| Miss an Update, Weekly Links, or a North Korea Report? Find it on our web site. CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: AUGUST 28, 2002 TOP STORY: EAST TURKESTAN MOVEMENT LISTED A TERRORIST GROUP BY THE U.S. MOVE MAKES COMMUNIST CHINA VERY HAPPY � U.S. OFFICIAL SAYS LAUNCH OF AMERICAN SATELLITES ON COMMUNIST MISSILES MAY BE GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT What a day to be on vacation. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage paid a visit to Beijing in which he dropped two bombshells. First, he announced that the U.S. had placed the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) on the list of terrorist states, the first East Turkestani group of any kind to be listed as such (BBC). Also reporting: Washington Post Very little light has ever shown on the struggle of the Uighur Muslims inside East Turkestan (an area the Communists call Xinjiang) against a brutal Communist crackdown. Western media reports have found the Uighurs � chafing under repressive Communist rule that became much worse after September 11 � as one of the most pro-American Muslim groups on Earth (10/17/01 and 12/12/01 updates). While Armitage said he discussed the plight of the Uighurs suffering in the region, it is unlikely that anything will result from this trip besides newfound legitimacy for the Communist repression. Meanwhile, Armitage also announced that the Bush Administration might allow American satellites to be launched from the so-called People�s Republic once again, as the previous administration did. The East Turkestan Information Center was quick to respond, denying any involvement with terrorism by itself or ETIM. Ahmet Igamberdi, an official with the ETIC, said the Uighurs campaign �was nationalist, not religious, and was against Chinese rule, not against the U.S. or the West� (Cybercast News). He lamented the U.S. move, saying it played �into the hands of Beijing.� This was the only news regarding East Turkestan this week. Check out this story and more on the Communist China and the Terrorist War page OTHER NEWS ON COMMUNIST CHINA AND THE TERRORIST WAR IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS BEIJING Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri is in Beijing for part of a three-day visit. According to the BBC talks were �almost certain to include discussions about US President George W Bush's threat to use force to oust the current Iraqi leadership (BBC). Communist China has publicly opposed any military action in Iraq. Also reporting: Washington Post OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS PRC ANNOUNCES �REGULATIONS� ON MISSILE TECHNOLOGY EXPORTS The PRC announced �new regulations aimed at tightening the controls over the export of missile technology� (BBC). Both the Central Military Commission and the State Council (cabinet) must now approve any missile exports (CNN 8/25) and exporters would now have to state the use of the exported technology would be (Cybercast News). Also reporting: Washington Post Since Communist President Jiang Zemin controls both the State Council and the powerful CMC, it is hard to see just what kind of new leaf was turned. Additionally, the Communists have a history of burrowing around their own rules on several fronts. Still, the U.S. praised the action (CNN 8/27). WANG ZHIZHI OFF PRC BASKETBALL TEAM After refusing to report to the Communist Chinese basketball team, Wang Zhizhi � a Communist army officer � was booted of the team (CNN). Wang, formerly of the Dallas Mavericks, may defect to the U.S. due to his desire to play in the NBA this year instead of for the PRC. Sign the Boycott Petition: In reaction to the 2008 Olympic Games being awarded to Beijing, the China e-Lobby has begun a petition for an American boycott of those games. HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS WORLD PSYCHIATRY ASSOCIATION WANTS TO PROBE MENTAL HOSPITALS IN PRC The World Psychiatry Association (WPA) is considering �sending a mission to investigate claims that China used drugs and psychological methods to silence dissidents� (BBC). Naturally, the Communists furiously denied any repeat performance of the ex-Soviet Union�s method of locking dissidents away in mental hospitals to either label them crazy or drug them into submission. The Washington Post had a more detailed look at the �treatment� of dissidents in Communist China�s mental hospitals. Robin Munro, a researcher for Human Rights Watch, �estimated that at least 3,000 people charged with some kind of political crime in the past two decades were referred for psychiatric evaluation by police.� COMMUNIST CHINESE CRACKDOWN ON INTERNET CONTINUES James Mulvernon, of the Rand Corporation, issued a new report on Communist China�s crackdown against dissent on the internet. As the Washington Times reported, the Communist crackdown is continuing via arrests and the blocking of numerous dissident sites. Still, groups from the Falun Gong spiritual movement to the China Democracy Party continue the fight along the information superhighway. FROM THE FALUN GONG WAR: ANONYMOUS WOMAN PAYS FINES FOR HONG KONG 16 The sixteen Falun Gong practitioners convicted in a Hong Kong court for �causing an obstruction during a protest� (BBC) won unexpected support � a woman who would not give her name paid all their fines. Falun Gong is legal in Hong Kong, but many suspect the Communist-appointed regime there is trying move against them in light of the massive three-year crackdown on the mainland. PRC-appointed Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa even went so far as to mimic the mainland Communists in calling the spiritual movement a �cult,� leading many to wonder � and not for the first time � just how long �one country, two systems� will really last. The sixteen protestors were grateful for their unknown benefactor, but said they would still appeal their �politically motivated and legally flawed� convictions. For more on Hong Kong, see Hong Kong News. OTHER MAINLAND NEWS JIANG LOSING BID TO KEEP TOP PARTY JOB, WINNING BID TO STAY AS CMC CHAIRMAN PRC President Jiang Zemin is apparently losing his bid to remain general secretary of the Communist Party, but has no opposition to remaining as Chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (Willy Wo-Lap Lam (CNN)). The CMC Chair is the post Deng Xiaopeng used to override then-Party chief Zhao Ziyang and approve then-Premier Li Peng�s massacre of the Tiananmen Square protestors. Lam also noted that the Communist Party Congress � delayed because of Jiang�s efforts to keep the top party post and completely alter the reshuffle of cadres to occur � is set for November 16. Also reporting: Washington Post VERDICT DUE IN ZHU XIAOHUA CORRUPTION CASE Zhu Xiaohua, the former head of the PRC-owned Everbright Group, is awaiting a verdict on corruption charges. Zhu, the third prot�g� of Communist Prime Minster and �reformer� Zhu Rongji to be charged with corruption, was expelled from the party for �allegedly taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and granting unauthorised (British sp) loans� (BBC). INTERNATIONAL NEWS CHRITIAN MISSIONARY EXPELLED FOR HELPING NORTH KOREAN REFUGEES IN PRC Chun Ki-won, a South Korean Christian missionary who �helped around 170 North Koreans to escape to South Korea by way of China since 1999� (Cybercast News), was expelled by the Communists for his actions. Chun, arrested by Communist China at the beginning of the year, said he would not stop helping the refugees, and even boldly asserted he would go back to the PRC to help those in hiding. Communist China sends back any refugee it finds � North Korea has been its ally for over 50 years. Dr. Norbert Vollertsen � a long-time activist for the refugees � noted that in many cases this means death. Nearly 2 million have died from famine caused in large part by widespread incompetent management by the Stalinists, who have now exacerbated the problem by stealing international food aid to feed themselves and their army. TWO REFUGEES FROM NORTH LEAVE ALBANIAN EMBASSY IN PRC FOR FREEDOM Meanwhile, two refugees from the North who entered the Albanian Embassy in Communist China (see August 14 update) flew out of Communist China to Manila on the way to freedom in Seoul, South Korea (Washington Times, fifth paragraph). The North Korea Report has the latest on the Stalinist ally of Communist China. Sign up now to receive it every Monday. COMMUNIST CHINESE FIRM TO GET 5% OF AUSTRLIAN CONTRACT WINNER Remember when Australia snubbed the Dalai Lama (see May 22 update) and feted the Communist Chinese leader of Tibet (see June 12 update), all to win a liquefied gas contract (see August 14 update)? Well, that wasn�t all. China National Offshore Oil Company, a PRC-owned firm, will also get 5% of the firm exporting the gas � North West Shelf (CNN). REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS PRESIDENT CHEN OFFERS TO HELP PRC BECOME DEMOCRATIC Speaking to the Asia-Pacific Democratic Forum, ROC President Chen Shui-bian offered to help Communist China move toward democracy, saying, �Only the expansion and consolidation of democracy can really safeguard peace and development in the region� (Cybercast News). This comes on the heels of exiled PRC dissident Bei Ling calling on Chen to help democratize the mainland. There�s still time to contact the President and tell him not to appoint PRC sympathizer Doug Paal as de facto ambassador to Taiwan. HONG KONG NEWS RATINGS TUNG CHEE-HWA SET NEW RECORD � FOR UNPOPULARITY Communist-appointed Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa has broken his own record for unpopularity among his people. According to the BBC, Tung has a 16% approval rating, while over half of HK residents disapprove of his performance as leader of the city. Tung was given a second term by a Communist-appointed panel that did not consult the population at large. No news from Tibet this week 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. |