| CHINA E-LOBBY UPDATE: DECEMBER 6, 2000 TOP STORY: COMMUNIST JUSTICE MINISTER RESIGNS UNDER CLOUD OF SUSPICION OSTENSIBLY LEAVES FOR �HEALTH REASONS,� MANY SUSPECT CORRUPTION In what may be the highest case of official corruption in the People�s Republic of China to see the light of day, Justice Minister Gao Changli resigned last week for �health reasons.� According to the BBC, that is the main reason given for departures due to suspicion of corruption. What makes this unusual is that Gao is a prot�g� of Prime Minister Zhu Rongji, who leads the �reformer� faction of the Chinese Communist Party. Not all suspect corruption is at issue, though. A foreign diplomat apparently told Reuters news agency that Gao was forced to leave because he was unable to push through desperately needed legal reforms. Still another theory says he angered Communist President Jiang Zemin by making a book of Jiang�s quotes, which violates anti-personality cult rules, but Jiang has been keen on raising his own profile over the past year. Link: BBC FOLLOW UP: CANADIAN OFFICALS PUSH TO DEPORT LAI CHANGXING BACK TO PRC Canadian immigration officials are petitioning the courts to deport Lai Changxing, the man at the center of the Xiamen smuggling scandal, to Communist China despite the fact that he faces an all-but-certain execution there. Lai�s attorney said Canada, which has no death penalty, is doing this because �they want to be seen as cooperating with officials in China.� Lai supposedly has information against many top Chinese Communists. Link: Washington Post HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS NEWS U.S. DEMANDS RELEASE OF FALUN GONG MEMBER ACCUSED OF SPYING The United States publicly asked for the release of Teng Chunyan, a Falun Gong follower arrested for exposing Communist abuses of members of the spiritual movement. Teng, a U.S. resident, revealed to the media how the Communists imprisoned Falun Gong practitioners in a mental institution. In response the PRC is trying her for espionage. Link: AFP CHINA DEMOCRACY PARTY ACITIVISTS FACING MORE MISTREATMENT PRISON The Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said Communist China was continuing to mistreat members of the China Democracy Party (CDP) currently in prison. Wang Youcai, a party founder, was denied medical examinations despite �coughing up a lot of blood,� as his wife told AFP. Another CDP member, Wu Yilong, who is on a hunger strike, is not allowed to see his wife. Link: AFP HONG KONG RESIDENT TORTURED INTO MURDER CONFESSION MAY BE EXECUTED Amnesty International called on Communist China to stay the execution of Zhuo Xiaojun, a Hong Kong citizen convicted of murder in 1990. AI said Zhou�s confession was beaten out of him, and several witnesses also gave testimony �under duress.� Link: AFP TIANANMEN PROTESTOR BLOCKED FROM SEEING SISTER Liu Wensheng, a protestor in Tiananmen Square recently released from prison, told AFP that Communist Chin has blocked his entry into Shenzhen to see his sister. Liu, who hasn�t seen his sister since 1992, believes the Communists are worried he �might do something they don�t like.� The PRC released Liu early last spring to win over U.S. Senators who were about to vote on PNTR for Communist China. Link: AFP AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS COMMUNIST CHINES INFLUENCE GROWING IN ASIA; AMERICAN INFLUENCE FADING The Washington Times reported this week that Communist China is increasing its influence in Asia, while American influence is on the decline. Link: Washington Times U.S. DELEGATION VISITS TAIWAN, PRC A delegation of former high-ranking American officials is in Taipei to assess the situation between Communist China and Taiwan, according to AFP. They will meet with the leaders of all four of Taiwan�s political parties, President Chen Shui-bian, and Vice President Annette Lu. They�ll go to Beijing later this week. Link: AFP INTERNATIONAL NEWS COMMUNIST CHINA HITS UK COMMITTEE REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS The Communist Foreign Ministry criticized a report by a British all-party parliamentary committee that said human rights had deteriorated over the past two years. A PRC spokesperson said the committee�s findings, reported in the last update, were �out of touch with the Chines people,� according to the BBC. Link: BBC COMMUNIST CHINA DROPS OPPOSITION TO TALIBAN SANCTIONS CNN, citing a source from the Clinton Administration, reports the Communist China has chosen to abstain on the issue of UN sanctions for the Taliban government of Afghanistan unless they expel terrorist Osama bin Laden. The sanctions, which the PRC could have vetoed, would only last one year, but could be renewed. Link: CNN PROTESTS ONE THOUSAND GARMENT WORKERS BLOCK RAILWAY The Information Center on Human Rights and Democracy in China told the media of a demonstration in Chuzhou over the possible loss of jobs. One thousand garment workers blocked the Beijing-Shanghai railway before being dragged by police, one by one. BBC reported there was no comment on the matter from the Communist government. Link: BBC CORRUPTION NEWS MORE HEADS ROLL IN XIAMEN SCANDAL; PROVINCIAL LEADER, VICE-MAYOR FIRED The Communist Party has decided to fire Fujian province�s Party secretary and Xiamen�s vice mayor due to their complicity in the city�s smuggling scandal, according to AFP. Chen Mingyi, while Party secretary, promoted several scandal-tainted officials, according to Sing Tao Daily. Su Shuili, the vice mayor, will also face trail for his actions. Link: AFP COMMUNISTS CLAIM 95 PERCENT OF STOLEN THREE GORGES DAM MONEY IS RECOVERED Communist-run media said today that 95 percent of the funds embezzled from the Three Gorges Dam project had been recovered, according to AFP. The dam, brainchild of Tiananmen butcher Li Peng, lost over 600 million to embezzlement. The dam has also caused several protests from the 1.3 million residents whose homes will be flooded by the dam. Link: AFP OTHER MAINLAND NEWS COMMUNIST PRESIDENT JIANG PRAISES PURSUIT OF WEALTH Communist President Jiang Zemin, in a speech reported by BBC, said it was honorable to �become millionaires� and praised the private sector. He also said people must enrich themselves in accordance with the law, which, by the way, does not allow private property, only the granting of various rights of property. Link: BBC REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) NEWS ROC SAYS NEW ANTI-SHIP MISSILE BETTER THAN COMMUNIST SUNBURN According to Taiwan�s Central News Agency (CNA), the Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology has developed a supersonic anti-ship missile that has a faster speed and longer range than the Sunburn missiles Communist China recently purchased from Russia. The Institute would not elaborate on the specifics of the new Hsingfeng-3 missile. Link: CNA DEMOCRATIC PROGRESSIVE PARTY SUPPORTS USING CONSTITUTION AS RESPONSE TO PRC The chairman of President Chen Shui-bian�s Democratic Progressive Party, which officially supports Taiwanese independence, said he supports a recommendation to use the ROC Constitution to form a response to Beijing�s �One China� demands. Frank Hsieh said the idea was �remarkable,� because the Constitution leaves the question of independence open. Link: AFP NATIONAL UNIFICATION COUNCIL EXISTS �ONLY IN NAME�: CHEN In a statement sure to annoy the opposition, President Chen has said the National Unification Council, formed in 1990 to advise the ROC President on reunification matters, is �existing only in name.� The two major opposition parties � Kuomintang (Nationalist) and People First � support reunification with a democratic, non-Communist mainland. Link: AFP POLICE NAB PASSPORT STEALER; WAS PART OF EFFORT TO HELP MAINLANDERS ESCAPE CNA reported the arrest Wu Wei-chun, a leader of a group who stole passports to help those who charge residents of Communist China to help them escape. Several criminal organization charge up to $40,000 for the documents needed to leave the PRC, including the passports Wu stole. Those who do leave must either work off the debt in practical servitude, or risk being returned to Communist China. Link: CNA via BBC TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS WITH PRC LIFTED; TRADE BARRIERS TO FOLLOW Parliament passed legislation to drop travel restrictions from mainland Chinese visiting on business or for tourism, according to AFP, which cited CNA. Meanwhile, Vice Economic Minister Chen Reuy-Long told the China Times that Taiwan would lift trade barriers to Communist China next year in anticipation of entry into the World Trade Organization. Links: AFP/CNA - travel restrictions, China Times - trade barriers Next month, Taiwan plans to lift all restrictions on travel, trade, and mail between the PRC and two Taiwan-controlled islands, Kinmen and Matsu. AFP reported this week that Taiwan is tightening security in anticipation, particularly at airports. Link: AFP HONG KONG NEWS SUPPORTERS OF DEMOCRACY REFUSE TO BE SILENT IN HONG KONG Asiaweek reported in this week�s issue on the rise of political activism in Hong Kong, which is roiling the Communist-friendly business community. Protests are on the rise on a whole host of issues, from ecology to housing. All agree, however, that the biggest problem is the lack of openness and limited democracy in Hong Kong. One businessman likened the protests to the Cultural Revolution; his logic behind that was a mystery. Link: Asiaweek Asiaweek has three other pieces on Hong Kong�s political turmoil: commentary by student leader Gloria Chang, a story on activist Leung Kwok-hung, and a quick who�s-who in the battle for political freedom. HONG KONG FALUN GONG FOLLOWERS CONTINUE TO KEEP THE FAITH AFP reported on the plight of Falun Gong followers in Hong Kong, where the spiritual movement is still legal, but under increasing government pressure. One member was arrested in Shenzhen, a neighboring city, and spent eight months in jail. Link: AFP HONG KONG DEMOCRATS RE-SHUFFLE LEADERSHIP POSTS The Hong Kong iMail Web Site reported this week that the Hong Kong Democratic Party will undergo a major leadership re-shuffle later this month. Although party chairman Martin Lee will retain his post, his two deputies are leaving. The Democrats are the leading opposition to Communist China�s appointed government in Hong Kong. Link: Hong Kong iMail TIBET NEWS DALAI LAMA RESUMES INFORMAL CONTACT WITH PRC The Dalai Lama, Tibet�s spiritual leader, has reopened unofficial contact with Communist China. According to AFP, he sent his older brother to meet with PRC leaders, and has proposed sending a formal delegation to Beijing. He has heard no response. Communist China, which cut off contact with the Dalai Lama in 1998, did not confirm or deny the contact. Link: AFP XINJIANG/EAST TURKESTAN NEWS NATURAL GAS PROJECT LATEST SCHEME TO BUY SUPPORT Communist China launched another economic development scheme to head off �possible dissatisfaction and social unrest in the western provinces,� as CNN put it in its story. The PRC has had several such plans; this one involves extracting natural gas. The Communist still won�t stop their treatment of Uighur Muslims, so this latest move will probably mean little to those seeking an independent, non-Communist East Turkestan. 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