News of the Day (April 10)

From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: China Intel relays reports about Communist China's plans in space (the former link) and in post-nuclear weapons (the latter link). Democratic China ponders the longevity of the Communist regime. The Korea Liberator finds dovish South Korea is talking a better game on the six-party talks, but reverting to form on its citizens abducted by the Stalinists. TKL also relays reports of new American sanctions against Stalinist North Korea in the works, and summarizes the recent American Enterprise Institute conference on religious freedom in SNK.

More on the future of Communist China: As the number of Communists quitting the party in disgust approaches 10 million - 100 in Huangbei district alone (Epoch Times) - a march in Australia honored the ex-cadres (Epoch Times), and an American journalism student calls the U.S. media to the carpet for all but ignoring the mass exodus (Epoch Times). Meanwhile, economist-turned-dissident He Qinglian (seventh, sixth, fifteenth, tenth, eleventh, thirteenth, twelfth, eighteenth, ninth, twelfth, and ninth items) examines the two poles in the economic debate over Communist China's future ("Prosperity and Collapse Theory" as she calls it), and finds herself leaning heavily towards "collapse" (Epoch Times).

More on the satellite regimes: Daily NK reveals how a gas leak in Communist China led to the seizure of eight Korean refugees; the aforementioned six-party talks debacle continues - with Communist happy-talk to boot (BBC); and the Communists' Korean colony asks for more South Korean fertilizer (BBC). Meanwhile, a missile test by the Iranian mullahcracy turns out to be less than meets the eye: "Tehran fired Chinese and Russian weapons and claimed them as Iranian originals in an apparent attempt to deter the United States from an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities" (United Press International via DailyIndia.com).

Boeing admits to illegal shipment of missile chip to Communist China: One of the most well-known beneficiaries of American "engagement" policy with Communist China "paid the largest fine ever levied on a company for violation of the Arms Export Control Act" (Seattle Times). The $15 million fine was a result of shipping "94 commercial jets with the QRS-11 gyrochip embedded in the flight boxes, including 19 to China" (emphasis added). The QRS-11 is "used in the guidance system of the Maverick missile." This isn't the first time Boeing has sent the Communists military-use equipment (ninth item).

AT&T head asks Communists to quit "restrictive shifts" in trade: Forrest Miller, President of AT&T, "said China should deregulate its telecommunications market and make it easier for foreign companies to enter the market" (UPI via Washington Times). Miller's exact quote was as follows: "While China is making noteworthy progress in opening markets since its WTO accession, there have been restrictive shifts as well."

Communists agree to car parts talks with U.S. and EU: In reaction to complaints to the World Trade Organization from the United States and European Union on its car parts tariffs (next to last item), Communist China "agreed to requests by the US and Europe to hold talks " (BBC) on the subject.

U.S. official talking with Communists about "cooperation" in Latin America: Before anyone gets too nervous, it wasn't Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Shannon who used the "China-US cooperation" line, it was his Communist counterpart (Cybercast News).

Ignorant Comment of the Day: Today's dubious honor goes to Die Zeit publisher-editor Josef Joffe, who incompletely mentions, then largely dismisses, the Communist regime's geopolitical objectives in Time Asia.

More on Communist China and the rest of the world: Peter Brookes, of the Heritage Foundation, is the latest to focus on Communist China's ties to Africa's worst rulers (ninth, fourth, last, fifteenth, sixth, and lead items) in the Weekly Standard. Cambodian strongman Hun Sen gets a $600 million loan from the Communist regime (BBC). The cadres' bulging foreign reserve balance is worrying more economists outside America (Epoch Times). The Communist entourage visiting New Zealand is greeted by protestors (Epoch Times). London Mayor "Red Ken" Livingstone in is Beijing to build "closer links" (BBC), while another British group - the Rolling Stones - gets ripped by Doug Powers (World Net Daily) for caving into Communist censors.

Hong Kong Disney park has union trouble: What is it with the Communists and independent labor? This time, it's Hong Kong Disneyland - owned in part by the cadre-appointed city regime - that, according to the Hong Kong Disneyland Cast Members Union, is engaging in "unfair pay and working practices" (BBC).

The latest from Gao Zhisheng: The renowned human rights attorney (sixth, tenth, fifth, lead, third, last, twelfth, eighth, third, second, third, eighth, eleventh, eighth, fourth, fourth, last, fourth, fifth, twelfth, fifth, second, lead, next to last, seventh, last, next to last, lead, second, last, sixth, tenth, eighth, second, eighth, ninth, lead, sixth, eighth, seventh, fifth, fourth, last, fifth, and seventh items) talks about the continuing harassment he and his family must suffer at the hands of the Communists (Epoch Times).

On Sujiatun: Is there a Sujiatun cover-up on? The Epoch Times presents the case. Meanwhile, Longquanmoke (also in the Epoch Times) examines the larger issue of organ "donations" in Shenyang.