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(Global News, No. GL99-002)
Monday, January 4, 1999
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ISSN 1024-9117
Table of Contents # of Lines
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1. News Brief (8 Items) .................................................100
2. No Smooth Sailing in Future Sino-US Relationship ..................... 97
3. Activists Resume Second Political Party Efforts Despite Crackdown .... 59
4. Khmer Rouge Trial Possible but Uncertain ............................. 40
5. QIAN Zhongshu Passes Away, Leaving Rich Legacy ....................... 30
6. What's on January 3rd's Issue of CND-Canada? ......................... 8
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1. News Brief (8 Items) .................................................100
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(1) Tightened Security to Fend off Alleged Chinese Spying Recommended
(2) Beijing Indignant About U.S. Allegations on Technology Leaks
(3) Beijing Enforces Anti-Pollution Law Through Random Car Inspection
(4) Guangdong Province Launches New Campaign against Smuggling
(5) Unemployed Kill for Money on Beijing Streets
(6) Beijing to Promote Export by Increasing Rebates to Exporters
(7) First DNA Database to Facilitate Criminal Investigation
(8) French President Sends Condolence to QIAN's Widow
(1) Tightened Security to Fend off Alleged Chinese Spying Recommended
[CND, 01/01/99] The Washington Post said Christopher Cox's panel blamed
sloppy security around U.S. nuclear labs for China's acquisition of
sensitive American military technologies and recommended more tightened
security measures, AFP reported from Washington. Cox, a Republican
Congressman from California, chaired a House investigative committee
that issued a 700-page classified report last Wednesday charging the
Chinese government of spying on a wide range of U.S. technologies of
military significance.
The Post article divulged that the report detailed specific charges
that Chinese spies stole technology from a U.S. Department of Energy
lab. The stolen technology enabled China to develop its neutron bomb a
decade ago according to the report.
The Cox report was to be turned over to President Clinton and
congressional leaders on January 2. Declassification of the report, which
Cox promised to be "as soon as possible," will be examined by the House
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. (LUO Zhenyuan, YIN De An)
___ ___ ___
(2) Beijing Indignant About U.S. Allegations on Technology Leaks
[CND, 01/02/99] Beijing refuted allegations that it stole sensitive
technologies from the United States by a congressional report on national
security concerns related to China as sheer fabrication, Xinhua reported
on Saturday.
ZHU Bangzao, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said that the report is a
distortion of China's peaceful use of space technology, which undermines
China-U.S. relations.
He called for strict observance of the agreements signed between the two
governments on the commercial launch service and for the proper handling
of the launch of U.S. satellites by Chinese rockets, in an effort to
safeguard normal international commercial activities.
"It is not only unnecessary, but also impossible, for China to obtain
satellite, rocket and missile technology through the provision of a
commercial launch service," he said. (Dong LIU)
___ ___ ___
(3) Beijing Enforces Anti-Pollution Law Through Random Car Inspection
[CND, 01/02/99] Vice-mayor WANG Guangtao of Beijing, one of the world's most
polluted cities, led a city-wide inspection Friday during an anti-pollution
campaign. A random sampling of 124 cars revealed that 80 failed to meet
the new emission standards, reported Xinhua, according to AFP. The vehicles
that failed the test will be outlawed in the city, or their drivers will
lose their licenses.
The new standards by the Beijing municipal government, which were in effect
as of last November, are more stringent than national standards, and have
been gradually enforced. Minibus taxies, commonly known as "Yellow Perils,"
make up 1.4 percent of motor vehicles, yet produce 15 percent of the exhaust
fumes in Beijing. Last week, officials authorized the smelting of 3,000 of
them. (Monica WANG, YIN De An)
___ ___ ___
(4) Guangdong Province Launches New Campaign against Smuggling
[CND, 01/02/99] In their latest round of campaigns against smuggling,
authorities in Guangdong province have set up checkpoints on three islands
near Hong Kong and Macau to inspect all passing inland vessels, AFP
reported. The islands, Sam Men, Wan Chai and Kwai Shan, are well known for
smuggling as well as prostitution and gambling. China's high duties and
tariffs on certain merchandise are blamed for the prosperous smuggling
industry. (Yan WANG, YIN De An)
___ ___ ___
(5) Unemployed Kill for Money on Beijing Streets
[CND, 01/03/99] Beijing's Intermediate Court sentenced XU San from
Zhejiang and YAN Hui from Jilin to death for street mugging causing
three deaths, AFP reported on Sunday. According to a report from the
Beijing Daily, between April and October, the two, and a third man who
was handed a suspended death sentences, hid in the street underpasses
for victims. They hit victims with an iron bar and took away eight mobile
telephones, six pagers, one notebook computer, and cash totalling 37,000
yuan ($4,500). Three victims died and six were injured. The three were
in Beijing looking for work. (Dong LIU, YIN De An)
___ ___ ___
(6) Beijing to Promote Export by Increasing Rebates to Exporters
[CND, 01/03/99] Beijing will increase the export rebate rates on
internationally marketable products, such as machinery and electronic
products, to boost export in 1999, the China Daily reported on Sunday. In
the anticipated lean year, China will also provide more financial support
to exporters. More enterprises will be granted export and import rights,
and international contracting rights. (Dong LIU)
___ ___ ___
(7) First DNA Database to Facilitate Criminal Investigation
[CND, 01/02/99] China is to set up its first DNA database in Shanghai to
facilitate cirminal investigations, Xinhua reported on Saturday. The first
phase of the project is expected to establish a 2500-sample database by
August 1999. The Ministry of Justice has invested 2,500,000 yuan in the
project. (Dong LIU)
___ ___ ___
(8) French President Sends Condolence to QIAN's Widow
[CND, 01/02/99] French President Jacques Chirac sent a message of
condolences to YANG Jiang, the widow of prominent Chinese writer QIAN
Zhongshu, who passed away on December 19, 1998 in Beijing, the China Daily
reported on Saturday. Chirac praised Qian's outstanding contributions to
the cultural exchanges between France and China. He described Qian as "the
embodiment of the finest features of the Chinese nation: intelligence,
elegance, kindness, openness and modesty." (Dong LIU)
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2. No Smooth Sailing in Future Sino-US Relationship ..................... 97
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Summarized by: Sue BRUELL
Sources: AFP, AP, Reuters, Xinhua
[CND, 01/01/99] On Friday, Presidents JIANG Zemin and Bill Clinton exchanged
cordial letters to commemorate twenty years of diplomatic relations between
Beijing and Washington, reported the AP, Xinhua, and other news agencies.
President Jiang wrote that "Friendly and mutually-beneficial cooperation ...
expresses the common aspirations" of both nations, as quoted by Xinhua.
Likewise, President Clinton wrote about the shared "pride in the fruitful
efforts" that have been made "to deepen and strengthen U.S.-China
relations," reported Christian Virant for Reuters.
Belying the external appearance of goodwill, however, are the hard realities
of a forthcoming rocky diplomatic relationship in 1999. Senior U.S.
spokesmen averred that, in light of the PRC's year-end crackdown on
dissidents, the dispute is over the perennial issues of human rights and
trade. Additional disagreements are over the "one-China policy," the Free
Tibet movement, and the PRC as a potential U.S. security threat.
In a Shanghai address commemorating the twentieth anniversary of diplomatic
relations, U.S. Ambassador James Sasser emphasized that central to U.S.
foreign policy is a respect of rights and democracy, said Reuters. Sasser
spoke shortly before the lengthy jail terms of WANG Youcai, QIN Yongchang,
and XU Wenli, were pronounced.
In New York, Assistant Secretary of State Stanley Roth backed Ambassador
Sasser, stating, "Resumption of political reform in China is, in my view, a
necessary precondition for successful modernization."
Countering Roth's remarks, Beijing insisted that rights should have no role
in a bilateral agenda with Washington, particularly when the prosperity and
growth of a modern China are at stake.
In 1998, the U.S. trade deficit was $60 billion. David Aaron, the U.S.
Undersecretary of Commerce, estimates that the trade deficit with China
could rise to $70 billion in 1999.
Commerce Secretary William Daley stated that Chinese barriers in
agriculture, energy, insurance, telecommunications, and other sectors were
rising. Internationally, this hinders China's inclusion into the WTO. For
its part, Beijing accuses Washington of unfair obstruction, according to
Reuters.
During his summer 1998 state visit to the mainland, President Clinton
publicly affirmed the "one China" policy. However, left unresolved was the
debate over U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. The U.S. Congress praises the
Taipei's democratic government, but Beijing insists the island is a renegade
province.
David Lampton, director of China studies at Johns Hopkins University, sees
the thorny issue of Taiwan as 1999s greatest diplomatic challenge: "That's
where Chinese bottom-line national interests run at great odds with those of
the United States." He calls for careful and sensitive managing of this
problem, lest it devolve into "a conflict with the United States," reported
AFP on January 1.
The PRC also claims exclusive sovereignty over Tibet and will continue to
quash any attempts of the return of the exiled Dalai Lama. The Free Tibet
movement remains high on the political agenda of many groups world-wide.
President Clinton met with the Dalai Lama in November 1998. Said a U.S.
diplomat, also alluding to U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson's visit to
Taipei, "The Chinese side is probably disappointed with what has happened,"
reported AFP.
Last Wednesday a U.S. Congressional report was published, alleging that
technology from U.S. corporations had improved China's missile launch
ability. A special bi-partisan House panel unanimously adopted the 700-page
report, which concluded that U.S. national security was harmed by the
sharing of satellite, missile, and military expertise. Two companies, Hughes
Electronics and Loral Space and Communications, allegedly violated U.S. laws
by helping China find the cause of its failed satellite launches from
1995-96.
Hughes Electronics and Loral deny that they acted improperly, though critics
claim the companies acted without appropriate authorization in helping China
solve its satellite launching problems. Of major concern is that information
garnered from Hughes revealed how to launch ballistic missiles and
satellites, according to AFP.
Similarly, on Friday, The Washington Post revealed allegations that Chinese
spies stole technology from a U.S. government laboratory, enabling Beijing
to develop a neutron bomb in the late 1980s. The Post reported Congressional
sources said lifting classified nuclear secrets is easy due to lax security.
Recommended are tighter controls at three U.S. nuclear labs.
U.S. officials are worried that tensions between Beijing and Taipei could
ultimately bring Tokyo and Washington into the fray. Also problematical is
how Beijing will react in the long run to a series of nuclear tests in May
1998 by New Delhi.
TAO Wenzhao, Deputy Director of the Institute of American Studies at the
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, spoke about the ever-shifting nature of
bilateral ties when he said, "There is simply no smooth sailing for both
sides," reported Reuters.
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3. Activists Resume Second Political Party Efforts Despite Crackdown .... 59
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[CND, 01/02/98] The Beijing offices of major international news agencies,
including Agence France-Presse and the U.S.-based Associated Press,
report that a new group of political activists are pressing forward with
attempts to legally register a second political party in China.
The leadership of the new applicant party, known as the China Labor Party
(CLP), have remained largely unknown in contrast to the highly visible but
ill-fated China Democracy Party (CDP). However, LI Yongming has stepped
forward as the party's founder in an e-mail he forwarded to the press.
The e-mail lays down some basic tenets of the new party's goals. It hopes
to enact a freezing of all bank accounts pending a massive investigation
of corruption, establish a minimum living allowance for residents of
large cities, and halt the restructuring of state-run industries and
their accompanying loss of nationally-owned assets. Li stressed that
the CDP's membership did not seek to assume power for themselves, but
rather that they sought fundamental changes in Chinese public policy.
There is a strong political message within the party's platform. Li is
quoted as saying "We are the generation after 1989 who are dissatisfied
with the social situation, the corruption and low efficiency of the
Chinese government and lack of rule of law ... Our party's responsibility
is to monitor the Chinese Communist Party and represent the working
class. We want to see, if we, who have declared that we will never seek
political power and never participate in politics will also be charged
with subversion." Li has backed up his words with a threat to "radically"
commit suicide if the party's applications are rejected despite written
laws that theoretically allow such a party to be formed.
Shengde LIAN, a U.S.-based Chinese political activist, was among those
helping to forward the CLP's message internationally and characterized
the CLP members as ordinary citizens rather than dissidents in the
usual sense. Another U.S.-based dissident helping spread the message
was YE Ning, who said "The China Democracy Party has already given the
dictators a headache. Now, here comes the China Labor Party. These are
sparks and matches for the dried firewood covering all of China."
The new party has also expressed solidarity with dissident WANG Xizhe,
who as of this writing was in the his fifth day of a hunger strike at the
United Nations building, protesting the Chinese government's crackdown on
movements to establish second parties. Wang's health, already frail from
his imprisonment in China, is said to be declining. ZHU Yufu, a dissident
in Zhejiang province who identifies himself as a founder of the CDP, wrote
in praise of Wang "From your heroic action of hunger strike protesting,
we see you as the sacred hero of China. You are not alone. Our hearts
and souls are accompanying you every day, every hour and every minute."
The CLP action is especially remarkable in the wake of China's forceful
repression of the CDP, which so far has culminated in the detention of
over 30 dissidents and prison sentences of up to 13 years for some of
them. The Chinese government has also vowed to quash would-be second
parties with even more vigor in 1999, as the tenth anniversary of the
Tiananmen Square Massacre and the fiftieth anniversary of the founding
of the People's Republic approach. The government is expected to be
especially leery of any labor-based unions or parties as unrest builds
among ever-growing numbers of displaced workers.
(Phil STEPHENS, YIN De An)
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4. Khmer Rouge Trial Possible but Uncertain ............................. 40
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[CND, 01/02/99] Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen denied on Friday in a
statement that he was opposed to a trial for the two defecting senior
Khmer Rouge leaders, Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea, the Chicago Tribune
quoted the New York Times News Service on Saturday. But, Hun Sen said,
his top priority was to secure peace and the question of trials was on
a lower order of business. There have been mounting international calls
for putting these two on trial for the Khmer Rouge's killing of estimated
1.7 million Cambodians between 1975 and 1979.
According AFP, Long Narin, a spokesman for the two leaders, warned on
Friday that such a trial would anger more junior Khmer Rouge defectors
and could pull the nation back into civil war again. It would also bring
into contention China, a strong supporter of the Khmer Rouge and the
United States, a backer of the Lon Nol government, which was overthrown
by the Khmer Rouge in 1975.
Some political analysts believed that China and Thailand had been pressing
the Phnom Penh government not to pursue the trials to avoid embarrassment.
Meanwhile, the United States, which has been vocally in support of a
trial, might be embarrassed by references to its massive bombing of
Cambodia in the late 1960s and early 1970s and its support for a Khmer
Rouge-led guerrilla war against Hun Sen's Vietnam-backed government in
the 1980s and early 1990s.
The United Nations has hired some experts to seek the possibility of
setting up an international tribunal for the Khmer Rouge's crimes;
a report is expected to be presented to the UN at the end of this
month. King Norodom Sihanouk said on Wednesday that he supported an
international tribunal to try Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea and he would not
grant them amnesty. Prince Norodom Ranariddh, president of the National
Assembly and leader of the Royalist party, said on Thursday that these two
should be tried in Cambodia, but preferably with international assistance.
Sihanouk became a long-time Khmer Rouge ally after Lon Nol took power
from him in a 1970 coup. Six of Sihanouk's children and a number
of grandchildren perished at Khmer Rouge's hands. Ranariddh was a
former ally of Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea in the war against Hun Sen.
(LIU Weijun, YIN De An)
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5. QIAN Zhongshu Passes Away, Leaving Rich Legacy ....................... 30
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[CND, 01/02/99] China's prominent literary figure and scholar QIAN Zhongshu,
also known as CH'IEN Chung-shu, died in a Beijing hospital on December 19,
1998, leaving behind him a popular novel, a number of short stories, and a
collection academic works in Chinese classical history, philosophy and
literature, the China Daily reported on Saturday.
Qian's only novel, "Fortress Besieged," has been a classic bestseller ever
since it was published in 1947. It was reprinted in 1980, translated into
many languages and reproduced in a television series.
Qian is survived by his wife YANG Jiang, who is also an accomplished writer.
Yang indicated in an article on Qian's novel that all the major characters
are mixtures of persons in Qian's life and his imagination, and some of the
interesting episodes are taken from what Qian and she have experienced
together. As the author of "Fortress Besieged," Yang said, Qian is a man
full of gaiety and mischievousness.
Qian devoted the most of his life to annotating and analyzing classic
Chinese works. His most representative book is "Guan Zhui Bian," published
in 1979, which encompasses a body of knowledge that crosses several academic
disciplines and touches upon not only literature, but also philosophy,
religion, psychology, and sociology.
His approach to academic work was unique. He was able to integrate both
classical Chinese and Western research methodologies. He had knowledge of
many languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and
Latin. (Dong LIU)
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6. What's on January 3rd's Issue of CND-Canada? ......................... 8
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Table of Contents # of Lines
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1. Hong Kong Immigrant's Canadian Coin Design Selected by Royal Mint .... 35
2. Two Hong Kong Men Charged for Forging Diploma For Immigration ....... 15
3. Canada Post Increases Postage Rate, Issues Rabbit Year Stamp ......... 11
4. From Reader: Stop Cruelty to Animals, Stop Racist Insanity ........... 86
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| Executive Editor of This Issue: Dong LIU (CA) |
| Coordinating Editor of This Issue: Ray ZHANG |
| CND-Global Coordinators: Ray ZHANG, Jian-Min LI (AU) |
| CND-Global Source Team: Liedong ZHENG (UK), YIN De An, |
| Charles MOK (HK) |
| CND Writer Coordinator: Weijun LIU, Fabian FANG |
| CND Writer Team: Dan Wu, Xiayi KE (UK), Weijun LIU, Ray ZHANG, |
| Kewen ZHANG, Bo XIONG, Lisa BU, Yan WANG, Weihe GUAN, Fabian FANG,|
| Dong LIU (CA), Bing WEN (CA), Sue Bruell, ZHAO Hua, Xiaolin LI, |
| Yungui DING, Monica WANG, Zhenyuan LUO, Junhua ZHU, Yanping LIU |
| Shiji SHEN, Peter LI, Ying CUI, Jim YU, Jenny HUANG, Linda WU, |
| Phil STEPHENS, Jim YANG (AU) |
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