News of the Day (May 6)

The Stalinist regime takes the spotlight again . . .

As SNK may be preparing nuclear test, neighbors lose patience (save one): U.S. intelligence are still (next to last item) “monitoring a recent stream of satellite photographs of North Korea that appear to show rapid, extensive preparations for a nuclear weapons test” (New York Times, registration may be required). Meanwhile, Japan’s Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura publicly warned the Stalinist that his nation would “think of other options, such as taking this matter to the United Nations Security Council” (BBC) if the regime doesn’t return to already much-maligned talks on its nuclear weapons. Even, South Korea’s dovish government is rediscovering the uses of a spine (United Press International via Washington Times). Communist China – the Stalinists’ ally for fifty years – had nothing to say.

One more foolish wish for Communist China to help us vis a vis SNK: David Ignatius, Washington Post, joins the hobgoblin of little minds: “The only perverse benefit of a North Korean nuclear test is that it would force neighboring states – such as China and South Korea – to end their denial and face reality.” Will they never learn?

Speaking of Communist China . . .

Communists forcing broadband internet use to make crackdown easier: The cadres are now forcing broadband users to “download the new system administrative software which is said to be capable of not only filtering all overseas e-mail accounts, but also of monitoring users” (Epoch Times). Further, given the fact that “dial-up connections are able to use proxy servers which can bypass the domestic server that is controlled by the CCP,” the Communists are having them “eliminated.”

U.S. officials to push Communist China on currency, we think: Officials from the Treasury Department will meet with Communist counterparts on Monday. It is widely assumed their will be a discussion on the deliberately devalued Communist currency, which has damaged American manufacturing and export producers in our Asian allies. However, both sides “are downplaying the meeting” (BBC).

Follow-ups on Shi Tao and the Falun Gong-Hong Kong case: John Nania, Epoch Times, provides the background on the recent reversal of the convictions against Falun Gong practitioners demonstrating in Hong Kong (second item). Xinfei, also in the Epoch Times, does the same on the plight of imprisoned reporter Shi Tao (fourteenth item).

Commentary on Communist China: An unnamed “Concerned Global Citizen” calls for more resignations from the Chinese Communist Party in the Epoch Times. Hu Shaojiang,
Radio Free Asia (via Epoch Times) details how the Communists economic policies are leading to rampant overdevelopment and corruption. Meghan Cox Gurdon, National Review Online, confronts the “Made in China” label. Stan Grant, CNN, examines the Communist “mirage” of freedom of religion.