Wednesday, May 31, 2006

News of the Day (May 31)

Calling all Californians: Yours truly is not informed enough to recommend for whom you should vote in Tuesday's gubernatorial primary. However, this quote is enough for me to advise that no one should vote for Steve Westly: "My friends, when I am governor of California, you will see the governor of California and the president of China sitting down together to chart an environmentally sustainable future for our world" (Sixers blog, National Review Online).

More on Communist China and the United States: Patrick Goodenough, Cybercast News, previews the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, and the plans of its principals - Russia and Communist China - to use it against the U.S. Part of that strategy includes Iran, which is getting more telecommunications help from the cadres (United Press Int'l via Washington Times). Three children of Rebiya Kadeer - former Uighur prisoner of the Communists now exiled in the U.S. (fifth, second, eleventh, last, and second items) - are themselves being "detained" by the regime (BBC). Meanwhile, Dell computing is building a second plant in Xiamen (UPI via Washington Times).

Canada file: Terry O'Neill, Western Standard, has the latest on the Chinese head-tax issue, albeit with a couple of omissions about the National Congress of Chinese Canadians - namely that it has ties to the Communists, and it was slated to pocket $2.5 million of the "anti-racism education" money (sixth, lead, second, second, second, third, second, and third items).

On the ecology in Communist China: The regime is in the midst of its "worst drought in over 50 years" (BBC) in many areas, but rampant overdevelopment continues. Meanwhile, Zhou Ren (Epoch Times) marks the completion of the disastrous Three Gorges Dam.

South Korean local elections appear to be a big win for the hawkish, pro-American opposition (BBC). B. J. Lee (Newsweek Int'l) thinks an anti-incumbent feeling in the South is playing a large role; Han Young Jin (Daily NK) compares elections in the democratic South to the farcical version in the Stalinist North.

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

News of the Day (May 30)

From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: The Korea Liberator comments on dictator-chic (also on Daily NK), LiNK's Operation Sunshine, the DMZ-train fiasco (see also fourth and fifth items), South Korea's elections, Kaesong, and, well, nearly everything else.

Camp 22 is Stalinist North Korea's camp for chemical tests - on political prisoners: According to the British MI-6, the Stalinists are running a prison camp "larger than Auschwitz or Dachau" (World Net Daily) where "Hundreds of prisoners die there each week, the victims of biological or chemical experiments to test out [chemical and biological] weapons for North Korea's CBW arsenal."

More on the Communists' Korean colony: SNK's Foreign Minister visits Beijing (BBC). The famine returns (Daily NK). The regime tries to use the upcoming visit of Kim Dae-jung (that's the "DJ" to which Daily NK refers) to score political points. William Taylor, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies and Georgetown University, endorses South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon for Secretary General (Washington Times).

Tiananmen remembered: As the anniversary of the massacre approaches, Xu Yonghai remembers the victims he tried to help on that bloody night (Epoch Times), and the Tiananmen Mothers call for compensation for victims' families (Human Rights in China).

Shanwei survivors sent to jail: Thirteen survivors of the Shanwei massacre were recognized in the manner one would expect from the Communists - with "heavy sentences of three to seven years in jail for crimes of 'detonation, gathering the public to disturb the social order and disrupting traffic'" (Epoch Times).

From Gao Zhisheng: 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, fifth, seventh, next to last, fourth, last, twenty-first, twenty-second, seventh, fourth, sixth, fourth, sixth, eleventh, eleventh, fourth, and last items) turns his thoughts to foreign affairs, and pens the Enlightened Comment of the Day in the Epoch Times. Meanwhile, his would-be client, Dr. Wenyi Wang (third and second, fourth, third, fourth, third, and fourth items) many avoid a needless trial (Epoch Times).

Speaking of Dr. Wang, she spoke to Kevin Steel (Western Standard) about the issue that led her to speak out in Washington: organ harvesting; web cartoonist Pan Qi can speak on that, too - after a car accident that led to surgery, Pan "discovered he was missing a kidney" (Epoch Times). The organ harvesting issue also came up during European Parliament Vice President Edward McMillan-Scott's fact-finding trip to Beijing (Epoch Times, see also fourth item).

Amnesty International highlights Shi Tao in campaign against internet repression: The new campaign focuses on regime repression of the web, and highlights the case of Shi Tao (fourteenth, fifth, lead, third, eighth, seventh, third, fifth, eighth, last, third, fourth, fourth, and lead items) specifically (BBC, which also discussed Communist suppression of the net). Yahoo's help in Shi Tao's arrest has sparked a discussion on the proper behavior of American companies in Communist China (Epoch Times). Meanwhile, Shandong University Professor Sun Wenguang, who "published articles on Web sites many times criticizing the Chinese communist regime's suppression of Falun Gong" had his computer confiscated (Epoch Times).

Zhao Yan to be tried next week: The New York Times researcher who earlier had charges against him dropped will be tried for new charges on June 8 (second, sixth, and tenth items). Report: Washington Post

More on human rights in Communist China: Jim Hoagland (Washington Post) talks to dissident Yu Jie (eighth and last items). A boat race steeped in history is sunk by the regime (Epoch Times).

General Electric to throw in $50 million to clean up Communist ecology: The money will specifically be invested in "developing green technologies" (BBC). It may be too late for the Yangtze River, which has suffered so much from pollution it could become "a 'dead river' within five years" (BBC).

Software piracy in Communist China at 86% in 2005 - and that's good news: How so? Because in 2004, the percentage of software that was illegal - according to the Business Software Alliance - was at 90% (United Press International via Washington Times).

More on Communist China and the rest of the world: The Washington Times runs a condensed version of William Hawkins' warning about loose technology export controls to Communist China (second item). The paper's editors warned about the Communists' plans for Latin America. Bertil Lintner, formerly of the Far Eastern Economic Review, examines the situation in the Not-so-Russia Far East (Asia Times). The regime plans to "deepen military exchanges" (Washington Times) with India.

Friday, May 26, 2006

News of the Day (May 26)

With Russian arms, Communist Chinese military tips the balance of power: So who holds the balance of power in Eastern Asia? Fairly soon, it will be Communist China, thanks to their leading arms supplier: Russia - "At some point this fall, probably in September, China will take delivery of a state-of-the-art . . . Russian-built S-300 PMU-2 air defense system (which) will provide China with the power to challenge the United States for command of the airspace over the Taiwan straits" (United Press Int'l via Washington Times). Meanwhile, the UK-based International Institute for Strategic Studies calculated that the Communist regime's actual defense budget was at least 70% more than what its willing to admit, and even that "ignores a number of big spending items. These include overseas weapons procurement, defence industry subsidies and research and development spending" (Financial Times, UK).

More on Communist China and the United States: Yahoo's history of helping the Communists nail dissidents (fourteenth, fifth, lead, third, eighth, seventh, third, fifth, eighth, last, third, fourth, fourth, third, eighth and eleventh items) gets the attention of Amnesty International (C-net). William R. Hawkins, of the U.S. Business and Industry Council, scores the Enlightened Comment of the Day with his call for tight tech export restrictions to Communist China (Front Page Magazine). Don Feder, Washington Times, calls on the World Health Organization to stop dissing Taiwan; San Francisco's Taiwanese-American community celebrates Taiwanese American Heritage Week (Epoch Times).

Canada file: I have a terrific relationship with the Western Standard, as one can see from the last quote in Kevin Steel's piece on industrial espionage and the numerous blog posts on the Shotgun. However, Ric Dolphin ridiculous paean to the Communist economy ran away with the Ignorant Comment of the Day award: "No one goes hungry in China these days." Ugh!

More on Communist China and the rest of the world: Edward McMillan-Scott, Vice President of the European Parliament (and a British Tory, for those interested) talks about the Communists with refreshing truth: "The Chinese communist regime is still a system of atrocity, despotism, and bigotry" (Epoch Times).

On the satellite regimes: Regarding the Communists' Korean colony, Jong-Heon Lee (UPI via Washington Times) examines the Stalinists' reasons for nixing the DMZ railroad crossing (fourth item). The price of rice in Stalinist North Korea skyrockets (Daily NK). Communist China builds another colonial, ahem, cooperative project with the Stalinists (Daily NK). Meanwhile, Tony Karon (Time Asia) predicts that the new American softness on SNK (second item) will be repeated on Iran.

Reporters beaten in Shenzhen: Two reporters, from Hong Kong Cable TV and Asia Television respectively, were doing a story on a medical lawsuit. They were conducting interviews at the Fuhua Plastic and Aesthetic Hospital when "were surrounded by five or six people who claimed to be hospital personnel" (Radio Free Asia via Epoch Times) and beaten.

On the Falun Gong War: According to Clearwisdom, "23 cases of Dafa practitioners in Mainland China dying from the persecution were confirmed" last month. Meanwhile, Clearwisdom also reports that the cadres in Heilongjiang Province have ordered numerous classified documents to be destroyed; the relevance may be this: "During the past seven years of their persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, all orders were issued via secret channels and the persecution was carried on behind the scenes."

Did Bank of China trick outside investors into bailing it out? That's what Hong Kong Open Magazine executive editor Cai Yongmei thinks just happened during the regime-run bank's IPO (fifth and sixth items): "These banks should have been bankrupt already if the Chinese government did not support them. In China, many economic transactions are dictated by the government and these banks are kept operating with people's money. Though these banks are still operating in China, they are very risky. The purpose of IPO in the Hong Kong stock market is to transfer the risk to overseas markets" (Epoch Times).

Thursday, May 25, 2006

News of the Day (May 25)

Pentagon criticizes Communist military buildup and upgrade Taiwan defense plans: Communist China is now "ever closer to a longer-range military reach" (CNN), thanks to a military buildup whose "pace and scope . . . already place regional military balances at risk," according to the U.S. Defense Department (quoted by the BBC). Assistant Secretary of Defense Peter Rodman, who commented on the report to the press, noted that "the balance between Beijing and Taiwan is heading in the wrong direction" (Worldwide Standard). More interesting, Rodman called U.S. military involvement in Taiwan's defense from a Communist invasion a "virtual certainty" (Bill Gertz, Washington Times). Meanwhile, the Pentagon has also upgraded its plan for such a "certainty" to a military operations plan, according to William Arkin (Washington Post) who for some reason doesn't understand why Taiwan is worth defending, and thus scores the Ignorant Comment of the Day. Dan Blumenthal, of the American Enterprise Institute, has a far more clear-eyed assessment in the same paper, while China Freedom Blog Alliance member The Korea Liberator reprints the Pentagon report's executive summary for "those of you who are too lazy."

More on Communist China and the United States: Dana Dillon and John J. Tkacik, Jr., both from the Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center, examine Communist China's ambitions in Southeast Asia, and why the U.S. must thwart them, in Policy Review. The Epoch Times profiles anti-Communist Ohio Congressman and Democratic Senate candidate Sherrod Brown. The Justice Department reports what went wrong with the Katrina Leung fiasco (Washington Post). The Jamestown Foundation examines two areas of friction between Communist China and the U.S. - the Middle East and Central Asia, respectively.

Canada file: John Gleeson (Winnipeg Sun) calls for Prime Minister Harper to treat head-tax victims and their widows equally. Lost in the argument is the fact the under Harper, the amount of money headed to pro-Communist groups in Canada would fall from $2.5 million to zero (sixth, lead, second, second, second, third, and second items); that said, yours truly thinks Gleeson does have a point. Meanwhile, Warren Kinsella finds out his website is banned in Communist China. This quarter hopes it will lead Mr. Kinsella to realize one of the few things his best friend (Jean Chretien) and worst intraparty enemy (Paul Martin) shared (fealty toward the Communist regime) was a terrible mistake.

As for the Communists' Korean colony, it decided to cancel a planned railroad demilitarized zone crossing (BBC); Daily NK examines the possible reasons why. The U.S. Treasury is still worried about Stalinist counterfeiting of American currency (United Press Int'l via Washington Times). Moody's Vice President Thomas Byrne throws cold water on the notion that the Stalinist regime has any interest in economic reform (Daily NK).

Taiwan President's son-in-law held for questioning: Chao Chien-ming is a lead suspect in an insider trading scandal, which has greatly damaged the reputation of his father-in-law, President Chen Shui-bian (tenth item). Reports: BBC and UPI via Washington Times

Bank of China swindles, ahem, raises $9.7 billion in stock sale: The regime-owned bank did quite well despite its shady history (fifth item).

A badly needed antidote for Kudlow's disease: Ellen Bork reviews Minxin Pei's China's Trapped Transition in the Weekly Standard. Pei, a previous Enlightened Comment of the Day winner (last item), carefully takes apart the idea that economic development automatically leads to the end of political tyranny - especially when the tyrants can distort said development to preserve their power. Evidence to prove Pei's point pops up in Communist crackdowns against the internet (Radio Free Asia via Epoch Times), Gao Zhisheng (Epoch Times, see also 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, seventh, next to last, fourth, last, twenty-first, twenty-second, seventh, fourth, sixth, fourth, sixth, eleventh, eleventh, and fourth items), and even voodoo dolls (Newsweek). Then there's the corrupt Communist court system, exposes of which won New York Times reporters Joseph Kahn and Jim Yardley the Pulitzer Prize (Epoch Times).

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

As I recover from a stomach virus . . .

. . . I have enough strength to mention a piece by the parent org (China Support Network) on Lu Decheng, who became a symbol of the Tiananmen student protestors' dedication to order, then the victim of their one regrettable action (as they themselves put it), and finally a fellow battler "fighting on the same side of history against the regime of the Chinese Communist Party."

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

News of the Day (May 23)

From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: The Korea Liberator reacted to several developments regarding the Communists' Korean colony. Among them were four Korean refugees entering the U.S. consulate in Shenyang (for those who don't remember, Shenyang was the city where Japan's consulate was invaded by Communist China to seize Korean refugees in 2002 - Epoch Times) and more reports on the first group of refugees to be allowed in the U.S. (see also Daily NK and second item). TKL also interviewed Daily NK President Han Ki-Hong, who talked about South Korea's resurgent anti-Communism. Speaking of which, Grand National Party bigwig Park Geun-hye was stabbed (TKL, BBC, and United Press Int'l via Washington Times). TKL also has the latest on the "Battle of the Hump" and the plans of Liberation in North Korea (a.k.a. LiNK).

Other news from Stalinist North Korea: The Stalinists appear to be ready to test the Taepodong-2 missile (UPI via Washington Times, Chosun Ilbo). Defectors tell Daily NK that Stalinists is losing its allure with the people of northern Korea. Associated Press opens a TV bureau in SNK (Washington Times). The U.S. bans its companies from owning SNK-registered flags (Bill Gertz, Washington Times). Daily NK reports on the Stalinists' latest export: faux Japanese cigarettes.

On Communist China's future: The BBC recently did a piece on what Communist China and India could become in 2026. The news service projected Communist China would have the largest economy by then, but Quentin Sommerville listed the things that could hold its economy back (and forgot to mention the chief obstacle - the regime itself). An interview with a farmer was also of interest. The rest were puff pieces.

From Gao Zhisheng: 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, fifth, seventh, next to last, fourth, last, twenty-first, twenty-second, seventh, fourth, sixth, fourth, sixth, eleventh, and eleventh items) talks again to the Epoch Times about the surveillance net around him.

Yang Xiaoqing goes on trial: The former reporter for the China Industrial Economy News was charged with extortion, his actual crime was "investigative reports of corruption among local officials in Longhui County, Hunan Province" (Epoch Times, see also fourth and tenth items).

Blogger denied access to lawyer: Hao Wu has still not been allowed to see a lawyer for reasons of "national security." Reporters Without Borders ripped the Communists for this action (via Boxun).

Shanghai students arrested for broadcast film on Tiananmen massacre: The student club also launched a website - now blocked (Epoch Times).

On the "Great Red Firewall": The Australian has the latest on the Communist internet crackdown.

Words the Communists never want to hear: "in some villages . . . the church leaders are more powerful than the CCP cadres" (Epoch Times).

Deputy Chief of Communist Navy caught embezzling $19 million: Wang Shouye, who stole the money when he was Vice Logistics Minister and Construction Minister for the Communist military, had reached the rank Deputy Chief of Staff of China's Navy before he was busted (Chengming Magazine via Epoch Times).

Three Gorges Dam completed: The BBC has two pieces on the Dam and the damage it has done.

Communists claim no geopolitical interest in Africa and Latin America: At least that's what they told U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Shannon, Jr. Sadly, Shannon appears to have bought it (Washington Times). Meanwhile, the cadres offered Nigeria a $1 billion railroad-building loan (BBC).

Dr. Wenyi Wang's trial postponed again: The Good Doctor (third and second, fourth, third, fourth, third, and fourth items) is still facing charges for speaking out against Communist organ harvesting and persecution of Falun Gong practitioners (Epoch Times).

Communist currency manipulation criticized from both sides of the Pacific: Asahi Shimbun (via Washington Times, second item) led the criticism in Japan; Senators Jim Bunning (R-Kentucky), Richard Shelby (R-Alabama), and Charles Schumer (D-New York) sounded off in Washington, and also beat up the Administration for refusing to see Communist China's actions for what they really are (Washington Post).

More on Communist China and the United States: Gerald M. Steinberg, editor of NGO Monitor, wonders why Human Rights Watch is so good on Communist China and, in his view, so bad on Israel (National Review Online). Meanwhile, P.J. O'Rourke (Weekly Standard) is his usual funny self, but his slip into Kudlowism was the Ignorant Comment of the Day.

Taiwan presents security plans; wins U.S. praise: The island democracy "unveiled its first formal national security policy Saturday, pledging to increase defense spending by 20 percent and urging China to cooperate in establishing a military buffer zone to lower tension in the Taiwan Strait" (Washington Post). Stephen Young, the de facto U.S. Ambassador to Taiwan, "praised Chen's government for laying out its security thinking for the public in Taiwan and abroad" and "called on China to do the same." Good luck with that.

German leader visits Communist China: Angela Merkel, despite moving her country in a more anti-Communist direction (fourteenth item), still went to Beijing for "a multitude of business deals" (UPI via Washington Times).

Friday, May 19, 2006

News of the Day (May 19)

From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: The Korea Liberator comments on the latest cave from the Bush Administration (see also second item, Independent - UK, Cybercast News), the latest defectors from Stalinist North Korea (see also United Press Int'l via Washington Times), reports of an upcoming SNK missile test (see also UPI via Washington Times, Cybercast News), and the guilty plea of Ko-Suen Moo (see also fourth item). TKL also calls (again) for the U.S. to leave South Korea's doves to their own devices and reviews Kim Il Sung: The North Korean Leader.

More on the Communists' Korean colony: Mike Chinoy, CNN, examines the links between the Stalinists and Macau. The Korean military talks go nowhere (UPI via Washington Times). Seoul National University holds a conference on the SNK economy (Daily NK). A Grand National Party member reveals that South Korea knew some if its abductees were still alive in SNK in the early 1990s (Daily NK).

Iranian nuclear enrichment fueled (literally) by Communist China: Various "diplomatic sources" informed the BBC that the uranium enriched by Iran "may well have come from a small stock of material sold to Iran by China back in 1991" (see also second item). The reaction, stunningly, is relief - because it means Iran is apparently not as advanced in its nuclear program as was once believed. The fact that the mullahcracy wouldn't be as advanced as it is now without help from Communist China has been maddeningly ignored.

State Department takes Lenovo computers off classified networks: The Department initially "chose to install about 900 of the PCs on its secure network in Washington and at embassies around the world" (Agence France Presse via Washington Times) before relenting under pressure from the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (sixth item) and Congressman Frank Wolf (R-Virginia). What the Department will do with the Communist-owned firm machines is not known.

Congressional critics of closer U.S.-Communist China military ties raise their voices: Two of Wolf's fellow House Republicans, Rob Simmons and Dana Rohrabacher, called into question recent moves toward closer military ties between the U.S. and Communist China (sixth and eighth items). Report: Bill Gertz, Washington Times

Communist Catholics rip The Da Vinci Code: In its latest attempt to look more like a church and less like the Communist bureaucracy it is, the "Patriotic Catholics" called The Da Vinci Code "insulting" (BBC). Maybe if Dan Brown or Ron Howard had made Tom Hanks' character a Chinese Communist Party member . . .

Reebok honors AIDS activist/dissident from Communist China: Li Dan "helped 100,000 AIDS orphans by building the Orchid School and AIDS Orphanage in Henan province" (Epoch Times) before the cadres shut it down, and "detained and beat him" for good measure. Henan is the province where cadres ran and covered up an unhygienic Communist-run blood-donation scheme that infected one million people with AIDS (sixth, fourth, and sixth items).

More on Communist China and the United States: The indomitable Lev Navrozov sounds the alarm once again in Newsmax.

Canada's New Maple Leaf on Communist China gets more attention: This time it's Caylan Ford, Epoch Times, who notes and approves.

Scandal hits Taiwan President's family: Reports of insider trading are surrounding President Chen Shui-bian's wife and son-in-law (UPI via Washington Times). Chen's popularity is now at record lows, but he will not be running for re-election in 2008 in any event.

Communist denying medical treatment to Zhang Lin: Imprisoned dissident Zhang Lin "has been complaining of headaches and pains throughout his body for the past six months" (Reporters Without Borders via Boxun), and is likely suffering from "a slipped cervical disc that is affecting his central nervous system." To this day, however, Zhang has not been transferred to a hospital for treatment.

Cyberdissident quits Communist Party: Yanboyuzhe (a.k.a. Xiong Zhongjun, a.k.a. Liu Yiming) joined the ten-million-plus ex-cadres (Epoch Times).

Woman fights for justice for father killed for his organs: Ma Xiuqing has sent five years petitioning to have the cadres "who collaborated to freeze her father, Ma Hongju, to death and steal his organs in August 2000" (Epoch Times) punished for the crime. As one would expect, the effort continues to be fruitless.

Communists continue silence on the Cultural Revolution: Of course, no one else in Communist China is allowed to talk about it either (Epoch Times).

On the state of the workers in the workers' state - education: Wang Debang tells the story of his rural family's attempts to educate their children (Observe China via Epoch Times).

Thursday, May 18, 2006

News of the Day (May 18)

From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: The Korea Liberator has the latest news on Stalinist North Korea and the South Korean doves.

U.S. prepares "parallel" peace talks with Stalinists: The BBC, citing the New York Times, reports that President Bush "will soon accept a proposal, inspired by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, under which talks about a peace treaty would proceed in parallel with efforts to get the North to give up its nuclear weapons programme." Now that the spirit of September is returning to Washington, the question returns: will they never learn?

More on the Communists' Korean colony: Daily NK examines corruption at the SNK-Communist China border; United Press Int'l (via Washington Times) reports on the military talks between SNK and South Korea.

Taiwan national pleads guilty to role in Communist weapons smuggling: Ko-Suen Moo admitted to "being a covert agent of the People's Republic of China" (Washington Times) and to "charges of conspiracy to broker and to export defense articles to the People's Republic of China, including one F-16 aircraft engine, Blackhawk helicopter engines, cruise missiles and air-to-air missiles; and bribery of a public official."

U.S. treatment of Chen Shui-bian dubbed "Snub of the Week" by David Lau of Time Asia (see also eighth and fourth items).

First shipment of Australian liquefied natural gas headed to Communist China: The shipment "is headed for Guangdong, where it is expected to be received at a new terminal later this month" (AAP via Epoch Times). The LNG deal is one of the many reasons anti-Communists are growing increasingly worried about Australia (lead, last, tenth, fifth, and ninth items).

Another surgeon calls for an end to Communist organ harvesting: Joining Professor Stephen Wigmore, chair of the ethics committee of the British Transplantation Society (seventh item), was Professor Jan Lerut, former president of the European Society for Organ Transplantation, who "said that the practice of killing people for their body parts was 'awful' and 'should not exist'" (Epoch Times).

Pastors arrested in Shandong and Jiangsu: Eleven Christian church leaders were arrested in Suqian City, Jiangsu, while Pastor Liu Yuhua was seized in Linchu County, Shandong (China Aid Association via Epoch Times).

On the dangers of spreading the truth in Communist China: The Committee to Protect Journalists (via Boxun) reports on the Communist crackdown against reporting of rural unrest; Xu Hsiang (Asia Times via Epoch Times) examines the fate of those who expose the spread of bird flu.

On the Cultural Revolution: Joseph Mack (Epoch Times) looks back at the violent era, and the cadres' refusal to admit to the atrocities.

Bad loans in Communist banking system approaching $1 trillion: You read that right; according to Ernst & Young, "China could have as much as $911 billion of loans in default" (Epoch Times).

As the Three Gorges Dam nears completion, Edward Cody (Washington Post via MSNBC) examines the plight of those whose homes were submerged by the dam - and who have been unable to rebuild their lives due to corrupt cadres pocketing the relocation compensation money.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

News of the Day (May 17)

From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: The Korea Liberator rails against Communist China's continued jailing of a refugee supporter, highlights the upcoming Liberation in North Korea (LiNK) campaign, laments Stalinist racism, and has another Korea Diary installment.

More on the Communists' Korean colony: Parents of two married abductees - one from Japan, the other from South Korea - meet and pledge to work together to bring their children home (Yomiuri Shimbun). South Korea begs the Stalinist North to "follow in Libya's footsteps by giving up its nuclear ambitions to improve ties with the United States" (United Press Int'l via Washington Times). The Stalinists threatens "a deluge of fire" for Seoul if it votes for the hawkish Grand National Party (Daily NK). Korean reunification gets short shrift from Kim Young Hwan, of Daily NK.

Yang Tianshui sentenced to a dozen years in prison: Reporters Without Borders ripped the cadres for jailing the freelance writer (ninth item). Report: Boxun

Cadres in Yindi abandon trapped miners: Three miners were trapped after an explosion in late January. The local Communists could have saved them with "the necessary equipment and 200 men" (Epoch Times). Instead, the blasted the mine, literally sealing the miners' fate.

Another regime-owned bank looks to fleece investors, ahem, raise capital: This time it's Bank of China which is looking to "raise up to $US9.8 billion in a Hong Kong listing next month" despite "its legacy of corruption and bad management practices" (Epoch Times).

Wheat harvest likely to plummet due to drought: In the worst-hit provinces, listed by UPI (via Washington Times) as Yunnan, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, and Hebei, the situation is so bad that "nearly two-thirds of winter wheat" has been "wiped out."

Did the cadres trick Tibetan supporters into pulling their punches for Hu's U.S. visit? That's what Taiwan's Central News Agency (via Epoch Times) alleges. According to the CNA, the regime planted false rumors that the Dalai Lama would soon be allowed to visit Tibet, then watched with glee as "officials of the Tibetan government in exile posted messages on their website calling on Tibetans in the U.S. not to protest during Chairman Hu's visit." The rumors were later exposed as "a smokescreen designed by the Chinese authorities in Beijing."

Communists to observe U.S. military exercises in Guam: The cadres loved with the idea, "saying more contact between defense forces could increase understanding" (Washington Post, seventh item).

Cadres plan more bishops without Vatican approval: The recent flap between the Communists and the Holy See about the appointment of Catholic bishops (lead and ninth items) is likely to escalate if Liu Bainian, the number two Communist in the regime-run "Patriotic" church, has his way (Voice of America).

India soon to have growth rates higher than Communist China, says economist: Eisuke Sakakibara, a Professor at Waseda University and the head of the school's Institute for Indian Economic Studies, was "'almost certain' that India's economy would rocket past China's in the next decade" (Yomiuri Shimbun).

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

News of the Day (May 16)

From the China Support Network: The parent org summarizes the latest news, including President Bush's "milestone" meeting with dissidents (see also Christian Post).

From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: Of the many links from the Korea Liberator, the most important is the one that itself links to a Wall Street Journal interview with two refugees here in the U.S. TKL also has more on South Korean dovishness, the latest news on Stalinist North Korean drug running (see also Yomiuri Shimbun), the UN finally noticing Japan's abduction victims (although, as the BBC noted, it was part of a larger and blander speech about East Asia), and the WFP's return to SNK (see also fifth, ninth, fifth, and second items).

More on the Communists' Korean colony: Former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung is about to visit SNK (Washington Times), and his successor, current President Roh Moo-hyun hopes to follow suit (Cybercast News). Meanwhile, the reaction to the dovishness of the Roh government is growing (Daily NK). Finally, Daily NK reports that electricity is now in short supply - and a source for corrupt profits - in SNK.

Fabian returns! One of the original Friendly Blogs - Fabian's Hammer - is back in business after a nearly seventeen-month absence. FH posts on Communist China's ties to Latin America (the Washington Post made a mention of Communist military help for Venezuela) and the rueful memories of a Red Guard Maoist. Note: today marks the fortieth anniversary of the beginning of the Cultural Revolution; three BBC pieces remember the horror.

More charges likely in Phoenix TV spy case: The case against four people who were "linked to a covert program to provide China with Navy defense technology" (Bill Gertz, Washington Times) will include new charges - including at least one indictment for espionage. The four were arrested last year; one was an engineering and broadcasting director for Phoenix TV, a station run by a former Communist military officer (second and third items).

U.S. military playing the "engagement" game: Admiral William J. Fallon, commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific, is becoming an advocate for closer ties with Communist China (Washington Post).

Exports to Communist China grow, but trade deficit does, too: A record number of monthly exports to Communist China ($5 billion) couldn't stop the U.S. trade deficit with the regime from increasing to $15.6 billion (BBC).

More on Communist China and the United States: The expansion plans of the Communist consulate in San Francisco meet heavy resistance from the locals (Epoch Times). Police release a sketch of Li Yuan's attacker (Epoch Times, see also lead, second, and sixth items).

Communist China elevates another bishop without Vatican approval: This time, it was Zhan Silu, who "was consecrated as bishop in 2000 but had been serving as a deputy to another who died last year and - until Sunday - had not celebrated a full Mass as bishop" (BBC). The Holy See loudly protested the Communist consecration of two other bishops without its consent.

Zhao Yan indicted again; Li Yuanlong tried: Former New York Times staffer Zhao Yan (second and sixth items) is facing new charges from his Communist jailers, two months after the old charges against him were dropped (BBC); his lawyer ripped the Communists for the move. Meanwhile, another writer arrested by the regime, Li Yuanlong (next-to-last item), was tried last week (Epoch Times).

From Gao Zhisheng: 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, fifth, seventh, next to last, fourth, last, twenty-first, twenty-second, seventh, fourth, sixth, fourth, sixth, and eleventh items) talks about the case of Dr. Wang Wenyi (third and second, fourth, third, fourth, third, and fourth items) and the Communist spies that follow him everywhere (Epoch Times).

More on organ harvesting and the Falun Gong War: Two efforts to expose the Communist practice of organ harvesting make their way in the United States (Epoch Times). Meanwhile, former high-ranking cadre Lin Mu talks about how the persecution of Falun Gong began (Epoch Times).

Even former veterans who are appellants are treated cruelly: Last week, more than 700 former members of the Communist military "appealed at the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army" (Epoch Times). Many apparently petitioned the regime last year, but "the government did not follow through on the promises it made last year, prompting new demonstrations." For one civilian appellant, this comes as no surprise; Qian Lili has been trying to get justice for her murdered son for five years, but has instead "been kidnapped and assaulted many times by the police" (Epoch Times).

Nine Commentaries and Party resignation campaign reach the military: Apparently, many in the military want it to serve China, rather than the Communists? Report: Epoch Times

Has bird flu hit a major chicken farm in Dalian? Local residents are certain of that, but the regime has taken no action. Report: Epoch Times

BBC reports story of fake Communist computer chip - two months late: The BBC's report on Communist China's fakery on supposedly domestically produced computer chips will be news to many - but not readers of this blog, who first caught wind of it almost two months ago (last item).

Monday, May 15, 2006

In Lieu of the News of the Day

Later this evening, the President will address the nation on the immigration issue. Here are some old, but still valid, recommendations.

Friday, May 12, 2006

News of the Day (May 12)

From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: The Korea Liberator reviews The Two Koreas and comments on the latest "Battle of the Hump" news (Cybercast News).

More on the Communists' Korean colony: South Korean Assemblyman Park Jin (Grand National Party) talks to Daily NK about U.S. policy toward Stalinist North Korea. South Korea runs away from President Roh's promise of unconditional aid to SNK (Washington Times).

East Turkestan government in exile praises Albania: The new Friendly Site also thanks the Bush Administration for keeping the five former Uighur detainees out of a Communist jail (fifth and third items).

U.S. criticizes Communist China's military spending again: State Department spokesman Sean McCormack became the latest official from Washington to express concern about the Communist military budget. McCormack called the Communist military buildup "outsized to its needs" (Washington Times).

Regime-owned bank hosts phishing sites targeting Americans: China Construction Bank's website "is hosting phishing sites targeting US banks and financial institutions" (vnunet). Customers of Chase Bank and EBay were specifically targeted. CCB has a history of corruption (sixteenth and seventh items) and bad loans (twenty-first item), for which it needed for tens of billions in bailout money (twenty-fourth item).

New Jersey Governor drops human rights concerns for trade deal with Communist China: John Corzine had been a vocal human rights supporter when he was a U.S. Senator, but now he chose "not bring up rights or political freedoms before renewing a special trade agreement with a province in China" (Courier-Post, full-disclosure: the reporter sought and printed yours truly's response to the news).

America's de facto Ambassador to Taiwan calls island democracy a close friend: Stephen Young commented on the Alaska stopover flap (eighth and fourth items) thusly: "We have had our disagreements, as close friends inevitably do . . . But such issues can never be allowed to distract us from our enduring common interests" (Washington Times, last item). President Chen Shui-bian, meanwhile, stopped at Indonesia on his way home from his trip to Latin America (Washington Times).

British Education Minister tells UK students to go to college in Communist China: UK Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell "said that the British Government and universities had to do far more to promote China among British students as a place to study" (London Times). Perhaps Rammell could take a look at Edward Cody's Washington Post piece on the current overcrowding at Communist universities.

More on Communist China and the rest of the world: Anne Bayefsky, of the Hudson Institute, laments the lineup of the United Nations Human Rights Council (fourth item) in the Washington Times. Hugo Chavez sells 18 oil tankers to the Communists (Newsmax).

Reported mass transfer of Falun Gong practitioners raises eyebrows and fears: According to "a single source inside the CCP" cited by the Epoch Times, there has been "a massive transfer of Falun Gong practitioners inside China," in particular toward a region of Sichuan Province that has "a large-scale underground nuclear-military complex" that could become a "new concentration camp" for practitioners, especially witnesses to the atrocities at Sujiatun.