| Sign the Boycott Petition: In reaction to the decision of the International Olympic Committee awarding Beijing the 2008 Olympic Games, the China e-Lobby has begun a petition for an American boycott of those Games. Those who wish to e-sign the petition can do so at the following page (part of the China e-Lobby web site). CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: AUGUST 29, 2001 TOP STORY: FORMER PRC PRISONER GAO ZHAN SPEAKS OUT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY RESEARCHER TAKES AIM AT COMMUNISTS, CALLS ON FELLOW CHINESE TO END SILENCE, SAYS �HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS� OF OTHERS HARASSED In a powerful and emotional statement released to the Washington Post, Gao Zhan, the American University researcher, imprisoned in the People�s Republic of China for over five months, ended her silence on her experiences and those of others arrested. Gao, describes the plight of others who have suffered harassment of arrest by the Communists, which she numbers in the �hundreds and thousands.� Link: Washington Post Gao also describes how the Communists manage to get away with their actions: that totalitarian combination of fear and indifference. She makes a dramatic call for that silence to end, whatever the consequences � which for the Chinese-born, both in the PRC and abroad with family left behind, can be quite severe indeed, and for �standing up � and speaking out � in the face of evil.� HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS NEWBORN GIRLS DYING BY THE THOUSANDS DUE TO �ONE CHILD� POLICY A cultural preference for newborn boys, coupled with Communist China�s draconian �one child� policy, has led to �tens of thousands� of newborn girls abandoned by their parents. The policy, in effect for over two decades, has led to a gender population so skewed that, according to Professor Zhai Zhenwu, �about 20 million boys . . . will never be able to marry because there aren�t enough women.� Link: BBC WOULD AOL TURN IN DISSIDENTS TO THE COMMUNISTS FOR BUSINESS IN PRC? A disturbing American Online memo reached the Washington Post regarding AOL�s reaction to a hypothetical Communist demand for dissident information. AOL, which is looking to enter the PRC market, would respond in the memo, �It is our policy to abide by the laws of the countries in which we offer services.� PRC law demands all web site owners give them all content from the site every 60 days. Link: Washington Post COMMUNIST REGIMES WINNING CONTROL OF INTERNET WITHIN THEIR COUNTRIES Meanwhile, The Carnegie Institute for World Peace, examining the effects of the internet in the PRC and Cuba, found that the dictatorships were � contrary to the conventional wisdom � succeeding at holding off outside and dissident content. Among other things, Cuba accomplishes this by severely limiting computer access, while Beijing has a legion of web watchers (�Big Mamas�) and content blockers. Link: Washington Times OTHER MAINLAND NEWS JIANG TO RESIGN FROM MILITARY COMMISSION IN RESHUFFLE Communist President Jiang Zemin, set to leave his posts as President and Party General Secretary, has also agreed to quit as Chairman of the Central Military Commission, the powerful body used by Deng Xiaoping to wield power �behind the scenes� during the 1980s. This would leave all three positions for Vice President Hu Jintao, who started the heavy crackdown on Tibet in the 1980s as regional party chief. Link: Japan Times � Courtesy Ron Vogel, member since 2000 COMMUNISTS ADMIT TO AIDS PROBLEM, DRAMATICALLY UNDERESTIMATE VICTIMS Communist China�s Health Ministry publicly stated what many have known for years: the PRC has a rising AIDS problem. The Communists also finally admitted that the virus spread in large part thanks to a horridly unsanitary blood drive during the 1980s. Still, the PRC put the number of victims at 600,000. International estimate of infection is Communist China put the number of victims well over 1 million. Links: BBC, CNN, Agence France Presse via Washington Times, Washington Post MASSIVE MILITARY EXERCISE ENDS, NUCLEAR MISSILE TEST LAUNCH INCLUDED Communist China ended its massive, four-month long military exercise last week, and did it with a bang. The huge exercise, held for the most part just opposite Taiwan, was concluded with a test launch of a CSS-2 nuclear missile. Link: Washington Times CRITERIA FOR BUSINESSMEN TO ENTER COMMUNIST PARTY ANNOUNCED Responding to Maoist criticism of the plan to allow businessmen into the Communist Party, the Communist Xinhua News Agency reported restrictions on which businessmen can be let in. Among other things, they must follow all Communist laws and be raised �under the socialist system.� The Party is hoping this will give them more control of the business community; the Maoists fear the reverse. Link: BBC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES SENTENCED IN DISCO FIRE A Communist court sent twenty-three people to prison over a fire that killed over 300 in a Luoyang disco. The longest sentence, 13 years, went to the welder who started the blaze. Several local officials were also sent to jail for looking the other way while the building failed up to 18 safety inspections. Such corruption has led to several accidents like the Luoyang fire, and angered many PRC residents. Link: CNN BBC reported that a few of those residents angered by the Louyang fire �say they have been watched by police since (protesting the blaze and the official incompetence and corruption that led to it) and told not to talk to the media.� Link: BBC XIAMEN SMUGGLING SCANDAL ON DISPLAY Communists in Xiamen have decided to try to turn a lemon into lemonade. An �anti-corruption tour� has begun in the city, home of the multi-billion dollar smuggling scandal that ensnared hundreds of PRC officials. Link: CNN AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS DEPUTY SECRETARY WOLFOWITZ SAYS PRC �ALMOST CERTAIN� TO BE A SUPERPOWER Paul Wolfowitz, Deputy Secretary of Defense, told the Washington Times that Communist China �is almost certain� to become a superpower by the mid 21st century, and possibly earlier. Wolfowitz, considered the leading China hawk in the Bush Administration, said the U.S. must not assume the �inevitability� of reform, and said it was �very clear� the U.S would defend Taiwan from a PRC attack. Link: Washington Times CONGRESSMAN HENRY HYDE CALLS FOR STRONG U.S. SUPPORT OF TAIWAN Henry Hyde (Republican � Illinois), the Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, called of closer ties between the U.S. and Taiwan in a speech last week to the Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce in Taipei. Hyde said support for the �prosperous and stable Chinese democracy� would counter PRC efforts to �target the influence of the United States.� Link: Washington Post U.S. SAYS PRC NOT ABIDING BY PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS ON ARMS SALES The U.S. and Communist China concluded �detailed and candid� talks on PRC weapons sales to Pakistan and other nations. Despite U.S. comments that �we have not yet been fully satisfied in our discussions,� talks would continue, and no one suggested imposing sanction on the Communist regime, which were waived last November in exchange for the very Communist promises that are now being violated. Links: CNN, BBC REPORT WHACKS FBI FOR TERRIBLE HANDLING OF WEN HO LEE CASE A Justice Department report � already partially released � of the Wen Ho Lee investigation revealed a series of blunders in handling the case. Among the many errors included lack of time and energy, unwillingness to consider other suspects, and generally slipshod investigating. Link: Washington Post ADMIRAL BLAIR TALKS REGIONAL MILITARY COOPERATION, SEEMS TO INCLUDE PRC In comments on Asian security reported in the Washington Times, Admiral Dennis Blair, Pacific Commander of naval forces, said regional military cooperation was essential. He also said the military cooperation would help �increase China's involvement in the region in constructive ways,� which could mean the PRC would take part in such �enhanced regional cooperation.� Uh oh. Link: Washington Times Blair gave his remarks at a conference sponsored by the East-West Center. Mark Valencia, a senior fellow at the center, also gave his analysis of the situation in the South China Sea to the Washington Times. If Valencia�s views, which were rather apologetic for the PRC claims of the entire sea as its own territory, represent those of the East-West Center, then Blair�s comments are even more cause for alarm. Link: Washington Times INTERNATIONAL NEWS MEXICO REMAINS STUBBORN, AND SUPRISING, OBSTACLE TO PRC�S WTO ENTRY Communist China�s entry into the World Trade Organization � supposedly inevitable when the U.S. approved Permanent Normal Trade Relations with it � has one more hurdle: Mexico. To everyone�s shock � including Mexico itself � our southern neighbor has refused to soften its position in talks, and continues to frustrate the PRC�s efforts to get the capital windfall WTO membership would bring. Link: Washington Times ARAFAT LOOKS TO COMMUNIST CHINA FOR SUPPORT PLO Chairman Yassir Arafat went to Beijing this week to push the Communists to help his efforts for a Palestinian state. Arafat wants the PRC to take a larger role in the region, which has deteriorated into a low-level war between Palestinians and Israelis. The Communists did tilt his way in a statement calling for �restraint of the maximum from both Israel and Palestine, and especially Israel.� Link: CNN REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS COMMUNIST CHINA ADDING TO MISSILES WITHIN RANGE OF TAIWAN, NOW OVER 350 Communist China has continued its missile buildup near Taiwan, now threatening the island democracy with over 350 of them within range. Bill Gertz of the Washington Times reports that the PRC deployed 50 missiles since this past April. Link: Washington Times HIGH-LEVEL COUNCIL BACKS MAINLAND INVESTMENT, PRESIDENT CHEN AGREES A council of 120 politicians and, academics, and business leaders endorsed the lifting of the current limit of $50 million on investment in Communist China. ROC President Chen Shui-bian has already said he backs lifting the cap, and repeated it over the weekend in his comments favoring the group�s views on the move. Taiwan�s business community, suffering through a severe slowdown, was thrilled with the news. Links: CNN, Washington Post In most cases, the move simply legalizes investments that have gone around the law for years. There is still concern, however, that the Communists may use the economic ties to push toward reunification. Such concern was evident in the �cautious� endorsement given the plan by the Taiwan Solidarity Union, the new party founded by ex-ROC President Lee Teng-Hui for disaffected pro-Taiwan Nationalists. Link: CNN GANG ATTACKS ENVELOPE-PUSHING MAGAZINE A gang of wielding baseball bats attacked the offices of Next Taiwan, a relatively new publication that the BBC described as a mix between supermarket tabloid and mob-busting journalism. Next Taiwan � founded by anti-Communist media mogul Jimmy Lai � has upset many local celebrities and gangsters but calls for government action got this response: �officials said freedom of speech was paramount.� Link: BBC HONG KONG NEWS FALUN GONG PRACTITIONERS BEGIN HUNGER STRIKE, 10 ARRESTED Members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement in Hong Kong began a hunger strike to protest the Communist crackdown against it on the mainland. They protested outside the Chinese Liaison Office. Police arrested 10 of them after the Communists complained that they �obstructed the traffic.� The police later released them without charge, and let the protests continue at a different point near the office. Link: CNN The hunger strike may include more practitioners this week, as the original strikers are starting to feel the health effects of their protest. A spokesperson for the group said a new group of followers might take their place in order to �strike a balance between protest and our members' health.� The protest is in response to the Communist imprisonment of 130 Falun Gong members on the mainland. Link: CNN No news from Tibet or 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]. Please visit our web site. |