News of the Day (August 28)

From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: Between Heaven and Earth has the latest from the Vancouver protest site. The authors of The Korea Liberator discuss reports of "tensions" between Communist China and Stalinist North Korea (see also Washington Post, fourth item, and Washington Times), ponders Stalinist-in-chief Kim Jong-il's possible motive for a nuclear test (see also Daily NK), examines some American and South Korean viewpoints (see also Agence France Presse via Breitbart, Newsmax, and Washington Times), and has the latest SNK news.

More on the Communists' Korean colony: The Stalinist regime's use of public execution and its indoctrination of children are examined by Daily NK. Meanwhile, South Korea projects a slight reduction in its economic growth (United Press International via Washington Times).

Enlightened Comment of the Day: Today's winner is Charles R. Smith (Newsmax), who details how missiles from Communist China went through its mullahcratic allies in Iran to Hezbollah.

Ignorant Comment of the Day: Michael Fullilove attempts to show that Communist China is become a responsible power; he fails (International Herald Tribune via Taiwan Security Research).

More On the Middle Eastern Proxies: As the U.S. continues to ponder sanctions against the Iranian regime (Bill Gertz, Washington Times), Israel is considering military action (London Sunday Telegraph via Washington Times); Stanley Kurtz (National Review Online) speculates about a future with a nuclear-armed mullahcracy. Oliver North joins in the sober gloom (Washington Times). Former regime mouthpiece Mohammad Khatami ripped the democratic world for annoying Iran about its nuclear program (Newsmax and Voice of America via Epoch Times). Finally, Ezra Levant (Calgary Sun) calls the United Nations to the carpet for allowing Tehran to turn Lebanon into a de facto colony.

More on Communist China and the United States: American Trade Representative Susan Schwab is hoping the Communists can bring international trade talks back to life (BBC). A human rights rally is held in Atlanta (Epoch Times).

Canada file: Canadian blogger Steve Janke has nothing good to say about the 2008 Games; pro-Communist tycoon Li Ka-shing makes clear he'll hang on to Alberta's Husky Energy for quite some time (Canadian Press).

More on Communist China and the rest of the world: As Japan makes a diplomatic foray into Central Asia (BBC), columnist George Will (Washington Post) loudly endorses the growing Japanese role in world affairs. Great Britain may deport someone who risks being executed in Communist China (Agence France Presse via Yahoo); the Epoch Times remembers how the Communists destroyed Britain's embassy during the Cultural Revolution. Meanwhile, Communist China continues to run interference for Sudan (Worldwide Standard), worries about its geopolitical investment in Cuba (Intelligence Summit), and continues its charm offensive on India (Los Angeles Times via Taiwan Security Research). In reaction, Russians start wondering if being Zhongnanhai's friend is such a good idea (Radio Free Europe, fifth item); the editors of the Washington Times look askance at the Communists' ties to Hugo Chavez; and Taiwan's Cabinet proposes a steep increase in defense spending (Intelligence Summit).

Human rights activists in Communist China running in local "elections": Several advocates for the Chinese people have taken to standing for office in the largely cosmetic "elections" for local offices in Communist China. As one would expect, "independent candidates . . . have been suppressed" (VOA via Epoch Times) by the cadres.

Imprisonments of Gao Zhisheng and Chen Guangcheng get more attention: The plight of the human rights lawyer was condemned by Wei Jingsheng (Epoch Times), Yuan Sheng (Epoch Times), and John Taylor (Correspondents Report); meanwhile, Gao's daughter managed to escape house arrest - for now (Epoch Times). As for Chen (see tenth, second, ninth, ninth, thirteenth, lead, tenth, fifth, tenth, sixth, ninth, eighth, ninth, eighth, ninth, sixteenth, ninth, second, and fifth items), Jay Nordlinger (National Review Online, sixth item) lamented his capture.

Catholic Bishop freed after a decade: The Communists are trying to play nice with the Vatican again (BBC, and London Daily Telegraph via Washington Times).

More on human rights abuses in Communist China: James Rose, of Corporate Governance Asia, concedes that the accounts of Communist organ harvesting are true, and laments what it means for humanity (Hong Kong Standard). Reporters Without Borders rips the cadres for sending Zhao Yan (second, sixth, tenth, ninth, last, and third items) to prison (Boxun). Wen Hua, Epoch Times, finds a five-year-old victim of Communist persecution.

High-tech military exercise held: Communist China's military held its "first-ever war exercise involving joint forces at a northern training base to test its high-technology combat capabilities" (Intelligence Summit). The forces included "a PLA area command, the Air Force, the Second Artillery and the Chinese People’s Armed Police."

Whither the Communist economy? Questions linger about the real state of Communist China's economy (Japan Times via Taiwan Security Research). Even if the Communist numbers are accurate, the white-hot growth that would imply is generating worries of a meltdown (Guardian, UK, via Taiwan Security Research, and Newsweek) and recognition that few outside of the regime itself have benefited: "The social contract hashed out by Deng -- you can get rich if you keep your mouth shut -- is fraying because too few people have won their share of the bargain" (Washington Post columnist John Pomfret in China Lessons).

Communist China suffering acid rain: Polluted precipitation is now affecting one third of Communist China. The cause is as one would expect: "rapid industrial growth" (BBC).