US-China Relations - 183. page

U.S. media reports about an American reporter being denied a visa to China is spreading on Internet bulletin boards in China including those of the state-run media. The Chinese posting cited Radio Free Asia and San Jose Mercury News reporting that Kendra Zanotto, a 2004 bronze medallist from Los Gatos, California was to work as an expert synchronized swimming reporter for the Olympic News Service, an official arm of the Beijing Games. But the Chinese consulate in San Francisco denied her application, apparently due to her involvement in her affiliation with Team Darfur, an athlete-driven group seeking attention to West Darfur. The Chinese Internet posting stated that representative from the Chinese consulate in San Francisco cited her intent to immigrate at the grounds for the rejection.

Source:
People.com, July 28, 2008
http://bbs1.people.com.cn/postDetail.do?boardId=6&view=1&id=87525681
San Jose Mercury News, July 23, 2008
http://origin.mercurynews.com/news/ci_9968123

Xinhua posted on its website an article titled, “Thought Brought by Reality—Why There are More and More Terrorists after Global Anti-Terror Efforts.” The article claims that there is no common standard in global anti-terrorism, the terrorist defined by one country is usually regarded as “hero,” “human rights fighter” in another country … The article concludes, “As the world’s sole superpower, U.S. intends to establish an international order that satisfies its self-interest by force in the name of “anti-terrorism;” using its own civilization to change other’s civilization; using its own value to control other’s value. As a result, it has even stimulated the spread of terrorism."

Source: Xinhua, July 29, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-07/29/content_8831942.htm

An open letter to U.S. Congress by tens of thousands of NTDTV (a Chinese TV station based in North America) audiences from Hubei Province of mainland China is published today on the website of NTDTV. The letter strongly asks U.S. government and BBG to ensure that “VOA,” “Radio Free Asia,” and “NTDTV” can be broadcast without the interference of Chinese communist regime. The letter says that they have been the die-hard fans of “VOA,” “Radio Free Asia,” and “NTDTV” because these media offered them the true information of freedom and democracy from the free world. They are astonished after learning that BBG is planning to move “VOA” and “Radio Free Asia” from Eutelsat to a satellite controlled by Chinese communist regime (and as a result, NTDTV’s contract with Eutelsat will be terminated). They are puzzled to ask, “Is American government helping Chinese communist dictators suppress free voice, not allowing Chinese people receive free information?”

Source: NTDTV, July 29, 2008
http://www.ntdtv.com/xtr/gb/2008/07/29/a176761.html

The Chinese Consulate in San Francisco had denied a visa to Kendra Zanotto, 2004 Olympic synchronized swimmer and Bronze medalist. The 26 year old athlete was hired by the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad as a reporter to cover the synchronized swimming event.

The Chinese Consulate offered no explanation. But Ms. Zanotto believes the reason is her involvement in Team Darfur, an athletic group trying to end violence in Sudan.

In an interesting twist, some Chinese websites reported (apparently falsely) that the reason her visa was denied was because of an “immigration tendency”, a frequent reason given for U.S. visa denial to foreign visitors. As a result, the news was cheered by many Chinese as a sign for China’s standing up.

Source: Radio Free Asia, July 25, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/qianzheng-07252008151406.html

Beijing blames a U.S. House Bill 1077 for “interfering with China’s internal affairs”. The bill proposed an immigration act allowing 3000 Tibetans currently in exile in India and Nepal to move to the U.S..

Per China’s U.S. experts in the Social Science Academy, the so called “Tibetan Problems” can not be resolved by U.S. congressional resolutions and bills. They are China’s own problems and therefore have to be managed by China alone.

Source: Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao), July 22, 2008
http://world.people.com.cn/GB/7543142.html

An article posted by Xinhua named Richard Gere, Bjork, Mia Farrow, George Clooney and Ben Affleck as the "Ugly Five". It charged the five actors with criticizing China’s human rights.

In addition, Gere was blamed for his friendship with the Dalai Lama; Bjork for shouting loud “Tibet!” at a Shanghai concert in March; Farrow was singled out for her leading role in linking Darfur with China; Clooney was attacked for linking the Beijing Olympics with human rights; Affleck was listed for his comment: “be careful of communist China invading Taiwan.”

Source: Xinhua, July 11, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/overseas/2008-07/11/content_8530584.htm

“In this new era, the U.S.-Sino relationship will be filled with conflicts, fights, and cooperation with no major ups and downs”, claimed by Niu Xingchun, a researcher from the Chinese Academy for Contemporary International Relations. The article was published in Xinhua’s Outlook during the visit to China of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Niu summarized the following four changes in the Sino-U.S. relationship:

1. The U.S. has realized that China will grow to be a super power. It is a trend that no external forces can stop. The theory of China’s upcoming collapse has no market in the U.S. anymore.
2. What the U.S. cares about most is whether China will contribute to the current international order.
3. Even though there exist various types of conflicts between the U.S. and China, “peaceful competition and cooperation” has become the mainstream consensus in the U.S.; and
4. The U.S. has come to agree that China’s foreign strategic goal is not to challenge the U.S. in its hegemonic status in the world.

Source: Outlook Weekly, July 2, 2008
http://news.sohu.com/20080702/n257887887.shtml

On July 3, NY City Council Member John Liu had his first meeting with Falun Gong practitioners who have been targeted in the recent violence on Flushing streets by pro-Communist thugs. Previously, Liu held private meetings with the pro-Communist suspects and rejected requests from his constituents who practice Falun Gong. During the July 3, 2008 meeting, Liu’s constituents called for Liu’s expulsion from City Council for his pro-Communist conduct unbecoming of an elected official. Calls were also made for FBI’s investigation of Liu’s ties with Chinese Communist regime.

Source: Epoch Times, July 3, 2008
http://news.epochtimes.com/gb/8/7/3/n2178086.htm