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CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: OCTOBER 27, 2004
Dragon in the Dark: How and Why Communist China Helps Our Enemies in the War on Terror is now available: here, at Amazon, or call 1-888-280-7715.
The next Summer Olympics, in 2008, will take place in Beijing. 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.
TOP STORY: NEW YORK TIMES RESEARCHER FORMALLY ARRESTED
ZHAO YAN, DETAINED SINCE SEPTEMBER CHARGED WITH PASSING STATE SECRETS TO FOREIGNERS; COULD BE EXECUTED IF FOUND GUILTY BY COMMUNISTS
Zhao Yan, a researcher for the New York Times who has been in a Communist prison since the middle of September, was formally charged with �passing state secrets to foreigners� (Voice of America via Epoch Times), a crime that could lead to his execution. Zhao�s case was among the issues discussed by Secretary of State Colin Powell in Beijing this week.
The People�s Republic insists the case is not one for �outside forces� to intervene. Zhao�s �crime� apparently stems from the NYT�s correct prediction of former Central Military Commissioner Jiang Zemin�s retirement last month (see 9/22 Update). Of course, in Communist China, a �state secret� is whatever the Communists want it to be.
OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS
COMMUNIST CHINA IS �BIGGEST PRISON FOR JOURNALISTS�
Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders called Communist China �the biggest prison for journalists� (BBC), with more press members in jail there then anywhere else in the world. However, the PRC was more repressive than all but five other dictator-run nations (including its longtime ally, Stalinist-controlled northern Korea) in press freedom.
There were 161 nations that were freer than the PRC. Reporters Without Borders gave examples of Communist repression last week (see last Update).
COMMUNIST RELIGION WATCHER CALLS NEW REGULATIONS MORE FREEDOM
This is cute. Zhang Xunmou, head of the Communist Religious Affairs Bureau's policy and legal department, has decided to put in place new rules to �define the rights and obligations of both the officials and the groups they administer� (Washington Times). He then spun the new set of regulations as a �paradigm shift� toward religious freedom.
TEN THOUSAND IN BANGBU PROTEST LOW PENSIONS
A demonstration by retired workers protesting against low pensions swelled to 10,000 people after a report �that Premier Wen Jiabao would attend the opening ceremony of a shopping center in Bangbu on the 22nd� (Epoch Times). According to local residents, this was just the latest in several protests in Anhui Province.
ANOTHER CADRE LAND SEIZURE; THIS TIME IN SHANXI PROVINCE
Cadres in Yulin City (Shanxi Province) have begun seizing land tended by farmers in eight villages for a development company in which �the government owns most of the stock� (Radio Free Asia via Epoch Times). The lands are legally owned by the villages, so in theory the seizures are illegal; we all know what local cadres think of such trivialities.
Several villagers have tried to stop the city cadres from taking the land (villages are subdivisions of cities in Communist China). In response, the cadres over 100, and shot 50 more (thankfully, no one died). Now, 19,000 villagers have written a letter to PRC President Hu Jintao, hoping for redress. Hope they don�t hold their breath.
NEWS ON THE FALUN GONG WAR
INDIA RECOGNIZES FALUN GONG
Falun Gong is now a �legitimate organization in India� (Epoch Times). In addition to being a longtime rival of the PRC, India is the origin of Buddhism, and as such, the Indian people �are no strangers to systems of cultivation practice such as Falun Gong.�
CORRUPTION NEWS
OVER 4,000 ILLEGAL PROJECTS STOPPED
Communist China has announced that efforts to root out illegal construction has found, and stopped, 4150 projects costing �about 844 billion yuan (US$102 billion)� (Central News Agency, Taiwan, via Epoch Times). However, the Communist still have to deal with �20,000 projects in many regions that are planning to implement construction.�
Communist China earlier announced it would not fund or allow loans for any projects by local cadres to build industrial factories � the cadres responded by renaming them �agriculture� projects, and the money kept coming (see 6/2 and 7/21 Update).
OTHER MAINLAND NEWS
COMMUNIST CHINA�S ECONOMY STILL GROWING, AT SLIGHTLY LOWER RATE . . .
Communist China�s economy grew at a 9.1% rate in the third quarter, well above the target rate of seven percent, but slightly below the 9.6% growth rate of last quarter. Outside analysts took the slight reduction to mean �efforts by the government to rein in booming expansion continue to take hold� (BBC). Also reporting: VOA via Epoch Times
. . . BUT BAD BONDS TO CAUSE CREDIT DOWNGRADE
Meanwhile, Sovereign Advisers announced it would soon downgrade Communist China�s credit to �Sub-Investment Grade� due to �past defaults by the Chinese Government on sovereign debt issues and the continuing refusal of the China�s government to honor payment of defaulted external bond issues� (RiskCenter.com via GARP).
ANOTHER CONSEQUENCE OF MIGRANT LABOR: HIGH RURAL DIVORCE RATES
Another price paid by those forced to migrate for work due to the thieving policies of cadres back home: a large majority of divorce cases in Henan Province involve �families where one spouse either works or conducts business outside of their hometown� (Epoch Times).
FOR SENIORS: COMMUNIST CHINA REALLY HAS TAKEN AWAY MEDICARE
A study commissioned by the Communists themselves admitted that �a high proportion of elderly Chinese are living in very poor conditions and can�t afford treatment for their health problems� (Epoch Times). The study further noted �that the state fails to provide the financial support and medical care needed by the elderly members of society.�
BEIJING AIR POLLUTION GETTING WORSE
The Communist capital suffered under pollution at �extreme levels in early October� (CNA via Epoch Times). Local ecological cadres admitted the pollution level is �expected to increase� from what is already �an alarming level� before the end of the year.
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NORTHERN KOREA NEWS
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AFTER TWENTY-NINE MORE REFUGEES FROM SCNK ENTER ROK SCHOOL IN BEIJING . . .
Twenty-nine refugees from Stalinist-controlled northern Korea �have sought asylum in a South Korean school in the Chinese capital� (BBC). Their fate is unclear, since �the building . . . does not seem to have diplomatic status.� Communist China, an SCNK ally for over fifty years, sends any refugee it finds back to the Stalinist regime.
Communist mouthpiece Zhang Qiyue underlined that policy by saying the PRC �was taking a zero-tolerance attitude towards asylum seekers going into foreign embassies� (United Press International via Washington Times). Also reporting: VOA via Epoch Times
. . . COMMUNIST POLICE SEIZE SIXTY REFUGEES FROM SAFE HOUSES
Days after the refugees� escape attempt, Communists seized sixty more SCNK refugees from Beijing safe houses, in what �could be the first indication of what [zero tolerance] might mean� (BBC). The refugees are likely already on their way back to SCNK, unless the Communist police decide to rape and/or sell them instead (see 1/14 Update).
Once back in the Stalinists� clutches, the returnees face prison, torture, and/or execution. This has forced hundreds of thousands of refugees to live as nonpersons in the PRC.
POWELL ASKS PRC TO BRING SCNK BACK TO TABLE; PRC TELLS U.S. TO SOFTEN UP
Secretary of State Colin Powell �called on China to press North Korea to return to discussions on the North's nuclear program� (VOA via Epoch Times). The PRC responded by calling on the United States to �go further to adopt a flexible and practical attitude on the issue� (Washington Times). Powell quickly shot that down (Cybercast News).
There have been three such rounds of talks on SCNK�s nuclear ambitions, which also include democratic �South� Korea, Japan, the U.S., Russia, and the aforementioned PRC. The only tangible results of the talks have been substantial American concessions (see 6/30 Update).
OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS
POWELL�S COMMENTS UNNERVE TAIWAN (AND HIS OWN DEPARTMENT) . . .
Powell, in interviews with Beijing television, insisted �that Taiwan is not an independent nation� (Washington Post), and then actually hinted �that Taiwanese and Americans as well as Chinese are seeking to bring about the island's reunification with the mainland.� Officials from Taiwan were stunned; even Powell�s own State Department ran away from his words.
. . . BUT COMMUNISTS STILL REBUFF HIM ON TAIWAN TALKS
Meanwhile, Powell also urged Communist China �to accept a recent offer by Taipei to open political discussions across the Taiwan Strait� (Cybercast News) and repeated the Bush Administration�s lack of support for Taiwan�s independence. However, Powell also defended American arms sales to Taiwan, citing a potential military �imbalance� in the PRC�s favor.
The �recent offer� was the olive branch offered by Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian over two weeks ago (see 10/13 and last Updates). The Communists told Powell �in strong terms Monday that they are not impressed by Chen's words and are worried about his actions� (Washington Post). Of course, they have said as much openly to Chen, too.
U.S. TO LIMIT SOCK IMPORTS FROM COMMUNIST CHINA
The United States agreed to a petition from American manufacturers to limit growth in sock imports from Communist China to levels of 6 to 7.5% next year. The move is in response to the end of global textile trade restrictions, without which, �China will bulldoze producers in Latin America, Africa and other Asian countries� (Washington Post) in textile imports.
OTHER REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS
TAIWAN SHOWS MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM TO PRESS
Taiwan�s military allowed journalists to take �a rare look at the island's missile defense system� (VOA via Epoch Times). The media was given �a tour of a Patriot missile base north of Taipei� as part of the government�s campaign to get the opposition-controlled Parliament to approve the purchase of American arms (see 10/13 Update).
ARMS ARGUMENT LEADS TO FOOD FIGHT IN PARLIAMENT
The arms deal � backed by Chen Shui-bian�s �pan-green� coalition but blocked by the growing-ever-softer-on-Communist-China �pan-blue� alliance � started a heated discussion in a conference hall that quickly devolved into a food fight. Report: BBC
NEWS ON THE VELVET CRACKDOWN (HONG KONG)
APPOINTED LEGCO MEMBER DEMANDS DEMOCRACY TIMETABLE
Bernard Chan, a member of the Legislative Council from chosen by the insurance industry, publicly demanded that the PRC �release a full timetable for introducing full, direct elections in the territory� (VOA via Epoch Times). Chan said such a move �would end political uncertainty in the former British colony.� Don�t count on the Communists to agree.
HK ORDERS TV TO PLAY COMMUNIST ANTHEM
A decree from Hong Kong�s PRC-appointed regime requiring television stations �to air 40 seconds of the Chinese national anthem while showing patriotic background scenes� (Zhongguang News via Epoch Times) has angered many residents. Some of them say the montage �reminds them of the Cultural Revolution and the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown.�
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
WILL COMMUNIST CHINA TAKEOVER CANADA�S MINING FRIM?
PRC-owned China Minmetals is talking to Noranda �one of the world's biggest nickel and zinc producers� (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), about buying the firm en toto. A non-binding deal �has already been struck.� The deal would also include nickel and copper producer Falconbridge, in which Noranda owns a majority share.
The planned sale is being questioned by the New Democratic Party, Canada�s leftist opposition. Given that the governing Liberal Party does not hold a majority, if the Conservatives and the Bloc Quebecois join the NDP on this issue, they could stop the sale.
BOOK DETAILING PLIGHT OF WORKERS IN PRC WINS AWARD
A Survey of Chinese Peasants, the innocuously titled but blistering indictment of �how, in order to build up dozens of modern cities, the Chinese Communist Party deprived 900 million peasants of their right to subsistence� (Epoch Times) won the Lettre Ulysses Award, a prize for a work that �brings unknown, forgotten, and hidden realities to light.�
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