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All posts by TGS - 173. page

Criminal Investigation against Legal Daily Reporter Aborted

During a midnight interview with Xinhua on January 8, 2008, Gao Weiyi, the Deputy Governor of Xifeng County, stated that Fengxi had officially aborted the criminal investigation against Zhu Wenna, the Legal Times reporter who published a “negative” report on January 1, 2008, implicating the County Party Secretary. Local authorities also rescinded the warrant previously issued for her arrest.  The Public Security Bureau Chief was quoted as saying that the investigation and warrant were “not appropriate.”

The investigation and the ensuing warrant issued on January 4 prompted an uproar from news media, who cried foul and alleged that the Xifeng County government and the Party had abused their power in this incident.

Source: Xinhua, January 9, 2008 http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2008-01/09/content_7389210.htm

Warrant Issued for the Arrest of Reporter of Negative Article

The Public Security Bureau of Xifeng County, Liaoning Province, initiated a criminal investigation of a reporter from The Legal Daily for her “negative” report published on January 1, 2008, about the Party Secretary of the County. On January 4, 2008, the Xifeng police were dispatched to Beijing with a warrant for her arrest.

Zhu Wenna, a seasoned reporter of The Legal Daily, was advised by her employer on the afternoon of January 4, 2008, to go into hiding because 4 policemen from Xifeng County were looking for her. The police left Beijing on January 6, 2008, without Zhu Wenna.

Members of the media were appalled at the government’s bully tactics to silence the voices against local government and Party officials’ corruption and abuse of power.

The Legal Daily is a state-owned newspaper under the supervision of the China’s Ministry of Justice. The Legal Daily is the “mouthpiece of the Party” on political and legal developments, as its website states.

Source: Xinhua, January 8, 2008. 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2008-01/08/content_7382566.htm

China Interim Government Established Anticipating Communist Fall

On January 1, 2008, a group of democratic activists outside China founded the China Interim Government. The founding document, the Declaration of the China Interim Government, states that the goal of this interim government is to serve as a catalyst for the disintegration of Communist rule in China.

”All political objectives of the China Interim Government can be summarized as follows: dispel Marxist-Leninist ideals; reconstruct China; negate tyranny and establish civil rights; adopt the rule of law; protect human rights, freedom and democracy; create a constitutional government; respect the autonomy of ethnicities; and found a federal republic.”

On December 1, 2007, Future China Forum released a public statement on the preparation for the establishment of the China Interim Government.

Source: Future China Forum, January 1, 2008 http://bbs.futurechinaforum.org/viewtopic.php?t=29497&sid=73748aa720c75e153b77efa287598eac

Unwelcome Guests: Military Bombers Fly over Japanese Gas Field

According to Asahi Shimbun, on September 11 and 12, 2007, Chinese military bombers flew over a gas field in the East China Sea more than forty times. Japan‘s Self-Defense Forces’ F4 fighters scrambled to respond. At times, Chinese bombers and Japanese F4 fighters were only 5 kilometers apart. The encounters were confirmed by Taiwan‘s military sources and by the Japanese government. The gas field is Chunxiao gas field, which Japan has named ”Shirakaba,” or white birch.

Source: Asahi Shimbun, December 31, 2007
http://www.asahi.com/world/china/news/TKY200712300153.html

China Enters into a Decade of Crises

According to an Observer article on December 25, 2007, starting from 2008, China is entering a 10-year period of severe crises.

The article cites the following factors:

· Short-term crisis: The skyrocketing price of resources, coupled with social inequality
· Long-term crisis: A cross-the- board recession, given the constraints of limited land resources
· Crisis of Rule by Man: The one-party political system does not produce people with integrity.
· Justice Crisis: Courts are fatally overrun with corruption.

The article concludes that hope lies with the people. One of the goals of the rights movement will be to put a referendum in the constitution.

Source: Observer Magazine, December 25, 2007. Secret China reprint http://www.secretchina.com/news/223188.html