To receive this publication via e-mail, click here.
CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: OCTOBER 29, 2003
TOP STORY: COMMUNIST CHINA TELLS TAIWAN OF �DISASTER� COMING
THREAT FOLLOWS PRO-SOVEREIGNTY RALLY THAT DRAWS OVER 200,000
After 200,000 Taiwanese took to the streets to promote greater Taiwanese recognition in the international community, a proposed referendum law, and possible changes to the Taiwanese constitution (Washington Times), Communist China threatened that any move in those directions would bring �a disaster for Taiwan� (Willy Wo-Lap Lam, CNN).
The People�s Republic is worried that the referendum law would, eventually, lead to an independence referendum, while the main point of contention on the constitution is the possibility that the island democracy would �change the formal name of the self-ruled island from Republic of China to Taiwan.� This triggered the Communist bluster.
The harshest language the Communists have used years comes less than five months before Taiwan�s presidential election. President Chen Shui-bian, from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, will likely run against Nationalist Lien Chan, who has moved his party closer to the Communist line recently. Also reporting: Cybercast News
NEWS ON COMMUNIST CHINA, EAST TURKESTAN, AND THE TERRORIST WAR
COMMUNISTS EXECUTE �TERRORIST� UIGHUR LEADER
Communist China executed Ujimamadi Abbas, claiming he was �a former leader of the East Turkestan Islamic Jihad Organisation (UK sp), who was accused of involvement in inciting an anti-Chinese riot in Xinjiang province in 1997� (BBC). The People�s Republic has slapped many dissidents, including Wang Bingzhang, with the terrorist label (see 2/12 Update).
The Uighurs of East Turkestan have been brutally persecuted by the Communists for decades; many have responded by supporting a return to the independence the country briefly enjoyed in the 1940s.
The PRC has tried to tar all anti-Communists there as supporters of Osama bin Laden. Sadly, few outside Central Asia are aware that the Uighurs are arguably the most pro-American Muslims on Earth (see 10/17/01, 12/21/01, and 10/23/02 Updates).
Check out the Communist China and the Terrorist War page.
NORTH KOREA NEWS
BUSH PRAISES COMMUNIST CHINA�S ACTIONS ON NORTH KOREA
President Bush praised Communist China for being �willing to take the same message to the North Koreans that the United States is taking to the North Koreans� (Washington Times). Bush did not mention that the cause is likely due to the U.S. message growing softer, not any toughening by the Communists (see last Update). Also reporting: Washington Post
WU BANGGUO VISITS NORTH KOREA
Wu Bangguo, the Chairman of the Communist legislature and member of the Politburo Standing Committee, visited North Korea toady. The Stalinist regime called the visit �a new chapter in North Korea-China friendship� (CNN). Among the topics for discussion is certain to be the Stalinists nuclear ambitions. Also reporting: BBC
For more on Communist China�s Stalinist ally, sign up for Monday�s North Korea Report.
OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS
COMMUNIST DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS PENTAGON
General Cao Gangchuan, Communist China�s Defense Minister, visited the Pentagon for talks with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld yesterday. The Pentagon called the meetings �productive and constructive� (BBC). More are slated for next year. Also reporting: Bill Gertz, Washington Times
FONG FUMING SENT BACK TO U.S.
Fong Fuming, a naturalized American citizen and engineer jailed for �obtaining state secrets and giving bribes� (Newsmax and 9/12/01, 10/24/01, 3/6/02, and 3/27/02 Updates), is back in the United States after the PRC cut his sentence short and deported him. �State secrets� is an often-used cover for Communist arrests. Also reporting: Washington Post
COMMERCE SECRETARY MEETS COMMUNIST PM, RIPS PRC ON TRADE
Commerce Secretary Donald Evans met with Communist Prime Minister Wen Jiabao this week, to discuss �a deepening trade dispute� (Cybercast News) between the U.S. and the PRC. Prior to the meeting, Evans ripped the PRC for �exploiting our open markets and are creating an unfair advantage that is undercutting American workers� (BBC).
Evans also accused the PRC of not living up to its World Trade Organization agreement with the United States, the one that won Beijing Permanent Normal Trade Relations. The best the Communists will do is to �soon announce the purchase of billions of dollars worth of American goods, including airplanes, jet engines and auto parts� (Washington Post).
HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS
CHRISTIAN ACTIVISTS CHARGED WITH �SUBVERTING STATE POWER�
Communist China charged two Christian activists � attorney Xiao Biguang and church leader Zhang Yinan � with �subverting state power� (Newsmax). Xiao and Zhang were arrested about a month ago (see 10/15 Update). Also reporting: World Net Daily
Communist China only allows religions regulated by the Party to exist. Any faith outside Communist control � from Falun Gong to Roman Catholics and untold numbers of Protestant communities � are deemed illegal, at best.
CATHOLIC PRIESTS ARRESTED, FOUNDATION CALLS FOR DEMOCRACIES TO PROTEST
A dozen Roman Catholic priests and seminarians are under arrest in Hebei province after a religious retreat there (London Telegraph via Washington Times). The Cardinal Kung Foundation, a Chinese Catholic rights group, called for �democratic governments to protest against abuses in China� (Cybercast News) in reaction to the arrests. Also reporting: BBC
The Communists allow only �Patriotic� Catholics, i.e., Catholics loyal to the PRC instead of the Vatican, to worship freely. Roughly 10 million reject the Communist church and remain loyal to Pope John Paul II. They are forced to worship in underground churches.
SHANGHAI EVICTION LAWYER SENT TO PRISON FOR THREE YEARS
Zeng Enchong, the Shanghai attorney helping families thrown out of their homes due to a sweetheart deal between local Communists and �private� businessman Zhou Zhengyi, was sent to jail for three years for �passing state secrets to foreigners� (BBC). The PRC has used �state secrets� as cover for arresting embarrassing people within for years.
Zhou, it should be noted, is a favorite �private� businessman in the Shanghai faction, led by Central Military Commission Chair Jiang Zemin. Zhou is currently arrest for corruption, but the investigation has been decidedly slow (see below and 6/4, 6/11, and 6/18 Updates).
OTHER MAINLAND NEWS
HU JINTAO STILL NOT MOVING ON REFORM AND CORRUPTION ISSUES
Hu Jintao�s reputation as a reformer suffered another hit. While in Australia (see International News), Hu resorted to �the hackneyed Jiang line� (Willy Wo-Lap Lam, CNN) on reform, a sure sign that reform is not coming any time soon.
There were other �discouraging signals,� including stricter rules on internet caf�s, the aforementioned death sentence for a Uighur activist, the aforementioned arrest of a dozen Catholic priests, and �the ban on public discussion of sensitive topics, including the revision of the constitution and political reform itself,� which has �continued unabated.�
In a later piece, Lam notes the Hu is also moving far slower than many would like on high-profile corruption cases, in particular the aforementioned Zhou Zhengyi, the �private� businessman who will likely face �two relatively minor offenses,� in part because of his Communist friends in Shanghai.
THREE GORGES DAM HEADED TO THE STOCK MARKET
Communist China is going ahead with a plan to sell shares of Three Gorges Dam on the stock market. The Communists hope to raise over $1 billion from floating shares in the dam, which already has cracks in it. Three Gorges Dam � brainchild of Tiananmen butcher Li Peng � has also been panned as a corrupt ecological disaster. Report: BBC
INDUSTRIAL DEATHS ON THE RISE IN COMMUNIST CHINA
Deaths caused by industrial accidents are up 9% over last year, and that�s just what the Communists are admitting. A labor activist in Hong Kong suspects that the actual number of factory and mine deaths are much higher. It should be noted that all non-Communist, independent labor unions are banned in the PRC. Report: BBC
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
IN AUSTRALIA, HU TALKS UP UNITED NATIONS, TALKS DOWN �SPLITTIST� TAIWAN
PRC President Hu Jintao finished his trip to Australia with a speech to its Parliament and a slew of trade deals, including �a framework document which could eventually lead to a free trade agreement� (BBC). In his speech, Hu praised the United Nations, but ripped the �splittist� (CNN) island democracy of Taiwan. Also reporting: Cybercast News
PROTESTORS BANNED FROM HALL DURING HU�S SPEECH
Two Australian Senators had their plans for a protest of Hu�s speech blocked by the Australian House of Representatives, which banned their presence during the speech. The two Green Party Senators �vowed to wear the Tibetan flag and black arm-bands to protest against China's treatment of political and religious prisoners� (The Age, Australian).
HU VISITS NEW ZEALAND
After signing the aforementioned deals in Australia, Hu promptly headed to New Zealand, where he signed another round of trade deals. HU also �pointedly ignored the 120 Tibetan and Taiwanese protesters� (BBC).
EU JOINS U.S. IN PUSHING COMMUNISTS ON CURRENCY
The European Union is joining the U.S. in trying to persuade Communist China to end its deliberate devaluation of its currency. The rennin (called the Yuan outside the PRC) has been undervalued for a decade, damaging the export sectors of other Asian nations and some American manufacturing. Report: CNN
INDIA AND COMMUNIST CHINA IN BORDER TALKS
India and Communist China have begun another round of border talks. The two fought a border war in 1962; India lost 40,000 square miles of territory in that war. Report: BBC
�SNAKEHEADS� SENT TO JAIL IN UNITED KINGDOM
Two members of a �snakehead� criminal organization were sent to jail for it in the UK. The criminals �would find Chinese immigrants work in Coho in London's West End then take their wages to pay back a "Snakehead" gang in China which helped smuggle them into the UK� (BBC). Usually, the escapees can only accept this extortion or risk deportation.
ROLLING STONES TO STAY OUT OF BEIJING AND SHANGHAI
Two Rolling Stones concerts in Beijing and Shanghai that had been postponed due to the SARS outbreak are now permanently off. The band said rescheduling the concerts were �far more complicated and difficult than expected� (BBC). The Communists had already banned four songs from the group�s repertoire (see 3/12 and 4/2 Updates).
REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS
TAIWAN PREPARING HUMAN RIGHTS LAW
Taiwan is putting together �a Human Rights Basic Law which is due to be debated� some time in the next two months. Among the law�s current provisions are plans �to legitimise (UK sp) gay marriage� � an Asian first if passed (BBC) � and a ban on capital punishment.
WIDOW OF CHIANG KAI-SHEK DIES
Soong May-ling, known to the world as Madame Chiang Kai-shek, died in New York last week at the age of 105. She was the leading spokesperson for her husband�s Nationalist government both during World War II and after it fled to Taiwan to escape the Communists. Reports: BBC, CNN, New York Post, Newsmax, Washington Post
HONG KONG NEWS
LEGISLATURE TO HOLD SARS INQUIRY
Hong Kong�s Legislative Council will conduct its own investigation of the Communist-appointed regime�s reaction to the SARS epidemic. The first of its kind probe was backed by pro-democracy and pro-Beijing parties in the LegCo. Report: BBC
TIBET NEWS
RUSSIAN POLITICIAN TRYING TO GET PRC TO OK DALAI LAMA VISIT
After Russia blocked the Dalai Lama from visiting the region of Kalmykia �for fear of annoying the Chinese government� (Cybercast News), the leader of that region � home to 150,000 Tibetan Buddhists � is going to the source. He visited the PRC in the hopes of convincing the Communists �that the visit would be �purely religious.��
Sign the petition for an American boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Miss an Update, Weekly Links, or a North Korea Report? Find it via our home page.
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.