News of the Day (April 15)

Apologies to all for the tardiness of this installment.

EU arms ban on Communist China to stay in place: The effort of France and Germany to lift the European Union arms embargo on Communist China collapsed as Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and the Czech Republic refused to support it (Washington Times). All 25 member nations would have had to agree to lift the embargo for it to be done. The news came as the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to keep the embargo (Cybercast News) for the second time in ten months (seventeenth item). Even Germany’s Green Party, part of that nation’s governing coalition, came out in favor of the embargo. Meanwhile, U.S. officials announced a “strategic dialogue” (Cybercast News) on “the security situation in the Asia-Pacific” with the EU to begin next week.

Cadres decide anti-Japan riots served their purpose and want them stopped: After a protest in Beijing turned into an attack on the Japanese Embassy (third item), the Communists are warning against “unauthorized (UK sp) anti-Japanese rallies this weekend” (BBC). Perhaps the fact that the Japanese “appear to be moving closer in response to rising anti-Japanese sentiments in China” (Washington Times) caught the cadres’ attention. As for last weekend’s riot, those naïve enough to believe the Communists didn’t know what was happening might want to check out this from the New York Times (registration may be required): “the police herded protesters into tight groups, let them take turns throwing rocks, then told them they had ‘vented their anger’ long enough and bused them back to campus.” One protestor said he “felt like a puppet.”

Communist China votes against all dictator-specific motions at UNHRC: Communist China used its seat on the United Nations Human Rights Commission to opposed all three resolution aimed at the practices of specific dictatorships – in this case North Korea, Cuba, and Belarus (Cybercast News). The Communists did support a motion to condemn post-9/11 “defamation” of Muslims (second item) – notwithstanding their brutal treatment of Muslims in occupied East Turkestan, justified by the false claim that the people of East Turkestan are shot through with Osama bin Laden supporters (fifth item).

Voice of America writers in Hong Kong? The Voice of America, created to bring the truth to captive nations, may get some of its material from a captive nation – in this case, Hong Kong. Given the state of one-country, one-and-a-half systems, the Washington Post asks a pertinent question: “what will be written if the Chicoms invade Taiwan. Will there be a story saying, ‘One million brave Chinese volunteers, responding to desperate pleas for help from their cousins in Taipei, crossed the Taiwan Strait this morning’”?

U.S. “cool” on India’s bid for UN Security Council: Faced with a massive charm offensive from Communist China, the U.S. dropped the ball with a less than enthusiastic reaction to India’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council (United Press International via Washington Times). Given that Communist China is talking the bid up with one hand (fourth item) and killing it with the other (eighth item), the U.S. reaction to Communist China’s leading rival on the Asian continent is baffling.

Communist buyout of Rover officially dead: Communist-owned Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation “said it would not hold any further talks with MG Rover about a tie-up or any deal to buy the company out of administration” (BBC). Thus Rover’s attempt at a Communist buyout (seventh item) is dead; then again, so is Rover apparently.

Central player in Xiamen smuggling scandal denied asylum in Canada: Lai Changxing, widely acknowledged to be the central figure in the multi-billion dollar Xiamen smuggling scandal, was again denied asylum in Canada (BBC). Lai has insisted he will be executed if he is sent back to Communist China, and given how high this scandal reached up the Communist hierarchy, he’s probably right.

El Salvador Vice President visits Taiwan: El Salvadoran Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez de Escobar has just ended a five-day visit to Taiwan, during which she pledged “that her country will continue to be a staunch supporter of the Republic of China” (Epoch Times). El Salvador is one of just over two dozen countries that his diplomatic relations with Taiwan, to Communist China’s great chagrin.

Resignations pass 850,000: Those joining the exodus include a provincial commercial manager, a police officer, and another graduate student (both via Epoch Times).

White powder attack hits NTDTV: An envelope full of an unidentified white powder was address to the director of New Tang Dynasty Television’s Toronto branch. It “blew onto his face” (Epoch Times), and he was put in quarantine for over two hours. The news comes as the dissident-run Chinese language network’s contract with Eutelsat ended, thus keeping it out of Communist China. Di Tan, also in the Epoch Times, called on the French satellite company to resist Communist pressure and keep NTDTV on the air.

More on the Zhejiang anti-pollution scuffle: The Epoch Times provided more detail on an anti-pollution protest in Zhejiang that was violently attacked by the Communists (fourth item). Local cadres sent in police and military forces who “indiscriminately used their cars to clear away the villagers, resulting in injuries and deaths.” Shocked and outraged villagers fought back, leading to hundreds of injuries on both sides.

Space – the final frontier, for embezzlement: Not even the cadres’ hallowed space program is immune from corruption. Li Jianzhong – a leading force behind the rockets that put the Communists’ satellites and one taikonaut into orbit (seventh item) – “has been arrested” (BBC) for taking $200,000 in bribes and embezzling $19 million.

Commentary on Communist China: Stanley Kober, of the CATO Institute, warns of the possible effects of the Communists’ charm offensive on India, but his Fox News column foolishly blames the U.S. for “emphasizing the importance of our alliances.” Eric Baculinao, MSNBC, has a piece on Communist China and the Vatican that is just as weak. Worst of all, however, is Larry Kudlow, whose National Review Online column on trade with Communist China completely ignores the Communists’ deliberately devalued currency and their anti-American geopolitical objectives.