildup of short-range missiles directly opposite Taiwan. According to Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Stokes, the PRC is adding missiles at the rate of 75 a year, and will have 600 in place by 2005, by which point it will also have �a new land attack cruise missile� (Washington Times, link courtesy Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review Online Editor and Member since 2002).
WHO EXPANDS SARS TRAVEL ADVISORY TO ALL OF ROC; HEALTH MINISTER QUITS
The number of SARS victims in Taiwan approached 400 this week (CNN-1), with 50 dying from the disease since it jumped from the PRC. The disease claimed its first political victim with the resignation of ROC Health Minister Twu Shiing-Jer resigned last week (Washington Post). The situation is so bad the World Health Organization �broadened its advisory against travel to all of Taiwan� (CNN-2).
SARS DAMAGING POLITICAL PROSPECTS OF CHEN AND TAIPEI MAYOR
Twu�s resignation hasn�t stopped the political effects of the outbreak from hitting both President Chen Shui-bian and Nationalist Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou. Both have come under criticism for their handling of the outbreak � but at least they didn�t keep it a secret for months. Report: Washington Post
WHO REJECTS TAIWAN, AGAIN
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization, at its annual session began in Geneva Monday, rejected, again, Taiwan�s bid to join the group. The yearly act of fealty to Communist China took on added callousness this year as the island democracy continues to struggle with SARS. The island democracy plans to hold a referendum on the issue in response. Report: Willy Wo-Lap Lam, CNN, Cybercast News
Adding insult to injury the Communists actually told the WHO that they had �taken care of Taiwan's SARS outbreak� (Taipei Times, link courtesy John Derbyshire, National Review Online, Member since 2002). That�s quite a feat given that the Communist have never controlled any square inch of Taiwan.
HONG KONG NEWS
UNEMPLOYMENT UP AGAIN IN HONG KONG
Unemployment in Hong Kong rose again, to 7.8% for the February-April period (HK tracks unemployment in rolling three-month intervals). SARS was tagged as the main culprit. Report: BBC
Sign the petition for an American boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Miss an Update, Weekly Links, or a North Korea Report? Find it on our web site.
Feel free to forward this to anyone you think might be interested in receiving it Anyonewho 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.