News of the Day (April 7)

From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: China Intel finds a disturbing obstacle to the U.S.-Taiwan arms deal - the U.S. Navy. Meanwhile, the Korea Liberator and Daily NK discuss the defector from Stalinist North Korea that wants out of South Korea. TKL also ponders the financial woes of Stalinist North Korea, a rather shocking sign of South Korea's dovishness, and reports of more overhyped talks between the two.

More on the satellite regimes: The Stalinist regime says a resumption of the six-party talks in its nuclear weapons is dependent on the United States; Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso responds with the quote of the day: "Nothing can happen until we see what North Korea has in its briefcase" (BBC). Meanwhile, the Iranian mullahcracy, thanks in part to Communist China, "has successfully developed ballistic missiles with the capability to carry nuclear warheads" (London Telegraph).

Canadian judge confirms Communist persecution against Falun Gong: That was the story buried in the fact that such news meant the judge also ruled against Han Guangsheng's asylum bid due to Han's role as head of Shenyang's judiciary during the persecution. Han left Communist China for Canada in 2001, and has been trying to atone for what happened under his watch ever since (Epoch Times).

More from the Canada file: Several MPs from all four parties who appeared at the anti-Sujiatun rally in Ottawa (Epoch Times); the new government is "currently seeking independent verification" (those are cite quotes, not scare quotes). Meanwhile, someone apparently tried to break into the paper's Ottawa office.

More on Sujiatun: Anti-Sujiatun protests were held in New York and Geneva (Epoch Times); two doctors discuss the Communist organ trade (Epoch Times). The editors of the Epoch Times provide some detail to answer questions that have risen; they also report a Communist attempt to silence witnesses.

Petition sent to UN for Gong Shengliang: According to the China Aid Association, "an anonymous party has submitted a petition on behalf of Pastor Gong Shengliang to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention" (China Aid Association via Epoch Times). Gong, the founder of the South China Church, was sent to jail in 2001 for crimes in which a "victim" was tortured into testifying against him (sixth item).

Gao Zhisheng interview: Zhao Zifa, Epoch Times, talked to the 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, and fifth items).

Communists block foreign magazines that they can't use: The cadres have decided there are enough foreign magazines in Communist China. They slapped "a moratorium on new foreign magazines on topics other than science and technology" (Washington Post) - one can easily guess why the exempted those categories. A similar block on foreign newspapers has been in place since November (fourth item).

Mic Jagger cracks back against Communist censors: The Rolling Stones have been informed what songs the cadres don't want to hear during the band's tour of Communist China (BBC). This prompted Mic Jagger to let loose a nice zinger: "I'm pleased that the Ministry of Culture is protecting the morals of the expat bankers and their girlfriends that are going to be coming."

Lakes south of Beijing polluted; unnamed cadres fired: Communist China fired seven cadres (none of them named by the BBC) for allowing "untreated sewage and other waste to flow into the Baiyangdian lakes south-west of Beijing."

Hu Jintao wants Bush to slap down Chen Shui-bian: As he prepares to visit Washington, Communist leader Hu Jintao "will seek backing on the Republic of China (Taiwan), the self-governed island of 23 million that China claims as its own and says must accept unification" (Washington Times). Hu apparently wants "public comments, and private reassurances, discouraging Taiwanese leader Chen Shui-bian from any pro-independence moves." Given that the Communists consider just about any attempt by Taiwan's elected President to highlight the reality of the island democracy as a "pro-independence move", Hu's looking for a repeat of the December 2003 fiasco. Meanwhile, Dan Sanchez (Epoch Times) gives the third installment of the Pepperdine University Seminar: The Worth of U.S.-Taiwan Relations (fourth and third items).

Communist China now has its own Patriot missile system: The Communist regime, according to Wen Wei Po (cited by East-Asia-Intel.com for World Tribune.com), "has developed its own version of the Patriot anti-missile system." The Communists based their anti-missile system on U.S. Patriots after getting the American version from Israel in the early 1990s.

Ignorant Comment of the Day: To be fair, if Richard W. Rahn, director general of the Center for Global Economic Growth, were talking about India, Japan, or any other nation in the democratic world, he economic defense of free trade would win my applause. However, it's the Communist Chinese predatory currency policy he feels compelled to defend in the Washington Times, and for his refusal to consider the geopolitical implications, the dubious honor is his.