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March 18, 2007 (Sunday) － Issue No. 93 |
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China's
Defense Budget Increases Demonstrate Superpower Intentions |
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China
Author, Lawyers Call to End Censorship |
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China's
National People's Congress Serves As a Puppet |
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Enchants a Receptive Multi-Cultural Audience The cultural diversity was reflected by the audience at the Conservatorium Theatre as they waited in great anticipation for the curtain call to experience the splendor of the myths, legends and richness of ancient China's 5000-year-old history....…Full Article |
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Many Chinese Universities Facing Bankruptcy National People's Congress deputy Hong Kezhu pointed out recently that Chinese universities are carrying a collective debt of at least 280 billion yuan (approximately USD 36.1 Billion). Because many universities will not have the funds to meet their financial obligations they could face bankruptcy......…Full Article |
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TAIPEI—According to Beijing's recently released 2007 budget, Chinese national defense spending will increase by 17.8 percent in the upcoming year. "China's intent is to become the dominant global superpower," said Joseph Wu, chairman of the cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council. Recent advances in Chinese military technologies, including space exploration, give strong evidence to continuing high levels of military spending by Beijing. When interviewed by the Central News Agency, Wu noted that China's defense budget has been increasing by more than ten percent each year since 1993. "The most recent military spending increases are part of a long-term trend. The increases are impossible to slow down and will continue year after year," said Wu. Wu added that China has no apparent or potential threats from its' neighboring states. "The world should be concerned about such a rapid build-up of China's military budget," said Wu. Wu gave an example. China has already deployed more than 1,000 short-range missiles. It is rapidly developing middle and long range ballistic and cruse missile capabilities. "Beijing's obvious intention is to develop missile superiority over its immediate neighbors including Taiwan," said Wu. China has recently completed the construction of more than fifty modern submarines. Five of the newly built subs are nuclear powered. It also owns the latest submarines with capabilities to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles. These clearly demonstrate China's plan to establish a global military presence. Wu suggests that China's recent military exercises in the Indian Ocean reveal its superpower intentions. Alarmingly, China is also investing heavily in developing space technologies, including the positioning of intelligence satellites and killer weapons around the globe. "China's recent successful test of an anti-satellite weapon far exceeds China's foreseeable defense requirements," said Wu. Wu said that all peace-loving countries of the world, particularly Taiwan, are threatened by the increasing Chinese investments in military technologies. Wu further suggests that the Chinese military build-up must be condemned. Taiwan's anti-missile defense system does not meet the current threat posed by China," said Wu. "Taiwan's antisubmarine capabilities also have much room for improvement." Chinese preparations
for their "Three War" strategy, namely, Media War, Psychological
War and Legal War. Taiwan would be much impacted if people were without
a good understanding of the situation. Back BEIJING—A Chinese author and three lawyers have condemned media censors in an open letter to parliament for banning the writer's latest book, and called for an end to all forms of "unconstitutional" censorship. Zhang Yihe accused the cabinet's General Administration of Press and Publications of pulling "Performers' Pasts", a book about the high-pitched masters of Peking Opera, and seven other works, some with political or social themes, from bookshops in January and threatened to sue. In their letter posted on the Internet, Zhang and the lawyers urged the National People's Congress "to ask government agencies concerned for an explanation of the unconstitutional actions and arbitrary misdeeds with regards to publication issues." Zhang and attorneys Zhang Sizhi, Pu Zhiqiang and Fu Kexin also asked parliament to investigate the ban after its annual session ends on Friday. Zhang Yihe won fame in 2004 for a memoir about her father and other intellectuals who embraced Mao Zedong's revolution only to be purged in the 1957 Anti-Rightist Campaign along with about 500,000 rightists, or liberals. Reprints of the memoir have been banned, but pirated copies can be picked up on many street side book stalls in Beijing. This year's 50th anniversary of the Anti-Rightist Campaign threatens to summon unhappy ghosts from the Communist Party's past, and the party's Propaganda Department has banned publication of books on the period and the chaotic 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, a source with knowledge of the ban said. The banning of books, magazines and newspapers has long been common in one-party China. Freedom of expression is enshrined in the constitution, but in practice the Communist Party has exercised iron control since the 1949 revolution. Media censors have also warned domestic media and book publishers against fanning the flames of anti-Japanese sentiment this year, said the source who requested anonymity. Authorities are
obsessed with stability and keen to avoid any repeat of anti-Japanese
protests across China in 2005 ahead of a leadership reshuffle at the
party's 17th Congress this autumn. Back Minghui.net announced that since March 5, 2007, Minghui (which means "clear wisdom" in English) Radio Station has been broadcasting programs 24 hours a day to inform people about the persecution of Falun Gong and dispel the state propaganda attacking the practice to Asia. These broadcasts are being directed primarily towards China and Taiwan via the Eutelsat W5 satellite. Broadcast 24 Hours a Day Via Eutelsat W5 Satellite According to Kevin (whose last name is withheld for his safety), one of the program producers for Minghui Radio, the station was founded in November 2005. Like Minghui.net, Minghui Radio provides information about Falun Gong, especially concerning the persecution against the meditation practice happening in China. Currently there are dozens of programs in its lineup. It was originally broadcast to China via short wave radio, but now, along with New Tang Dynasty TV, Sound of Hope, Voice of America, and Free Asia Radio Stations, Minghui Radio uses the Eutelsat W5 satellite to broadcast throughout Asia, including mainland China. Kevin went on to say that the Minghui website's reader base is broken down into three primary groups: Falun Gong practitioners, the general public, and those who have participated in the persecution of Falun Gong. Minghui Radio takes all three groups into consideration when preparing programs so as to appeal to all of them. Program Content Kevin explained that since 1999, the Chinese communist regime has persecuted Falun Gong. Because of this persecution, a large number of Falun Gong practitioners in mainland China lost their free environment of group study, group practice, and experience sharing. In response to this, Minghui Radio developed programs such as "Group Practice Time," "Minghui Briefs," and "Cultivation World" so that Falun Gong practitioners can obtain current information regarding the situation concerning expanding awareness of the persecution and experience sharing via the Internet and/or radio. For those people
who have committed crimes against Falun Gong practitioners, Minghui.net
creates columns such as "News Focus" and "Goodness
and Evil Arising from One Thought." Kevin said that after those
people who have wronged Falun Gong practitioners listen to these programs,
they will have received fair warning. Kevin noted that some already
know that they have been exposed by Minghui, and as a result they
no longer dare to persecute Falun Gong practitioners. Others, he said,
changed their minds after coming to understand that "goodness
will be rewarded and evil will be punished," and no longer participate
in the persecution.
Back China's annual National People's Congress has commenced once again, to no one's surprise, as a show put on by the communist regime. Reports about the Congress in China's state-run media fall on deaf ears of those jaded by the propaganda. Some of the official reports even serve as material for jokes for those unafraid to speak their minds. Yet many citizens don't realize just how much the Congress deputies suffer by being forced to play puppets for the regime. Not knowing when the cameras might be filming, the deputies have to keep awake while listening to empty speeches from communist cadres. In order to show that a "democratic discussion" took place, they have to come up with their own false analysis that supports the Party line. Even during breaks, they have to be careful what they say to their acquaintances. These deputies are not politicians, yet they are forced to act as such while "representing the needs of the people." Of course, they were chosen by the regime precisely because they are not politicians and can be controlled to "vote" for the regime's preselected officials and its policies. Many of the deputies are either experts or top professionals in their own specific fields and do not want to play this role. The regime needs them to help make the show believable, and no one dares to refuse such a so-called "honor." According to China's Constitution, the National People's Congress holds the highest level of power in the government. Since it is illegal for the regime to control the government directly, it must utilize the Congress to "elect" the government to serve its needs. As a matter of fact, since the deputies themselves are not legitimately chosen, the government they "elect" is not legitimate either. If the Congress were truly elected democratically, then the communist regime would be unable to survive in China. Without the official "titles" bestowed on communist cadres by the Congress, none of them would be recognized when visiting other countries. The deputies must not know much about politics because if they were all professional politicians like those in western countries, how could the communist regime keep control of China? I think all Chinese
should seriously think about what they can do to assist the government
after the communist regime collapses, and what kind of deputies they
should elect to carry out politics on their behalf. China does not
belong to the communist regime—it belongs to the Chinese people. Back AUSTRALIA—The Conservatorium Theatre in South Brisbane – the state's cultural centre for performing arts and home of Queensland's largest art galleries – was the setting of Saturday's Australian premier of NTDTV's 2007 Chinese New Year Spectacular. The cultural diversity was reflected by the audience at the Conservatorium Theatre as they waited in great anticipation for the curtain call to experience the splendour of the myths, legends and richness of ancient China's 5000-year-old history. By all accounts they were enthralled by what they experienced. Farial Sakal, who is of Russian decent, came to Australia from China when she was only four. She described her emotional journey through the performance. "It's a very, very good feeling. It's a good emotion. You feel that you are at home… Definitely, definitely, tears were there." Brisbane is Australia's third largest city, with an estimated population of around 1.8 million people. Brisbane's population is culturally diverse, with over 26 per cent of its population having been born overseas. Puula Miettinen, originally from Finland, said that she "loved the show", commending the opening scene titled "The Creation". During intermission, she explained that she was particularly touched while listening to the erhu (also known as the Chinese violin) because she had been in China. Watching the performance she could visualise the mountains and forests. She continued to tell us that she nearly wanted to cry and that she had a tissue for the second half of the performance just in case. Brisbane is home to around 60,000 Chinese. Like most Australian capital cities, Brisbane has a flourishing China Town in Fortitude Valley, north-east of the city, affectionately referred to as The Valley. This is where many of the local Chinese community can be found trading their wares, shopping and socialising among the many diverse visitors to the area. Mrs Lee, who has lived in Australia for more than 20 years, said: "The show was very nice, very graceful and I love the erhu (Chinese violin). The dances are based on the 5000 year's Tang Dance. If there are different shows in other states, I will invite my friends." The show, organised by New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV), is said to be a revival of ancient Chinese culture through performing arts and will be continuing their tour in the Gold Coast, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney. Back Many
Chinese Universities Facing Bankruptcy Back CHINA—National People's Congress (NPC) Deputy Hong Kezhu recently pointed out that Chinese universities are carrying a collective debt load of 280 billion yuan (approximately USD 36.1 Billion) in bank loans. In 2008, the number of universities required to pay back their loans will reach its peak. Because many universities will not have the funds to meet their financial obligations they could face bankruptcy. Deputies in the educational field and commissioners of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) gave an interview with Nan Fang Daily. During the interview, they admitted that because universities have expanded without control, many are currently insolvent saying, "The annual income of some schools is not enough to pay off the interest on their loans." Hong Kezhu cautioned that, "In fact, the total loan balance is possibly several times 280 billion." Many universities that faced insolvency have already gone bankrupt. Data from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) shows that public universities have borrowed in total approximately 150 to 200 billion yuan (approximately USD 19.4 to 25.8 billion) in bank loans. Some schools have borrowed as much as 1 to 2 billion yuan (approximately USD 129 to 248 million) alone. Among those schools, some will not even be able to meet the interest payments. Gu Hailiang, an NPC Deputy and Wuhan University Party Chief, emphasized that Chinese institutions of higher learning need to establish a more rational financial system. Otherwise, while money is so scarce, and unforeseen financial hardships occur, it's quite possible that the schools will have to close. Back |
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