| CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: APRIL 25, 2001 TOP STORY: BUSH NIXES AEGIS-ARMED DESTROYERS FOR TAIWAN, VOWS TO DEFEND ROC ALL OTHER MAJOR WEAPONS REQUESTS BY ISLAND DEMOCRACY APPROVED DIESEL SUBS NO LONGER MADE IN U.S., GERMANY AND NETHERLANDS SAY THEY WON�T SELL CONGRESSIONAL REACTION MIXED, WITH MANY WISHING AEGIS DECISION WAS DIFFERENT For the second time in as many years, the United States �deferred� the request of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for Aegis-armed destroyers to help them track the ever growing number of missile aimed at them from Communist China. All other major arms systems requested by Taiwan � including diesel submarines, P-C3 Orion surveillance planes, and Kidd-class destroyers � won U.S. approval. Link: Agence France Presse In comments to ABC�s �Good Morning America� today, Bush went farther than any previous President and publicly said �I would� use the U.S. military to defend Taiwan if attacked. When asked if the U.S. had an obligation to defend the island democracy from a Communist invasion, he replied, �Yes, we do . . . and the Chinese must understand that. Yes, I would.� Link: CNN Richard Fisher, of the Jamestown Foundation, called the arms deal �the most significant weapons package in a decade.� White that may be true, the diesel subs, no longer made by the U.S., required international contractors. The Washington Post reported Germany and the Netherlands has already said no such submarines will come from there, leaving some to wonder if Bush had been �duplicitous� in approving them. Link: Washington Post Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) said if the international roadblocks to the diesel submarines continued, �we should reconsider our postponement of a decision on the Aegis system.� AFP also reported the swift, and unhappy, response of the People�s Republic of China to the news of the arms deal. Link: AFP Reaction on Capitol Hill was mixed regarding the sale. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms (R-North Carolina) praised the sale, but insisted the Aegis destroyers should have been included. House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-Missouri) also wondered why the Aegis was missing from the weapons list. Link: Washington Times (See Republic of China (Taiwan) News for more on Taiwan) The Washington Post reported that the Bush Administration is keeping the Aegis decision on the table, and steps will be taken to ensure the deferment doesn�t push back the deliver date. Still, Taiwan is left without an answer to the Communist missile buildup, thanks to a package dubbed a �half measure� by the Washington Times. Links: Washington Post, Washington Times � Story on ROC missile vulnerability, Washington Times - Editorial TOP HUMAN RIGHTS STORY: PROTESTORS SHOT AND KILLED BY COMMUNIST POLICE JIANGXI PROVINCE (HOME OF THE FIREWORKS SCHOOL) SEES ANOTHER HORRIBLE TRAGEDY In Yuntang village, Jianxgi province, 600 armed police sent in to �strike hard� against a three-year anti-tax protest shot and killed two demonstrators early Easter morning. AFP, citing Amnesty International, reported that up to 38 others were injured when the police shot the unarmed crowd, which resorted to throwing rocks in self-defense. Some Yuntang villagers have been refusing to pay local taxes for years. Link: AFP Jiangxi province, home to the fireworks school that blew up earlier this year, received a new governor, Huang Zhiquan. Meng Jianzhu is the province�s new Communist Party boss. Thus he �holds a ranking higher than the provincial governor� � a timely reminder from AFP of who�s really in charge. This is quite a start for the new provincial regime. Link: AFP Rural villages in Communist China have suffered under exorbitant, and in some cases illegal taxes imposed by local Communist leaders looking to augment their salaries. The local corruption has led to several protests such as the one in Yuntang, but never before has news of such a murderous reaction made it outside the PRC. Link: New York Times (See Human Rights and Freedoms News for more on Communist repression within the PRC) AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS ANOTHER U.S. CITIZEN ARRESTED ON ESPIONAGE CHARGES Communist China arrested its second U.S. citizen in just over a month three weeks ago. Wu Jianming, is being held for �collecting information harmful to state security,� charges similar to those against Gao Zhan, the American University researcher and U.S. citizen applicant now in a PRC prison for nearly two months. Li Shaomin, a U.S. citizen, is being held on unknown charges. Link: BBC STATE DEPARTMENT WARNS AGAINST TRIPS TO COMMUNIST CHINA The Washington Times has reported that the State Department has issued a warning to Americans who have visited Taiwan or spoken out against the PRC not to visit Communist China. American citizens of Chinese origin were �especially at risk,� understandably so considering the above story. The Washington Post also reported the warning. Links: Washington Times, Washington Post TALKS ON EP-3 PLANE END; RESUMPTION OF SURVEILLANCE FLIGHTS DELAYED American and Communist Chinese negotiators held talks on the return of the EP-3 plane downed over three weeks ago on Hainan island, and the PRC�s �request� that the surveillance flights in international waters stop. Thursday�s meeting was dubbed �businesslike,� but the plane still sits on Hainan. Links: CNN, Washington Times Prior the seeming improvement in the talks, the Washington Post reported on the possibility of fighter escorts for the surveillance flights. AFP, meanwhile, reported that the Communists, by their obstinance over the plane, have already won a two-week delay in their resumption while diplomacy has �a chance to work.� Communist President Jiang Zemin flatly said �no concessions� in comments regarding the plane. Links: Washington Post, AFP � flight delay, AFP � Jiang�s comments COMMUNIST JET FIGHTERS ARMED WITH ISREALI MISSILES, AMERICAN KNOW-HOW The Washington Times reported that the PRC jet fighters involved in the collision on April 1 are armed with Python-3 missiles sold to Beijing by Israel, based on missile sold to Israel by the U.S. The missiles were not involved in the collision. Link: Washington Times EX-PRC GENERALS SAY JIANG SHOULD BE TOUGHER ON U.S. Willy Lo-Lap Lam (CNN) reported the statements of several former Communist generals angry at President Jiang Zemin�s �weak� diplomacy with the U.S. Older political leaders were also upset at Jiang�s supposedly �timid� reaction to what they called an �anti-China containment policy� coming out of Washington. Link: CNN: Lam COMMUNIST CHINA WANTS ZHONG GONG LEADER EXTRADITED BACK TO PRC A PRC embassy spokesman referred to Zhang Hongbao, on parole in the U.S. pending his asylum requests as �criminal suspect and a fugitive on China's most wanted list,� and demanded his return to Communist China. Zhong Gong is a movement similar to Falun Gong; the Communists have dubbed both �cults.� Beijing threw in rape charges against Zhang, most believe in the hope of making it easier to get him back. Link: BBC INTERNATIONAL NEWS PRC, VIETNAMESE BOATS SPOTTED IN SPRATLYS The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported 10 Communist Chinese and 4 Vietnamese boats in the hotly disputed Spratly islands. Six countries, including the PRC, Vietnam, and the Philippines, claim all or part of the archipelago. Beijing and Hanoi had an armed skirmish over them in 1988. Link: AFP COMMUNIST CHINA SCUTTLES HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTION IN UN Once again, Communist China blocked a U.S.-backed resolution condemning Communist China�s atrocious human rights record. The UN Human Rights Commission voted for �no action� on the resolution � a Communist ploy to kill the resolution � by a 23-17 margin, with 13 not voting. Commission members voting for no action included Cuba, Syria and Vietnam, all well-known human-rights abusers themselves. Link: Washington Times Still, the vote may have been different, some hinted. One observer noted that the U.S. �did very little lobbying for the resolution during the period when the crew was held in China.� This may be a sign that there is deeper �regret� in the Bush Administration than they are letting on. BELARUS DICTATOR IN COMMUNIST CHINA FOR TALKS Alexander Lukashenko, dictator of Belarus, met with leading Communist Chinese officials, including Tiananmen butcher Li Peng, this week. The unreconstructed ex-Communist had warm words for Beijing on every matter. Link: AFP HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS VATICAN-LOYAL CATHOLIC BISHOP UNDER ARREST Shi Enxiang, Bishop of Yixian in the �underground� Roman Catholic Church, is under arrest and in Communist police custody, according to the Cardinal Kung Foundation. BBC reported the arrest, which occurred as he was visiting Hebei province during Holy Week � the week preceding Easter. The �underground� Church is loyal to Pope John Paul II, not the Communist government. Link: BBC FIVE MORE INTELLECTUALS DISAPPEAR, BELIEVED TO BE ARRESTED AFP, citing the Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy, reported the disappearance and probable arrest of five Chinese intellectuals during the past month. Chi Shouzhu, a 1989 Tiananmen Square protestor who was jailed for ten years, went missing in Changchun. Yang Zili, a computer programmer who ran web site critical of the Falun Gong crackdown, was taken in Beijing, as were three of his friends. Link: AFP INTERNET CRACKDOWN BEGINS WITH BARS SHUT DOWN, WEB-BASED DISSIDENTS ARRESTED The pending internet crackdown reported in last week�s update began last Thursday with four �Internet bars without legal registration� closed by the Communist. The Communist-run Xinhua news agency trumpeted their actions against �pornographic contents� and �Information related to the banned Falun Gong cult.� Meanwhile, news of two more cyber-dissidents arrests reached the press. Links: AFP - Internet bar closings, APF - cyber-dissident arrests 1989 TESTIMONY BY BAO TONG CONFIRMS DIVISION IN PARTY DURING CRACKDOWN The Washington Post reported the release of Bao Tong�s testimony in the Communist post-mortem (pun intended) on the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Bao, chief of staff to deposed Communist party boss Zhao Ziyang, defended his and Zhao�s opposition to the crackdown, ordered by Deng Xiaoping and Li Peng. Bao is now a known dissident under constant surveillance; Li is a �candidate� for President of the PRC. Link: Washington Post FILES FROM THE FALUN GONG WAR POLICE TIGHTEN TIANANMEN SECURITY FOR TODAY: Communist police kept a close watch on Tiananmen Square in light of today�s two-year anniversary of the Falun Gong protest � 10,000 demonstrated in the capital asking the Communists to leave them alone � that spooked the PRC. BBC reported at least 20 arrests. Link: BBC OTHER MAINLAND NEWS THE LATEST WORD ON NEXT YEAR�S SUCCESSION BATTLES: A JIANG-LI ALLIANCE? Ostensibly, Willy Lo-Lap Lam�s story is on the continuing rise of Vice President Hu Jintao, the fellow who started the intense crackdown on Tibet during in tenure as party leader there (1988-92). Lam, however, also revealed rumors of a growing partnership between President Jiang Zemin and the man who wants to succeed him in that post � Tiananmen butcher and hard-liner favorite Li Peng, currently No. 2 in the party hierarchy. Link: CNN Hu is setting his sights on Jiang�s Communist General Secretary post, which would give him the most power, in theory. Jiang also chairs the powerful Central Military Commission, and wants to keep it that way. This could make him the real power in Communist China (or more accurately, keep him there), and may have something to do with his willingness to forge an alliance with Li. HUNDREDS PROTEST FORCED REMOVAL IN NANJING Roughly 1,000 people kicked out of their homes by the Communists in Nanjing held protests in that city over the weekend. The protestors were angry over compensation for their troubles that they found wanting. The Communists have displaced millions for various reasons, usually dealing with questionable development projects. Link: AFP REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS COMMUNISTS TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND COURTING OF ROC POLITICAL OPPOSITION Willy Lam (CNN) reported on the �shift� in PRC tactics on Taiwan. The Communists have decided to intensify their efforts to court the ROC opposition � namely the Nationalists (KMT) and People First Party (PFP). Believing either could defeat President Chen in elections in 2004, the Communists have apparently even offered financial assistance to the two opposition parties. Link: CNN: Lam ROC MILITARY RUNS MASSIVE MOCK INVASION; BIGGEST LIVE-FIRE TEST IN YEARS The Taiwanese military staged a massive live-fire test last week: a mock invasion by Communist China. BBC reported the massive test, in the works for months, included some electronic �cyberwarfare� tests. Link: BBC EX-PRESIDENT LEE IN JAPAN, GRANTED U.S. VISA IN MOVES THAT INFURIATE COMMUNISTS Former President Lee Teng-hui arrived in Japan Monday for treatment of his heart condition. The visa that allowed Lee into Japan was not well received by the Communists, according to the BBC. AFP, meanwhile, reported that the U.S. also granted Lee a visa for April 30 through May 6. Beijing wasn�t too happy with that one either. Links: BBC, AFP, AFP � PRC blasts both visas PRESIDENT CHEN ASKS FOR U.S. STOPOVER FOR MAY TRIP TO LATIN AMERICA ROC President Chen Shui-bian � headed for Latin America to meet with diplomatic allies next month � announced last week that he hoped for a stopover in the U.S. for the trip. While no one is sure how the Bush Administration will react, then-President Bill Clinton allowed Chen to stay in Los Angeles for a day before a similar trip to Latin American last August. Link: Washington Post ALL-PARTY COALITION FORMS TO BATTLE CORRUPTION A group of legislators, including members of the governing Democratic Progressive Party and of all three opposition parties, have formed a �clean parliament alliance� to fight corruption. The group�s members have sponsored over fifty bills in this area. Link: Taiwan Central News Agency HONG KONG NEWS DEPARTING CIVIL SERVICE HEAD CALLS FOR DEBATE ON DEMOCRACY�S FUTURE Anson Chan, retiring Chief Secretary of Administration, called for a �long, measured, structural, and rational� debate on achieving the goal of a fully elected Legislative Council and popularly elected Chief Executive. It is widely believed Chan left due to anger at Beijing�s control over the HK government, particularly through its Communist-appointed Chief Executive, Tung Chee-hwa. Link: Radio TV Hong Kong LAST BRITISH GOVERNOR OF HK SAYS DEMOCRACY IS VICTIM TO �REGRESSIVE� CHANGES Chris Patten, the last Hong Kong governor appointed by Great Britain, lamented the �regressive� Communist actions against democracy in comments made to reporters. AFP noted that �some problems on the rule of law front� also disturbed Patten, who established a Legislative Council elected entirely by the city�s people in the mid-1990s. Link: AFP TIBET AND XINJIANG/EAST TURKESTAN NEWS GREENPEACE RIPS COMMUNIST CHINESE OVERDEVELOPMENT ON EARTH DAY Releasing its report on the ecological disaster in the PRC on Sunday � Earth Day � Greenpeace took aim at Communist efforts to develop the �Western region� as the next environmental disaster. Thanks to development at a pace no free market would consider, millions have been displaced, and rivers are either polluted or drying up. Link: AFP Although not mentioned in the AFP story, it should be noted that the �development� is really part of � and a cover for � a wider political crackdown against Tibetan Buddhists and Uighur Muslims in the regions, both of whom would simply prefer the Communists left them alone. 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]. |