Friday, April 29, 2005

News of the Day (April 29)

While there is quite a bit about Communist China today, we must begin with this.

SNK chemical weapons testing on political prisoner confirmed, again: Soon Ok Lee, a former political prisoner of Stalinist North Korea, further confirmed reports from last year that the regime performed “chemical testing on humans” (World Net Daily). The confirmation came as Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Simon Wiesenthal Center Associate Dean, announced plans “to pursue action against the North Korean regime for possible crimes against humanity” including the use of gas chambers against political prisoners. One of the sources for this had been hiding in Communist China, but the cadres caught him and sent him back to the Stalinist North.

Defense Intelligence Agency chief says SNK can arm missiles with warheads: Vice Admiral Lowell E. Jacoby told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Stalinist North Korea “has the ability to arm a missile with a nuclear device” (Washington Post), a major advance for the regime, which is developing missiles that can hit the United States.

U.S. pushing Stalinists on human rights, says envoy: Joseph DeTrani, special envoy to the suspended six-party talks on SNK’s nuclear weapons, told Congress that the U.S. has presented “in both bilateral and multilateral fora, our concerns for the very serious human rights situation in North Korea” (Voice of America via Epoch Times).

Bush still supports six-party talks, but “all options, of course, are on the table”: In a press conference last night, President Bush insisted the suspended talks on the Stalinists’ nuclear weapons were the “best way to solve this problem diplomatically” (Cybercast News), but cryptically added “all options, of course, are on the table.” One of his reasons for pushing the fruitless talks was disturbing: “it’s particularly important to have China involved. China has got a lot of influence in North Korea.” Will they never learn?

Bill Press can’t handle the truth: In a World Net Daily column lsiting his objections to UN Ambassador-designate John Bolton, Bill Press insinuated that Bolton’s reference to Kim Jong-il as a “tyrannical dictator” was irrational. Does the truth hurt that much, Bill?

Now on to Communist China, where Lien Chan sold out Taiwan during his meeting with Communsit leader Hu Jintao. The Nationalist Party leader agreed to “promote the reaching of an agreement to end the hostile situation” (BBC) and, in a joint statement with Hu, called for a “peace accord,” more “periodic contacts between the two parties,” and – get this – “discussion on issues of participation in international activities, which concern the Taiwan public.” In effect, Lien called for a codification of his party’s cozying up to Communist China – something which led to his defeat to President Chen Shui-bian in last year’s elections – but even give the Communists a role in Taiwan’s foreign policy. For the Communists, who have been trying to ignore and isolate Chen and his pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, this was a propaganda bonanza.

Deputy Defense Secretary meets L.A.-threatening Communist general: Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz held talks with Communist Lieutenant General Xiong Guangkai on the regime’s military modernization. Wolfowitz et al were “encouraged in the Chinese response to greater transparency in their military budget” (Bill Gertz, Washington Times). Of course, transparency is nothing new for General Xiong, “known widely in U.S. defense circles for his remark in 1995 that contained a veiled threat by China to use nuclear weapons against Los Angeles, if the United States defended the Republic of China (Taiwan) in a conflict.”

U.S. to launch second probe of Communist exports: The Commerce Department announced a new inquiry into a surge in imports of “Chinese-made shirts, sweaters, dressing gowns and women's underwear” (BBC). The probe, the second to be launched in a month (sixth item), “covers all the areas requested by the American textile industry,” and comes in reaction to the end of worldwide textile trade restrictions this year (fifth item). Communist China’s deliberately devalued currency has not only damaged U.S. textile firms, but also other exporters to the U.S., including the very developing nations who pushed for the restrictions to be dropped.

More Catholic preists arrested in Hebei: As Bishop Jia Zhiguo’s interview with Philip Pan hit the Washington Post, it leaked out that Communist China “arrested seven underground priests who had traveled here to attend a religious retreat organized by Jia.”

“Model Worker” Yao Ming: Houston Rockets Center Yao Ming was given the “vanguard worker” award by Communist China. In accepting the award, Yao had the audacity to call himself a “migrant worker” (BBC), which may come as a surprise to the millions of actual migrant workers “who come by the millions to China's large cities to work long hours on construction sites for less than $5 a day” (Washington Post).

HK legal community protests Communist interference: Communist China’s decision to impose its judgment on Hong Kong regarding the tenure of acting Chief Executive Donald Tsang – and the city’s willingness to give up its autonomy – sparked a silent protest from “people associated with the law or law school students” (Epoch Times). Pro-democracy politicians in Hong Kong wanted the issue resolved by the city’s judiciary, rather than the cadres; one country, one-and-a-half systems rolls on.

On CNN’s “Eye on China” Column series: Among the better columns were Joe Havely’s pieces on the disastrous ecology and, oddly enough, occupied East Turkestan, even though he never talks to anyone from its government-in-exile. Geoff Hiscock’s piece on the Communist economy starts poorly but finishes well. Not quite so good are Kristie LuStout’s column on Communist China’s internet generation, Havely’s piece on the cadres’ global ambitions, and his column on their space program. The worst three are Grant Holloway’s Olympic piece (no mention of the fury this has raised in the human rights community), and Havely’s column on Shanghai (silent on the role its favorite son, Jiang Zemin, may have played in its rise).

On the resignations from the CCP: Among those who attended Saturday’s rally commemorating the one million resignations inspired by the Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party from the Chinese Communist Party was Han Xiang, an exile whose family suffered horrendously in Communist China. He told an unnamed Epoch Times reporter of his family’s travails, and why he felt he needed to be there. Steve Ispas, a Romanian-born Californian, publicly declared in a letter to the Epoch Times his “renunciation” of his Ceaucescu-ordered membership in young Communist groups.

Other Commentary on Communist China: Tom Donnelly, Daily Standard, notes the cadres’ use of nationalism to promote their regime, and what it could mean for the U.S., Japan, and Taiwan. Victor Davis Hanson (National Review Online), listing America’s friend and enemies, notes Japan’s appreciation for the U.S., especially in light of Communist China. Meanwhile, Dennis Boyles, also in NRO (item five) examines France’s willingness to suck up to the Communists, and predicts more of the same.

Thursday, April 28, 2005

News of the Day (April 28)

Lien Chan comes to Beijing: Lien Chan – Taiwan’s Nationalist Party leader and defeated presidential candidate – brought his “journey of peace” to Beijing (BBC) and was warmly praised by Chen Yunlin, Communist China’s Minister of Taiwan Affairs. The United States inexplicably praised Lien’s trip, but also called on the Communists to stop giving the cold shoulder to President Chen Shui-bian, the man actually elected by the people of the island democracy as their leader. In fact, Chen defeated Lien in last year’s election due in large part to Lien’s record of cozying up to Communist China.

Commentary on Lien’s trip: Dan Blumenthal and Gary Schmitt, of the Project for the New American Century (reprinted from the Asian Wall Street Journal), ripped the Nationalists for letting Lien make his trip to Communist China and called on their younger members to “lead their party into a position of responsibility and leadership on national security and defense matters.”

Communist doctors operate on mentally disabled patients without their consent: Two mentally disabled patients “were sent to the hospital to have their cervixes removed” (Epoch Times) without their consent. The Nantong Nursing Home sent the girls to have the operations because they “started menstruating and it’s a hassle to take care of them” (how kind). A whistleblower doctor revealed the outrage; her fate is unknown.

On jailed dissident Yang Jianli: Communist China arrested Yang Jianli three years ago after he re-entered Communist China from exile in the United States (seventh item) to help labor dissidents. He has been repeatedly tortured in prison, suffered a stroke, and is rapidly deteriorating, but the Communists refuse to give him medical parole. Rachel DiCarlo, Daily Standard, has the latest on this outrage.

On the one million resignations from the CCP: Among the many speakers at Saturday’s rally commemorating the one million resignations from the Chinese Communist Party were John Patrick of the China Support Network. Meanwhile, Suman Srinivasan, Epoch Times, was so moved by the resignation-inspired Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party that he “felt shame because I had once regarded Communism as correct and as a hope for humanity.”

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

News of the Day (April 27)

Lien Chan ripped by Taiwan’s Foreign Minister and its ex-President: As Nationalist Party leader and defeated presidential candidate Lien Chan continued his “journey of peace” in Communist China, former President Lee Teng-hui – known as “Mr. Democracy” in Taiwan – blasted the trip and accused Lien of “jeopardizing national security by cozying up to Beijing” (Cybercast News). Lee, who left the Nationalists and is now an ally of President Chen Shui-bian, was joined in his criticism by Foreign Minister Tan Sun Chen, who “compared Lien's trip with visits to North Vietnam by U.S. lawmakers during the Vietnam War.” Chen defeated Lien in last year’s presidential elections due in large part to Lien’s record of said cozying.

Taiwan study reveals Communist ecological mess: Meanwhile, a survey by Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council on Communist China’s ecology found its “air and drinking water are severely polluted, and its ecosystem is out of balance” (Epoch Times).

Australian union official rips “free trade” with Communist China: Australian Manufacturing Workers Union Secretary Doug Cameron took aim at a proposed free trade agreement between his country and Communist China, noting the deliberately devalued Communist currency and the fact that “Workers are thrown in jail for actually complaining against the conditions in China” (Epoch Times).

Hu signs deals with the Philippines: Meanwhile, Philippine President Gloria Arroyo “signed trade and investment deals worth more than $1.5bn” (BBC) with Hu Jintao. The deals involved mining, oil, and infrastructure. Clearly, she needs to talk to Mr. Cameron.

Falun Gong founder insist his group is not political: Li Hongzhi, founder of the Falun Gong spiritual movement, denied Communist charges that Falun Gong is a “reactionary political organization.” Li did speak in favor of the Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party, but only “to clarify the truth” (Epoch Times) about the Party.

Cadre promises safer mines, again: On the heels of more mining accidents and deaths, Communist Vice Premier Huang Ju insisted, “ensuring safe production in coal mines is a top priority of the country” (United Press Int’l via Washington Times). Never mind the fact that the biggest obstacles to mine safety are Communist-caused: the lack of independent unions and mine owners who just happen to be safety inspectors (fifth item).

Cadres tell HK chief he has two years, not five: A dispute on the interpretation of Hong Kong’s Basic Law has been resolved by Zhongnanhai fiat. Communist China decreed that Donald Tsang, chosen by a Communist-appointed panel to replace Tung Chee-hwa as the city’s leader, can only serve two years because Tung resigned early. Pro-democracy politicians in Hong Kong wanted the issue resolved by the city’s judiciary, rather than the cadres; one country, one-and-a-half systems rolls on (BBC).

One million resignations get National Review Online’s attention: Jay Nordlinger, one of the better columnists on Communist China National Review Online (ninth item), notes the one million resignations from the Chinese Communist Party and the rally in New York commemorating the milestone. The Epoch Times reprinted three more speeches from the rally, including Xu Shuiliang, Ann Noonan (Loagai Research Foundation), and yours truly (whose remarks were read in absentia).

Ah, the United Nations Human Rights Commission: In an attempt to show the members of the UN Human Rights Commission the torture methods Communist China uses against Christians, Bob Fu, president of the China Aid Association, demonstrated the use of an electric baton. The Communists claimed Fu “made them feel threatened” (Jason Lee Steorts, National Review Online), and convinced the Commission chairman to expel him, take away his U.N. badge, and seize the baton.

On France and Communist China: The editors of the Washington Times give France a well-deserved dressing down for inanely supporting the cadres’ “anti-secession” law and continuing to try to lift the European Union arms embargo against Communist China.

A bad column on trade with Communist China comes courtesy of Daniel Ikenson, CATO Institute. Ikenson insists any attempt to correct Communist China’s currency devaluation – by talks or tariffs – “would be unlikely to have a meaningful impact on trade” (Fox News). However, he refuses to even discuss the national security implications of sending over $160 billion a year to the cadres.

Another bad column, this one on Stalinist North Korea, comes courtesy of Jude Wanniski (Wanniski.com). Wanniski insists the U.S. open bilateral talks with the Stalinists, assuming – without have the gumption to say so – that Kim Jong-il can be trusted. He even swallows SNK’s attempt to erase its 2002 boast to developing uranium-based nuclear weapons, and he has no time for liberation. Will they never learn?

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

News of the Day (April 26)

Taiwan’s opposition leader visits Communist China, and gets ripped at home: The leader of Taiwan’s largest opposition party – Nationalist Lien Chan – has begun his four-day visit to Communist China . Lien, who brought “senior officials from the Nationalist, or Kuomintang, party, and by more than 100 reporters” (BBC), will hold talks with Hu Jintao on Friday. As Nationalist leader Lien has been cozying up to Communist China for years, while President Chen Shui-bian, who defeated Lien in two elections in five years (BBC), has maintained a firm anti-Communist stance. Lien’s running mate from last year: People First leader James Soong, who “has also accepted an invitation to visit the mainland, and is expected to travel to China next month.” Taiwan’s newspapers largely split on Lien’s trip, depending on whether the paper leans in favor of Lien and Soong (“pan-blue”) or Chen (“pan-green”). Communist papers were, of course, ecstatic (BBC). Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Mark Stokes (retired), formerly a leading Pentagon official on Communist China and now a defense consultant in Taiwan, lamented the balance of power across the Taiwan straits – which is increasingly turning in the Communists favor. He also ripped Lien and his fellow Nationalists, who have blocked Chen’s attempts to win legislative approval for a major arms purchase and thus have “sacrificed long-term interests for short-term political gains” (Bill Gertz, Washington Times).

Communists arrest anti-Japan protestors – in Shanghai: Long after the windows of the Japanese Embassy were broken, Communist China decided to arrest 16 protestors. However, the arrests were not in Beijing, but Shanghai (Washington Post). As for the excuse the Communists used to start the riots – a textbook used by less than 1% of Japanese schools (fifth item) – the BBC’s Rupert Wingfield-Hayes has a powerful response: “Unlike Japan, in China the government really does control history.” Meanwhile, at least one Japanese firm in Communist China chose profits and “docile young workers” (Washington Post) over national security and helped the cadres squelch a strike that demanded an independent labor union – which is illegal in Communist China.

U.S. point man on SNK talks in Communist China: Christopher Hill, the lead U.S. negotiator on Stalinist North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, “is currently in Beijing for talks with Chinese officials on the latest efforts to persuade North Korea to return to the negotiating table” (BBC) for more talks on its nuclear arsenal. Hill ripped the Stalinists for “stalling” (Voice of America via Epoch Times) on the talks. Before trying to enlist the Communists’ aid regarding SNK (Will they never learn?), Hill met with South Korea’s dovish President Roh Moo-hyun (Cybercast News). As for the talks themselves – which include North and South Korea, Japan, Communist China, Russia, and the United States – past history shows restarting them is far from the optimal solution.

Sudan’s best friend in the UN – Communist China: As Sudan slaughters the residents of Darfur province, Communist China is pouring billions into the Islamic regime’s oil fields, and shielding it from any United Nation condemnation (Washington Times).

Australia skittish on East Asian “non-aggression” pact: The non-aggression pact Communist China and other members of the upcoming East Asian Summit are demanding Australia sign (fourth item) is giving the democracy pause, largely due to “its close political and military alliance with the United States” (Cybercast News).

On the Falun Gong War: Stephen Gregory, U.S. editor of the Epoch Times, marks the sixth anniversary (yesterday) of the spiritual movement’s protest in Beijing. The Communists banned the movement three months afterwards, beginning a brutal and deadly crackdown against its practitioners.

On the one million resignations and the Nine Commentaries: He Qinglian talks to Lu Qingshuang (Epoch Times) on the one million resignations from the Chinese Communist Party. The Epoch Times also has the speech of Zeng Zhen of the Global Coalition to Bring Jiang to Justice at the million resignation rally in New York last weekend, and the stories behind some of the million ex-cadres.

On Stalinist North Korea’s “strategic purpose”: Jong-Heon Lee adds another column long on words and short on actual substance – this time on the “strategic purpose” (United Press International via Washington Times) of the Stalinists’ nuclear ambitions. As usual, liberating northern Korea is not even discussed. Will they never learn?

Monday, April 25, 2005

News of the Day (April 25)

One million resignations commemorated amid Nine Commentaries crackdown: Communist China decided ignoring the Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party – and the one million Party resignations it spawned – was not working, and have moved to crackdown on the seminal dissident publication: “anyone found with a copy of the ‘Nine Commentaries’ would be sentenced to a four-year jail term.” The cadres also deemed Falun Gong a “reactionary political organization,” on the assumption practitioners “participated in the publication and distribution” of the Commentaries. Falun Gong has already suffered a nearly six-year-long persecution by the Communists. As this news hit the wires, a rally in New York City in honor of the one million resignations was held, with several dissidents from inside Communist China offering their support (all links, save the Commentaries, via Epoch Times, which also included an explanation as to how the resignations were collected and counted).

Surprise! Hu Jintao is a hard-liner: Phillip Pan, Washington Post (via MSNBC), has an excellent column on the repressive regime of Hu Jintao. The man “engagement” supporters foolishly called a “reformer” is so tyrannical that one economist actually said this: “Looking back at the policies of Jiang Zemin now, it wasn't so bad (emphasis added). . . We survived for 10 years under Jiang, but with Hu Jintao the authorities are trying to shut us down.” Say it with me: once a Communist, always a Communist.

Koizumi meets Hu and gets a lecture: Speaking of Hu Jintao, he met with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for talks on the textbook-riots dispute. Koizumi was hoping to ease tensions (Cybercast News); instead, Hu chose to demand Japan “seriously reflect” (MSNBC) on its past and “never do anything again that would hurt the feelings of the Chinese people” (BBC) – such words from Hu compel yours truly to remind the good readership of the Hanyuan County Massacre. Japan, meanwhile, is turning the tables on the Communists with plans to “scrutinize Chinese textbooks for anti-Japanese passages” (Washington Post) and other “extreme” airbrushes of Communist history.

Commentary on the dispute: The Asian press largely placed the blame on Japan for the brouhaha (BBC, note the Taiwanese paper cited, China Post, leans to the Communist-friendly “pan-blue” opposition), while Time Asia has two less-than-stellar pieces. Jim Frederick has an informative but biased piece on the rising anti-Communism in Japan. Anne Wu’s column is far worse; she calls for Zhongnanhai and Tokyo to look past their differences and “break the deadlock” on Stalinist North Korea. Will they never learn?

European Union wants Communist China to curtail textile exports: European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson is now in Hong Kong in “efforts to get China to limit textile exports” (BBC). Mandelson also “launched an EU probe into nine categories of Chinese textile exports” (BBC). All of this comes amid concern about Communist China’s textile exports to the EU from officials in Luxembourg and, get this, France.

More commentary on Communist China: The Washington Post scored another hit on Communist China, this time from its editorial page, in which Hu Jintao’s notion of his regime’s “peaceful rise” in the world is ripped as a dishonest cover for “dangerous and irresponsible” moves on the world scene – although the notion that the cadres will ever recognize and learn from a string of mistakes” was a sour note. The Post’s editors also show their geopolitical acumen while criticizing the Bush Administration for slapping tariffs on India shrimpers, “complicating the Bush team's efforts to get India's help in handling a rising China.” Also on that “rise,” Eric Baculinao, whose MSNBC pieces usually rankle, does pretty well in documenting Communist China’s alarming influence in Africa and Latin America, and even reports one admission from a Beijing professor: “Of course one goal of Chinese diplomacy is to raise China’s international influence and prestige and in the process check the excessive influence of the United States.” Henry Blodget, Newsweek (via MSNBC), sounds the alarm on Communist China’s money holes – ahem, stock markets. Jorn Madslien, BBC, examines the state and plans of a major Communist-run automaker: the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation.

Stalinists may conduct nuclear test as U.S. ponders UN (in-)action: According to American officials anonymously cited by Bill Gertz (Washington Times), Stalinist North Korea “may be preparing to conduct its first nuclear test in the near future.” In response, South Korea “warned North Korea not to conduct a nuclear test” (BBC), while the U.S. is trying to coax Communist China into moving SNK away from then idea (Will they never learn?). The Stalinists, for their part, repeated their assertion that they would “bolster” (International Herald Tribune) their nuclear arsenal. Meanwhile, the U.S. is “debating a plan to seek a United Nations resolution empowering all nations to intercept shipments in or out of” SNK (New York Times). The naïveté behind this idea is breathtaking: “the main purpose would be to give China political cover to police its border with North Korea . . . now largely open for shipments of arms, drugs and counterfeit currencies, North Korea's main source of hard currency.” Will they never learn?

Japanese take to the streets to denounce Stalinist abductions: Roughly 6,000 Japanese demonstrated for “sanctions against North Korea over its abduction of Japanese people more than 20 years ago” (BBC). SNK admitted to thirteen abductions between 1978 and 1983; five of the victims are now home. The Stalinists insist the eight others are dead, despite a lack of evidence and many facts pointing to the contrary.

Talks between South Korea and SNK back on: A bilateral dialogues between Stalinist North Korea and democratic South Korea is back on after talks between South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan and Kim Yong-nam, head of the Stalinist “parliament.” Progress on actual issues was absent. Report: BBC

Pro-Stalinist “community group” can keep tax breaks in Kumamoto: The General Association of Korean Residents in Japan will not lose tax breaks given by the city of Kumamoto despite its “pro-Pyongyang” stand (Washington Times, third item). Relatives of the aforementioned abduction victims wanted the tax breaks pulled. Cities with more clear-eyed politicians, such as Governor Shintaro Ishihara of Tokyo, have chosen not extend such tax breaks to Stalinist organizations in Japan (eleventh item).

Friday, April 22, 2005

News of the Day (April 22)

Raffarin OK with “anti-secession” law: Fresh off his insistence that France would continue to try to lift the European Union arms embargo on Communist China, French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin “said France had no objection to China's anti-secession law” (BBC) aimed at Taiwan. He also ripped the embargo again.

Paal on his way out? Sources tell the Washington Times (last item) that Douglas Paal, the less than ideal de facto ambassador to Taiwan (second item), is on his way out, to be replaced by Stephen Young, currently the ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.

Koizumi apologizes for war atrocities, wants to meet Hu Jintao: Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi expressed “deep remorse” (BBC) for the “tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations” (Cybercast News) caused by Japan during World War II. He also expressed hope that he would meet Communist leader Hu Jintao tomorrow, but the Communists have said nothing about the possible summit.

Communist China looking at building Rovers: After turning down a de facto buyout of MG Rover, the Communist-owned Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, which now owns the right to make Rovers, “has approached suppliers about making Rover cars” (London Telegraph). Meanwhile, no one has bothered to ask Prime Minister Tony Blair, in the middle of election campaign no less, why he pinned his hopes on Communist China to save Rover now that it is moving in to wholly replace it.

Yao Ming nominated for Communist Party award: Yao Ming, center for the Houston Rockets, “has been nominated for a special Communist Party award” (BBC) for being what Shanghai cadres called “a perfect image ambassador for China in the eyes of the world,” i.e., he has said nothing about the cruelty of the Chinese Communist Party.

Resignations pass one million: Over one million people have resigned from the Chinese Communist Party in wake of the Nine Commentaries. Among the ex-cadres now include 63 medical professionals who quit in a joint statement and Cao Bingyan, a Communist military veteran and Party member for 50 years. The Epoch Times, which ran the above links, talked to pro-democracy activist Wang Juntao about the future of the CCP.

Petitioners crash gates to cadres: The Letters and Calls Bureau of the General Office of the State Council and the Letters and Calls Office of the National People's Congress are in the same building, guarded by the same gate. That gate came crashing down under the weight of 10,000 appellants – citizens petitioning Beijing for grievances against lower-level cadres. The petitions are almost always ignored. Report: Epoch Times

On “harming relations with China”: In a piece on U.S.-Russia relations, Washington Times columnist Harlan Ullman asserts that “harming relations with China must be avoided.” Should we ignore the threats against Taiwan and aid for terrorists, Harlan?

On the Vatican, Communist China and Stalinist North Korea: Frank Ching, of the Jamestown Foundation (via Epoch Times) examines the possibilities of an agreement between the Vatican and Communist China, which would involve throwing Taiwan under the geopolitical bus. Meanwhile, Korean Catholics hope that Benedict XVI’s experience under the Nazis will lead to a greater focus on the horrors of SNK (Cybercast News).

On South Korea and the Stalinist North: Jong-Heon Lee, United Press International via Washington Times, examines the efforts of South Korea’s dovish government to restart the largely unsuccessful talks on Stalinist North Korea’s nuclear weapons.

Thursday, April 21, 2005

News of the Day (April 21)

France still trying to get EU arms embargo lifted: French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin insisted his government would continue its ill-fated effort to lift the European Union arms embargo against Communist China. Raffarin did not go into detail on how he would change the minds of those in favor of keeping the embargo, which include at least Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and the Czech Republic. Report: Cybercast News

NTDTV thanks supporters; Colorado State Senate backs network: As New tang Dynasty Television thanked those who pushed Eutelsat to temporarily extend its signal into Communist China (sixth item, Epoch Times), the dissident Chinese network received another boost – support from the Colorado State Senate (Epoch Times).

Former Communist Chinese Olympian quits the CCP: Huang Xiaomin, a silver medalist swimmer for Communist China in the 1988 Olympic Games, has joined the ranks of former Communists (Epoch Times). In response, the Communists threatened her sister, banned her from returning home (she is coaching South Korea National Swim Team). Also “resigning” from the Party is democracy activist Li Guotao – the Party booted him for his pro-democracy work over a decade ago (Epoch Times).

IMF questions Communist monetary policies: The International Monetary Fund “urged the Chinese government to ‘tighten monetary policy’ in order to control inflationary pressure and call for ‘greater exchange rate flexibility’” (Epoch Times).

On the Japan-Communist China dispute: Several more columns on the spat between Japan and Communist China hit the web, including one from yours truly in the Epoch Times pointing at the Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party as the real reason for the riots. Masha Loftus, also in the Epoch Times, agrees, and notes a number of other underlying problems the Communists are trying to avoid. Jim Hoagland, Washington Post, also sees Communist ambition for future geopolitical power, although his advice to “caution China” is very weak. George Washington University Professor Mike Mochizuki and Brookings Institution senior fellow Michael O'Hanlon are far worse in their Washington Times column, although my opinion may be colored by the slight at unnamed Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara (third item, ninth item, twelfth item).

Other Commentary on Communist China: Gong Ping, Epoch Times, discusses the impact of the Nine Commentaries. Douglas Brown, of The Nathan Hale Institute, details Russia’s growing ties to Communist China in Newsmax. Roy Clancy, Calgary Sun, visits Taiwan and examines the Communist military buildup against the island republic.

UN envoy to SNK steps aside amid probe: Maurice Strong, the United Nations special envoy to Stalinist North Korea, “decided Wednesday to step aside until U.N.-appointed investigators and federal prosecutors finish examining his financial ties to a South Korean lobbyist accused of trying to bribe U.N. officials” (Washington Post). Said lobbyist, Tongsun Park, is under indictment for being an unregistered agent of Saddam Hussein. Strong “acknowledged Monday that Park had invested money in a business he was ‘associated with’ in 1997 and later advised him on his dealings with Pyongyang” (see also last item). SNK sold missile technology to Saddam for $10 million (second item).

South Korea gives no statement on possible Security Council action on SNK: South Korea’s dovish government gave no opinion on the possibility of taking the Stalinists’ intransigence on its nuclear weapons to the United Nations Security Council, but a high-ranking member of President Roh Moo-hyun’s Uri party opposed it (Cybercast News). While it would say quite a bit about the Uri Party, the issue means little in real terms given that Communist China would certainly veto any move against its Stalinist allies.

Bolton criticized for telling the truth about SNK: Thomas Hubbard, ex-ambassador to South Korea, is telling the Senate Foreign Relations Committee “he had asked the undersecretary to tone down his comments about Kim Jong Il” (Newsweek) in a speech Bolton gave in 2003 (fourth item). Bolton stuck to the truth about the Stalinist-in-chief.

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

News of the Day (April 20)

Taiwan’s top opposition politician to meet Hu Jintao: Lien Chan, leader of Taiwan’s Nationalist Party, “will hold historic talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing next week” (BBC). The only trouble is, the person chosen by the Taiwanese people to speak for them is President Chen Shui-bian, who defeated Lien in last year’s presidential election precisely because of the Nationalists’ recent tilt toward the Chinese Communist Party (sixth item) – including this trip – which has driven millions of anti-Communist Taiwanese to Chen’s Democratic Progressive Party and its ally, former President and former Nationalist Lee Teng-hui’s Taiwan Solidarity Union.

Communist China tells Benedict XVI to cut ties with Taiwan: Communist China congratulated Pope Benedict XVI on his election, but called on him “to break the Holy See's ties to Taiwan, recognize Beijing's claim to the island, and ‘not interfere in internal Chinese affairs’” (Cybercast News). These are the oft-repeated conditions Communist China sights in exchange for diplomatic relations with the Vatican. Communist China maintains its own “patriotic” Catholic Church; 10 to 12 million Catholics remain loyal to the Vatican and worship “underground.”

Pentagon joined push to save NTDTV, but is now getting extorted: The efforts to keep New Tang Dynasty Television on the air in Communist China – so far temporarily successful – were joined by the Pentagon, which “quietly pressured Eutelsat last year to keep NTDTV on the air” (Accuracy in Media via Epoch Times). Sadly, Eutelsat is now using the NTDTV situation to demand the U.S. government buy more bandwith.

Communist China building Henan AIDS prison – errrr, hospital: Communist China claims it is building “a hospital to house AIDS patients” in Henan province, where an unhygienic Communist-run blood-donation scheme infected one million people with AIDS (sixth item). As it turns out, the Communists are actually building a prison for “AIDS patients who are alleged to have violated law and discipline” (Epoch Times), i.e., those who tried to tell the world they were infected by Communist incompetence.

Military petitioners angry about pensions, among other things: The Epoch Times discovered one of the grievances that brought roughly one thousand Communist military veterans to Beijing to petition the regime (third item) – their pensions.

There are protests, and there are protests: Michael Ledeen, National Review Online, takes note of the real forces behind the anti-Japan riots (namely the surge of anti-Communist protests throughout Communist China) and calls for the United States to provide “a steady flow of the truth from outside their borders, guidance for those who undertake the struggle against the tyrants, and constant reminders — backed up with modest action — that we are with them.” Max Dobson, the Epoch Times, joins Ledeen with this critical point about all protests “there can be basically two scenarios, either they are squashed or supported for the political gain of the Chinese Communist Government.”

Resignations from Chinese Communist Party approach 1 million: Xin Fei, Epoch Times, spoke to democracy activist Zeng Ning about the significance of the resignations.

Communist counterfeiting reaches New York, damages businesses: The widespread counterfeiting in Communist China has whacked major firms such as Christian Dior, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Prada. More ominously, it has also expanded beyond Communist China to New York, where the Epoch Times “located a counterfeit Chinese baby formula available in shops.” Fake baby milk killed over 50 infants in Communist China last year (twenty-fifth item).

Economy in Communist China surges despite cadre slow-down efforts: Communist China reported economic growth of 9.5%, “well ahead of the official target of 8%” (BBC). While the Communists have a history of fudging growth numbers (fifteenth item), the fact that “Massive investment by China's industries, up 23% over the year, has led the growth” is also a sign that the cadres’ efforts to slow down growth are still being subverted (twenty-ninth item, twenty-eighth item).

Commentary on the Japan-Communist China dispute: Jefferson Morley, Washington Post, foolishly takes the Communists at their word when they claim the anti-Japan riots (third item, second item, lead item) are outside the Party’s control. His colleague David Ignatius does not make that mistake; neither does fellow Post writer Edward Cody (via MSNBC). The Washington Times demeaned itself by running a column by Allan Topol, who reveals his stunning ignorance of the danger facing Taiwan by wondering why the U.S. and Japan issue a joint statement expressing concern for the island democracy and claiming the Communists’ “anti-secession” law was a response to this statement.

More commentary on Communist China: Larry Kudlow, National Review Online, makes the case that Communist China’s currency, while pegged, may not be devalued, but there is still no mention of the national security danger the Communists pose to the U.S. The editors of The New Republic make a similar error, rather surprising given their recent anti-Communist history. George Wythe College Professor Steve Farrell, in Newsmax, offers the badly needed complete picture. Maureen Zebian, Epoch Times, looks back at the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

Japan upset over Stalinist reactor shutdown: Days after reports that Stalinist North Korea had shut down its Yongbyon reactor – and thus may be kicking its plutonium weaponization into high gear – hit the airwaves (next to last item), Japan “added its voice to growing concerns” (BBC) over the news.

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

News of the Day (April 19)

German Foreign Minister calls for “containment” of Communist China: Joschka Fischer, Germany’s Foreign Minister and Green Party leader, recommended a “policy of containment” (EU Observer) against Communist China as the best means of avoiding a war. Fischer put forth this advice just after publicly calling for the European Union arms embargo against Communist China to remain (last item). With both comments, Fischer, publicly broke with his Chancellor (Prime Minister) and coalition partner: Social Democratic leader Gerhardt Schroeder.

Japanese Foreign Minister goes home, calls trip “small step”: Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Nobutaka returned home from Communist China, calling his trip a “small step” (United Press International via Washington Times). Given the verbal harangue he took from his Communist counterpart Li Zhaoxing, it must have been a very small step. Meanwhile, more reports streamed in that the protests against Japan in Communist China were orchestrated by the cadres themselves (Epoch Times).

Trilats rip Japan for the dispute; others slam Communists: The Trilateral Commission, which is either an overblown confab, the puppet-masters of the world, or something in between, weighed in on the dispute with harsh words – for Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi: “he is basically stubborn. If he is criticized for one thing, he intentionally sticks to it and repeats it” (Washington Times). Not a word of criticism of Communist China was reported, although the editors of the Washington Times and the Japanese press (via BBC) had that angle well-covered.

U.S. hopes dispute is settled, hoping all will cooperate on Stalinist North Korea: Thomas Schieffer, the new American Ambassador to Japan “said the U.S. was concerned about the tensions between Japan and China and hoped they would be able to resolve their differences” (Cybercast News). He also claimed that both Communist China and Japan “shared the goal of denuclearizing” Stalinist North Korea. Will they never learn?

Australia agrees to free trade talks with Communist China: Visiting Prime Minister John Howard signed an agreement with his Communist Chinese hosts “to begin negotiations on a free trade agreement” (CNN). Howard also called Communist China a “market economy,” which would come as a surprise to those who thought a market economy included the freedom of labor to organize independently. The news sparked another round of speculation on Australia’s growing ties to Communist China, and their effects on its alliance with the United States (Cybercast News).

Auto sales falling in Communist China: Foreign car builders who have thrown good money after bad in Communist China may face a day of reckoning, car sales fell by more than 3% in the first three months of this year, compared to last (BBC). General Motors “expects a fierce price war with its rivals to intensify,” cutting revenue even further.

More praise for Harvard’s divestment of PetroChina: Carlos Ramos-Mrosovsky, a law student at Harvard University, praises his school for choosing to divest in PetroChina – the Communist-owned oil firm “responsible for bankrolling much of the Arab-dominated Sudanese government's genocide against the black African population of Sudan's Darfur region” (National Review Online).

On the fate of New Tang Dynasty Television: Bin Wang, a writer for the Epoch Times, explains why the fate of the dissident run New Tang Dynasty Television is so critical to the paper’s quest for freedom for the Chinese people.

UN envoy to SNK admits financial ties Oil-for-Food tainted South Korean: Maurice Strong, the United Nations special envoy to Stalinist North Korea, admitted that Tongsun Park, a South Korean indicted “as an ‘unregistered agent’ of the former Iraqi regime to lobby senior U.N. officials for favorable terms in the oil-for-food program” (Washington Post). More interestingly, Park supposedly “counseled Strong on his dealings with the North Korean regime” – the same “regime” that sold missile technology to Saddam Hussein for $10 million (second item).

Monday, April 18, 2005

News of the Day (April 18)

Communist China rejects Japanese efforts to diffuse tensions: Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura met his Communist Chinese counterpart in an attempt to ease tensions enflamed by two weekends of anti-Japanese riots in Beijing and other Communist cities. Machimura suggested a summit meeting in Indonesia (Cybercast News), and even went so far as to say his country is “not opposed to any demonstrations, even if the demonstrations are anti-Japanese demonstrations, because we highly appreciate freedom of expression . . . as long as it remains peaceful” (Washington Post). Communist Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing told him – in diplomatese, of course – to go to hell. Li’s deputy Wu Dawei called the situation “the most serious” (BBC) in over thirty years. The Communists are blaming Japan for the spat, due to its willingness to support the U.S. on Taiwan and its approval for use of a textbook whose account of World War II raised a few eyebrows. Of course, the Communists have their own textbook honesty issues, as Anthony Spaeth (Time Asia) and Fred Hiatt (Washington Post) reveal in detail.

Commentary on the Japan-Communist China dispute: Charles R. Smith, Newsmax, compares Communist China’s treatment of anti-Japan protestors with its brutal repression of anti-Communist ones. The rest of the commentary on this subject is weak. Bill Powell uses his Time Asia column to throw a pox on both houses. His colleague Hannah Beech has a conventional wisdom analysis – it would have been nice to know who started the e-mail call to “Bring old tomatoes and rotten eggs to throw at the Japanese pigs,” complete with a map to Japan’s Beijing Embassy. CNN has an unnamed piece on the history between Japan and Communist China – likely unnamed due to its thorough blandness.

Veterans protesting Communists surrounded and isolated: Roughly 1,000 veterans of the Communist military gathered in Beijing for an appeal – the official name for a petition against the Communists for a particular policy. The cause for the appeal was not known, but “police cars quickly moved in to surround the group” and “isolated them from view of passersby” (Epoch Times). Keep the fate of this protest in mind the next time thousands of anti-Japanese protestors allegedly catch the cadres off-guard.

Will Australia sign non-aggression pact with Communist China? That is the question many are pondering as Prime Minister John Howard’s visit to Beijing continues. The pact, which could prevent Australia from coming to America’s aid in Taiwan’s defense from a Communist invasion, is an apparent prerequisite for joining the East Asian summit group. Howard has not said whether or not he will sign (Washington Times).

Other Commentary on Communist China: Sebastian Mallaby, Washington Post, discusses the perils of free trade and “globalization,” but misses the big one: Communist China’s manipulation of the system to advance its geopolitical interest at America’s expense. Pat Buchanan, in World Net Daily, makes the same mistake, although he sounds more sympathetic to the anti-Communist position than Mallaby. John J. Tkacik Jr., of the Heritage Foundation, examines and then dismisses the possibility of Hong Kong Bishop Joseph Zen becoming the next Pope in National Review Online. Susan Jakes, Time Asia, finds a cadre in Zeguo willing to use polling to make certain local decisions. It’s a nice way to govern, but to call it democracy is absurd – what happens when the locals want to choose their own leaders? Ask the folks in Pingba (second item).

Stalinist North Korea halts Yongbyon power plant: According to South Korea, the Stalinist North “has suspended operations at its nuclear power plant in Yongbyon” (BBC). The move could mean the plant’s “spent nuclear fuel could be removed and reprocessed into weapons-grade plutonium.”

South Korea wants no part of plans for SNK’s collapse: The dovish South Korean government of Roh Moo-hyun “announced that it will not work with the U.S. military to update a special-operations plan that would go into effect if North Korea suddenly collapsed” (Washington Times). South Korea’s National Security Council called the plan as is a possibly “serious restraint to sovereignty.” So no there is no plan. Not that anyone should be surprised; Roh has previously expressed “concern” about any talk of liberating northern Korea (second item).

News of the Weekend (April 16/17)

More anti-Japanese protests, more rocks, more Communist (expletive deleted): Another riot came to the Japanese Embassy in Beijing this weekend, as “several streams of marchers converged on the consulate during the day” (Washington Post). While the Communist put up a better show this time (third item, second item) – the last time anti-Communists streamed into the city was just before June 4, 1989 – more “eggs, bottles and stones” hit the embassy. Japan rightly blamed the Communists and demanded an apology; the Communists blamed Japan for a “series of things that have hurt the feelings of the Chinese people” (BBC). Adding insult to injury, the Communists again publicly opposed Japan’s quest for a seat on the United Nations Security Council, but backed all three other applicants (Washington Times). Of course, the Communists already killed any expansion of the Council (eighth item), so this should be taken with a lump of salt.

Australian Prime Minister visits Communist China: Prime Minister John Howard is now in Beijing for talks on trade (United Press International via Washington Times).

Amnesty International takes message to Communist consulate in New York: Student members of Amnesty International came to the Communist Chinese consulate in New York chanting “What do we want? Human Rights Now!” They focused in particular on the case of imprisoned Tibetan monk Tenzin Delek, who framed by the Communists for a supposed bombing in Sichuan province (second item). Report: Epoch Times

Resignations pass 900,000: As the number of Communist Party members leaving the party in response to the Nine Commentaries approaches on million, Shi Da marks the significance of that event, while Riordan Galluccio hears that the number would be a lot higher but for the Party’s refusal to accept many of the resignations – one retired cadre likened it to “an underground mafia” (both links from the Epoch Times).

NTDTV saved, for now: The mass outrage at Eutelsat’s plan to end New Tang Dynasty Television’s signal in Communist China (second item, tenth item) has led to a temporary reversal from the satellite firm. Eutelsat is “coming back to the table to talk to” the dissident-run Chinese language network (Epoch Times), and the signal will keep running. However, unless a deal is made, NTDTV could do dark in Communist China at any time.

Tens of thousands came to site of anti-pollution protest: The village of Huaxi (Zhejiang province) is receiving “tens of thousands of people from nearby towns and cities” every day. Why? Because it is where anti-pollution protestors faced, fought, and beat back police forces that were sent to break up the protest. The police killed a number of protestors (fourth item, eleventh item), but in the end they were forced into “a humiliating retreat” (BBC). The locals, far from fools in this matter, “are bracing themselves for their return.” Could the Hanyuan County Massacre have a sequel?

Commentary on Communist China: It says something when William Horsley, BBC, writes a column taking on Japan for what he calls its “deceit and hypocrisy” about its past, he still feels compelled to call the anti-Japan riots “a device by Chinese leaders to extract more Japanese aid or divert attention from their own failings . . . alarmingly reminiscent of the age of the Communist Red Guards.” The editors of Asahi Shimbun, who in fact took issue with the very problems Horsely noted (third item), warned the Communists that they weren’t making any friends in Japan with the riots (Washington Times, last item). In the same link, Italy’s La Repubblica weighs in on the possible rapprochement between Communist China and the Vatican. Also in the Washington Times, James Hackett details the Communists’ naval weapons buying spree, and whacks Taiwan’s opposition parties for not allowing the island democracy to match it. Eric Margolis, Toronto Sun, has a very detailed piece on India’s problems with Communist China, but falls short at the end by advising India mend fences with Zhongnanhai. Victorino Matus, in the Weekly Standard, has high praise for German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, who broke with his boss and defended the now safe European Union arms embargo against Communist China.

Saturday, April 16, 2005

News of the Day (April 15)

Apologies to all for the tardiness of this installment.

EU arms ban on Communist China to stay in place: The effort of France and Germany to lift the European Union arms embargo on Communist China collapsed as Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and the Czech Republic refused to support it (Washington Times). All 25 member nations would have had to agree to lift the embargo for it to be done. The news came as the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to keep the embargo (Cybercast News) for the second time in ten months (seventeenth item). Even Germany’s Green Party, part of that nation’s governing coalition, came out in favor of the embargo. Meanwhile, U.S. officials announced a “strategic dialogue” (Cybercast News) on “the security situation in the Asia-Pacific” with the EU to begin next week.

Cadres decide anti-Japan riots served their purpose and want them stopped: After a protest in Beijing turned into an attack on the Japanese Embassy (third item), the Communists are warning against “unauthorized (UK sp) anti-Japanese rallies this weekend” (BBC). Perhaps the fact that the Japanese “appear to be moving closer in response to rising anti-Japanese sentiments in China” (Washington Times) caught the cadres’ attention. As for last weekend’s riot, those naïve enough to believe the Communists didn’t know what was happening might want to check out this from the New York Times (registration may be required): “the police herded protesters into tight groups, let them take turns throwing rocks, then told them they had ‘vented their anger’ long enough and bused them back to campus.” One protestor said he “felt like a puppet.”

Communist China votes against all dictator-specific motions at UNHRC: Communist China used its seat on the United Nations Human Rights Commission to opposed all three resolution aimed at the practices of specific dictatorships – in this case North Korea, Cuba, and Belarus (Cybercast News). The Communists did support a motion to condemn post-9/11 “defamation” of Muslims (second item) – notwithstanding their brutal treatment of Muslims in occupied East Turkestan, justified by the false claim that the people of East Turkestan are shot through with Osama bin Laden supporters (fifth item).

Voice of America writers in Hong Kong? The Voice of America, created to bring the truth to captive nations, may get some of its material from a captive nation – in this case, Hong Kong. Given the state of one-country, one-and-a-half systems, the Washington Post asks a pertinent question: “what will be written if the Chicoms invade Taiwan. Will there be a story saying, ‘One million brave Chinese volunteers, responding to desperate pleas for help from their cousins in Taipei, crossed the Taiwan Strait this morning’”?

U.S. “cool” on India’s bid for UN Security Council: Faced with a massive charm offensive from Communist China, the U.S. dropped the ball with a less than enthusiastic reaction to India’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council (United Press International via Washington Times). Given that Communist China is talking the bid up with one hand (fourth item) and killing it with the other (eighth item), the U.S. reaction to Communist China’s leading rival on the Asian continent is baffling.

Communist buyout of Rover officially dead: Communist-owned Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation “said it would not hold any further talks with MG Rover about a tie-up or any deal to buy the company out of administration” (BBC). Thus Rover’s attempt at a Communist buyout (seventh item) is dead; then again, so is Rover apparently.

Central player in Xiamen smuggling scandal denied asylum in Canada: Lai Changxing, widely acknowledged to be the central figure in the multi-billion dollar Xiamen smuggling scandal, was again denied asylum in Canada (BBC). Lai has insisted he will be executed if he is sent back to Communist China, and given how high this scandal reached up the Communist hierarchy, he’s probably right.

El Salvador Vice President visits Taiwan: El Salvadoran Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez de Escobar has just ended a five-day visit to Taiwan, during which she pledged “that her country will continue to be a staunch supporter of the Republic of China” (Epoch Times). El Salvador is one of just over two dozen countries that his diplomatic relations with Taiwan, to Communist China’s great chagrin.

Resignations pass 850,000: Those joining the exodus include a provincial commercial manager, a police officer, and another graduate student (both via Epoch Times).

White powder attack hits NTDTV: An envelope full of an unidentified white powder was address to the director of New Tang Dynasty Television’s Toronto branch. It “blew onto his face” (Epoch Times), and he was put in quarantine for over two hours. The news comes as the dissident-run Chinese language network’s contract with Eutelsat ended, thus keeping it out of Communist China. Di Tan, also in the Epoch Times, called on the French satellite company to resist Communist pressure and keep NTDTV on the air.

More on the Zhejiang anti-pollution scuffle: The Epoch Times provided more detail on an anti-pollution protest in Zhejiang that was violently attacked by the Communists (fourth item). Local cadres sent in police and military forces who “indiscriminately used their cars to clear away the villagers, resulting in injuries and deaths.” Shocked and outraged villagers fought back, leading to hundreds of injuries on both sides.

Space – the final frontier, for embezzlement: Not even the cadres’ hallowed space program is immune from corruption. Li Jianzhong – a leading force behind the rockets that put the Communists’ satellites and one taikonaut into orbit (seventh item) – “has been arrested” (BBC) for taking $200,000 in bribes and embezzling $19 million.

Commentary on Communist China: Stanley Kober, of the CATO Institute, warns of the possible effects of the Communists’ charm offensive on India, but his Fox News column foolishly blames the U.S. for “emphasizing the importance of our alliances.” Eric Baculinao, MSNBC, has a piece on Communist China and the Vatican that is just as weak. Worst of all, however, is Larry Kudlow, whose National Review Online column on trade with Communist China completely ignores the Communists’ deliberately devalued currency and their anti-American geopolitical objectives.

Thursday, April 14, 2005

News of the Day (April 14)

Communist China claims it’s good on human rights: Communist China released a report boasting of the arrests of “1,595 government functionaries suspected . . . of infringement on rights” (Washington Post) against citizens. That of course, does not include citizens who practice Falun Gong, worship in unrecognized churches, would prefer to vote against the Chinese Communist Party, want to form independent labor unions, or would prefer to express opinions in support of any of the above.

NTDTV supporters take case to United Nations and President Bush: New Tang Dynasty Television, which will go dark in Communist China tomorrow due to Eutelsat’s unwillingness to broadcast its signal (sixth item), went to the United Nations Human Rights Commission to plead their case. They were joined by the Tiananmen Mothers (Epoch Times). Meanwhile, President Bush received a letter from 94 Congressmen calling on him to “urge Eutelsat to reconsider a decision to discontinue their contract allowing NTDTV to be broadcast into China” (Epoch Times).

Communist China angry at Japanese drilling move: Qin Gang – the same Communist mouthpiece who blamed Japan’s history for the riot and attack against the Japanese Embassy in Beijing last weekend (third item) took aim at Japan again for its decision to take applications for gas drilling rights in waters the Communists claim as their own (fourth item). Qin called it a “serious provocation” (BBC). So what was the riot, Qin?

More on Communist China’s radical nationalism: Exiled dissident Harry Wu, who is head of the Laogai Research Foundation, talks to World Net Daily about the Communist-driven nationalism, its similarities to that of earlier, imperial dictatorships, and the implications for the U.S. Eric Baculinao and Brian Newbury, MSNBC, give an analysis on East Asia that reveals much – about their ignorance of the Communist Party, that is.

Could container ships bring the Communist invasion to Taiwan? That is the question Frederick W. Stakelbeck, Jr. asks in Front Page Magazine.

Commentary on Stalinist North Korea from the Uri doves – Wait! That’s UPI: Jong-Heon Lee’s column on SNK’s “reforms” reads like soft Stalinist propaganda – or the typical Pollyannaish drivel that comes from South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and his dovish Uri Party (United Press International (via Washington Times).

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

News of the Day (April 13)

European Union may link Communist arms sales to rights record: A desperate attempt to revive plans to lift the European Union arms embargo against Communist China has surfaced: a plan to “sell arms to China only in exchange for human rights concessions” (United Press International via Washington Times). Efforts to lift the embargo hit the skids after the cadres passed their “anti-secession” law aimed at Taiwan.

Communist China votes against persecution of Islam with a straight face: The United Nations Human Rights Commission voted 31-16 for a resolution “deploring the intensification of a ‘campaign of defamation’ against Muslims following the Sept. 11 attacks” (Agence France Presse via Gulf Times). Among the “ayes” was Communist China, which would certainly surprise the Muslims of occupied East Turkestan, who suffering under persecution the Communists have justified as “counter-terrorism” by defaming all East Turkestanis as supporters of Osama bin Laden (fifth item).

Communists let venom against Condoleezza Rice stay on the web: Mere days after the Communists looked the other way while a mob attacked the Japanese Embassy in Beijing (third item), dissident Liu Xiaobo collected a series of racist and sexist internet posts aimed at Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. The Communist crackdown on internet speech somehow missed these venomous posts entirely (World Tribune).

Japan looks to drill in waters claimed by Communists: Speaking of Japan, its government announced it “would begin reviewing applications from companies” (BBC) from gas exploration in an East China Sea area that Communist China claims as its own.

Textbook that spawned anti-Japan mob is “shunned” in Japan: Meanwhile, the history textbook that gave Communist China the excuse to ratchet up its nationalist rhetoric and sit on its hands while Japan’s Embassy was attacked “used in less than 1% of Japanese schools” (BBC). The odds of the cadres revealing this is likely absolute zero.

Resignations from Chinese Communist Party pass 800,000, and include seven who made their withdrawals known with “a bright red poster on a power substation wall in front of the Jilin railway station” (Epoch Times). The resignations were inspired by the Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party, a seminal anti-Communist document the Party has tried to repress, but cannot refute (Epoch Times).

Communist firms that helped Saddam Hussein integrate air defenses win contracts: India signed two equipment contracts with Huawei Technologies and ZTE (BBC). If those firms sound familiar, that’s because they were the one that installed a fiber-optic network in Iraq so Saddam Hussein could integrate his air defenses (tenth item).

Eutelsat ripped again for ending NTDTV signal: A group of non-government organizations, including Radio France Internationale, The Tiananmen Massacre Commemoration Association, the Asian Youth Democratic Coalition, Friends of Hmong People, the French Tibetan Association, the Chinese Democratic Party (French branch), Chinese Solidarity, and the Vietnamese Committee of France Liberties, wrote to Eutelsat demanding they “support the mission of NTDTV” (Epoch Times) and reverse its cancellation of a contract with the dissident television station (sixth item). NTDTV will lose its Eutelsat signal – and thus go off the air in Communist China – this Friday. Simon Veazey also blasted Eutelsat for caving into Communist pressure on NTDTV (Epoch Times), while Zhao Dagong of Clearwisdom.net calls on the free world to end its “pacifism” toward Communist China and take “the initiative to influence China to reform its political system” (Epoch Times).

Rally in Toronto mourns victims of Communist persecution: As Sydney, Australia witnessed an event mourning the deaths of 80 million at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party (eleventh item) on Qing Ming day – which is the day for all Chinese to honor those who have died – a similar event was held in Toronto (Epoch Times).

Bank of China admits loan of over $80 million was fraudulent: The Communist-owned Bank of China has admitted that a loan of 645 million yuan (more than $80 million) was based on “false sales contracts and false proof of income” (Epoch Times). The damaging news comes as the Communists press to sell a piece of the bank on the open market (last item) despite allegations of embezzlement (seventh item).

On the lack of press freedom in Communist China: Kelley Beaucar Vlahos, Fox News talks to Jiao Guobiao the journalism professor fired by Communist China for criticizing Communist China’s propaganda machine and its media censorship (second item).

South Korean ship strays into SNK waters, is captured: A South Korean vessel that “ignored warning shots and crossed into Northern waters” (CNN) is now being held by the Stalinist regime. South Korea has asked for the ship back. How many people were on board, and why it crossed the sea border, is unknown. Of course, Stalinist North Korea has never recognized the border, and has crossed it several times, once sparking a shooting incident which killed four South Korean sailors and wounded 19 more.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

News of the Day (April 12)

More on the Communist military buildup: Communist China’s military buildup caught the notice of Edward Cody, Washington Post today (via MSNBC). Cody’s well-written piece details the possible effects against Taiwan, and also included a largely unreported part of the story: the Communists’ efforts to improve their anti-U.S. nuclear “deterrent.”

February trade deficit breaks monthly record thanks to Communist import surge: The U.S. trade deficit reached a monthly record high of $61 billion in February, in part due to the fact that “textiles and clothing from China rose by 9.8 percent” (Washington Post). Said numbers, and Communist China’s continuing aggressiveness on Taiwan and other matters, is fueling a growing anti-Communism on Capitol Hill, as noted by Irwin M. Seltzer (Daily Standard), and exemplified by the Senate’s agreement to take up a bill no later than July to slap a currency-corrective tariff on the Communists (second item).

Japanese Trade Minister and Wen Jiabao throw insults at each other: In response to Japan’s concern over violent protests against its citizens and embassy in Communist China (third item), Premier Wen Jiabao told Japan to “face up to history” (BBC), without saying whether said “history” would respond with rocks and bottles. Wen also took the time to blast Japan’s attempt to join the United Nations Security Council (Newsmax), adding insult to injury after it already killed the plan last month (eighth item). Later, Japanese Trade Minister Shoichi Nakagawa called Communist China “a scary country” (CNN). Meanwhile, Communist Foreign Ministry mouthpiece Qin Gang blamed Japan for the whole incident, saying, “It's not China that bears the blame for letting Sino-Japanese relations come to this pass.” Naturally, Japanese papers were livid (BBC).

Communist Premier praises India’s Security Council bid – after killing it: The Communist move to kill UN Security Council expansion (eighth item) also dealt a setback to India, which was hoping for its own seat on the council. Of course, that didn’t stop Premier Wen from cynically praising what he called “the Indian aspirations to play an even bigger role in international affairs including in the UN” (BBC). So before anyone gets too nervous about the supposed coziness between Communist China and India (United Press International via Washington Times), let’s see how it holds up when the world’s largest democracy figures out it was stabbed in the back.

Human rights groups condemn persecution of Uighurs: Human Rights Watch and Human Rights in China issued a joint report blasting Communist China’s repression of the Uighurs of East Turkestan, which has been brutally occupied by the Communists since 1949. Communist China has tarred the Uighurs – arguably the most pro-American Muslims on Earth – as bin Ladenites to camouflage their persecution of them as “counter-terrorism” (BBC). HRiC and HRW prove this to once again be false.

Nationalist Party blasted for “consensus” with Communist China: Wu Cenxi, Epoch Times, spoke to Jin Hengwei, Editor-in-Chief of Contemporary Monthly. Jin ripped the Nationalist delegation that visited Communist China and signed a “10-point consensus” with the cadres, calling the entire episode “scripted and composed by the CCP long ago.”

Harvard praised for divesting in PetroChina: Students from Claremont College openly praised Harvard’s decision to divest in PetroChina – the Communist-owned oil firm whose investment in Sudan is fueling (pun intended) that regime’s mass murder in Darfur – and call on all universities to do the same (reprinted by Epoch Times).

Up-and-down column on Stalinist North Korea: Paul French, author of North Korea: The Paranoid Peninsula, opines on what he considers the relationship between SNK’s economy and its nuclear ambitions (BBC). French is rare in noting that the Stalinist “reforms” have bombed, but he still rehashes the conventional wisdom that Communist China is “exasperated” with its Stalinist ally. Nothing could be further from the truth.