News of the Day (September 13)

Stalinists demand “peaceful” nuclear program: Stalinist envoy Kim Gye Kwan insisted his nation had a “right” (BBC) to a nuclear energy program that “is neither awarded nor needs to be approved by others.” Kim made the comments just before six-party talks resumed on the Stalinists’ nuclear weapons program. U.S. envoy Christopher R. Hill has earlier called such a demand “not exactly a showstopper” (see also item), which, according to the BBC, “could mean he would be prepared to fudge the wording in any agreement.” Will they never learn? Also reporting: CNN

On Communist China and the War on Terror (warning – echo chamber moment): The Epoch Times reprinted Part II and Part III of yours truly’s three-part post on Communist China’s role in the War on Terror.

U.S. may take in Tibetan refugees in Nepal: The Bush Administration informed Tibet’s government in exile that it “is willing to consider resettling Tibetans in the United States as part of its refugee program” (United Press Int’l via Washington Times). The Tibetans in question are those currently in Nepal, which has recently been sending escaped Tibetans back to the Communists (last, last, last, seventh, and sixth items). The cadres have responded with arms for dictatorial monarch King Gyanendra (ninth item).

On Hu Jintao and visiting: Exiled dissident Fang Jue examines the Communist leader’s upcoming visit to New York (Boxun). Meanwhile, Xin Fei, Epoch Times, talks to exiled dissident Zhang Weiguo about the incentives the Communists dole out overseas to recruit welcome rallies for visiting cadres; Li Dan, Epoch Times, also weighs in.

Clinton says he didn’t know about Shi Tao: After an internet conference speech in Hangzou where he conveniently forgot to discuss human rights (eighth item), former President Bill Clinton was pressed on why he didn’t mention the Shi Tao/Yahoo outrage (fourteenth, fifth, lead, third, eighth, and seventh items). His claimed that “he only heard about the Shi Tao case . . . after he addressed the summit” (Cybercast News).

Zhang Lin goes on hunger strike: Dissident Zhang Lin, recently sent to a Communist prison for “subversion”, went on a hunger strike “to protest against his five-year prison sentence and to demand to be allowed to see his lawyer, Mo Shaoping” (Boxun). Meanwhile, an unnamed writer tells Boxun what he/she knows of Zhang’s captivity.

On China Telecom vs. non-Communist VOIP: Edward Lanfranco, UPI via Washington Times, examines the Communist-owned firm’s battle against SkypeOut’s voice over internet protocol (eighth item).

Peasants attack polluting mines, local villages heads band together with them: Polluting mines and factories, rivers dying, angry peasants, it’s just another day in Communist China’s rural interior – except that the peasants “used farm tools and their bare hands to destroy more than 200 mining sites” (Washington Post). What’s more: “village leaders have joined forces against the central government in an unauthorized organization” to help the revolt. The villagers who talked to the Post were all chosen in Communist-sponsored “elections;” previous leaders have run into trouble when they have chosen to stand by the people rather than the Party (thirteenth item).

IMF recommends Communist float currency: The International Monetary Fund advised Communist China to end the peg on its currency (BBC). Communist China made a miniscule revaluation it its currency this summer, but it’s still devalued enough to damage both American manufacturing and the export sectors of our Asian allies.

Zeng Qinghong welcomes Disney – but not democracy – to Hong Kong: Communist Vice President Zeng Qinghong visited Hong Kong for the opening of its new Disney theme park and call for “the people of Hong Kong to speed up the city's development and to seek harmony and the common good with a generous mind” (UPI via Washington Times). Of course, democracy was pointedly absent from Zeng’s list of priorities, as one country, one-and-a-half systems rolls on.