From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: One Free Korea tracks the Stalinist funny money case (see also United Press Int’l via Science Daily and the Washington Times), and is pleasantly surprised by the State Department. Meanwhile, OFK guest blogger Andy Jackson offers well-earned praise to South Korean opposition MP Kim Moon-soo.
Communist China challenging U.S. technology, unless it helps them crush dissent: Communist China is becoming "a hotbed for some of the most talented scientists and engineers" (Washington Times), leading the Hudson Institute’s Ken Weinstein to warn the U.S. about the Communists' plans for "a high-tech superstate." Of course, the cadres still find American technology quite useful, especially when it can help them silence the Chinese people, as Harvard Law School fellow Derek Bambauer details in Legal Affairs.
Gao Zhisheng continues to document Communist abuses: Human-rights attorney Gao Zhisheng, whose law practice has been closed by the Communists (sixth, tenth, fifth, lead, third, last, twelfth, and eighth items), is unbowed. He wrote yet another open letter to Communist leader Hu Jintao detailing Communist abuses of Falun Gong practitioners (Epoch Times), and railed against the regime in an interview with Sound of Hope Radio: "The Government Doesn't Take the Law Seriously at All. This Breaks our Hearts" (Epoch Times). Gao did win the support of Lin Mu (Epoch Times). Lin was secretary to the late Hu Yangbao – the reformist whose death triggered the 1989 Tiananmen protests.
Falun Gong war overseas - Thai surrender, Argentine beating, San Diego's fury: Thailand did it again. After disrupting a demonstration by Falun Gong practitioners at Communist China’s request (third item) banners and posters, Thai police arrested the practitioners on flimsy immigration charges (all are UN-designated refugees) because "the Chinese embassy . . . directed the police to stop the protests" (Epoch Times). Meanwhile, practitioners in Argentina who filed suit against visiting cadre Luo Gan "were beaten by a gang of Chinese men, who are believed to have been hired by the Chinese Embassy" (Epoch Times). It wasn’t all gloomy news, however: San Diego City Council "passed the Yantai Resolution, an act of conscience condemning more than six years of torture and murder of Falun Dafa practitioners in Yantai, San Diego's sister city in China" (Epoch Times). For once, "sister city" nonsense was finally put to good use.
Low-level cadre put on trial for Shengyou thuggery: The assault by "some 300 unidentified men" (BBC) on protestors in Shengyou village this summer has resulted in a city-level cadre facing trail for "intentional injuries." It appears this cadre, He Feng, is taking the fall for the attack which killed at least six protestors, who were demanding proper relocation compensation for land seized for a power plant (lead, third and seventh items). Similar protests in Hanyuan and Shanwei were met with Communist gunfire.
Commentary on Communist China: Krishnadev Calamur, UPI (via Washington Times), notes how the Communist-Kazakh oil pipeline (fifth item) "helps China feed its . . . seemingly endless quest for global influence." Meanwhile, Jen Haberkorn, also in the Washington Times, details Communist China's near-total dominance of the toy market.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Thursday, December 15, 2005
News of the Day (December 15)
Woe Canada! Head tax controversy brews as media examines PM’s past with CCP: The decision by Canada’s ruling Liberal Party to give the pro-Communist National Congress of Chinese Canadians $12.5 million in compensation dedicated for victims of Canada’s 19th Century Chinese head tax (sixth item) was criticized by the Conservatives (whom this corner has endorsed in next month’s elections) and the New Democrats (Epoch Times). Meanwhile, Kevin Steele, in the Western Standard Friendly Blog Shotgun, examines Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin’s business links to the cadres.
Communists furious that U.S. lets Rebiya Kadeer speak: At a recent Congressional hearing, longtime Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer (fifth, second, eleventh, and last items) testified “that Beijing was using the U.S.-led war on terror to persecute her people” (United Press Int’l via Washington Times). Communist mouthpiece Qin Gang promptly “rebuked the United States for allowing her to voice her ‘separatist’ views.”
Thailand harassing Falun Gong demonstrators at Communists’ request: Thailand has been far more responsive to the cadres. Thai police “confiscated Falun Gong banners and posters, demanded identity papers and threatened to take the protesters to the police station” (Epoch Times). One cop admitted to “acting at the behest of Chinese embassy.”
Communist China leads the world in journalist arrests: With 32 arrests of journalists in 2005, Communist China “is the world's leading jailer of journalists for the seventh consecutive year” (Committee to Protect Journalists via Boxun). CPJ issued an open letter to Communist leader Hu Jintao asking him to release the imprisoned reporters.
Kazakh pipeline to fuel Communist occupation of East Turkestan: A joint Kazakh-Communist oil pipeline came on line today, and “should be fully operational by the middle of next year, providing a new source of oil for China to develop its western Xinjiang region” (BBC). What the Communists call “Xinjiang” is actually occupied East Turkestan, whose native peoples will see little, if any, benefit from said “development.”
Communists headed to the moon in 2017: Communist China plans “to send astronauts to the moon in about 2017, with a landing sometime after that” (Washington Post).
Enlightened Comment of the Day: Today’s winner is Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Florida), who calls for passage of the Global Internet Freedom Act in part to block the effort led by Communist China to place the Internet under United Nations control (National Review Online, see also fourth, sixth, fourteenth, and fifth items).
On the Communists’ would-be colony of Stalinist North Korea: China Freedom Blog Alliance Member One Free Korea pulls no punches in his continuing war of words against Chung Dong-Young, South Korean Unification Minister and a leading apologist for SNK. Meanwhile, the United Nations World Food Program is, maddeningly, still trying to appease the Stalinists (BBC), and Andrew Salmon, Washington Times, gives a relatively weak sketch of U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Alexander Vershbow.
Communists furious that U.S. lets Rebiya Kadeer speak: At a recent Congressional hearing, longtime Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer (fifth, second, eleventh, and last items) testified “that Beijing was using the U.S.-led war on terror to persecute her people” (United Press Int’l via Washington Times). Communist mouthpiece Qin Gang promptly “rebuked the United States for allowing her to voice her ‘separatist’ views.”
Thailand harassing Falun Gong demonstrators at Communists’ request: Thailand has been far more responsive to the cadres. Thai police “confiscated Falun Gong banners and posters, demanded identity papers and threatened to take the protesters to the police station” (Epoch Times). One cop admitted to “acting at the behest of Chinese embassy.”
Communist China leads the world in journalist arrests: With 32 arrests of journalists in 2005, Communist China “is the world's leading jailer of journalists for the seventh consecutive year” (Committee to Protect Journalists via Boxun). CPJ issued an open letter to Communist leader Hu Jintao asking him to release the imprisoned reporters.
Kazakh pipeline to fuel Communist occupation of East Turkestan: A joint Kazakh-Communist oil pipeline came on line today, and “should be fully operational by the middle of next year, providing a new source of oil for China to develop its western Xinjiang region” (BBC). What the Communists call “Xinjiang” is actually occupied East Turkestan, whose native peoples will see little, if any, benefit from said “development.”
Communists headed to the moon in 2017: Communist China plans “to send astronauts to the moon in about 2017, with a landing sometime after that” (Washington Post).
Enlightened Comment of the Day: Today’s winner is Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Florida), who calls for passage of the Global Internet Freedom Act in part to block the effort led by Communist China to place the Internet under United Nations control (National Review Online, see also fourth, sixth, fourteenth, and fifth items).
On the Communists’ would-be colony of Stalinist North Korea: China Freedom Blog Alliance Member One Free Korea pulls no punches in his continuing war of words against Chung Dong-Young, South Korean Unification Minister and a leading apologist for SNK. Meanwhile, the United Nations World Food Program is, maddeningly, still trying to appease the Stalinists (BBC), and Andrew Salmon, Washington Times, gives a relatively weak sketch of U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Alexander Vershbow.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
News of the Day (December 14)
From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: Member One Free Korea seizes another opportunity to point the rhetorical double-barrel at South Korea's dovish ruling party, which even now is in "reconciliation" talks with Stalinist North Korea (United Press Int'l via Washington Times). He also comments on a shooting incident near the Yalu River.
Communist dreams for non-U.S. "East Asian Community" flops: The inaugural East Asian Summit was held today, a first step in Communist China's plan "to begin a gradual realignment between Asian nations, particularly China, and the overwhelming military and political role played by the United States in Asia since World War II" (Washington Post). Only problem is, everyone else in the group have been trying to expand it to include "democratic and US-friendly" (BBC) nations, and succeeded with Australia and India. The prevailing wisdom is that this grouping has devolved into "a talking shop."
India, pushing democracy in Nepal, becomes wary of Communist influence there: India is starting to get more worried about Nepal's absolute ruler, King Gyanendra, "going around an arms embargo imposed by New Delhi and others (by) buying weapons from China" (UPI via Washington Times). Sadly, India’s response is to take a page from the Robert Zoellick school (eighth item), saying "it wanted China to play a key role in brining about the restoration of democracy in Nepal."
More on Communist China and India: Brahma Chellaney, professor of strategic studies at the Center for Policy Research in New Delhi, wonders in the Enlightened Comment of the Day why Communist China "misses no opportunity to bash Japan over the head with the history card" (International Herald Tribune) while refusing to acknowledge its own history of aggression, like its invasion of India in 1962.
State specialist close to Taiwanese official pleads guilty to document removal: Donald Keyser, a State Department Asian specialist arrested for meeting with Taiwanese officials last year (eighth item), pled guilty to "removing top secret and other classified government documents" (Cybercast News) and "making false statements."
Communists clam up on Shanwei Massacre: Communist China tried a new tack to deflect the growing outrage over the Shanwei massacre: say nothing (Washington Post). Of course, no one else can talk, either; the news blackout of the massacre continues, which Reporters Without Borders (via Boxun) ripped. William J. Dobson, managing editor of Foreign Policy, weighed in on the subject in The New Republic.
Communists raze "appeals village," force petitioners into the streets: Communist China continued its appalling abuse of petitioners – citizens coming to Beijing for relief against local cadres back home (fifth and fourth items) – by razing an "appeals village" in the capital. In the process, the Communists forced out thousands of petitioners, many of whom may "freeze to death in the street" (Epoch Times).
Gao Zhisheng joins the ex-Communist Party: Human-rights attorney Gao Zhisheng, who has been told by the Communists to close his law practice, or else (sixth, tenth, fifth, lead, third, last, and twelfth items), renounced his Communst Party membership (Epoch Times). He joins nearly 6⅓ million fellow ex-Communists (Epoch Times).
Cyber-dissident harassed by Guangzhou Communists: Police in Guangzhou City have told cyber-dissident Wu Wei "that they will force him out of Guangzhou City in a few days" (Boxun). The Communists are also trying to get Wu's wife fired.
Was Wang Wei the fall guy in a Jilin-Harbin cover-up? That is what many are asking in Communist China after Jilin Vice Mayor Wang Wei died in the wake of the Jilin-Harbin-benzene fiasco (seventh, fourth, ninth, fourth, fourth, fifth, fourth, fifth, third, and seventh items). One unnamed cadre told Newsweek: "The Jilin provincial government came to the conclusion that Wang Wei should be held entirely responsible . . . He decided to commit suicide to prove he was innocent." It should be noted, however, that Wang "was due to be questioned and could have incriminated other colleagues," i.e., plenty of cadres had reason to see the vice-mayor dead.
Ex-Cabinet minister on trial for taking bribes: Tian Fengshan, Communist China’s former Minister for Land and Resources, is on trial for "accepting more than 4m yuan ($500,000) in bribes" (BBC). While a corrupt cadre is nothing unusual, the trial’s timing, less than a week after the Shanwei massacre, should raise some eyebrows.
Communist dreams for non-U.S. "East Asian Community" flops: The inaugural East Asian Summit was held today, a first step in Communist China's plan "to begin a gradual realignment between Asian nations, particularly China, and the overwhelming military and political role played by the United States in Asia since World War II" (Washington Post). Only problem is, everyone else in the group have been trying to expand it to include "democratic and US-friendly" (BBC) nations, and succeeded with Australia and India. The prevailing wisdom is that this grouping has devolved into "a talking shop."
India, pushing democracy in Nepal, becomes wary of Communist influence there: India is starting to get more worried about Nepal's absolute ruler, King Gyanendra, "going around an arms embargo imposed by New Delhi and others (by) buying weapons from China" (UPI via Washington Times). Sadly, India’s response is to take a page from the Robert Zoellick school (eighth item), saying "it wanted China to play a key role in brining about the restoration of democracy in Nepal."
More on Communist China and India: Brahma Chellaney, professor of strategic studies at the Center for Policy Research in New Delhi, wonders in the Enlightened Comment of the Day why Communist China "misses no opportunity to bash Japan over the head with the history card" (International Herald Tribune) while refusing to acknowledge its own history of aggression, like its invasion of India in 1962.
State specialist close to Taiwanese official pleads guilty to document removal: Donald Keyser, a State Department Asian specialist arrested for meeting with Taiwanese officials last year (eighth item), pled guilty to "removing top secret and other classified government documents" (Cybercast News) and "making false statements."
Communists clam up on Shanwei Massacre: Communist China tried a new tack to deflect the growing outrage over the Shanwei massacre: say nothing (Washington Post). Of course, no one else can talk, either; the news blackout of the massacre continues, which Reporters Without Borders (via Boxun) ripped. William J. Dobson, managing editor of Foreign Policy, weighed in on the subject in The New Republic.
Communists raze "appeals village," force petitioners into the streets: Communist China continued its appalling abuse of petitioners – citizens coming to Beijing for relief against local cadres back home (fifth and fourth items) – by razing an "appeals village" in the capital. In the process, the Communists forced out thousands of petitioners, many of whom may "freeze to death in the street" (Epoch Times).
Gao Zhisheng joins the ex-Communist Party: Human-rights attorney Gao Zhisheng, who has been told by the Communists to close his law practice, or else (sixth, tenth, fifth, lead, third, last, and twelfth items), renounced his Communst Party membership (Epoch Times). He joins nearly 6⅓ million fellow ex-Communists (Epoch Times).
Cyber-dissident harassed by Guangzhou Communists: Police in Guangzhou City have told cyber-dissident Wu Wei "that they will force him out of Guangzhou City in a few days" (Boxun). The Communists are also trying to get Wu's wife fired.
Was Wang Wei the fall guy in a Jilin-Harbin cover-up? That is what many are asking in Communist China after Jilin Vice Mayor Wang Wei died in the wake of the Jilin-Harbin-benzene fiasco (seventh, fourth, ninth, fourth, fourth, fifth, fourth, fifth, third, and seventh items). One unnamed cadre told Newsweek: "The Jilin provincial government came to the conclusion that Wang Wei should be held entirely responsible . . . He decided to commit suicide to prove he was innocent." It should be noted, however, that Wang "was due to be questioned and could have incriminated other colleagues," i.e., plenty of cadres had reason to see the vice-mayor dead.
Ex-Cabinet minister on trial for taking bribes: Tian Fengshan, Communist China’s former Minister for Land and Resources, is on trial for "accepting more than 4m yuan ($500,000) in bribes" (BBC). While a corrupt cadre is nothing unusual, the trial’s timing, less than a week after the Shanwei massacre, should raise some eyebrows.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
News of the Day (December 13)
Intellectuals send open letter condemning Shanwei Massacre: The Shanwei massacre has caught the attention of intellectuals within Communist China, some of whom wrote "an open letter condemning the shooting of protesters" (BBC). In the letter, the unnamed scholars demanded the Communists reveal the names of the victims, conduct an outside investigation, and allow unfettered reporting. Instead, the Communists arrested nine villagers and were looking for more (United Press Int’l via Washington Times, which for some reason is following the Communist line in calling the protests "riots." The cadres’ brutality was once again a subject for China Freedom Blog Alliance member One Free Korea, as well as the editors of the Washington Times and Kevin Steele of the Western Standard (link from the Friendly Blog Shotgun).
More from the China Freedom Blog Alliance: OFK offers his thoughts on Cold War II, and approves of the continuing emphasis on human rights in Stalinist North Korea from Bush Administration officials (see also Washington Times), South Korea’s lawyers, and its Christians. He also relays Andrew Natsios’ accounts of mass graves in SNK.
Communist China passes U.S. in high-tech exports and reports $90B trade surplus: Perhaps now the combination of a deliberately devalued currency and a complete lack of independent labor unions will get more attention; for it has now made Communist China "the world's top exporter of high-tech communications and information products such as cell phones, laptop computers and digital cameras" (Washington Times), passing the U.S. in high-tech exports last year. Meanwhile, the Communist trade surplus for 2005, with December still to be counted, is already over $90.5 billion (BBC).
Hack attack from Communist China believed to be led by military: Cybersecurity expert Alan Paller told the media, including Agence France Presse (via Breitbart), that a wave of cyber attacks from Guangdong Province against U.S. military computers is "unlikely to come from any other source than the (Communist) military." Paller also thinks it "possible they stole 'extremely sensitive' information."
U.S. judge may take up case of Guantanamo Uighurs cleared by Pentagon: Federal District Judge James Robertson "said yesterday that he will consider allowing two detainees at the military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to appear before him in court to challenge their confinement" (Washington Post via MSNBC). The Uighurs have been cleared of any alleged ties to al Qaeda, but sending them back to occupied East Turkestan would mean certain torture or death, and to date, no other country has been willing to take them in, including the U.S. That may change is Judge Robertson has his way.
Pastors meeting in Henan to help AIDS victims arrested by Communists: A meeting of "100 major church leaders from Henan and Anhui . . . discussing how the house churches could help a large group of peasants who had contracted AIDS" (World Net Daily) was raided by Communist police in Henan. It should be noted the Henan "is widely known as 'the AIDS Disaster Area' because many peasants became infected when they sold their blood to local blood centers contaminated with the AIDS virus."
"One child" outrage – Dalian cadres tell family to give up their son or their house: Chi Fuqing and Sun Jing had a baby boy in January 2002. Unfortunately, it was their second child, so cadres in Dalian insisted "the child must be taken away, or else the house would be torn down" (Epoch Times). In a panic, the couple agreed to give up the baby for adoption. However, rather than going to an orphanage, the cadres told the father to "leave the baby on a bench" at a hospital. Given what we know about Communist baby-selling networks (fourth item), one can only assume the worst.
Communists announce plan to close 4,000 mines: In reaction to the Heilongjiang Longmei Mining Group mine explosion (twelfth, third, and sixth items), Communist China "vowed to shut down at least 4,000 coal mines that do not meet work safety standards before the end of 2005" (UPI via Washington Times). This corner would like to know how 3,000 mines avoided the ax promised to them this summer (sixth item).
Czech officials tried to bribe Falun Gong protestors, then attack them: As Communist Premier Wen Jiabao was visited Prague, officials from the Czech Republic were so eager to rid the streets of Falun Gong practitioners who were protesting that they "offered them money (up to $1500 USD), if they left the spot" (Epoch Times). When that didn’t work, the "embassy group . . . violently pushed the Falun Gong practitioners aside and took the banners away."
Practitioners protest Dongchengfang rapes at Communist consulate in New York: Meanwhile, practitioners in New York had a much easier time staging a protest against "the recent torture and rape of two Falun Gong practitioners, Ms. Liu Jizhi and Ms. Han Yuzhi, in a detention center in China" (Epoch Times, see also third and second items).
On Communist China and Japan: Time Asia has two columns on the rising tension between Asia’s largest dictatorship and its wealthiest democracy. Jim Frederick’s rather bizarre unwillingness to note Japan’s justified concern over Communist China’s lust for more regional and global power earns him the Ignorant Comment of the Day. Matthew Forney, by contrast, examines the Communists’ ulterior motives in spreading virulent anti-Japanese hatred, and thus scores Enlightened Comment of the Day honors.
More from the China Freedom Blog Alliance: OFK offers his thoughts on Cold War II, and approves of the continuing emphasis on human rights in Stalinist North Korea from Bush Administration officials (see also Washington Times), South Korea’s lawyers, and its Christians. He also relays Andrew Natsios’ accounts of mass graves in SNK.
Communist China passes U.S. in high-tech exports and reports $90B trade surplus: Perhaps now the combination of a deliberately devalued currency and a complete lack of independent labor unions will get more attention; for it has now made Communist China "the world's top exporter of high-tech communications and information products such as cell phones, laptop computers and digital cameras" (Washington Times), passing the U.S. in high-tech exports last year. Meanwhile, the Communist trade surplus for 2005, with December still to be counted, is already over $90.5 billion (BBC).
Hack attack from Communist China believed to be led by military: Cybersecurity expert Alan Paller told the media, including Agence France Presse (via Breitbart), that a wave of cyber attacks from Guangdong Province against U.S. military computers is "unlikely to come from any other source than the (Communist) military." Paller also thinks it "possible they stole 'extremely sensitive' information."
U.S. judge may take up case of Guantanamo Uighurs cleared by Pentagon: Federal District Judge James Robertson "said yesterday that he will consider allowing two detainees at the military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to appear before him in court to challenge their confinement" (Washington Post via MSNBC). The Uighurs have been cleared of any alleged ties to al Qaeda, but sending them back to occupied East Turkestan would mean certain torture or death, and to date, no other country has been willing to take them in, including the U.S. That may change is Judge Robertson has his way.
Pastors meeting in Henan to help AIDS victims arrested by Communists: A meeting of "100 major church leaders from Henan and Anhui . . . discussing how the house churches could help a large group of peasants who had contracted AIDS" (World Net Daily) was raided by Communist police in Henan. It should be noted the Henan "is widely known as 'the AIDS Disaster Area' because many peasants became infected when they sold their blood to local blood centers contaminated with the AIDS virus."
"One child" outrage – Dalian cadres tell family to give up their son or their house: Chi Fuqing and Sun Jing had a baby boy in January 2002. Unfortunately, it was their second child, so cadres in Dalian insisted "the child must be taken away, or else the house would be torn down" (Epoch Times). In a panic, the couple agreed to give up the baby for adoption. However, rather than going to an orphanage, the cadres told the father to "leave the baby on a bench" at a hospital. Given what we know about Communist baby-selling networks (fourth item), one can only assume the worst.
Communists announce plan to close 4,000 mines: In reaction to the Heilongjiang Longmei Mining Group mine explosion (twelfth, third, and sixth items), Communist China "vowed to shut down at least 4,000 coal mines that do not meet work safety standards before the end of 2005" (UPI via Washington Times). This corner would like to know how 3,000 mines avoided the ax promised to them this summer (sixth item).
Czech officials tried to bribe Falun Gong protestors, then attack them: As Communist Premier Wen Jiabao was visited Prague, officials from the Czech Republic were so eager to rid the streets of Falun Gong practitioners who were protesting that they "offered them money (up to $1500 USD), if they left the spot" (Epoch Times). When that didn’t work, the "embassy group . . . violently pushed the Falun Gong practitioners aside and took the banners away."
Practitioners protest Dongchengfang rapes at Communist consulate in New York: Meanwhile, practitioners in New York had a much easier time staging a protest against "the recent torture and rape of two Falun Gong practitioners, Ms. Liu Jizhi and Ms. Han Yuzhi, in a detention center in China" (Epoch Times, see also third and second items).
On Communist China and Japan: Time Asia has two columns on the rising tension between Asia’s largest dictatorship and its wealthiest democracy. Jim Frederick’s rather bizarre unwillingness to note Japan’s justified concern over Communist China’s lust for more regional and global power earns him the Ignorant Comment of the Day. Matthew Forney, by contrast, examines the Communists’ ulterior motives in spreading virulent anti-Japanese hatred, and thus scores Enlightened Comment of the Day honors.
Monday, December 12, 2005
If You Wept for Hanyuan, Weep for Shanwei
The News of the Day can be found here.
Whenever a tyrannical regime like the Chinese Communist Party stains the globe with its presence, there are bound to be moments, events, and/or outrages that can be summed up in one word, usually the place where they occurred. For the Nazis, all one has to say is Auschwitz or Treblinka. For European Communism, it was Berlin, Budapest, Prague, or Siberia. Communist China already has a few names to symbolize its bloodlust and determination to keep power no matter how many die: Tiananmen, Hanyuan, and Taishi usually are at the tops of these lists. Today, we must add one more place: Shanwei.
Just last week, in Shanwei’s Dongzhou village, hundreds of citizens marched to protest the seizure of their land and lack of just compensation. Like the hydroelectric dam in Hanyuan, the cadres in Shanwei saw a power plant as their cash cow - even more so because they were far closer to the energy-starved cities of the Pacific Coast. What did it matter it the people lose land they had farmed for generations? Who cared if the compensation money the people desperately needed for relocation was stolen? This is Communist China after all, where the Party card is, in effect, an absolute license to steal. So, the Shanwei cadres did just that; they stole from their own people, and when the people took to the streets - as they did in Hanyuan - history repeated itself, in blood. Thankfully, far fewer have died in Shanwei than did in Hanyuan (Epoch Times), but for those who lost their loved ones, that is no comfort, nor should it be.
Guangdong Province has seen this before, in the village of Taishi, where villagers tried to use the Communists’ own election law to recall corrupt cadres from stealing money. However, this was different. Never before had the Communists fired into a crowd in Guangdong. What would lead them to do such a thing and believe they could get away with it?
The answer was simple: they already had, thousands of miles away in Sichuan’s rural county of blood: Hanyuan. The mere fact that some human rights groups are calling Shanwei the worst Communist attack against the Chinese people since Tiananmen is a testament to the success of the Hanyuan blackout. According to one eyewitness to the Hanyuan massacre, the dead were over 10,000. Shanwei’s body count has yet to reach 100 - although, as the Communists have now sealed off the village from the outside world, that may be true no longer.
Would the Communists have felt secure in resorting to murder at Shanwei if the world was more aware of Hanyuan? I doubt it. There would have been arrests, beatings, and a few deaths, but not the toll we now see. Here we see the effects of laziness from the "mainstream" media. Their refusal to take notice of the Hanyuan massacre certainly encouraged the Communists to shoot again. Hu Jintao was just two months into his reign as Central Military Commission Chairman when he ordered the Hanyuan massacre. He saw no repercussions from the outside world for his atrocity. On that bloody November day, he learned what Mao learned during the Great Leap Backward, what Deng learned during the Tiananmen Square massacre, and what Jiang Zemin learned during his brutal crackdown on Falun Gong: so long as you don’t care how many people you kill, hardly anyone else will either.
Of course, that is utterly simplistic, but for Hu, it worked. Less than one year after the Hanyuan massacre, the U.S. was praising him for a spurious nuclear "agreement" with Stalinist North Korea. American Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick is actually asking Communist China to take more power in the world (CNN). Never mind the Communists’ long record of supporting anti-American terrorists. Never mind their rampant use of radical nationalism to distract the public from just such things as the Shanwei and Hanyuan massacres.
For too long now, Hu Jintao has been given a pass. It has been over fifteen months since he took over the reins. He has had a full year to act upon the wisdom of the Nine Commentaries, and he has instead chosen cold steel. It is time to stop searching for hopeful clues in utterly banal treatments of the late Hu Yaobang and others. The anti-Communist, pro-democracy community, both inside and outside China, must accept Hu Jintao for the bloodthirsty, murdering Communist he really is, and act accordingly.
In the meantime, anyone who wept for the victims of Hanyuan County must now weep again for the victims of Shanwei. Like their compatriots to the west, the Shanwei victims have exposed the Communists lust for power, drive for corrupt lucre, and utter lack of concern for human life. However, if this can open more eyes, if this can make more in the free world recognize the danger Communist China is to the Chinese people and the rest of the world, if this will bring forth from anti-Communist majorities in democratic countries elected leaders who recognize their nations are not secure until China is free, than the victims of Shanwei will not have died in vain.
Whenever a tyrannical regime like the Chinese Communist Party stains the globe with its presence, there are bound to be moments, events, and/or outrages that can be summed up in one word, usually the place where they occurred. For the Nazis, all one has to say is Auschwitz or Treblinka. For European Communism, it was Berlin, Budapest, Prague, or Siberia. Communist China already has a few names to symbolize its bloodlust and determination to keep power no matter how many die: Tiananmen, Hanyuan, and Taishi usually are at the tops of these lists. Today, we must add one more place: Shanwei.
Just last week, in Shanwei’s Dongzhou village, hundreds of citizens marched to protest the seizure of their land and lack of just compensation. Like the hydroelectric dam in Hanyuan, the cadres in Shanwei saw a power plant as their cash cow - even more so because they were far closer to the energy-starved cities of the Pacific Coast. What did it matter it the people lose land they had farmed for generations? Who cared if the compensation money the people desperately needed for relocation was stolen? This is Communist China after all, where the Party card is, in effect, an absolute license to steal. So, the Shanwei cadres did just that; they stole from their own people, and when the people took to the streets - as they did in Hanyuan - history repeated itself, in blood. Thankfully, far fewer have died in Shanwei than did in Hanyuan (Epoch Times), but for those who lost their loved ones, that is no comfort, nor should it be.
Guangdong Province has seen this before, in the village of Taishi, where villagers tried to use the Communists’ own election law to recall corrupt cadres from stealing money. However, this was different. Never before had the Communists fired into a crowd in Guangdong. What would lead them to do such a thing and believe they could get away with it?
The answer was simple: they already had, thousands of miles away in Sichuan’s rural county of blood: Hanyuan. The mere fact that some human rights groups are calling Shanwei the worst Communist attack against the Chinese people since Tiananmen is a testament to the success of the Hanyuan blackout. According to one eyewitness to the Hanyuan massacre, the dead were over 10,000. Shanwei’s body count has yet to reach 100 - although, as the Communists have now sealed off the village from the outside world, that may be true no longer.
Would the Communists have felt secure in resorting to murder at Shanwei if the world was more aware of Hanyuan? I doubt it. There would have been arrests, beatings, and a few deaths, but not the toll we now see. Here we see the effects of laziness from the "mainstream" media. Their refusal to take notice of the Hanyuan massacre certainly encouraged the Communists to shoot again. Hu Jintao was just two months into his reign as Central Military Commission Chairman when he ordered the Hanyuan massacre. He saw no repercussions from the outside world for his atrocity. On that bloody November day, he learned what Mao learned during the Great Leap Backward, what Deng learned during the Tiananmen Square massacre, and what Jiang Zemin learned during his brutal crackdown on Falun Gong: so long as you don’t care how many people you kill, hardly anyone else will either.
Of course, that is utterly simplistic, but for Hu, it worked. Less than one year after the Hanyuan massacre, the U.S. was praising him for a spurious nuclear "agreement" with Stalinist North Korea. American Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick is actually asking Communist China to take more power in the world (CNN). Never mind the Communists’ long record of supporting anti-American terrorists. Never mind their rampant use of radical nationalism to distract the public from just such things as the Shanwei and Hanyuan massacres.
For too long now, Hu Jintao has been given a pass. It has been over fifteen months since he took over the reins. He has had a full year to act upon the wisdom of the Nine Commentaries, and he has instead chosen cold steel. It is time to stop searching for hopeful clues in utterly banal treatments of the late Hu Yaobang and others. The anti-Communist, pro-democracy community, both inside and outside China, must accept Hu Jintao for the bloodthirsty, murdering Communist he really is, and act accordingly.
In the meantime, anyone who wept for the victims of Hanyuan County must now weep again for the victims of Shanwei. Like their compatriots to the west, the Shanwei victims have exposed the Communists lust for power, drive for corrupt lucre, and utter lack of concern for human life. However, if this can open more eyes, if this can make more in the free world recognize the danger Communist China is to the Chinese people and the rest of the world, if this will bring forth from anti-Communist majorities in democratic countries elected leaders who recognize their nations are not secure until China is free, than the victims of Shanwei will not have died in vain.
News of the Day (December 12)
Death toll in Shanwei Massacre (formerly Dongzhou shooting) reported at 70: It took a few days, but the truth about the shooting in Dongzhou village (third item) has escaped the Communist clutches: the death toll is now estimated at 70 people (Epoch Times), and that may rise since “Sound of Hope Radio (reported) the government not only arranged for tanks to occupy the village, but also ordered that machine guns be set up ready to strafe villagers on the street at anytime” and the police “were still searching for about 140 people considered the most active demonstrators” (Boxun). Meanwhile, the Communist cover-up is in full swing, with police putting murdered villagers “into police uniforms” (Epoch Times) and the Communist-run Xinhua press insisting the villagers – who were protesting lack of compensation for land seized for a power plant – had started the violence by hurling explosives (NBC via MSNBC). Time Asia quickly debunked that: “Just after 7 p.m., say two locals reached by TIME by phone, riot police opened fire on the villagers, who responded by throwing homemade explosives” (emphasis added). The Communists also tried a little damage control by announcing that the commander of the firing squad “was placed under a form of detention that falls short of formal arrest” (Washington Post); the local villagers “dismissed the detention of the commander as an empty gesture.” The village has now been sealed off (London Telegraph, UK).
Appalled reactions pour in: Amnesty International called the shooting “the first time Chinese forces had fired on protesters since pro-democracy protests were crushed in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989” (Cybercast News). AI’s amnesia about the Hanyuan County Massacre aside, the outrage of the Shanwei Massacre (Shanwei is the city of which Dongzhou is a part) is well-placed, and shared by China Support Network founder John Patrick and China Freedom Blog Alliance member One Free Korea.
Priests arrested in Hebei; church razed in Henan: Communists in Hebei Province “took away Fr. Gao Baojin . . . and forced him to undergo indoctrination and brain washing courses in order that he join the Patriotic Association” (Asia News). Seven deacons were also detained. Meanwhile, in Luotuowan (Henan Province), the Communists destroyed a church and “grabbed an old lady” (Boxun) from inside.
Petitioner jailed in Fujian; couple intimidated in Shanghai: Another example of how the Communists treat citizens who try to get justice against their local cadres (fifth item) came in the form of Huang Weizhong, who “represents 676 families to petition governments (local and higher level) for the too-low compensation for the lands used by government” (Boxun). Communist police sent him back to Fujian Province; he’s been in jail ever since. Meanwhile, “an administrative complaint filed by Tian Baocheng and his wife, Zhang Cuiping” (Boxun) in Shanghai was halted when local Communist police “occupied all 40-odd seats in the courtroom, while other police officers posted outside of the courtroom barred entry to the plaintiffs' witnesses.”
Jailed lawyer Zheng Enchong wins award: The German Judges Association gave its “Human Rights Award” to Zheng Enchong, the attorney who was jailed for exposing the corruption of Zhao Zhengyi (Boxun, see also tenth and twenty-sixth items).
Bird flu hits Liaoning; Hong Kong virologist said Communist cover-up ongoing: As Mingpao News (via Epoch Times) reported a human bird flu case in Liaoning Province, Hong Kong University virologist Guan Yi told Canada’s Globe and Mail (via Boxun) that he has “direct evidence” the Communists are still covering up the spread of the virus.
Communists black out Hong Kong democracy march coverage: Communist China has treated the Hong Kong democracy march from last week (second item) like it didn’t exist, completely blocking out any and all information on it (Voice of America via Epoch Times). Meanwhile, Apple Daily columnist Kin-ming Liu calls on the Hong Kong democracy movement to “try to find allies in the local business community” (Time Asia) with some compromises – on economic issues.
On Communist China and the United States: Willy Lam, China Brief, examines how Communist China is trying to eclipse the U.S. and Japan in Asia. Stephen Mbogo, Cybercast News, finds similar Communist moves in Africa. Paul Kelly, in the Australian, fawns over U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, and thus earns the Ignorant Comment of the Day. The Seattle Times comments on an issue near and dear to its hometown: Communist software piracy. Finally, Ellen Bork, Weekly Standard, rips President Bush’s hypocrisy on Taiwan in the Enlightened Comment of the Day. Coming close behind was Yu Jie, whose speech on how the West is sleepwalking through Cold War II (although he did not use that term) was reprinted by the Epoch Times.
More Commentary on Communist China: Cindy Drukier and Jan Jekielek, Epoch Times, compare United Nations torture envoy Manfred Nowak’s comments on torture in Communist China with the cadres’ response. Alberta University Professor Wenran Jiang predicts many more Jilin-Harbin fiascos (seventh, fourth, ninth, fourth, fourth, fifth, fourth, fifth, third, and seventh items) if Hu Jintao “fails to translate the latest setbacks into much-needed political reforms that include more press freedom to monitor government activities” (China Brief). Defectors Chen Yonglin and Hao Fengjun talk about their “Human Rights in China” tour through Europe; Xiao Qin, Epoch Times, reports. The Epoch Times staff scratches the surface of “businessman” Wang Dejun, and finds “massive bribing and inside government deals and land grabs.”
On Stalinist North Korea: China Freedom Blog Alliance member One Free Korea finds good reason to go after Chung Dong-young again, shows cautious optimism about America’s newfound concern for human rights in SNK, calls for viewers to get on the Seoul Train, and comments on a group of former Stalinist special force troops who have vowed to take the regime down. OFK guest blogger Andy Jackson has the latest from the Seoul summit on SNK human rights, including addresses by Citizens United for a Better Society President Yoo Se-hee, and Uri Party leader Chung Eui-young, who naturally was rather defensive about the record of his dovish party. Meanwhile, the Stalinists are still trying to use the nuclear talks to get out of counterfeiting penalties (Cybercast News, see also last item), and Rian Jensen, China Brief, examines Communist Chinese leader Hu Jintao’s role in his would be colony’s succession puzzle.
Appalled reactions pour in: Amnesty International called the shooting “the first time Chinese forces had fired on protesters since pro-democracy protests were crushed in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989” (Cybercast News). AI’s amnesia about the Hanyuan County Massacre aside, the outrage of the Shanwei Massacre (Shanwei is the city of which Dongzhou is a part) is well-placed, and shared by China Support Network founder John Patrick and China Freedom Blog Alliance member One Free Korea.
Priests arrested in Hebei; church razed in Henan: Communists in Hebei Province “took away Fr. Gao Baojin . . . and forced him to undergo indoctrination and brain washing courses in order that he join the Patriotic Association” (Asia News). Seven deacons were also detained. Meanwhile, in Luotuowan (Henan Province), the Communists destroyed a church and “grabbed an old lady” (Boxun) from inside.
Petitioner jailed in Fujian; couple intimidated in Shanghai: Another example of how the Communists treat citizens who try to get justice against their local cadres (fifth item) came in the form of Huang Weizhong, who “represents 676 families to petition governments (local and higher level) for the too-low compensation for the lands used by government” (Boxun). Communist police sent him back to Fujian Province; he’s been in jail ever since. Meanwhile, “an administrative complaint filed by Tian Baocheng and his wife, Zhang Cuiping” (Boxun) in Shanghai was halted when local Communist police “occupied all 40-odd seats in the courtroom, while other police officers posted outside of the courtroom barred entry to the plaintiffs' witnesses.”
Jailed lawyer Zheng Enchong wins award: The German Judges Association gave its “Human Rights Award” to Zheng Enchong, the attorney who was jailed for exposing the corruption of Zhao Zhengyi (Boxun, see also tenth and twenty-sixth items).
Bird flu hits Liaoning; Hong Kong virologist said Communist cover-up ongoing: As Mingpao News (via Epoch Times) reported a human bird flu case in Liaoning Province, Hong Kong University virologist Guan Yi told Canada’s Globe and Mail (via Boxun) that he has “direct evidence” the Communists are still covering up the spread of the virus.
Communists black out Hong Kong democracy march coverage: Communist China has treated the Hong Kong democracy march from last week (second item) like it didn’t exist, completely blocking out any and all information on it (Voice of America via Epoch Times). Meanwhile, Apple Daily columnist Kin-ming Liu calls on the Hong Kong democracy movement to “try to find allies in the local business community” (Time Asia) with some compromises – on economic issues.
On Communist China and the United States: Willy Lam, China Brief, examines how Communist China is trying to eclipse the U.S. and Japan in Asia. Stephen Mbogo, Cybercast News, finds similar Communist moves in Africa. Paul Kelly, in the Australian, fawns over U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, and thus earns the Ignorant Comment of the Day. The Seattle Times comments on an issue near and dear to its hometown: Communist software piracy. Finally, Ellen Bork, Weekly Standard, rips President Bush’s hypocrisy on Taiwan in the Enlightened Comment of the Day. Coming close behind was Yu Jie, whose speech on how the West is sleepwalking through Cold War II (although he did not use that term) was reprinted by the Epoch Times.
More Commentary on Communist China: Cindy Drukier and Jan Jekielek, Epoch Times, compare United Nations torture envoy Manfred Nowak’s comments on torture in Communist China with the cadres’ response. Alberta University Professor Wenran Jiang predicts many more Jilin-Harbin fiascos (seventh, fourth, ninth, fourth, fourth, fifth, fourth, fifth, third, and seventh items) if Hu Jintao “fails to translate the latest setbacks into much-needed political reforms that include more press freedom to monitor government activities” (China Brief). Defectors Chen Yonglin and Hao Fengjun talk about their “Human Rights in China” tour through Europe; Xiao Qin, Epoch Times, reports. The Epoch Times staff scratches the surface of “businessman” Wang Dejun, and finds “massive bribing and inside government deals and land grabs.”
On Stalinist North Korea: China Freedom Blog Alliance member One Free Korea finds good reason to go after Chung Dong-young again, shows cautious optimism about America’s newfound concern for human rights in SNK, calls for viewers to get on the Seoul Train, and comments on a group of former Stalinist special force troops who have vowed to take the regime down. OFK guest blogger Andy Jackson has the latest from the Seoul summit on SNK human rights, including addresses by Citizens United for a Better Society President Yoo Se-hee, and Uri Party leader Chung Eui-young, who naturally was rather defensive about the record of his dovish party. Meanwhile, the Stalinists are still trying to use the nuclear talks to get out of counterfeiting penalties (Cybercast News, see also last item), and Rian Jensen, China Brief, examines Communist Chinese leader Hu Jintao’s role in his would be colony’s succession puzzle.
Friday, December 09, 2005
News of the Day (December 9)
New Friendly Blog: Please take a look at Between Heaven and Earth, an excellent new blog on Communist China from British Columbia, Canada.
From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: Member One Free Korea's guest blogger Andy Jackson comments on the opening night of the Seoul "summit" on human rights in Stalinist North Korea. At said conference was U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights Jay Leftkowitz (Voice of America via Epoch Times) and many others (United Press International via Washington Times).
U.S. tells Communist China to become more active on the world stage: At a meeting between U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and Communist Vice Foreign Minster Dai Bingguo, the former actually said Communist China should "become more active in regional and global issues, such as in Iraq, Afghanistan and in urging Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions" (CNN). That last one must have garnered a few chuckles back in Beijing, given the Communists' history in aiding Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Wen Jiabao says Communist China "treasures human rights a lot": The Communist premier made the laughable remark in an off-the-cuff response to a human rights question by a reporter in Slovakia who caught Wen "off guard" (Epoch Times).
Beaten democracy activist garners worldwide attention: Democracy activist Zhao Xin was brutally beaten in Sichuan province last month (Epoch Times). His case has since drawn the attention of the UN Human Rights Inspection Group, the U.S. embassy, and Amnesty International.
Bird flu whistleblower arrested: To anyone who believes Communist China's bird flu cover-up is over (eighth and eleventh items), we present Qiao Songju, a farmer who " feared that local officials would cover up the death of 200 geese on a farm owned by a friend of his father" (London Telegraph, UK). Qiao called up the Agriculture Ministry "and was nominated by state television as an 'economic personality of the year.' But his wife and lawyer say he was taken away by police late last month."
Communist China's text messaging surveillance kicks into gear: Communist China "shut down 9,700 cellphone accounts since the start of last month" (Taipei Times, via Asia Media) due to text messages from "unhealthy elements." The text message restrictions were first handed down last month (eighth item).
Commentary on Communist China: Patrick Goodenough, Cybercast News, details how an upcoming East Asian summit is turning into a diplomatic battle between Communist China on one side and Japan and India on the other. Shihoko Goto, UPI (via Washington Times), gauges the reaction to France Telecom's deal with ZTE (fifth item), one of the Communist firms that were caught helping Saddam Hussein integrate his air defense network.
From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: Member One Free Korea's guest blogger Andy Jackson comments on the opening night of the Seoul "summit" on human rights in Stalinist North Korea. At said conference was U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights Jay Leftkowitz (Voice of America via Epoch Times) and many others (United Press International via Washington Times).
U.S. tells Communist China to become more active on the world stage: At a meeting between U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and Communist Vice Foreign Minster Dai Bingguo, the former actually said Communist China should "become more active in regional and global issues, such as in Iraq, Afghanistan and in urging Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions" (CNN). That last one must have garnered a few chuckles back in Beijing, given the Communists' history in aiding Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Wen Jiabao says Communist China "treasures human rights a lot": The Communist premier made the laughable remark in an off-the-cuff response to a human rights question by a reporter in Slovakia who caught Wen "off guard" (Epoch Times).
Beaten democracy activist garners worldwide attention: Democracy activist Zhao Xin was brutally beaten in Sichuan province last month (Epoch Times). His case has since drawn the attention of the UN Human Rights Inspection Group, the U.S. embassy, and Amnesty International.
Bird flu whistleblower arrested: To anyone who believes Communist China's bird flu cover-up is over (eighth and eleventh items), we present Qiao Songju, a farmer who " feared that local officials would cover up the death of 200 geese on a farm owned by a friend of his father" (London Telegraph, UK). Qiao called up the Agriculture Ministry "and was nominated by state television as an 'economic personality of the year.' But his wife and lawyer say he was taken away by police late last month."
Communist China's text messaging surveillance kicks into gear: Communist China "shut down 9,700 cellphone accounts since the start of last month" (Taipei Times, via Asia Media) due to text messages from "unhealthy elements." The text message restrictions were first handed down last month (eighth item).
Commentary on Communist China: Patrick Goodenough, Cybercast News, details how an upcoming East Asian summit is turning into a diplomatic battle between Communist China on one side and Japan and India on the other. Shihoko Goto, UPI (via Washington Times), gauges the reaction to France Telecom's deal with ZTE (fifth item), one of the Communist firms that were caught helping Saddam Hussein integrate his air defense network.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
News of the Day (December 8)
China Support Network founder John Patrick's memorial column on the late Liu Binyan was reprinted by the Epoch Times.
From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: Member One Free Korea's guest blogger Andy Jackson comments on a speech by David Hawk, of the US Committee for Human Rights in North Korea. Meanwhile, OFK is not alone in noticing dovish South Korea's refusal to notice Stalinist atrocities (BBC, Cybercast News).
Communist police fire on protestors in Dongzhou: Police in Dongzhou Village (Guangdong Province) "are reported to have opened fire on protesters" (BBC) in order to break up the protest over compensation "for land taken by the government to build a power plant." According to witnesses, at least two protestors died.
From the Falun Gong War - a 610 Officer switches sides: Lin Chenyuan, who was brave enough to use his real name, was transferred into the brutal anti-Falun Gong 610 office "because I did not bribe any officials" (Epoch Times). He called the torture he witness, but of which he refused to take part, "even worse than the bloody torture the Japanese inflicted on the Chinese people during the Second World War." Of course, he also joine the over 6.1 million who have quit the Communist Party. A rally in honor of the resignees was held in San Francisco (Epoch Times).
Communist abuse of petitioners panned by Human Rights Watch: The Communists' continuing abuse of petitioners - citizens who seek redress in Beijing for mistreatment by provincial cadres (eighth, second, and fifth items) - caught the attention of Human Rights Watch, who ripped it. HRW cited "provincial officials known as 'retrievers' (who) would follow local residents to Beijing and harass them, often beating or kidnapping them and forcibly returning them to their hometowns" (United Press International via Washington Times). HRW "has even spoken to a few petitioners who have lost the use of limbs due to torture in detention" (BBC).
December 4 becomes "Mass Arrest Day": On what the Communists call "Legal System Promotion Day," about 1,000 citizens staged a "rule of law" protest at the China Central Television Beijing building. Communist police promptly arrested all of them, and beat up more than a few (Epoch Times).
Jilin Vice Mayor "hanged himself": Jilin Vice Mayor Wang Wei - the fellow with one of the most self-damning quotes in regard to the Jilin-Harbin-benzene fiasco, a.k.a. "China's Katrina" (seventh, fourth, ninth, fourth, fourth, fifth, fourth, fifth, and third items) - apparently hanged himself (Independent, UK).
On the health care breakdown in Communist China: Shen Hua, Epoch Times, interviews Liu Zhengyou, a Sichuan peasant who lost "three of his family members . . . because they could not afford to see a doctor" and North Carolina Professor Gordon G. Liu on the terrible state of health care in Communist China.
From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: Member One Free Korea's guest blogger Andy Jackson comments on a speech by David Hawk, of the US Committee for Human Rights in North Korea. Meanwhile, OFK is not alone in noticing dovish South Korea's refusal to notice Stalinist atrocities (BBC, Cybercast News).
Communist police fire on protestors in Dongzhou: Police in Dongzhou Village (Guangdong Province) "are reported to have opened fire on protesters" (BBC) in order to break up the protest over compensation "for land taken by the government to build a power plant." According to witnesses, at least two protestors died.
From the Falun Gong War - a 610 Officer switches sides: Lin Chenyuan, who was brave enough to use his real name, was transferred into the brutal anti-Falun Gong 610 office "because I did not bribe any officials" (Epoch Times). He called the torture he witness, but of which he refused to take part, "even worse than the bloody torture the Japanese inflicted on the Chinese people during the Second World War." Of course, he also joine the over 6.1 million who have quit the Communist Party. A rally in honor of the resignees was held in San Francisco (Epoch Times).
Communist abuse of petitioners panned by Human Rights Watch: The Communists' continuing abuse of petitioners - citizens who seek redress in Beijing for mistreatment by provincial cadres (eighth, second, and fifth items) - caught the attention of Human Rights Watch, who ripped it. HRW cited "provincial officials known as 'retrievers' (who) would follow local residents to Beijing and harass them, often beating or kidnapping them and forcibly returning them to their hometowns" (United Press International via Washington Times). HRW "has even spoken to a few petitioners who have lost the use of limbs due to torture in detention" (BBC).
December 4 becomes "Mass Arrest Day": On what the Communists call "Legal System Promotion Day," about 1,000 citizens staged a "rule of law" protest at the China Central Television Beijing building. Communist police promptly arrested all of them, and beat up more than a few (Epoch Times).
Jilin Vice Mayor "hanged himself": Jilin Vice Mayor Wang Wei - the fellow with one of the most self-damning quotes in regard to the Jilin-Harbin-benzene fiasco, a.k.a. "China's Katrina" (seventh, fourth, ninth, fourth, fourth, fifth, fourth, fifth, and third items) - apparently hanged himself (Independent, UK).
On the health care breakdown in Communist China: Shen Hua, Epoch Times, interviews Liu Zhengyou, a Sichuan peasant who lost "three of his family members . . . because they could not afford to see a doctor" and North Carolina Professor Gordon G. Liu on the terrible state of health care in Communist China.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
News of the Day (December 7)
From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: One Free Korea guest blogger Andy Jackson calls for the resignation of South Korea’s dovish Unification Minister Chung Dong-young. Meanwhile, U.S. ambassador to South Korea Alexander Vershbow dubbed the cadres’ would be colony “a criminal regime” (BBC) due to its counterfeiting (last item).
From the Falun Gong War – another victim speaks: Liu Jizhi, one of the Falun Gong practitioners who was raped at the Dongchengfang police station in Hebei Province (third item), tells her story in an open letter to the Epoch Times (as one would expect, the letter is not for children to read). Horrifying crimes such as this make one marvel at the strength and perseverance of the victims, and wonder why Australia is trying to keep practitioners from protesting at the Communist embassy in Canberra (Epoch Times).
Vice-Mayor of Jilin, home to “China’s Katrina,” found dead: Wang Wei, Vice Mayor of Jilin, “was found on Tuesday at his home” (BBC), dead. Wang was the source of this quote on the Petrochina explosion in Jilin that polluted in the Songhua River (seventh, fourth, ninth, fourth, fourth, fifth, fourth, and fifth items), “It will not cause large-scale pollution.” Meanwhile, Newsweek’s Melinda Liu (author of the Katrina reference) finds the incident a telltale sign of the Communists willingness to destroy their ecology to pad economic statistics. Xiang Ling and Hauxia Dianzi Bao, Epoch Times, find that in this disaster and the bird flu cover-up (eighth and eleventh items) Communist China “harmed not only its own environment but also other countries in the world.”
Another human bird flu case: Speaking of bird flu, Communist China admitted the existence of another human case, this one in Guangxi Province (Epoch Times, BBC).
ZTE inks two more deals: ZTE, one of the Communist firms that were caught helping Saddam Hussein integrate his air defense network, singed a research and development deal with France Telecom (United Press Int’l via Washington Times) and a Code Division Multiple Access upgrade deal with Telecom Egypt (UPI via Washington Times).
Enlightened Comment of the Day: Today’s winner is Steven W. Mosher, author of Hegemon: China's Plan To Dominate Asia and the World, for his terrific historical account of the brutal Mao Zedong in Front Page Magazine.
On the late Liu Binyan: Time Asia reran this 2003 column by Perry Link on the life of Liu Binyan, the ex-Communist who became a leading critic of the Party – for which he was imprisoned and exiled. Liu died earlier this week; we continue to mourn his passing.
From the Falun Gong War – another victim speaks: Liu Jizhi, one of the Falun Gong practitioners who was raped at the Dongchengfang police station in Hebei Province (third item), tells her story in an open letter to the Epoch Times (as one would expect, the letter is not for children to read). Horrifying crimes such as this make one marvel at the strength and perseverance of the victims, and wonder why Australia is trying to keep practitioners from protesting at the Communist embassy in Canberra (Epoch Times).
Vice-Mayor of Jilin, home to “China’s Katrina,” found dead: Wang Wei, Vice Mayor of Jilin, “was found on Tuesday at his home” (BBC), dead. Wang was the source of this quote on the Petrochina explosion in Jilin that polluted in the Songhua River (seventh, fourth, ninth, fourth, fourth, fifth, fourth, and fifth items), “It will not cause large-scale pollution.” Meanwhile, Newsweek’s Melinda Liu (author of the Katrina reference) finds the incident a telltale sign of the Communists willingness to destroy their ecology to pad economic statistics. Xiang Ling and Hauxia Dianzi Bao, Epoch Times, find that in this disaster and the bird flu cover-up (eighth and eleventh items) Communist China “harmed not only its own environment but also other countries in the world.”
Another human bird flu case: Speaking of bird flu, Communist China admitted the existence of another human case, this one in Guangxi Province (Epoch Times, BBC).
ZTE inks two more deals: ZTE, one of the Communist firms that were caught helping Saddam Hussein integrate his air defense network, singed a research and development deal with France Telecom (United Press Int’l via Washington Times) and a Code Division Multiple Access upgrade deal with Telecom Egypt (UPI via Washington Times).
Enlightened Comment of the Day: Today’s winner is Steven W. Mosher, author of Hegemon: China's Plan To Dominate Asia and the World, for his terrific historical account of the brutal Mao Zedong in Front Page Magazine.
On the late Liu Binyan: Time Asia reran this 2003 column by Perry Link on the life of Liu Binyan, the ex-Communist who became a leading critic of the Party – for which he was imprisoned and exiled. Liu died earlier this week; we continue to mourn his passing.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
News of the Day (December 6)
China Support Network mourns Liu Binyan: Liu Binyan, who joined the Chinese Communist Party in the 1940s and became one of its loudest critics and opponents as the Party advanced corruption to new heights and fired on its own people in Tiananmen Square, died in exile in the United States (BBC). John Patrick, founder of the parent organization, mourns the passing of “a giant of Chinese journalism.”
From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: One Free Korea guest blogger Andy Jackson gives his last report from a series of lectures on human rights in Stalinist North Korea. Meanwhile, the Communists’ would be colony is now trying to use the six-party nuclear talks debacle to get out of the penalties for counterfeiting (last item) imposed on them by the United States (BBC, Cybercast News).
Communists deny torture, as evidence of it continues to surface: It should come as no surprise that Communist China “denied a special U.N. investigator's report of widespread torture in the country, saying it had mechanisms in place to prevent the problem” (MSNBC). What was (pleasantly) surprising was the criticism of the Communists that came from U.S. Ambassador Clark T. Randt: “Human right abuses in China are still all too common.” Meanwhile, Falun Gong practitioner Zhang Mengye (third item) wrote an open letter to his old classmate – Hu Jintao – about the abuse he suffered at Communist hands (Epoch Times), and jailed reporter Shi Tao (fourteenth, fifth, lead, third, eighth, seventh, third, fifth, eighth, and last items) continues at forced labor (Boxun).
Communist China admits to selling organs of executed prisoners: Huang Jiefu, Communist Vice Health Minister, “frankly confessed that the majority of transplant organs in China have come from convicts sentenced to death” (Epoch Times). Of course, Huang wouldn’t mention how many of the executed donors were political prisoners, but already reports abound of “Falun Gong practitioners . . . tortured to death by policeman and their organs were removed.”
Anatomy of the Jilin-Harbin-Benzene cover-up: Matthew Forney and Susan Jakes, Time Asia, has an exclusive report on how and why cadres in the industrial northeast chose to keep the Petrochina plant explosion in Jilin and subsequent pollution in the Songhua River (seventh, fourth, ninth, fourth, fourth, fifth, and fourth items) a secret.
Enlightened Comment of the Day: Today’s winner is Ethan Gutmann, author of Losing the New China (and Member since 2004), for his opening remarks at the “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” art exhibit in Tel Aviv, Israel (reprinted by the Epoch Times).
On Communist China and the Vatican: Hubertus Hoffmann, of the Global Security Network Foundation, analyzes the state of affairs between Communist China and the Roman Catholic Church (United Press Int’l via Washington Times).
From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: One Free Korea guest blogger Andy Jackson gives his last report from a series of lectures on human rights in Stalinist North Korea. Meanwhile, the Communists’ would be colony is now trying to use the six-party nuclear talks debacle to get out of the penalties for counterfeiting (last item) imposed on them by the United States (BBC, Cybercast News).
Communists deny torture, as evidence of it continues to surface: It should come as no surprise that Communist China “denied a special U.N. investigator's report of widespread torture in the country, saying it had mechanisms in place to prevent the problem” (MSNBC). What was (pleasantly) surprising was the criticism of the Communists that came from U.S. Ambassador Clark T. Randt: “Human right abuses in China are still all too common.” Meanwhile, Falun Gong practitioner Zhang Mengye (third item) wrote an open letter to his old classmate – Hu Jintao – about the abuse he suffered at Communist hands (Epoch Times), and jailed reporter Shi Tao (fourteenth, fifth, lead, third, eighth, seventh, third, fifth, eighth, and last items) continues at forced labor (Boxun).
Communist China admits to selling organs of executed prisoners: Huang Jiefu, Communist Vice Health Minister, “frankly confessed that the majority of transplant organs in China have come from convicts sentenced to death” (Epoch Times). Of course, Huang wouldn’t mention how many of the executed donors were political prisoners, but already reports abound of “Falun Gong practitioners . . . tortured to death by policeman and their organs were removed.”
Anatomy of the Jilin-Harbin-Benzene cover-up: Matthew Forney and Susan Jakes, Time Asia, has an exclusive report on how and why cadres in the industrial northeast chose to keep the Petrochina plant explosion in Jilin and subsequent pollution in the Songhua River (seventh, fourth, ninth, fourth, fourth, fifth, and fourth items) a secret.
Enlightened Comment of the Day: Today’s winner is Ethan Gutmann, author of Losing the New China (and Member since 2004), for his opening remarks at the “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” art exhibit in Tel Aviv, Israel (reprinted by the Epoch Times).
On Communist China and the Vatican: Hubertus Hoffmann, of the Global Security Network Foundation, analyzes the state of affairs between Communist China and the Roman Catholic Church (United Press Int’l via Washington Times).
Monday, December 05, 2005
News of the Day (December 5)
From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: Democratic China comments on Taiwan’s local election (see fifth item below). One Free Korea laments the lack of concern in Seoul (and Washington) for refugees from Stalinist North Korea, and how it will likely cost one refugee her life – this issue was also brought up by OFK guest blogger Andy Jackson. OFK also rips United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan – and for good reason. More on the Communists’ would be colony is at the end of today’s post.
Anson Chan joins Hong Kong democrats in protest march: Hong Kong’s democrats took to the streets Sunday in protest of Communist-appointed Hong Kong Chief Donald Tsang’s faux political “reforms” (BBC), calling for the right to freely elect the next leader of the city. One of the new marchers was former Chief Cabinet Secretary Anson Chan: “I just feel there are moments in one's life when you have to stand up and be counted” (Cybercast News). Organizers put the number of marchers at roughly 250,000.
The latest on the Falun Gong War: A middle school teacher in Jiangxi Province was beaten to death by police for “telling others the truth about the persecution of Falun Gong” (Epoch Times), and two female practitioners were taken to the Dongchengfang Town Police Station (Hebei Province) and brutally raped (Epoch Times, warning: photos are graphic). Meanwhile, a group of Australian practitioners heard encouragement from Chris Bowen, an opposition MP: “you are not alone” (Epoch Times).
As petition circulates to free Tan Kai, Communists now saw Xie Zhenhua was fired: After being forced to admit to the Petrochina plant explosion in Jilin and subsequent pollution in the northeastern provinces (seventh, fourth, ninth, fourth, fourth, and fifth items), Communist China is now trying to score some points by claiming Xie Zhenhua’s resignation as head of the environmental protection agency was actually a firing (Washington Post). Meanwhile, Human Rights in China “received an open letter circulated by several activists on behalf of detained environmental activist Tan Kai” (Boxun), the imprisoned co-founder of Green Watch (sixth item).
France bans anti-Communist protests during Hu Jintao (Oops! Wen Jiabao) visit: Repeating its hideous performance during Hu Jintao’s visit to Paris last year, the French government has once again banned any protests during the Communist leader’s upcoming visit (Epoch Times). CORRECTION: As noted above, it's Communist Premier Wen Jiabao whose upcoming visit led to the ban; apologies for the error.
Taiwan’s opposition wins big in local elections: The opposition Nationalist Party and its allies won more than two-thirds of the local elections in Taiwan this weekend, a stinging blow to President Chen Shui-bian bad his Democratic Progressive Party (BBC). The DPP (this quarter’s favorite in Taiwan), is mired in a corruption scandal that cracked the anti-Communist coalition that re-elected Chen in 2004. Chen tried, and failed, to inject anti-Communist issues into the local vote. The good news is that legislative and Presidential elections are two and three years away, respectively (Cybercast News).
Hu Jintao tries to “modernize” Marxism: Hu Jintao has become the latest Communist leader looking to “modernize Chinese Marxism” (Washington Post) rather than move away from the “unrelentingly Leninist policing of information, association and political thought.” Parapundit founder Russell Parker (Member since 2003) weighs in here.
U.S.-Communist China trade results – better cadre weapons and bad radiators: Charles Smith, Newsmax, details how Communist China is using trade with the U.S. and its allies to improve its military, violating the very enabling trade deals in the process. Meanwhile, our supposed benefit in the deal – inexpensive products – fell a bit in value as over 200,000 radiators exported from Communist China are now being recalled due to “a burn and fall hazard to consumers” (United Press Int’l via Washington Times).
Airbus signs major plane deal with Communist China: Airbus, Europe’s major competition to Boeing in the aircraft building, “agreed to sell 150 A320 planes to China in a deal worth almost $10bn” (BBC). Of course, Boeing singed a plane sale deal of their own, despite the fact that one of their earlier planes is now a military plane (ninth item).
Communist-owned firms lost over $11 billion in 2005, so far: For the first ten months of this year, “the total loss of state-owned enterprises and state-owned holding companies reached 92.8 billion yuan (US$11.51 billion) in the past 10 months” (Epoch Times).
BP gets 20% stake of China Aviation Oil: BP now has its 20% stake in China Aviation Oil (BBC), the Communist-owned firm that took investors to the cleaners by falsifying losses last year (twelfth, seventh, and eighth items).
Enlightened Comment of the Day: Today’s winner is William Hawkins of the U.S. Business and Industry Council, who makes note of Communist China’s leadership of an anti-democratic “bloc eager to see America fail” (Washington Times).
Ignorant Comment of the Day: The more dubious prize goes to J.T. Young formerly of the Office for Management and Budget, for an examination of Asian economics that was completely void of any geopolitical analysis (Washington Times).
More Commentary on Communist China: The Epoch Times reprints yours truly’s recent post on Communist China and al Qaeda. Edward Lanfranco, UPI via Washington Times, comments on Communist China’s attempt to pull the wool over United Nations torture fact finder Manfred Nowak. Cai Hong and Ya Mei, Sound of Hope Radio (via Epoch Times) excerpt a speech by current affairs commentator Sheng Xue at a Toronto forum on the anniversary of the Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party.
On the Communists’ would be colony of Stalinist North Korea: Amid continuing “concerns that the food will not reach those who need it” (Washington Times), the U.S. “canceled a planned shipment of 25,000 tons of food aid to North Korea later this month.” However, while his people starve, Stalinist-in-chief Kim Jong-il “ordered his nation’s tiny film industry to begin competing in the big leagues” (Washington Times).
Anson Chan joins Hong Kong democrats in protest march: Hong Kong’s democrats took to the streets Sunday in protest of Communist-appointed Hong Kong Chief Donald Tsang’s faux political “reforms” (BBC), calling for the right to freely elect the next leader of the city. One of the new marchers was former Chief Cabinet Secretary Anson Chan: “I just feel there are moments in one's life when you have to stand up and be counted” (Cybercast News). Organizers put the number of marchers at roughly 250,000.
The latest on the Falun Gong War: A middle school teacher in Jiangxi Province was beaten to death by police for “telling others the truth about the persecution of Falun Gong” (Epoch Times), and two female practitioners were taken to the Dongchengfang Town Police Station (Hebei Province) and brutally raped (Epoch Times, warning: photos are graphic). Meanwhile, a group of Australian practitioners heard encouragement from Chris Bowen, an opposition MP: “you are not alone” (Epoch Times).
As petition circulates to free Tan Kai, Communists now saw Xie Zhenhua was fired: After being forced to admit to the Petrochina plant explosion in Jilin and subsequent pollution in the northeastern provinces (seventh, fourth, ninth, fourth, fourth, and fifth items), Communist China is now trying to score some points by claiming Xie Zhenhua’s resignation as head of the environmental protection agency was actually a firing (Washington Post). Meanwhile, Human Rights in China “received an open letter circulated by several activists on behalf of detained environmental activist Tan Kai” (Boxun), the imprisoned co-founder of Green Watch (sixth item).
France bans anti-Communist protests during Hu Jintao (Oops! Wen Jiabao) visit: Repeating its hideous performance during Hu Jintao’s visit to Paris last year, the French government has once again banned any protests during the Communist leader’s upcoming visit (Epoch Times). CORRECTION: As noted above, it's Communist Premier Wen Jiabao whose upcoming visit led to the ban; apologies for the error.
Taiwan’s opposition wins big in local elections: The opposition Nationalist Party and its allies won more than two-thirds of the local elections in Taiwan this weekend, a stinging blow to President Chen Shui-bian bad his Democratic Progressive Party (BBC). The DPP (this quarter’s favorite in Taiwan), is mired in a corruption scandal that cracked the anti-Communist coalition that re-elected Chen in 2004. Chen tried, and failed, to inject anti-Communist issues into the local vote. The good news is that legislative and Presidential elections are two and three years away, respectively (Cybercast News).
Hu Jintao tries to “modernize” Marxism: Hu Jintao has become the latest Communist leader looking to “modernize Chinese Marxism” (Washington Post) rather than move away from the “unrelentingly Leninist policing of information, association and political thought.” Parapundit founder Russell Parker (Member since 2003) weighs in here.
U.S.-Communist China trade results – better cadre weapons and bad radiators: Charles Smith, Newsmax, details how Communist China is using trade with the U.S. and its allies to improve its military, violating the very enabling trade deals in the process. Meanwhile, our supposed benefit in the deal – inexpensive products – fell a bit in value as over 200,000 radiators exported from Communist China are now being recalled due to “a burn and fall hazard to consumers” (United Press Int’l via Washington Times).
Airbus signs major plane deal with Communist China: Airbus, Europe’s major competition to Boeing in the aircraft building, “agreed to sell 150 A320 planes to China in a deal worth almost $10bn” (BBC). Of course, Boeing singed a plane sale deal of their own, despite the fact that one of their earlier planes is now a military plane (ninth item).
Communist-owned firms lost over $11 billion in 2005, so far: For the first ten months of this year, “the total loss of state-owned enterprises and state-owned holding companies reached 92.8 billion yuan (US$11.51 billion) in the past 10 months” (Epoch Times).
BP gets 20% stake of China Aviation Oil: BP now has its 20% stake in China Aviation Oil (BBC), the Communist-owned firm that took investors to the cleaners by falsifying losses last year (twelfth, seventh, and eighth items).
Enlightened Comment of the Day: Today’s winner is William Hawkins of the U.S. Business and Industry Council, who makes note of Communist China’s leadership of an anti-democratic “bloc eager to see America fail” (Washington Times).
Ignorant Comment of the Day: The more dubious prize goes to J.T. Young formerly of the Office for Management and Budget, for an examination of Asian economics that was completely void of any geopolitical analysis (Washington Times).
More Commentary on Communist China: The Epoch Times reprints yours truly’s recent post on Communist China and al Qaeda. Edward Lanfranco, UPI via Washington Times, comments on Communist China’s attempt to pull the wool over United Nations torture fact finder Manfred Nowak. Cai Hong and Ya Mei, Sound of Hope Radio (via Epoch Times) excerpt a speech by current affairs commentator Sheng Xue at a Toronto forum on the anniversary of the Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party.
On the Communists’ would be colony of Stalinist North Korea: Amid continuing “concerns that the food will not reach those who need it” (Washington Times), the U.S. “canceled a planned shipment of 25,000 tons of food aid to North Korea later this month.” However, while his people starve, Stalinist-in-chief Kim Jong-il “ordered his nation’s tiny film industry to begin competing in the big leagues” (Washington Times).
Friday, December 02, 2005
Communist China and India: They are not the same
In any debate about international trade, “outsourcing,” or “globalization” these days, one is almost certain to hear about the rise of “China and India.” The two sides of this debate rail on about the nature of “China and India” – the “protectionists” complain about them, while the “globalists” usually praise them. However, both make the same mistake: they treat “China and India” as if they are identical twins at best, joined at the hip at worst.
For this reason, I have tended to steer clear of these discussions; in fact, upon seeing any article or column on these subjects, my eyes tend to glaze over. Still, I usually find myself examining them, and before too long, there it is: “China and India”! Bosnia and Herzegovina aren’t mentioned together this often, and they’re actually joined together as one country (ditto Serbia and Montenegro).
The combined geopolitical ignorance of so many luminaries on both sides of this “divide” has routinely depressed me. So I will now try to explain why Communist China and India are not the same issue and don’t pose the same challenges. The only things they have in common are large populations and a relatively short history as world powers in the modern era. Their differences – which center around three things: how they got to the positions they now hold, what they intend to do in the future, and how they view the United States and the rest of the democratic world – are far more important.
Communist China’s history is well known to some – and should be to everyone else. For over fifty-six years, the Communists have maintained the power they seized in 1949 by murdering over seventy million of their own people and, especially since 1989, building anti-American alliances that include sponsors and perpetrators of international terrorism, including al Qaeda, Saddam Hussein, the mullahcracy of Iran, and Stalinist North Korea.
Meanwhile, the one thing that Communist China supposedly has in its favor (a rip-roaring economy) is in large part inflated by phony statistics (fifteenth, tenth, sixth and last items) and cadre-ordered large-scale factory development that produces products for which no one has any use (twenty-ninth, thirtieth, last, and seventh items). An economy like this is akin to an athlete on steroids – tremendous improvement at first, but with horrifying long-term damage.
India, by contrast, has spent the last fifteen years or so trying to get out from under the economic mistakes of its past. It quickly ditched its vague anti-Americanism at roughly the turn of the century, and has been one of America’s closest friends in the 21st. While Communist China was making deals with al Qaeda and its Taliban hosts, India was actively supporting their opponents in Afghanistan – long before 9/11/01.
Yet most discussions of global affairs seem to devolve to economic issues; this largely negates India’s geopolitical and domestic differences with Communist China. However, even in international economics, India and Communist China are far from similar.
India is coming into the world economy in a good-faith attempt to understand the rules of the game. They are fully aware of their labor-cost advantage, and have sought to exploit it. However, they have largely shown respect for the international free market (such as it is), and have shown little interest in upending the system for ill-gotten gains.
Communist China, by contrast, has already used – and is still using – several forms of economic manipulation: a deliberately devalued currency, the lack of independent labor unions, and ecological “regulation” that leads to things such as the recent benzene poison spill in the industrial northeast. By these actions, Communist China is perverting the established norms of the international economy at the expense of the globe, rather than growing within those norms to take its newfound place within it, as India has.
The repercussions for the future are obvious, and chilling. India’s current labor advantage will likely fade as its workers demand paychecks roughly equal to that of the developed world. Communist China, by contrast, will force the rest of the world into a “race to the bottom” in order to keep up with its predatory policies. Additionally, India’s government will continue to respond to the demands of its people, who are seeing the benefits of freer international trade. The Communist Chinese regime’s only concern is its own survival, meaning more anti-American alliances, more twisting of the international market to damage the economies of the democratic world (India included), and even more brutal treatment of the Chinese people.
In short, India and Communist China are not alike at all. If the “protectionists” saw this, they would realize that international trade can, and usually is, beneficial so long as the rules are understood and followed by all. By contrast, if the “globalists” saw the differences, they would recognize that Communist China, far from embracing “capitalism,” is in fact violating its established norms in numerous areas.
However, neither camp seems to have an interest in geopolitics anymore. They both agree, in large part, that the only issue that really counts is economics, and neither wants to admit that their worldview tends to ignore – or at the very least, badly miss – the differences between Communist China and India. So they treat them as one and the same, to the detriment of the Indian people, the Chinese people, and everyone else. The only beneficiary of this joint myopia is the Chinese Communist Party. That alone is reason enough for “protectionists” and “globalists” to stop ignoring the facts and start seeing the world as it really is.
For this reason, I have tended to steer clear of these discussions; in fact, upon seeing any article or column on these subjects, my eyes tend to glaze over. Still, I usually find myself examining them, and before too long, there it is: “China and India”! Bosnia and Herzegovina aren’t mentioned together this often, and they’re actually joined together as one country (ditto Serbia and Montenegro).
The combined geopolitical ignorance of so many luminaries on both sides of this “divide” has routinely depressed me. So I will now try to explain why Communist China and India are not the same issue and don’t pose the same challenges. The only things they have in common are large populations and a relatively short history as world powers in the modern era. Their differences – which center around three things: how they got to the positions they now hold, what they intend to do in the future, and how they view the United States and the rest of the democratic world – are far more important.
Communist China’s history is well known to some – and should be to everyone else. For over fifty-six years, the Communists have maintained the power they seized in 1949 by murdering over seventy million of their own people and, especially since 1989, building anti-American alliances that include sponsors and perpetrators of international terrorism, including al Qaeda, Saddam Hussein, the mullahcracy of Iran, and Stalinist North Korea.
Meanwhile, the one thing that Communist China supposedly has in its favor (a rip-roaring economy) is in large part inflated by phony statistics (fifteenth, tenth, sixth and last items) and cadre-ordered large-scale factory development that produces products for which no one has any use (twenty-ninth, thirtieth, last, and seventh items). An economy like this is akin to an athlete on steroids – tremendous improvement at first, but with horrifying long-term damage.
India, by contrast, has spent the last fifteen years or so trying to get out from under the economic mistakes of its past. It quickly ditched its vague anti-Americanism at roughly the turn of the century, and has been one of America’s closest friends in the 21st. While Communist China was making deals with al Qaeda and its Taliban hosts, India was actively supporting their opponents in Afghanistan – long before 9/11/01.
Yet most discussions of global affairs seem to devolve to economic issues; this largely negates India’s geopolitical and domestic differences with Communist China. However, even in international economics, India and Communist China are far from similar.
India is coming into the world economy in a good-faith attempt to understand the rules of the game. They are fully aware of their labor-cost advantage, and have sought to exploit it. However, they have largely shown respect for the international free market (such as it is), and have shown little interest in upending the system for ill-gotten gains.
Communist China, by contrast, has already used – and is still using – several forms of economic manipulation: a deliberately devalued currency, the lack of independent labor unions, and ecological “regulation” that leads to things such as the recent benzene poison spill in the industrial northeast. By these actions, Communist China is perverting the established norms of the international economy at the expense of the globe, rather than growing within those norms to take its newfound place within it, as India has.
The repercussions for the future are obvious, and chilling. India’s current labor advantage will likely fade as its workers demand paychecks roughly equal to that of the developed world. Communist China, by contrast, will force the rest of the world into a “race to the bottom” in order to keep up with its predatory policies. Additionally, India’s government will continue to respond to the demands of its people, who are seeing the benefits of freer international trade. The Communist Chinese regime’s only concern is its own survival, meaning more anti-American alliances, more twisting of the international market to damage the economies of the democratic world (India included), and even more brutal treatment of the Chinese people.
In short, India and Communist China are not alike at all. If the “protectionists” saw this, they would realize that international trade can, and usually is, beneficial so long as the rules are understood and followed by all. By contrast, if the “globalists” saw the differences, they would recognize that Communist China, far from embracing “capitalism,” is in fact violating its established norms in numerous areas.
However, neither camp seems to have an interest in geopolitics anymore. They both agree, in large part, that the only issue that really counts is economics, and neither wants to admit that their worldview tends to ignore – or at the very least, badly miss – the differences between Communist China and India. So they treat them as one and the same, to the detriment of the Indian people, the Chinese people, and everyone else. The only beneficiary of this joint myopia is the Chinese Communist Party. That alone is reason enough for “protectionists” and “globalists” to stop ignoring the facts and start seeing the world as it really is.
News of the Day (December 2)
UPDATE: The link to today's Enlightened Comment of the Day has been fixed; apologies for the original error.
From the China Support Network: Demetrius Klitou, author of The Friends and Foes of Human Rights, pens a terrific column on why the United States, as imperfect as it is, is still infinitely preferable as a world power to Communist China.
UN envoy says Communist torture “widespread;” cadres interfered with probe: Manfred Nowak, the UN Human Rights Commission's special rapporteur on torture, announced the obvious yesterday, that torture in Communist China “is still widespread” (BBC). He detailed how the Communists interfered with his investigation: “Victims and family members were intimidated by security personnel during the visit, placed under surveillance, instructed not to meet with him [Mr. Nowak] or physically prevented from meeting with him. He also observed “a palpable level of fear and self-censorship.”
On the Falun Gong War: Zhang Mengye, a classmate of Communist leader Hu Jintao, lost his job as a professor and was sent to labor camps by the Communists. Yet, as he talked to Lin Haixin (Epoch Times), he still holds out hope his classmate will “end the persecution of Falun Gong and obey the will of heaven and withdraw from the CCP.” This quarter won’t raise its hopes: we still remember the Hanyuan County Massacre.
As resignations pass six million, retired cadres protest pension system: In what Hong Kong’s Ming Pao (via Epoch Times) called “the largest demonstration by retired cadre (sic) in Shenzhen's history,” almost 2,000 retired Communist Party members took to the streets in the city to protest a pension system that paid them one-third the level of retired state officials. The protest lasted five hours. One would expect that a number of the protestors will soon join the more than six million who have resigned from the Party.
Hong Kong democrats to meet cadres today and march in city on Sunday: Pro-democracy members of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council “are due to cross the border into mainland China for a rare face-to-face meeting with senior Beijing officials” (BBC) today. The meeting comes amid growing criticism of Communist-appointed Hong Kong Chief Donald Tsang’s faux political “reforms” (Agence France Presse via Channel News Agency). The democrats are also planning a protest march against the “reforms on Sunday (Agence France Presse via Channel News Agency).
Top Environment cadre quits in wake of benzene fiasco: Xie Zhenhua, director of head of Communist China’s environmental protection agency resigned today (BBC). The cadres insisted the move was “planned” (CNN) well in advance of the Petrochina plant explosion in Jilin and subsequent pollution fiasco (seventh, fourth, ninth, fourth, and fourth items), which may shut down water distribution in five more cities. Meanwhile, Professor Joshua Muldavin, from Sarah Lawrence College, pens the Enlightened Comment of the Day in the International Herald Tribune for highlighting how “companies (that) continue to rush to China to set up factories to avoid the environmental and occupational regulations elsewhere” helped contribute to the culture that led to this.
Ikea looking to expand in Communist China: One of the firms cited by Professor Muldavin was Ikea, which just happened to announce plans “to expand in China, building a regional distribution centre and doubling its outlets over the next 18 months” (BBC).
Commentary on Communist China: Lev Navrozov sounds another warning on Communist China’s lead in the nanotech arms race in Newsmax. Peter Gumbel, Time Asia, details how Communist China is hammering the Italian economy, while fellow Time Asia scribe Jeff Israely talks to Italian finance minister Giulio Tremonti, “the first senior European official to warn about the downside of unbridled free trade with China.”
On the Communists’ would be colony of Stalinist North Korea: The Stalinists claim the U.S. conducted “at least 200 hours” (Agence France Presse via Channel News Agency) of espionage flights last month. Washington had no response on that as of yet, but U.S. officials have fingered the Stalinist regime for having “produced more than $45 million in high-quality fake $100 bills since 1989” (Bill Gertz, Washington Times).
From the China Support Network: Demetrius Klitou, author of The Friends and Foes of Human Rights, pens a terrific column on why the United States, as imperfect as it is, is still infinitely preferable as a world power to Communist China.
UN envoy says Communist torture “widespread;” cadres interfered with probe: Manfred Nowak, the UN Human Rights Commission's special rapporteur on torture, announced the obvious yesterday, that torture in Communist China “is still widespread” (BBC). He detailed how the Communists interfered with his investigation: “Victims and family members were intimidated by security personnel during the visit, placed under surveillance, instructed not to meet with him [Mr. Nowak] or physically prevented from meeting with him. He also observed “a palpable level of fear and self-censorship.”
On the Falun Gong War: Zhang Mengye, a classmate of Communist leader Hu Jintao, lost his job as a professor and was sent to labor camps by the Communists. Yet, as he talked to Lin Haixin (Epoch Times), he still holds out hope his classmate will “end the persecution of Falun Gong and obey the will of heaven and withdraw from the CCP.” This quarter won’t raise its hopes: we still remember the Hanyuan County Massacre.
As resignations pass six million, retired cadres protest pension system: In what Hong Kong’s Ming Pao (via Epoch Times) called “the largest demonstration by retired cadre (sic) in Shenzhen's history,” almost 2,000 retired Communist Party members took to the streets in the city to protest a pension system that paid them one-third the level of retired state officials. The protest lasted five hours. One would expect that a number of the protestors will soon join the more than six million who have resigned from the Party.
Hong Kong democrats to meet cadres today and march in city on Sunday: Pro-democracy members of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council “are due to cross the border into mainland China for a rare face-to-face meeting with senior Beijing officials” (BBC) today. The meeting comes amid growing criticism of Communist-appointed Hong Kong Chief Donald Tsang’s faux political “reforms” (Agence France Presse via Channel News Agency). The democrats are also planning a protest march against the “reforms on Sunday (Agence France Presse via Channel News Agency).
Top Environment cadre quits in wake of benzene fiasco: Xie Zhenhua, director of head of Communist China’s environmental protection agency resigned today (BBC). The cadres insisted the move was “planned” (CNN) well in advance of the Petrochina plant explosion in Jilin and subsequent pollution fiasco (seventh, fourth, ninth, fourth, and fourth items), which may shut down water distribution in five more cities. Meanwhile, Professor Joshua Muldavin, from Sarah Lawrence College, pens the Enlightened Comment of the Day in the International Herald Tribune for highlighting how “companies (that) continue to rush to China to set up factories to avoid the environmental and occupational regulations elsewhere” helped contribute to the culture that led to this.
Ikea looking to expand in Communist China: One of the firms cited by Professor Muldavin was Ikea, which just happened to announce plans “to expand in China, building a regional distribution centre and doubling its outlets over the next 18 months” (BBC).
Commentary on Communist China: Lev Navrozov sounds another warning on Communist China’s lead in the nanotech arms race in Newsmax. Peter Gumbel, Time Asia, details how Communist China is hammering the Italian economy, while fellow Time Asia scribe Jeff Israely talks to Italian finance minister Giulio Tremonti, “the first senior European official to warn about the downside of unbridled free trade with China.”
On the Communists’ would be colony of Stalinist North Korea: The Stalinists claim the U.S. conducted “at least 200 hours” (Agence France Presse via Channel News Agency) of espionage flights last month. Washington had no response on that as of yet, but U.S. officials have fingered the Stalinist regime for having “produced more than $45 million in high-quality fake $100 bills since 1989” (Bill Gertz, Washington Times).
Thursday, December 01, 2005
We just had confirmation that Communist China bought American cruises missile from Al Qaeda – so why is no one noticing?
Over four years ago, America suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history, caused by a terrorist group largely known as al Qaeda. About a month after the attack, it was first reported that Communist China bought unexploded American cruise missiles from al Qaeda in order to “reverse engineer” them, i.e., use them to advance its own cruise missile capabilities (fifth item; Washington Post, link archived). That report was just confirmed two days ago (second item; United Press Int’l via Washington Times, link archived). The subsequent silence from mainstream media (MSM) has been deafening.
What gives here?
For over four years, as the democratic world has fought the War on Terror, Communist China has managed to stay out of sight and out of mind, despite the information above and immediately below. Even the pro-democracy, anti-Communist movement has largely been quiet on this. This remains a terrible and dangerous mistake.
For those new to this topic, what follows is a quick synopsis of Communist China’s actions regarding al Qaeda and the Taliban.
1998: After the American cruise missile attack on al Qaeda, Communist China pays up to $10 million to al Qaeda for American unexploded cruise missiles (see above).
1999: A book by two Communist Chinese colonels presents a battle scenario in which the World Trade Center is attacked. The authors recommend Osama bin Laden by name as someone with the ability to orchestrate the attack (Newsmax).
September 11, 2001 (yes, that date is correct): Communist China signs a pact on economic cooperation with the Taliban (Washington Post, link archived).
Just after September 11, 2001: The Communist press agency makes a video “glorifying the strikes as a humbling blow against an arrogant nation” (London Telegraph).
Also after September 11, 2001: According to Willy Lam (CNN), the Communist leadership considers al Qaeda to be “a check on U.S. power,” and only decides to back away from it after deciding that “now is not the time to take on the United States.”
Also after September 11, 2001: As Pakistan mulls a request from the United States to allow its troops to be based there for operations against the Taliban, Communist China – a 50-year Pakistan ally – announces it would “oppose allowing foreign troops in Pakistan” (Washington Post, link archived).
Also after September 11, 2001: U.S. intelligence finds the Communist Chinese military’s favorite technology firm – Huawei Technologies – building a telephone network in Kabul, the Afghan capital (Washington Times, link archived).
November 2001: As U.S. Special Forces and local anti-Taliban Afghans are liberating Afghanistan, Communist China, through public statements and behind-the-scenes actions, tries to prevent what it calls “a pro-American regime” in Kabul (CNN).
2002: Raids of al Qaeda hideouts by U.S. Special Forces and allies net large caches of weapons from Communist China, including surface-to-air missiles. This comes weeks after the U.S. government warns that al Qaeda terrorists in the U.S. would try to use said missiles to take down American planes (Washington Times, link archived, and CNN).
April 2002: Then-Communist Chinese leader Jiang Zemin, while visiting Iran, rips the U.S. military presence in Central Asia (CNN).
Late summer 2002: Almost a year after Afghanistan’s liberation, a three-man delegation from the Taliban - led by Ustad Khalil, purported to be Mullah Omar’s right-hand man – spends a week in Communist China meeting with cadres, at their invitation (Newsmax).
August 2002: Intelligence from the post-Taliban Afghan government reveals that Communist China has turned a part of Pakistan deemed under its control (most likely “Aksai Chin,” the piece of disputed Kashmir Pakistan gave to its longtime ally in the 1960s) into a safe haven for al Qaeda.
May 2004: Media reports expose how the Communist Chinese intelligence service used some of its front companies in financial markets around the world to help al Qaeda raise and launder money for its operations.
Yet Communist China continues to claim that it is our friend in the War on Terror, and foolish supporters of “engagement” continue to believe it. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s not merely al Qaeda that has received Communist support (for more on Communist China’s extensive ties to terrorists, check out my book on the subject), but given the nearly universal acceptance of al Qaeda as an enemy of the democratic world, one would think that the above information would be enough for a serious and thorough reexamination of our relations with the Communists.
After all, Communist China’s reasons for supporting anti-American terrorists are not difficult to ascertain. The U.S. is the main obstacle to the Communists’ plans for conquering Taiwan, replacing Japan as the lead power in Asia, and replacing the U.S. as the lead world power. If Communist China fails in any of these, its reliance on radical nationalism – the regime’s raison d’etre since the Tiananmen Square massacre – will backfire badly. Thus, the Chinese Communist Party sees the United States as the chief threat to its power, and its survival.
Yet President Bush has not once demanded that Communist China end its support for al Qaeda – indeed, he has not even acknowledged the existence of that support. Sadly, he is not alone. In fact, those of us who insist on spreading the word about this are in the distinct minority. If we are to win the War on Terror, this must change.
The War on Terror is, in fact, part of the Second Cold War – the cold war between Communist China and the democratic world. As such, the War on Terror can not and will not be won unless the free world sees the Chinese Communist Party for what it really is: an enemy. The road to victory in the War on Terror ends not in Kabul, Baghdad, Tehran, or Damascus, but in Beijing. America and her allies will never be secure until China is free.
What gives here?
For over four years, as the democratic world has fought the War on Terror, Communist China has managed to stay out of sight and out of mind, despite the information above and immediately below. Even the pro-democracy, anti-Communist movement has largely been quiet on this. This remains a terrible and dangerous mistake.
For those new to this topic, what follows is a quick synopsis of Communist China’s actions regarding al Qaeda and the Taliban.
1998: After the American cruise missile attack on al Qaeda, Communist China pays up to $10 million to al Qaeda for American unexploded cruise missiles (see above).
1999: A book by two Communist Chinese colonels presents a battle scenario in which the World Trade Center is attacked. The authors recommend Osama bin Laden by name as someone with the ability to orchestrate the attack (Newsmax).
September 11, 2001 (yes, that date is correct): Communist China signs a pact on economic cooperation with the Taliban (Washington Post, link archived).
Just after September 11, 2001: The Communist press agency makes a video “glorifying the strikes as a humbling blow against an arrogant nation” (London Telegraph).
Also after September 11, 2001: According to Willy Lam (CNN), the Communist leadership considers al Qaeda to be “a check on U.S. power,” and only decides to back away from it after deciding that “now is not the time to take on the United States.”
Also after September 11, 2001: As Pakistan mulls a request from the United States to allow its troops to be based there for operations against the Taliban, Communist China – a 50-year Pakistan ally – announces it would “oppose allowing foreign troops in Pakistan” (Washington Post, link archived).
Also after September 11, 2001: U.S. intelligence finds the Communist Chinese military’s favorite technology firm – Huawei Technologies – building a telephone network in Kabul, the Afghan capital (Washington Times, link archived).
November 2001: As U.S. Special Forces and local anti-Taliban Afghans are liberating Afghanistan, Communist China, through public statements and behind-the-scenes actions, tries to prevent what it calls “a pro-American regime” in Kabul (CNN).
2002: Raids of al Qaeda hideouts by U.S. Special Forces and allies net large caches of weapons from Communist China, including surface-to-air missiles. This comes weeks after the U.S. government warns that al Qaeda terrorists in the U.S. would try to use said missiles to take down American planes (Washington Times, link archived, and CNN).
April 2002: Then-Communist Chinese leader Jiang Zemin, while visiting Iran, rips the U.S. military presence in Central Asia (CNN).
Late summer 2002: Almost a year after Afghanistan’s liberation, a three-man delegation from the Taliban - led by Ustad Khalil, purported to be Mullah Omar’s right-hand man – spends a week in Communist China meeting with cadres, at their invitation (Newsmax).
August 2002: Intelligence from the post-Taliban Afghan government reveals that Communist China has turned a part of Pakistan deemed under its control (most likely “Aksai Chin,” the piece of disputed Kashmir Pakistan gave to its longtime ally in the 1960s) into a safe haven for al Qaeda.
May 2004: Media reports expose how the Communist Chinese intelligence service used some of its front companies in financial markets around the world to help al Qaeda raise and launder money for its operations.
Yet Communist China continues to claim that it is our friend in the War on Terror, and foolish supporters of “engagement” continue to believe it. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s not merely al Qaeda that has received Communist support (for more on Communist China’s extensive ties to terrorists, check out my book on the subject), but given the nearly universal acceptance of al Qaeda as an enemy of the democratic world, one would think that the above information would be enough for a serious and thorough reexamination of our relations with the Communists.
After all, Communist China’s reasons for supporting anti-American terrorists are not difficult to ascertain. The U.S. is the main obstacle to the Communists’ plans for conquering Taiwan, replacing Japan as the lead power in Asia, and replacing the U.S. as the lead world power. If Communist China fails in any of these, its reliance on radical nationalism – the regime’s raison d’etre since the Tiananmen Square massacre – will backfire badly. Thus, the Chinese Communist Party sees the United States as the chief threat to its power, and its survival.
Yet President Bush has not once demanded that Communist China end its support for al Qaeda – indeed, he has not even acknowledged the existence of that support. Sadly, he is not alone. In fact, those of us who insist on spreading the word about this are in the distinct minority. If we are to win the War on Terror, this must change.
The War on Terror is, in fact, part of the Second Cold War – the cold war between Communist China and the democratic world. As such, the War on Terror can not and will not be won unless the free world sees the Chinese Communist Party for what it really is: an enemy. The road to victory in the War on Terror ends not in Kabul, Baghdad, Tehran, or Damascus, but in Beijing. America and her allies will never be secure until China is free.
News of the Day (December 1)
From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: Member One Free Korea’s guest blogger Andy Jackson attends Kang Chol-hwan’s second lecture, while OFK takes aim again at dovish South Korea. For more on the communists’ would be colony, see the end of the post.
Communists raze Catholic Church, wounding sixteen nuns in the process: Over two days, cadres in Xi’an (Shanxi Province) sent in a bulldozer to destroy a Catholic Church. Communist police also beat several nuns “who were defending the church building. Sixteen nuns suffered eye injuries and/or broken legs” (China Aid via Epoch Times).
The Falun Gong War continues: Liu Ruping, an attorney from Jinan (Shandong Province), tells Clearwisdom.net (via Epoch Times) how the Communists imprisoned him, tried to brainwash him, and sent his father to an early grave. Meanwhile, a former member of the Communist military – and current Falun Gong practitioner – is missing in Beijing (he has already been imprisoned once), worrying his brother (Epoch Times).
Could Communist China turn RFID into a dissident-tracking system? That’s the question posed by Frederick W. Stakelbeck, Jr., in the Washington Times. Stakelbeck notes the Communists’ enthusiasm for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, and worries it could become a method for “‘tagging’ human beings.”
Benzene slick hits Russia, possibly killing eight, as Communists face more criticism: The poisonous benzene slick caused by a Petrochina plant explosion in Jilin – and initially covered up by Communist China (seventh, fourth, ninth, and fourth items) – has just reached Russia, and already there are reports that it has claimed eight lives there (Mosnews, Russia via Boxun). Meanwhile, the critics of Communist China’s aversion to the truth about Jilin continue to grow, and now include Peter Goodspeed (National Post, Canada, via Boxun), and Edward Lanfranco (United Press International via Washington Times), who noted that the slick will freeze in the winter, then thaw to kill again in 2006.
Chief of exploded mine – praised by cadres two weeks ago – now under arrest: As part of its attempt at damage control in the Heilongjiang Longmei Mining Group mine explosion (twelfth and third items), Communist China let its press rip the local cadres (BBC) and also arrested a local party chief and the mine’s head, Ma Jinguang, who “had been declared a role model in mine management 10 days before the accident” (BBC).
Communist China lectures on AIDS cover-ups, but doesn’t mention Henan: The cadres sent “a warning to officials not to cover up HIV cases as they spread beyond high-risk groups to the general population” (UPI via Washington Times). Of course, said “warning” does not apply to Henan province, where the Communists have been silent about a blood-donation scheme they led that caused one million HIV infections (sixth and fourth items). Sadly, MSM is also silent, as best shown by Charles Hadlock of NBC (via MSNBC), who has today’s Ignorant Comment of the Day.
On the Mak spy case: Peter Grier, Christian Science Monitor, examines the Mak-brothers espionage affair and Communist Chinese spying in the U.S. in general.
Woe Canada! Mining companies trying to get Tibetan activists off their backs: Three Canadian mining companies have decided to help Communist China exploit the resources of occupied Tibet. However, they are so worried about an ensuing public relations fiasco that they “are quietly engaged in talks with Tibetan activists to seek agreements that might prevent protests against their projects in China” (Globe and Mail, Canada, via Phayul). How about staying away from the CCP entirely, guys?
Nepal jails more Tibetans: Eighteen Tibetans who escaped Communist China for Nepal are now in a Nepalese prison (Phayul) – another sign that Nepal’s tyrannical King Gyanendra is now a Communist Chinese errand boy (ninth and seventh items).
On Tibet: Australian opposition MP Michael Danby speaks up for the occupied nation at a conference in Edinburgh (speech reprinted by Tibet Net via Phayul).
On Stalinist North Korea: Alexander Vershbow, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, discusses SNK’s antics and nuclear ambitions with the Washington Times. The Stalinists cancel a discussion on U.S. penalties from their counterfeit schemes because they couldn’t tie it to the nuclear talks fiasco (Washington Post, hat tip to OFK). According to the Korea Times, SNK will soon allow cell phones again, but with “American-style code division multiple access” technology “due to security concerns.” Uh oh (fourth item)!
Communists raze Catholic Church, wounding sixteen nuns in the process: Over two days, cadres in Xi’an (Shanxi Province) sent in a bulldozer to destroy a Catholic Church. Communist police also beat several nuns “who were defending the church building. Sixteen nuns suffered eye injuries and/or broken legs” (China Aid via Epoch Times).
The Falun Gong War continues: Liu Ruping, an attorney from Jinan (Shandong Province), tells Clearwisdom.net (via Epoch Times) how the Communists imprisoned him, tried to brainwash him, and sent his father to an early grave. Meanwhile, a former member of the Communist military – and current Falun Gong practitioner – is missing in Beijing (he has already been imprisoned once), worrying his brother (Epoch Times).
Could Communist China turn RFID into a dissident-tracking system? That’s the question posed by Frederick W. Stakelbeck, Jr., in the Washington Times. Stakelbeck notes the Communists’ enthusiasm for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, and worries it could become a method for “‘tagging’ human beings.”
Benzene slick hits Russia, possibly killing eight, as Communists face more criticism: The poisonous benzene slick caused by a Petrochina plant explosion in Jilin – and initially covered up by Communist China (seventh, fourth, ninth, and fourth items) – has just reached Russia, and already there are reports that it has claimed eight lives there (Mosnews, Russia via Boxun). Meanwhile, the critics of Communist China’s aversion to the truth about Jilin continue to grow, and now include Peter Goodspeed (National Post, Canada, via Boxun), and Edward Lanfranco (United Press International via Washington Times), who noted that the slick will freeze in the winter, then thaw to kill again in 2006.
Chief of exploded mine – praised by cadres two weeks ago – now under arrest: As part of its attempt at damage control in the Heilongjiang Longmei Mining Group mine explosion (twelfth and third items), Communist China let its press rip the local cadres (BBC) and also arrested a local party chief and the mine’s head, Ma Jinguang, who “had been declared a role model in mine management 10 days before the accident” (BBC).
Communist China lectures on AIDS cover-ups, but doesn’t mention Henan: The cadres sent “a warning to officials not to cover up HIV cases as they spread beyond high-risk groups to the general population” (UPI via Washington Times). Of course, said “warning” does not apply to Henan province, where the Communists have been silent about a blood-donation scheme they led that caused one million HIV infections (sixth and fourth items). Sadly, MSM is also silent, as best shown by Charles Hadlock of NBC (via MSNBC), who has today’s Ignorant Comment of the Day.
On the Mak spy case: Peter Grier, Christian Science Monitor, examines the Mak-brothers espionage affair and Communist Chinese spying in the U.S. in general.
Woe Canada! Mining companies trying to get Tibetan activists off their backs: Three Canadian mining companies have decided to help Communist China exploit the resources of occupied Tibet. However, they are so worried about an ensuing public relations fiasco that they “are quietly engaged in talks with Tibetan activists to seek agreements that might prevent protests against their projects in China” (Globe and Mail, Canada, via Phayul). How about staying away from the CCP entirely, guys?
Nepal jails more Tibetans: Eighteen Tibetans who escaped Communist China for Nepal are now in a Nepalese prison (Phayul) – another sign that Nepal’s tyrannical King Gyanendra is now a Communist Chinese errand boy (ninth and seventh items).
On Tibet: Australian opposition MP Michael Danby speaks up for the occupied nation at a conference in Edinburgh (speech reprinted by Tibet Net via Phayul).
On Stalinist North Korea: Alexander Vershbow, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, discusses SNK’s antics and nuclear ambitions with the Washington Times. The Stalinists cancel a discussion on U.S. penalties from their counterfeit schemes because they couldn’t tie it to the nuclear talks fiasco (Washington Post, hat tip to OFK). According to the Korea Times, SNK will soon allow cell phones again, but with “American-style code division multiple access” technology “due to security concerns.” Uh oh (fourth item)!
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