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Xinhua Article Claims U.S. Has Stimulated the Spread of Terrorism

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

Security at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport Elevated to Anti-Terrorist Status

Yangcheng Evening News reports that since July 26, 2008, the police bureau at Baiyun airport (in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province) hand entered into an “anti-terrorist” alert and ready-to-fight status. It will elevate the level of air security, public security, fire fighting and prevention, and transportation safety within the area of control to ensure Olympic security. Currently, there are more than 200 police, armed police, and armed security guards patrolling around the clock around the terminal buildings.

Source: Yangcheng Evening News, July 26, 2008
http://www.ycwb.com/news/2008-07/26/content_1940334.htm

NTDTV Audiences from Mainland China Send an Open Letter to U.S. Congress Regarding Eutelsat Incident

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 U.S. Attempts to Set Up Its Stronghold in Tibet to Facilitate Its Entry Into Tibet

On July 3, 2008, the International Herald Leader under Xinhua News Agency published a report titled “The U.S. Attempts to Set Up Its Stronghold in Tibet to Facilitate Its Entry Into Tibet.” This report reveals the Chinese government’s response to the U.S. government’s proposal to set up a consulate in Tibet. The following is the translation of the report.

By Lin Jie, International Herald Leader Staff Reporter from Beijing

It is very obvious that the United States has its political agenda in having a consulate in Lhasa; which is, setting up a stronghold in Tibet for the United States.

Not for the first time, the American politicians who are overly “concerned” about Tibet once again proposed to set up a consulate in Lhasa.

On June 26, the U.S. Senate passed an urgent fund appropriation act. Included in the additional articles of this act was a proposal to appropriate five million dollars to establish a consulate in Lhasa. The House of Representatives passed this act on June 19 before it was sent to the Senate.

The U.S. Has an Obvious Political Agenda

When interviewed by the International Herald Leader, Professor Niu Xinchun of the Institute of American Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, explained the seriousness of the act passed in the Senate: “Although similar proposals have been brought up in recent years many times, this time it is passed in the form of Congress Law, making it more formal. That means the U.S. Congress will implement this act accordingly.”

What on earth is the true motive of those American politicians who are making such a great show to demonstrate their earnestness?

Professor Ye Hailin at the Institute of Asia Pacific Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, has been an expert in consulate affairs. He told reporters of the International Herald Leader that there are two necessary requirements in choosing the site for a consulate. One is the consulate must be located in a region where the bilateral economic exchange and cultural exchange are both very active; the second is the overseas residents from the particular foreign country are populous in that region. However, in Tibet, neither of these two requirements is met. In addition, in terms of the U.S. consulate distribution in China, the United States already has a consulate in Sichuan Province, the neighboring province of Tibet. If the United States needs to accomplish certain consulate tasks, its consulate in Chengdu should be sufficient to handle them.
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“If we use the elimination method,” said Professor Ye Hailin, “the only motive for the U.S. to set up a consulate in Lhasa is a political motive. It has nothing to do with the normal functions of a regular general consulate.”

The U.S. ‘Priority Project’ to Meddle With Tibetan Affairs

Then, what is the political agenda of the United States? According to Professor Niu Xinchun, the United States intended to “establish a stronghold in Tibet.”

As early as April this year, the U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated clearly that trying to set up a U.S. consulate in Tibet is meant to help explore a channel for American diplomats to get into Tibet. Back then, Rice made this statement when addressing the fund appropriation committee of the Senate. She also mentioned that the U.S. government was studying the possibility of establishing a consulate in Tibet. The NGO organization in the United States, “International Campaign for Tibet,” which had been instigating the Congress and supporting the establishment of a U.S. consulate, claimed that having a U.S. consulate in Lhasa would “improve the quality and quantity of the information obtained from inner Tibet for U.S. government officials.”

As a matter of fact, at the very beginning of the motion, it had a close tie to the activists in the United States advocating an independent Tibet and those forces supporting an independent Tibet. On April 24 of this year, the Dalai Lama’s Special Envoy Lodi Gyari made his way to the hearing of the Senate, claiming that establishing a U.S. consulate in Lhasa should be listed as the “Most Priority Project” by the U.S. congress in meddling with Tibetan affairs. Also present was the American actor Richard Gere, who willingly works hard for “Tibet Independence activists.” He is one of the organizers of the “International Campaign for Tibet.”

It Requires Bilateral Agreement to Establish a Consulate

At present, there is only one consulate in Tibet—the consulate of Nepal. This consulate was established before the Dalai Lama escaped to India in 1959. Lhasa has played a significant role in the active economic and cultural exchange between China and Nepal. The direct transportation line between Nepal’s capital Kathmandu and Lhasa is serving passengers traveling between the two cities.

India was the second country with a consulate in Lhasa at that time. However, after the rebellion in Tibet in 1959, the Indian Consulate in Lhasa played an extremely shameful role. When the Sino-India war broke out in 1962, the Indian Consulate in Lhasa was abolished. A few years ago, Indian government had thought of resuming the consulate in Lhasa; after a bilateral negotiation, the consulate was finally chosen to be set up in Guangzhou City. According to analysts, such an arrangement conformed to the principle of equality in setting up a consulate, because India is not allowed to enter the sensitive northwestern region of China either.
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Therefore, a senior international law scholar also pointed out, if China rejects the American proposal of setting up a consulate in Lhasa, it does not constitute a violation to any international law. In addition, China does not have to provide any explanation. There isn’t any problem in the legal aspect either.

Endnotes:
[1] Reference: International Herald Leader, July 3, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2008-07/03/content_8480905.htm

U.S. Reporter Denied Visa for Darfur Connection

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

Newspaper Recalled Tiananmen Massacre photo

Beijing News recalled its July 24th edition because of a photo taken on the street of Beijing during June 4th 1989 democratic movement appeared in section C15 of the newspaper.

Beijing news has been carrying series coverage on China’s open door policy adopted 30 years ago. Its July 24th edition published an interview with Liu Xiangchen, author of the photo and former Beijing correspondent of AP.  The interview was titled “I use photos to record my journey in China.” The photo displayed an injured man being rushed to the hospital, which has been used by numerous worldwide news media in the past.

Source: BBC, July 25, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7520000/newsid_7524900/7524975.stm

Curbing Road Traffic and Factory Productions Helped in Reducing Air Pollution over Beijing

Curbing the road traffic and suspension of some factory productions have helped in bringing in down the Air Pollution Index (API) by 20%, according to the announcement made by the official from the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau today on July 25. Since July 1, the road traffic has been reduced by 25.1%. All construction works over the city involving cement and concrete have been suspended starting July 20. The four big coal-burning power plants have reduced the emission by 30%. Other major factories involving metallurgy, raw building materials, and petrochemical will either reduce emission or suspend production during the Olympic game.

Source: People’s Daily, July 25, 2008
http://society.people.com.cn/GB/41158/7566998.html

Hu Jintao: Strive for a Successul Olympics is the Top Priority

On July 26, during the Communist Party’s group study held by the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, Hu Jintao is calling the various levels of Communist Party bureaus and municipal bodies to place the goal of hosting a successful Beijing Olympics and Paralympic Games as the top priority. He said: “as the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic is around the corner, the world’s attention is here. Various party bureaus and municipal bodies need to unite and form one understanding among each other. They need to coordinate well to further place the Olympics at its utmost important position.

Source: Xinhua, July 27, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mrdx/2008-07/27/content_8779856.htm