News of the Day (August 9)

Communists rip Chen Shui-bian for honoring Lee Teng-hui: Chen Shui-bian, the elected President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), “attended the fourth anniversary of the Taiwan Solidarity Union, a political party founded by former Taiwanese president Lee Teng-hui” (United Press Int’l via Washington Times). Lee, the man who brought democracy to Taiwan, founded the TSU after leaving Kuomintang in disgust over its cozying to Communist China. Chen and Lee “have been mending political fences in preparation for elections scheduled for the end of the year.” The Communists called the whole thing “a meeting of a Taiwan independence organization.”

SNK talks scheduled to resume on August 29: The talks on Stalinist North Korea’s nucelar weapons will continue on Augst 29, and an unnamed U.S. official told UPI (via Washington Times) that the Stalinists have “no room for ambiguity.” The talks have already earned the Stalinists concessions without any end to its building and hiding of nucelar weapons, and if this unnamed UPI (via Washington Times) analysis is any indication, the fact of “dubious momentum” is finally starting to dawn on folks. However, Nicholas Eberstadt, American Enterprise Institute, stumbles badly in Time Asia when he calls for “mending the relationship with Seoul and establishing better rapport with Beijing, North Korea's two main financial backers.” Will they never learn?

As Communist energy inefficiencies mount, Australia comes to the rescue: Communist China’s ennergy shortage (tenth, sixth, eighth, sixth, and ninth items) is garnering more attention: the inefficiencies of its energy sector caught the eye of Peter S. Goodman (Washington Post via MSNBC). Unfortunately, Australia, the folks that tried to send Chen Yonglin back to the Communists, “plans to negotiate a nuclear cooperation agreement with China so uranium sales can begin” (CNN). Sigh.

U.S. attempts to resettle Uighurs wins praise: Tom Malinowski, Washington director for Human Rights Watch, praised the Bush Administration for its efforts to find a safe haven for Uighur detainees who would certainly be tortured – at the least – if they are returned to Communist-occupied East Turkestan (ninth item): “They are doing the right thing with the Uigurs . . . either find a third country or keep them” (Washington Post). That’s not eaxtly true, however, they can let the Uighurs come to the United States.

U.S. and India to engage in joint air force exercises: Whether this is a response to the Russia-Communist China joint exercises (fourth and third items) is not known, but Indian Air Chief Marshall S.P. Tyagi announced, “The United States Air Force will come here for joint exercises in November this year” (UPI via Washington Times, second item).

Americans among Christians rounded up by Communists in Hubei: Communists in Hubei province arrested 41 “underground” Christian pastors and an untold number of believers. Among those sent to prison – “where some of them were tortured” (World Net Daily) – were to Americans. The number of Catholics and Protestants who shun Communist-run churches so as nothing can come between themselves and their God are now believed to number 100 million (fifth item).

Communist “pig fever” claim netting more doubters: More outside analysts are casting doubt on Communist China’s claim that the epidemic in Sichuan province is a “pig fever” (Time Asia). One of them, Dr. Marcelo Gottschalk of the University of Montreal, publicly criticized the cadres for refusing any outside help with the disease, which at least one doctor says is actualy Ebola (fourth item). Can you say SARS-redux?

On Communist China and the United States: The Epoch Times reprints two chilling speeches from former Defense Minster and Central Military Commission vice-chairman Chi Hoatian on the prospect of war with the United States. Meanwhile, Carolyn Bartholomew, a member of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, laid out the dangers in the now-dead Communist bid for Unocal. Bill Powell, Time Asia, examines how said Unocal bid died.

On the Communist Chinese economy: Professor Hu Xingdou spoke to the Epoch Times about Communist China’s currency move and the smoke and mirrors in its economic statistics (tenth, sixth, and last items).

On Malaysia’s crackdown against the Epoch Times: Zeng Ni laments Malaysia’s continued attempts to keep the paper from its citizens (sixth and fifth items).