News of the Day (June 24)

U.S. wants Communist China to coax SNK back to talks: Where do we begin? The Bush Administration said Communist China is “not doing enough to cajole North Korea back to nuclear talks” (Washington Post). In particular, Undersecretary of State Robert Joseph had this to say: “The Chinese can exert more influence. China has to make a decision how to influence North Korea. It has a number of tools.” This inspires one unfortunate question from this corner (seventh item): does crow taste like chicken? Meanwhile, the Post itself – or to be more precise, Dafna Linzer – actually referred to Communist China and South Korea as “the two U.S. allies.” This brings us to our second – and far more familiar – question, regarding Linzer and Joseph: will they never learn?

We’ll stay with Stalinist North Korea for now . . .

SNK and South Korea talks conclude: How the talks between Stalinist North Korea and South Korea went depends on the news source. United Press Int’l (via Washington Times) focused on the “agreed . . . set of measures Thursday to ease concerns about Pyongyang's nuclear weapons ambitions and to promote cross-border reconciliation.” However, readers of the BBC will see the talks made “little headway.” Voice of America (via Epoch Times) landed somewhere between the first two. However, all agreed that the Stalinists set no date for a return to the badly over-hyped talks on its nuclear weapons.

Relatives of abduction victims want sanctions against SNK: Relatives of the Japanese citizens abducted by Stalinist North Korea between 1977 and 1983 “are demanding that Japan impose economic sanctions against Pyongyang” (BBC). The relatives were joined by activists outside the Japanese House of Representatives office building for the start of a three-day protest (UPI/Washington Times). The Stalinists admitted to kidnapping 13 Japanese citizens, five of whom have since been allowed to return home with their families. SNK insists that the eight others are dead, despite a lack of evidence and many facts pointing to the contrary. It is widely believed many more Japanese were seized.

CNOOC bid for Unocal, Communist currency roil Capitol Hill: A Senate Finance Committee hearing became a grilling session for Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and Treasury Secretary John W. Snow as Senators from both parties ripped Communist China’s bid for American oil giant Unocal (third item) and the Communists’ deliberately devalued currency – which has damaged American manufacturing and other Asian exporters, including America’s allies. Among those demanding more action (Fox News) were Democrats Charles Schumer (New York) and Max Baucus (Montana), and Republicans Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) and Jim Bunning (Kentucky). Greenspan and Snow continued to oppose a bill – sponsored by Graham and Schumer (second item) – to impose a currency-corrective tariff on Communist imports (BBC). Meanwhile, Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) was among many “members (who) demanded an administration review of the bid, required under the Defense Production Act, to determine potential economic and security risks” (Washington Post). House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo (R-California), also called for a probe (Newsmax).

Poll finds Communist China more popular than U.S., unless it gets too powerful: A poll by the Pew Research Center found “that China is viewed more favorably than the US in many countries” (BBC). Distressing as that sounds, there is one hopeful caveat: “Solid majorities in every European nation except Turkey would not like to see China rival the US as a military superpower.” In other words, the Communists are OK unless they actually make good on their plans to be a superpower, confirming the Victor Davis Hanson theory on the subject (eighth item).

More fallout from Chen Yonglin and Hao Fengjun: The Epoch Times excerpts Chen’s Wednesday press conference. Ceng Ni, Epoch Times, examines web reaction to a cadre’s propaganda on the subject. Zhou Wei, also in the Epoch Times, reveals her experience as with Communist spies as a student in Communist China. Finally, the editors of the Asian-Pacific Post (Canada) laments the plight of Robert Allan Read, a Canadian Mountie “who sacrificed his career to alert you about the activities of Beijing‘s agents in the country” – i.e., the espionage ring Hao exposed. Join our call to grant Chen, his family, and Hao Fengjun asylum in the United States.

Alberta examining Communist slander against Falun Gong: The Justice Ministry of the Canadian province of Alberta “is looking at possible charges against staff at the Chinese consulate over alleged propaganda material defaming the Falun Gong movement, according to city police” (Edmonton Sun). The cadres first caught the eye of Edmonton police for handing out slanderous booklets against the spiritual movement.

Hong Kong leader takes oath – in Beijing: Who “elected” Donald Tsang the Chief Executive of Hong Kong again? “Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao presented Mr. Tsang with his appointment letter as chief executive of the territory” (BBC), after Tsang took his oath of office in Beijing. One country, one-and-a-half systems rolls on.

Lies, damned lies, and Communist statistics: The Epoch Times presents a microcosm of the problem with cadre stats – the village of Santai and its instant millionaires.