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CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: DECEMBER 22, 2004
Dragon in the Dark: How and Why Communist China Helps Our Enemies in the War on Terror is now available here (or call 1-888-280-7715).
The next Summer Olympics begin in Beijing at 8AM EST on August 8, 2008 (BBC). 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.
The next Week�s Links will be sent tomorrow, December 23, 2004.
TOP STORY: STATE DEPT. NO. 2: U.S. �NOT REQUIRED TO DEFEND� TAIWAN
ARMITAGE CONTRADICTS PRESIDENT�S �WHATEVER IT TAKES� ASSURANCES AS PRC PUSHES �ANTI-SECESSION� LAW WHICH COULD BE USED AS INVASION EXCUSE
Richard Armitage, the outgoing Deputy Secretary of State, publicly insisted the United States is �not required to defend� (World Net Daily) Taiwan from an attack by Communist China. While the statement was in fact accurate, it was the first time an Administration official said the U.S. may leave Taiwan on its own against the People�s Republic.
In fact, Armitage directly contradicted President Bush, who said the U.S. would do �whatever it takes� to keep the island democracy free of Communism (see 4/25/01 Update). Armitage went further, saying: �there was only one China and that Taiwan was part of it.�
Armitage�s bombshell comes as the National People�s Congress � Communist China�s puppet legislature � is set to pass �an anti-secession law . . . aimed to stifle any ambitions in Taiwan for formal independence� (BBC) Many in Taiwan see the �law� as an excuse for a future invasion of the island democracy, perhaps an imminent one.
The �law� was condemned by �Taiwanese politicians across the spectrum� (Cybercast News). Even an official from the �pan-blue� Nationalist Party, which has been cozying up to the PRC for years, ripped the idea: �Beijing has seriously interfered with Taiwan's internal affairs, threatening peace across the Strait and rousing public indignation on the island.�
OTHER REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS
U.S. ARMS DEAL TO TAIWAN MAY BE SCALED BACK . . .
The �pan-blue� victory in Taiwan�s legislative elections is already having repercussions: �U.S. officials say they may have to scale back a landmark arms agreement with Taiwan� (Washington Times) due to the election result. President Chen Shui-bian, whose �pan-green� coalition was defeated in the elections, strongly supported the deal.
The �pan-blues� ran against the deal as too expensive, and in general have been cozying up to Communist China ever since their lead party � the Nationalists � was defeated by Chen in the presidential election of 2000. Chen won re-election against the �pan-blues� in 2004.
. . . BUT U.S. MILITARY MAY STATION PERSONNEL IN ISLAND DEMOCRACY
Meanwhile, the Bush Administration �will break a 25-year precedent and station army officers in Taipei starting in mid-2005,� according to Jane�s Defense Weekly (cited by Voice of America via Epoch Times 12/20). The officers would replace civilians �used to liaise with Taiwan's military.� Communist China, as expected, was livid (VOA via Epoch Times 12/21).
VANUATU CHANGES PRIME MINISTERS, REVERSES TAIWAN RECOGNITION
The island archipelago of Vanuatu unhorsed Prime Minister Serge Vohor, who had switched his nation�s diplomatic recognition from Communist China to Taiwan (see 11/3 and 11/10 Updates). The new Prime Minister, Ham Lini, has now switched it back (BBC).
JAPAN OFFERS VISA TO FORMER PRESIDENT LEE TENG-HUI
Japan has offered its second travel visa to former ROC President Lee Teng-hui, despite Communist China�s bluster that �bilateral relations would be harmed� (BBC) from the move. Japan had last granted Lee a visa in 2001, and the PRC was just as upset then. Also reporting: VOA via Epoch Times, Cybercast News
As President, Lee opened up Taiwan�s government to democracy, and was vehemently anti-Communist. In �retirement,� he quit the �pan-blue� Nationalist Party and is the leading force behind the Taiwan Solidarity Union, which along with President Chen�s Democratic Progressive Party comprises the �pan-green� coalition.
OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS
U.S. WANTS ISRAEL TO IMPOUND PRC DRONES SENT FOR UPGRADES
The U.S. has told Israel to keep Harpy assault drones sold to the PRC but currently back in Israel for contracted upgrades. The U.S. made its demand through Defense Undersecretary Doug Feith � a leading supporter of Israel in the Administration. Report: Ha�aretz
Israel sold the drones in the 1990s, but kept the U.S. in the dark until recently, leaving Feith �furious and backed by his superior, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, another ardent Israel supporter,� in demanding that Israel not return the drones and, for good measure, force the Defense Ministry director general to quit over the fiasco.
JAPAN AND U.S. TO COOPERATE MORE ON DEFENSE, WITH EYE ON SCNK AND PRC
Japan and the U.S. agreed to cooperate more closely on �threats including those relating to the war on terrorism, North Korea's nuclear and military ambitions and the dispute between China and Taiwan,� according to Nihon Keizai Shimbun (cited by Cybercast News).
The defense cooperation agreement comes on the heels of Japan�s recent shift on military policy (see last Update), center on both Communist China and Stalinist-controlled northern Korea. Also reporting: BBC
CARLYLE GROUP BUYS QUARTER STAKE IN PRC-CONTROLLED INSURANCE FIRM
The Carlyle Group is planning to buy a 25% stake in China Pacific Life, for the price of $400 million (BBC). China Pacific Life is owned by the PRC-run China Pacific Insurance Group.
GARFIELD WINS PIRACY DAMAGES
In a rare decision, Paws Incorporated, published of the Garfield cartoon, won a copyright infringement case against Hope Press, which �published 11 different Garfield books in Chinese in 1999� (BBC). Hope �said it had signed an agreement with Paws through its agent in 1998,� but the PRC court disagreed, and ordered Hope to pay Paws $25,000.
Check out the latest on the Communist China and the Terrorist War page.
NORTHERN KOREA NEWS
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PROTESTS TO BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY AGAINST PRC REPATRIATION OF SCNK REFUGEES
The International Campaign to Block the Repatriation of the North Korean Refugees is sponsoring protests today �to draw attention to the plight of North Korean refugees in China who face forced repatriation and severe punishment when they return� (Cybercast News).
The demonstrations are being held �outside Chinese embassies and consulates in the United States and a number of other countries.� At least 100,000 refugees from the Stalinist regime are forced to live as nonpersons in the PRC, which sends back any refugee it finds.
SEVEN SCNK REFUGEES ENTER JAPANESE EMBASSY IN BEIJING
Meanwhile, seven refugees from the Stalinist regime, �carrying a piece of paper with �SOS� written on it in English� (CNN), entered a school in the Japanese Embassy in Beijing and asked for asylum in the ROK. Also reporting: BBC, VOA via Epoch Times
ENVOY FROM REPUBLIC OF KOREA IN PRC FOR TALKS ON SCNK NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Chung Dong-young, Unification Minister for the Republic of Korea (�South Korea�) is in Beijing �in the latest diplomatic initiative to reconvene talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons programme� (BBC). Communist China � a half-century-plus ally of Stalinist-controlled northern Korea � has hosted three rounds of fruitless talks (see 6/30 Update).
CADRE FROM YANBIAN BLOWS OVER $400,000 IN SCNK CASINO
Cai Haowen, the former head of the Yanbian traffic and transport management office, is on the lam after blowing $334,000 in �public money� and $90,000 �used from five different freight companies� (BBC) on bets at a casino in Stalinist-controlled northern Korea.
The last time cadres caught gambling regime money made this much news was four years ago, when officials in the thoroughly corrupt Shenyang gambled away millions in Macau (see 12/27/00 Updates). This episode is but one of the hundreds of cases of corruption in Communist China this year alone (see Corruption News).
OTHER INTERNATIONAL NEWS
END OF PRC TEXTILE QUOTAS COULD WIPE OUT ONE MILLION JOBS IN BANGLADESH
The January 1 end of worldwide textile quotas could lead to such a flood of PRC textile exports that one group, Christian Aid, projected �almost a million jobs in Bangladesh alone being axed� (BBC). Communist prison labor and the lack of independent unions has depressed wages so low even �third-world� nations like Bangladesh can no longer compete.
PUTIN DROPS HINTS OF COMMUNIST CHINESE INVOLVEMENT IN YUKOS� FUTURE
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his biggest arms client � Communist China � could �take part in the production of Yuganskneftegas� (BBC), the main production arm of Yukos Oil. Yuganskneftegas was auctioned off to a consortium led by Surgutneftegas and Gazprom. The latter is partnering with the PRC-owned CNPC �on various energy projects.�
WTO: COMMUNIST CHINA IS BIGGEST �DUMPER�
The World Trade Organization put Communist China �on top of the dumping list with sixteen final anti-dumping measures imposed upon it� (Epoch Times). �Dumping� refers to exporting goods at below-market prices, or subsidizing exporters, so as to knock out competition from the home countries� producers.
INDIAN MILITARY CHIEF VISITS PRC
General N. C. Viji, head of India�s military, is in Communist China for talks �aimed at boosting mutual trust and military co-operation� (BBC). The general will visit India�s longtime rival for a week.
THAI LAWYER COMES TO EXILE DISSIDENTS� DEFENSE
The Thailand Law Society has assigned an attorney to defend Lu Decheng and Zhao Wendong, two PRC dissidents arrested in Thailand �as they met with other Chinese democracy activists� (VOA via Epoch Times). The Society announced it would oppose �any moves to deport them� back to Communist China.
NEWS ON THE FALUN GONG WAR
U.S. COURT SAYS CADRES ARE LIABLE FOR CRACKDOWN ABUSES
A Federal District Court in northern California �found two high-ranking Chinese Communist Party officials liable for crimes of torture, genocide, and other crimes against humanity last week� (Epoch Times). The court found Xia Deren, mayor of Dalian, and Liu Qi, party boss in Beijing, for their actions in the crackdown against the spiritual movement.
While no damages were awarded, the practitioners who brought suit � who include among them Americans beaten by PRC police in 2001 � �announced that they plan on pursuing official channels of barring Xia and Liu from entering the United States in the future.�
OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS
NINE COMMENTARIES CONTINUES TO REVERBERATE � AND DRIVE CCP MEMBERS TO QUIT
The response from the Epoch Times� Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party is growing, so much that the PRC is trying to hide the resignation of legions of party members, including Meng Weizai, former deputy Party chief at China Federation of Art and Literature.
LIU XIABAO WINS REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS AWARD
Liu Xiabao, the dissident writer who was one of three arrested earlier in December for the Communist catch-all �crime� of �revealing state secrets to foreigners� (VOA via Epoch Times, last Update), was named a �leading defender of press freedoms in 2004� by the press-rights group Reporters Without Borders.
PRC ANNOUNCE NEW RELIGION REGULATIONS; COUCH THEM AS �RELAXATION�
Communist China was hoping its announcement of a �relaxed� set of rules on religion would win it praise. However, as the BBC quickly noted, �while the official reports say the new rules will protect the people's legitimate religious rights, the word �legitimate� makes clear that there will be no basic relaxation of policy.� Nice try. Also reporting: Cybercast News
PLANNER OF ANTI-EVICTION PROTEST SENT TO JAIL
Ye Guozhu, a resident of Beijing who �applied to stage a 10,000-strong rally� (BBC) against demolition of homes to make way for the 2008 Olympics, is now in jail serving a four-year sentence for �picking quarrels and stirring up trouble.� Thus, Ye would still be in prison as the Games begin, (hopefully with some nations sitting them out).
COMMUNISTS TO ALLOW �ELECTED� JURORS TO DECIDE TRIALS
In yet another attempt to fool outside media (see above) the PRC announced plans �to introduce jury trials next year as part of reforms to its legal system� (BBC), with no details as to the �elections� format. Other �elections� go either the Communists� way or not at all.
CORRUPTION NEWS
COMMUNIST CHINA BUSTS OVER 750 CORRUPT CADRES, BUT $1 BILLION STILL MISSING
Communist China �arrested or reprimanded more than 750 officials in recent months in connection with billions of dollars in financial irregularities� (Washington Post). While most of the money involved has been recovered, �about $1 billion is still unaccounted for.�
ANOTHER DARLING ENTERPRISE HAS ITS OFFICIALS ARRESTED FOR CORRUPTION
Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial, the third largest dairy firm in Communist China, saw its chairman, its chief financial officer, and its securities representative arrested for embezzling over $50 million from the PRC-owned firm (BBC). The news comes on the heels of China Aviation Oil admitting it hid corporate losses, thus bilking stockholders (see 12/8 Update).
HONG KONG NEWS
HU JINTAO SLAPS TUNG CHEE-HWA, PRAISES MACAU
PRC President Hu Jintao �praised the �one country, two systems� formula in the former Portuguese enclave of Macau� (CNN), but was far less charitable about Hong Kong, admonishing the city to �should summarise (UK sp) your experience, look for shortcomings and constantly raise your governance ability� (BBC). Also reporting: VOA via Epoch Times
Lest anyone get too hopeful about Hu (again), Macau�s �success� comes largely from its casino-driven economy and the locals lack of concern over political freedom.
TIBET NEWS
HAS TENZIN DELEK RINPOCHE BEEN SPARED?
The Tibetan Youth Congress, citing �reports from Chinese sources,� is reporting that Tenzin Delek Rinpoche � previously slated for execution by the Communists after being framed bombings in Sichuan (see 1/30/03, 12/8, and last Updates) � has been spared execution.
The PRC will instead force the Tibetan monk to spend the rest of his life in prison. Lobsang Dhondup, who was �tried� with Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, was executed early last year.
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