News of the Day (April 8)

John Paul II funeral has Chen Shui-bian, no one from Communist China: Communist China chose not to send anyone to the funeral of Pope John Paul II. This was in reaction to the appearance of Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian (BBC, Cybercast News). Meanwhile, the idea of the Vatican breaking off diplomatic relations with Taiwan came in for criticism by Doug Bandow of the Cato Institute (Washington Times) and the editors of the New York Sun (via Project for the New American Century). Kate McGeown, BBC, also weighed in with a neutral, but decent, analysis.

More on Communist China and Latin America: Cybercast News reports on the testimony of more officials to the House subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere regarding Communist China’s growing influence south of the border (third item).

U.S. and Communist China to hold “regular” meetings: For the first time, the United States will hold “regular senior-level talks on a range of political, security and possibly economic issues” (Washington Post) with Communist China. The talks, to be led by Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, are in response to the reality acknowleged by an unnamed “senior administration official”: “China is everywhere now.” Sadly, however, the Administration is only looking “to raise the bar of expectations on how they pursue their interests,” rather than block said pursuits by this criminal regime.

Citing Communist thirst for oil, Gaffney wants alternative fuels push: Frank Gaffney, Jr., of the Center for Security Policy, is joining “a band of national security conservatives who sound like environmentalists in urging President Bush and Congress to push for U.S. energy independence by weaning Americans from oil use” (San Fransisco Examiner). Green hues aside, Gaffney makes an excellent point for the cause: “The Chinese are on the march trying to secure access to oil and choke points. This could be part of a medium- to long-term strategy to confront us or go to war with us.”

Communist-Rover deal collapses: Some day they will thank Rover for being too financially shaky to be de facto bought out (seventh item) by Communist China (BBC).

Resignations grow despite Communist crackdown on internet: As Communist China “upgraded its techniques in blocking Internet access” (Epoch Times) in order to thwart the Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party, the resignations from the Party continue to grow, including one poignant resignation from the grave (Epoch Times).

Anti-Communist protest held in Hong Kong: Communist material and propaganda were torn up by protesters in Hong Kong commemorating those “who had died due to persecution under the Chinese Communist Party” (Epoch Times).

Communists promise to clean up fur industry: Not wanting to have animal-rights activist join the rest of us in the anti-Communist coalition (third item), cadres in Hebei province are “promising reforms” (United Press International via Washington Times) in how they make furs. Abuses against humans remain unchanged.

On the price of power, literally, in Communist China: Hua Tu, formerly “a division chief in the Chinese Communist Party” (Epoch Times) has “seen, heard, and personally experienced the corrupt practices common in political circles.” He has seen so much that he was able to list the prices of various Party and military positions in his piece.

On the Falun Gong War: Anqi Yang & Vanessa Rios, Epoch Times, view the powerful art exhibit depicting the Communist methods of torture against Falun Gong practitioners.

On the Communist textile export surge: Gary Heiman, head of Standard Textile, dismisses the claim that Communist China’s devalued currency and regime support for textile exports is really hurting the U.S. textile industry. Even worse, his Washington Post op-ed ignores one major reason for the cadres’ gain at the home producers’ expense – wages kept low by the extensive use of prison labor and the ban on independent unions.

Hu Jintao to visit Stalinist North Korea, which may restart talks: The Communist leader “has decided to visit Pyongyang in the first half of this year” (Dong-a Ilbo, South Korea). Meanwhile, “six-way talks surrounding the North Korean nuclear issue will resume around the middle of May, according to a report by the Yomiuri Shimbun from Washington, quoting a high-ranking U.S. official.” Here’s why that’s not good news

Stalinist military manual cites “psychological warfare” by United States: A manual for SNK’s army “warns that the United States may use bribery and psychological warfare to weaken allegiance to the regime of Kim Jong-il” (Washington Times), claiming such methods were used against Saddam Hussein’s army. If only it were true.

A weak column on South Korea: Choong Nam Kim, Washington Times, has a column that does well in describing the political situation in South Korea, particularly its resurgent dovish side. So why does yours truly call the column weak? It makes the same mistake South Korea doves make – that the regime of Kim Jong-il is the best northern Korea can hope for before a possible reunification. The fact that liberating northern Korea would be in the best interests of the people there – while making reunification infinitely easier to achieve – seems lost on both Choong and the subject of her column.