To receive this publication via e-mail, click here.
CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: OCTOBER 22, 2003
TOP STORY: COMMUNIST CHINA, U.S. AGREE ON NORTH KOREA TALKS AT APEC
NK FIRES PRC-BASED MISSILE; CONGRESSMEN ASK BUSH TO PRESS YANG JIANLI CASE
President Bush and PRC President Hu Jintao both agree that they want North Korea to return to the table to discuss its nuclear weapons development. Sadly, Bush is also willing to give the North its coveted non-aggression pact in everything but name �within the context of the talks� (BBC), a reference to the six-way talks that were held last August.
President Bush and PRC President Hu Jintao met �on the sidelines� of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which started on Monday and concludes tomorrow. The closest thing North Korea gave to a response was a live-fire test of an anti-ship missile, �a modification of the Chinese-designed HY-2 Silkworm� (Bill Gertz, Washington Times).
Before Bush left for APEC, over 30 members of Congress wrote to him calling on him �to raise with China's president the case of� jailed dissident Yang Jianli (Washington Post). Yang, who returned from exile to help labor dissidents in Communist China (see 5/1/02 Update), has been in jail for over a year and a half �and is believed to have been tortured.�
For more on Communist China�s Stalinist ally, sign up for Monday�s North Korea Report.
COMMUNIST CHINA HOLDS OUT FOR, AND GETS, UN ROLE IN IRAQI POLITICS
Communist China, along with Russia and Pakistan, won �a final series of concessions� (Washington Post) from the U.S., including �a wider role for U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan in Iraq's constitutional process.� This concession won the U.S. unanimous support for a Security Council resolution on Iraq�s future (BBC).
Thus the Iraqi government, ostensibly representing the people of Iraq, will, at least in part, have to consider the UN as a constituent. The People�s Republic � a veto-wielding member of the Security Council � opposed the American military action against Iraq, but deferred the public opposition largely to Russia, France, and Germany (see 10/2/02 Update).
The Communists also installed a fiber optic network in Iraq for Saddam Hussein to integrate his air defenses, sold him �dual-use� chemicals, and tried to send him a shipment of missile launchers last year � the U.S. stopped the shipment by buying it before it was delivered (see 2/21/01, 2/28/01, 3/7/01, 3/14/01, 3/21/01, 12/18/02, 3/19, and 4/9 Updates).
Check out the Communist China and the Terrorist War page.
OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS
U.S. STICKS TO �ONE CHINA� AND �PEACEFUL RESOLUTION�
The United States reiterated its support for the illogical �one China� policy � which effectively says Communist China is the legitimate government in Taiwan, where it has never set foot � while insisting �on a peaceful resolution of differences between Taiwan and the PRC� (Newsmax). Never mind that Communist intimidation can still be �peaceful.�
U.S. OFFICIAL TELLS TAIWAN TO BUY MORE RADAR TO FIGHT PRC MISSILES
Therese Shaheen, Washington director of the American Institute in Taiwan (and the equal to Taipei AIT director and de facto Ambassador Douglas Paal) called on the island democracy to shift its defense spending toward radar systems to combat Communist China�s growing missile buildup (Washington Times).
The Communists already have 500 missile pointed at the island democracy (see last Update). For more on Taiwan, see Republic of China (Taiwan) News.
COMMUNIST CHINA TO �STUDY� CURRENCY FLOAT
A Communist Chinese official said the PRC �was willing to set up an expert group with the US to study� the effects of the artificially low Communist currency (BBC). However, PRC President Hu Jintao himself defended the devalued currency, which has hurt American manufacturing and the export sectors of U.S. allies in Asia. Also reporting: CNN
FORD THROWING MORE MONEY INTO COMMUNIST CHINA
They never learn. The Ford Motor Company �announced a $1bn expansion into China� (BBC). Meanwhile, Ford is cutting back on its production in Europe.
SEATTLE PRINTING PRESS SIGNS DEAL WITH PEOPLE�S DAILY
If the Ford news wasn�t bad enough, a Seattle printing press, WebPress Corp., signed a deal worth roughly $11 million annually with � get this � the Communist mouthpiece newspaper People�s Daily. Report: World Net Daily
COMMUNISTS EXPOSE HARVARD RESEARCH SCANDAL � FOUR YEARS LATER
Four years after it actually occurred, Communist China � through its Xinhua news agency � is finally telling its people the events of a joint research study between itself and Harvard University in Anhui province, where resident had blood taken from them without explanation (Time Asia, see also 8/2/00, 12/20/00, and 6/20/21 Updates).
MAINLAND NEWS
TAIKONAUT LANDS SAFELY, COMMUNISTS PLAN SPACE STATION
Taikonaut Wang Liwei landed safely in Communist China, completing a major propaganda coup for the PRC, and jump-starting their space plans. The Communists are now �pushing ahead with plans to develop a permanently manned presence in space� (CNN), i.e., a space station. Also reporting: BBC, Cybercast News, Washington Post, Newsmax
Wang had been in space for roughly 21 hours, but the launch also included �new Chinese military intelligence-gathering satellite� (World Net Daily), while Wang�s vessel itself was �equipped with an infrared camera that conducts photographic spying.� Funny, but neither fact made it into the Communists� triumphant account of the mission.
In addition to a space station (United Press International via Washington Times), the Communist are also hoping to put a taikonaut on the moon in 2010 (see 5/22/02, 9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, and last Updates).
COMMUNISTS CUT OFF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT OF MANY NEWSPAPERS
The Communist Party has decided to force newspapers to �be financially independent from central government� (BBC), while provincial cadres �can fund only two publications and each city one.� While this may sound like a reform move, in most cases the newspapers, rather than write free of Communist minders, will simply go under.
Further evidence that this is more about cutting costs than reducing Communist control over the press came from cadres themselves, thrilled that forced subsidies and subscriptions for �newspapers that went straight into the dustbin� have gone by the wayside.
OVER 100 MILLION IN COMMUNIST CHINA MALNOURISHED
The number of people in Communist China suffering from malnutrition is roughly 120 million, and that came from a Communist cadre himself (Washington Times, last item).
85% OF COMPUTERS IN PRC HAVE VIRUSES
According to the Communist-run Xinhua news agency, �about 85% of computers were infected with a computer virus this year� (BBC).
COMMUNIST CHINA CLAIMS 9% ANNUAL GROWTH
Communist China claimed a growth rate of 9% for the past 12 months, �fuelling concern its economy could be overheating� (BBC). Of course, the PRC has a history of fudging economic statistics, in some cases dramatically (see 4/17/02 and 10/30/02 Updates).
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
HU JINTAO IN AUSTRALIA; COMMUNISTS TELL AUSSIE PRESS TO QUIET CRITICS
PRC President Hu Jintao is in Australia to begin a four-day visit. Hu will address the Parliament, and sign �a number of trade agreements� (CNN), including �a deal to begin a feasibility study into a bilateral free trade pact.� Meanwhile, the PRC demanded local media not run advertisements from �anti-China forces� (Cybercast News). Also reporting: BBC
REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS
TAIWAN HAS TALLEST BUILDING ON EARTH, FOR NOW
Taiwan has built the tallest building on earth, the 1,676-foot high Taipei 101. The title won�t last very long � the PRCC is planning a taller one in Shanghai. Reports: BBC, CNN, Newsmax
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 via our home page.
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.