| CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: JANUARY 24, 2001 TOP STORY: CHINESE NEW YEAR SEES FIVE PROTESTORS SET SELVES ON FIRE, ONE DIES HEAVY POLICE PRESENCE DOESN�T PREVENT MORE PROTESTORS ON NEW YEAR�S DAY Five demonstrators made a dramatic protest by setting themselves on fire in Tiananmen Square on yesterday. One of the protestors was dead as of today. The Communist Xinhua News Agency claimed the protestors were from Falun Gong, but a spokesman for the movement emphatically denied that any Falun Gong followers were involved, and said the Communists were smearing the group with the claim. Link: CNN Meanwhile, the Communists claimed roughly one million petition signatures against Falun Gong. CNN noted that it was the first such Communist mobilization since the Cultural Revolution. Today, the Chinese New Year�s Day, a heavy police presence could not stop several Falun Gong protestors, although many were arrested almost immediately (see above link). Communist President Jiang Zemin and Prime Minister Zhu Rongji were among the many who spoke during New Year celebrations. According to AFP, they discussed the usual: economic �reform,� corruption, and, of course, swallowing up Taiwan under �one country, two systems,� despite the fact that Taiwan has repeatedly rejected the idea. Link: AFP ON THE NEW ADMINISTRATION: ROBERT KAGAN�S ANALYSIS Robert Kagan, a tough, shrewd, and strong anti-Communist China columnist with the Washington Post, answered questions in an on-line chat regarding U.S. policy vis a vis the People�s Republic of China. The result was an excellent analysis of what Bush might do. Basically, Kagan expects some confrontation on military policy (particularly missile defense) and Taiwan, but little discussion of human rights. Link: Washington Post Kagan said human rights could become an issue if Christian conservatives press Bush on the Communist persecution of believers. He noted, however, that some religious conservatives �are actually quite soft on the China human rights issues for a variety of reasons.� Kagan also noted that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, considered an anti-PRC �hawk,� appointed Paul Wolfowitz, a well-known hawk, as his deputy. Kagan told questioners the soft line on Communist China would probably come from Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Advisor Condolezza Rice, with Rumsfeld taking up the hard line against the PRC. Where the President will end up is anybody�s guess, according to Kagan (see above link). HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS COMMUNIST PASS DEATH PENALTY FOR �LEAKING STATE SECRETS� ON INTERNET Communist China has codified new law establishing the death penalty for �spying activities, stealing, detecting, purchasing or leaking state secrets� on the internet. The law on which the new penalty is based was passed in December to �combat mounting Internet crime such as fraud as well as political dissent,� according to AFP. Link: AFP WORKERS PROTEST JILIN CHEMICAL COMPANY�S MASSIVE LAY-OFF PLAN The state-run Jilin Chemical Industrial Company has announced it will lay off roughly 100,000 protestors soon. The announcement sparked protests last week by furious workers. According to AFP, the workers are angry about the low unemployment compensation, and are also convinced that company leaders are stealing money from the firm to line their own pockets, which wouldn�t be unusual. Link: AFP PRO-DEMOCRACY PROTESTOR SET FREE AFTER 12 YEARS Communist China has released Zhang Jie, an organizer of a protest in Weifang province to honor those killed in Tiananmen Square. The Communists had sentenced Zhang to 18 years in prison for �counter-revolutionary propaganda, inciting counter-revolution and disturbing social order,� according to AFP. Link: AFP COMMUNISTS HOLDING OVER 450 FALUN GONG FOLLOWERS � IN ONE LABOR CAMP In a rather odd attempt to add legitimacy to their violent crackdown against Falun Gong, the Communist Legal Daily announced that over 450 practitioners were being held at the Masanjiazi labor camp in Liaoning province. The paper, cited by AFP, also noted over 4,200 �letters of repentance� had come from camp prisoners. Considering this is only one labor camp, one can only imagine the numbers nationwide. Link: AFP OTHER MAINLAND NEWS FORTY-NINE ATTEPMTING TO ESCAPE PRC THWARTED AT PUSAN Police found and detained 49 Chinese attempt to escape from Communist China via South Korea, according to AFP. The group got as far as the Korean port of Pusan before their capture. Many were ethnic Koreans. Link: AFP PRC WILL RATIFY HUMAN RIGHTS PACT TO WIN OVER OLYMPIC COMMITTEE The Washington Times reported that Communist China will son ratify a UN Human Rights treaty it signed in 1997, in an attempt to win favor with the committee that decides who will host the Olympics in 2008. Jan van der Made of Human Rights Watch responded with skepticism, saying the PRC �make(s) a big show of accepting international treaties, then doing little to implement them.� Link: Washington Times AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS PRESIDENT CHEN ASKS FOR MORE WEAPONS FROM UNITED STATES Parris Chang, a legislator and member of ROC President Chen Shui-bian�s Democratic Progressive Party, told the Washington Times that the Taiwanese government has requested several weapons systems to the new Bush Administration. The weapons systems include the Aegis-class destroyers and other systems denied to Taiwan by the previous administration. Link: Washington Times Meanwhile, Wang Jin-pyng, president of the ROC Legislative Yuan, visited the U.S. for President Bush�s inauguration. Wang noted that several Bush appointees �have a better understanding of Taiwan and are likely to pay more attention to cross-Taiwan Strait affairs than the previous administration,� according to Taiwan�s Central News Agency. Link: CNA U.S. WHACKED FOR HANDLING OF ZHONG GONG LEADER Supporters of Zhang Hangbao, founder of the Zhong Gong spiritual movement, criticized the U.S. for refusing to grant him asylum. Wang Xizhe, co-founder of the China Democracy Party, said the coming U.S. decision on Zhang�s asylum appeal will tell �if the West is serious about promoting human rights in China and around the world.� Zhang is being held in Guam while he awaits his appeal hearing on February 2. Link: AFP PRC DEMANDS U.S, KEEP TAIWAN OUT OF MISSILE DEFENSE Communist Chinese spokesman Zhu Bangzao blasted proposals � still unapproved � for including Taiwan in a planned U.S. missile defense, saying the move would �will constitute a wanton interference and threat to Chinese sovereignty and security,� according to AFP. Zhu also demanded the U.S. not sell Taiwan a missile defense of its own. Link: AFP (For more news on Taiwan see the Taiwan News section) SECRETARY OF STATE COMMENTS ON COMMUNIST CHINA POLICY In his confirmation hearings before the Senate Foreign Relation Committee, Secretary of State Colin Powell said, �China is not an enemy;� he referred to the PRC as a �competitor.� The Washington Post also reported he said the Bush Administration stand by Taiwan, but he did not pledge to defend it if invaded. He also said Bush would �show our interest and solidarity with the Dalai Lama and the people of Tibet.� Link: Washington Post INTERNATIONAL NEWS CANADA CONSIDERING HOUSE ARREST PROPOSAL FROM LAI CHANGXING Lai Changxing, the central figure in the Xiamen smuggling scandal, has asked the Canadian authorities to release him and his wife from jail in favor of house arrest. Lai, who faces near-certain execution if sent back to the PRC, even offered to pay for the guards assigned to him. Canada is holding the couple on immigration violations, and is still pondering whether or not to send him back to Communist China, and probably death. Link: AFP NORTH KOREAN LEADER LEAVES COMMUNIST CHINA AS MORE STARVATION IS EXPOSED Kim Jong-Il, Communist leader of North Korea, left Communist China after praising the PRC�s �reforms� as �Correct,� according to AFP. Meanwhile, a Norbert Vollertsen, a doctor with German Emergency Doctors, said starvation was still rampant, killing �hundreds of thousands,� and flatly said Kim was to blame for a regime that reminded him of the Nazis, which is quite a powerful statement coming from a German. Links: AFP, Washington Times AFP reports that Kim visited the PRC a look at its �reforms.� With his economy in total collapse and millions starving, one can see why Kim would look to Beijing�s mixture of economic development and political repression as his only hope to keep power. Link: AFP INDIA TEST-FIRES NUCLEAR CAPABLE MISSILE AS LI PENG WRAPS UP VISIT Just as ex-PRC Prime Minister Li Peng was wrapping up what the considered a highly successful visit to India, the Indian government announced it had test-fired the nuclear capable Agni-II missile. BBC reports the Indian government sees the Agni-II as vital to deter �Chinese and Pakistani aggression.� The PRC expressed �concern.� Link: BBC REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS MEMBER OF LEE TENG-HUI�S GOVERNMENT UNDER PROBE FOR PRC CONTACTS Su Chih-Cheng, secretarial chief to then-President Lee Teng-hui, made secret contacts with Communist China in the early 1990s, according to AFP, which cited the Taipei-based China Daily. The talks, which covered transport and trade links, a possible peace agreement, and other topics, are now under investigation after a legislator with the People First Party (PFP) demanded a probe when the meetings were first revealed. Link: AFP CHEN SAYS TAIWAN WANTS TALKS, NOT CONFLICT ROC President Chen Shui-bian pledged to keep trying to open a dialogue with Communist China to ensure �peace and security across the Taiwan Strait.� According to AFP, Chen also reminded the PRC that the Taiwanese people �want to avoid a war but we are not afraid of war.� Communist China has repeatedly rejected Chen�s attempts to start talks. Link: AFP VICE PRESIDENT BLAMES �MAINLAND FEVER� FOR WEAKENING ECONOMY Vice President Annette Lu blasted massive investment in Communist China as the chief reason for the economic slowdown of the 1990s. Lu, who has repeatedly been a lightning rod due to her unremitting hostility to the Communists, dubbed the desire for investment in the PRC �mainland fever,� noting that much of the PRC�s advancements were due to Taiwanese money previously invested at home. Link: Taiwan�s Central News Agency NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TALKS END WITHOUT AGREEMENT, MORE TALKS SCHEDULED Talks between the three major political parties on a recently cancelled nuclear power plant ended this week without an agreement, according to CNA. However, the president of the ROC Legislative Yuan, a Nationalist, said more talks would be held on the 29th. The Nationalists and the PFP supported the plant, and want the Yuan to have the power to reverse the cancellation by President Chen, a Democratic Progressive. Link: CNA TOP ADMIRAL INDICTED IN PROCUREMENT SCANDAL One of the longest investigations in ROC history made news last week with the indictment of former Admiral Yeh Chang-tung for covering up embezzlement in the military procurement fund. The scandal may have led to the death of a navy Captain � who was believed to be ready to blow the whistle on the problem � six years ago. Link: CNA PRC PUTS BREAKS ON TOURIST OPENING Communist China, upon hearing of the ROC�s plans to open up Taiwan to mainland tourists, gave the idea a cold shoulder, insisting �lots of communications and coordination work is needed,� according to a Communist official quoted by AFP. Link: AFP HONG KONG AND MACAO NEWS GOVERNMENT TELLS COURT TO SEEK �ADVICE� FROM COMMUNISTS; DEMOCRAT OUTRAGED In response to losing an immigration case, the Communist-appointed government of Hong Kong asked the city�s top court to seek Beijing�s �advice� on the matter. The courts had decided a young boy born in Hong Kong to mainland parents on a travel visa had the right to stay. Martin Lee, leader of the HK Democratic Party, said the government�s action �affects international confidence in Hong Kong's legal system.� Link: BBC CHAN�S RESIGNATION SIGN OF FREEDOM�S EBB IN HONG KONG Asiaweek, analyzing the fallout from the resignation of civil service chief Anson Chan, reported that many believe she resigned last week out of frustration with Communist authorities. Chan, a holdover from the British pre-1997 government, was a supporter of democracy and the city�s autonomy. The magazine noted both are in greater danger now. Link: Asiaweek TIBET NEWS TIBETAN CULTURE AND RELIGION ON THE RISE � WITH ETHNIC CHINESE Anyone think the Communists saw this one coming? As their crackdown on Tibet�s religion and culture continues, ethnic Chinese are becoming more and more interested in Tibetan culture, and Tibetan Buddhism. Over 400,000 visited Tibet last year, and many, according to Time Asia are not coming away with opinions that follow the party line. Look for the crackdown to continue and intensify as a result. Link: Time Asia No News from Xinjiang/East Turkestan this week. 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]. |