News of the Day (March 18)

“Anti-secession law” revives U.S. arms package to Taiwan: The $18 billion arms sale from the U.S. to Taiwan – stymied after December’s legislative elections on the island democracy – have new life after the Communists passed their “anti-secession law.” The package is slightly smaller now - $15.8 billion. Report: Washington Post

Russia says joint exercise with Communist China not aimed at Taiwan: General Yury Baluyevsky, head of Russia’s military, denied earlier reports that his military’s upcoming joint exercise with Communist China included “a Chinese invasion in Taiwan” (Novosti, Russia). The general stated the joint war games were “by no means directed against any third party,’ and called the invasion drill report “pure fiction.” Russia remains Communist China’s largest arms supplier.

Ukraine admits sending missiles to Communist China: The government of Ukraine “admitted to exporting missiles, designed to carry nuclear warheads, to Iran and China” (United Press International/Washington Times). The six missiles were sold to the Communists three years before the election which replaced retiring President Leonid Kutchma with his leading political opponent, Viktor Yushchenko.

Resignations approach 350,000: The number of Chinese Communist Party members who have resigned in disgust after viewing the Nine Commentaries was almost 350,000 as of 9AM. Resignations are still being posted to the Epoch Times (here and here) and are even ending up on bulletin boards in Communist China itself (Epoch Times).

Rebiya Kadeer now in United States: Rebiya Kadeer, the Uighur activist jailed for over five years for trying to send newspaper articles to the U.S. (the Communists called it “endangering state security”), is now safe in the United States (BBC). Kadeer is a Uighur – a member of the leading ethnic group in East Turkestan before and after it was invaded by the Communists in 1949 (the Communists would have you believe East Turkestan is a Chinese province called “Xinjiang”). The Uighurs, arguably the most pro-American Muslims on Earth, have suffered brutally under the fifty-plus-year occupation.

From the Falun Gong War: Meng Xiangji, a student at Purdue University, called on Communist China to release her mother, Liu Guifu, from jail. Liu has been arrested five times for her belief in Falun Gong. Report: Epoch Times

Cadres set up mining safety office: The Communists announced with much fanfare the creation of “a special department to try and cut the country's high number of coal mining accidents” (BBC). However, nothing was mentioned about ending the ban on independent labor unions, which puts miners at the mercy of miner owners – many of whom are also local or provincial cadres, including “safety inspectors” (fifth item).

Commentary on Communist China: Arnold Beichman, Washington Times, calls for “joint congressional resolution supporting” President Bush’s call from worldwide democracy, but unlike the President, he adds Communist China as a target of said resolution. Meanwhile, Lev Navrozov (Newsmax) is baffled by the failure of both the American “establishment” and its leading critics to focus on the Communist China threat.

IAEA head calls Stalinist North Korea a greater threat than Iran: International Atomic Energy Agency Chief Mohammed ElBaradei told CNN that the Stalinist North is “imminent threat or an imminent danger,” something Iran was not, in his view. The fact that they both have been greatly aided militarily by Communist China – and are helping each other in regards to missile improvement (eleventh item) – seemed to escape him.

Rice calls on SNK to return to talks: Meanwhile, in Japan, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on SNK to “come to the six-nation talks” (Washington Post) and “be in the spirit of trying to move forward in those talks.” One would have hoped the rather depressing history of previous rounds of talks on the Stalinist nuclear arsenal would lead the U.S. to the more rational policy of liberation. Sadly, one would be wrong.