News of the Day (March 21)

From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: China Intel relays two pieces on Taiwan: the first on how the cross-straits balance of power has turned away from the island democracy in favor of the Communists, the second on the domestic opposition's refusal to agree to an American arms deal from 2001 (the CATO Institute's Ted Galen Carpenter also looks at Taiwan, but this time his Fox News column actually puts the focus where it belongs - on the Communist military). CI also has fresh reports on Russia's willingness to continue to arm and ally with Communist China, as the BBC reports that Russia has just signed a major gas deal with the Communists. Russia's tilt towards Zhongnanhai has The Korea Liberator (and, for that matter, Edward Lanfranco of United Press Int'l via Washington Times) wondering what Moscow is smoking. TKL also laments the plight of Hao Wu, and examines how the Communists use an old terrorist tactic with their hostages - ahem, prisoners: "They dangle the hope of leniency for 'cooperating' and not contacting the media and 'punish more' those whose families do." Shaun Kenney notes, with disgust, the arrest of Ren Zhiyuan (second and eleventh items).

Government-in-exile rips Sujiatun, grants asylum to prisoners in East Turkestan camps: Upon hearing admittedly vague reports that organ-harvesting, Falun Gong practitioner-killing camps were not limited to Sujiatun (lead and seventh items), but in fact had even reach occupied East Turkestan, the government-in-exile took no chances, and immediately granted asylum to any prisoners in such camps. Meanwhile, Fei Xin, Epoch Times, has more on the Communist prisoner organ trade.

More on the Falun Gong war: R. Galluccio, Epoch Times, talks to Michelle Zhang, whose family has been suffering persecution from the Communists for their beliefs for over six years.

Hunger strike news: Jacob Wallenberg, Epoch Times, talks to a group of strikers in London.

Lu Decheng's escape to Canada blocked by Communist regime: Lu Decheng was preparing to leave Thailand for Canada when the Thai government, under heavy pressure from Communist China, "refused to allow Lu to leave" (Radio Free Asia via Epoch Times). Lu was a former Tiananmen protestor who was jailed for ten years. He was released, and escaped to Thailand in 2004, but he "was arrested by the Thai police and was in constant danger of being repatriated."

Cadre promises to protect Hong Kong's "role," but not its freedoms: Xu Jialu, vice chairman of the Communist rubber-stamp parliament, "reassured Hong Kong that no other Chinese city could take its place in the country's development in the foreseeable future" (UPI via Washington Times). His exact words were as follows: "No coastal city in China could replace Hong Kong's role in the foreseeable future." Xu said nothing about preserving the city's rapidly eroding freedoms.

Chen Jiulin sentenced to Singapore jail for four years: The former head of the Communist-owned China Aviation Oil "earlier pleaded guilty to six charges including insider trading" (BBC) and was also fined over $200,000. The charges stem from the Communist-own firms attempt to hide its dismal fiscal picture and taking investors to the cleaners in the process (twelfth, seventh, eighth, eleventh, and eighth items).

Schumer and Graham in Beijing: The Senators who are co-sponsoring the currency-corrective tariff against Communist Chinese imports (fifth item) visited the Communist capital "to learn about Chinese intentions" (BBC) on the deliberately devalued currency.

Auburn event held despite Communist protests: The resistance at Auburn University to the "Getting Closer to China: Critical Issues on Culture, Religion and Environment" forum did not stop the forum from being held, but the Communist sympathizers made their presence felt (Epoch Times).

More on Communist China and the United States: Irwin M. Stelzer, Weekly Standard, pens a rarity - a column that discusses the effect of security issues on international trade in an intelligent manner. Meanwhile, the editors of the Washington Times examine the rise of India.

On the Communists' Korean colony: A Congressional staffer visits the Kaesong industrial complex (UPI via Washington Times); Daily NK examines the impact of the boat defection (fifth item).

On the satellite regime of Iran: The Iranian mullahcracy, which just happens to be "playing host to much of Al Qaeda's remaining brain trust and allowing the senior operatives freedom to communicate and help plan the terrorist network's operations" (Los Angeles Times via Worldwide Standard), is still getting diplomatic help from its ally and military benefactor, namely Communist China. The Communists are blocking any possible actions by the United Nations Security Council against the Iranian regime's nuclear weapons program (Washington Post), a program the Communists themselves have assisted (see lead and fourth items).