News of the Day (March 23)

From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: China Intel calls for the U.S. to "show China that, without a doubt, we will defend Taiwan and China will pay severely if it ever tries to invade." The Korea Liberator doesn't see that happening, due to unfortuante political developments this quarter noted last year. TKL also comments on Yoduk Story and questions (but does not dismiss) accounts of Stalinist North Korea killing disabled infants (Newsmax). Meanwhile, a report claims that the Communists' Korean colony "does not yet have an operational missile that could hit the continental US" (BBC); South Korea and Japan aren't so lucky.

Japan halts loans to Communist China: The Japanese government "would not give any more loans during the current fiscal year" (BBC) to Communist China due to what Japanese Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe called "various situations" between Japan and the Communist regime. Chen Jinsong, Radio Free Asia (via Epoch Times), details some of these "situations," and concludes that the Chinese Communist Party "has turned away from international cooperation" and "has become the largest and most stubborn obstacle to the rise of China." UPDATE: A commentor from the Shotgun noted that Japan's fiscal year ends in eight days, making this a story of considerably less impact.

Outrage at Sujiatun, and media silence on the subject, continues: Auckland, New Zealand witnessed a protest against the Sujiatun organ-harvesting concentration camp (Epoch Times). One of the many subsequent concerns has been the strange silence of mainstream media on the subject (Epoch Times). Meanwhile, Simon Veazey (Epoch Times) places Sujiatun (lead, seventh, second, and seventh items) in the context of the Communists' bloody history.

Another Christian arrest in Communist China: Pastor Lian Changnian was arrested by the Communists in Hubei Province three days ago (China Aid Association via Epoch Times).

Hu Jintao espouses eight platitudes - few outside Beijing notice: Communist leader Hu Jintao's attempt to get past the corruption plaguing the regime with "eight do's and don'ts" (Washington Post). The only trouble is, there seems to be no intention of making fellow cadres follow them - even a Communist academic admitted: "It won't even get to provincial capitals."

Communist plan to save the environment - tax chopsticks: Truth be told, the chopstick tax is one of many "green" policies the Communists are now pushing. However, as none of them including halting the rampant, Communist-driven overdevelopment that ruined the domestic ecology in the first place, the effect will be minimal - at best Report: Washington Times

Communist inflation making rest of the world more competitive: Communist China is facing rapid increases in labor and energy cost, which has made it "no longer the most cost-effective country in the region," according to economist William Fung (quoted by the Financial Times, UK).

Schumer sounds more optimistic about Communist currency, may shelve bill: Senator Charles Schumer, one of the main sponsors of the currency-corrective tariff, told reporters in Communist China that he saw "the Chinese have come to realize that their previous policy ... needs to change" (Fox News). He even suggested the planned March 31 vote on his tariff bill could be put off " if they get some kind of affirmation during their trip that China will float its currency."

Enlightened Comment of the Day: Charles R. Smith (Newsmax) details Communist China's dangers to America, and demands the Bush Administration do something about it.

More on Communist China and the United States: Jim Owens, Caterpillar CEO, spouts the Communist Party line on trade at National Manufacturing Week (United Press International via Washington Times).