Inside China Today

Inside China Today – Sunday 22nd November

- Human rights attorneys blocked from seeing Obama

- Tang Jitian’s reaction to Obama’s visit

- ‘9 Commentaries’ slogans awaken people

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Human rights attorneys blocked from seeing Obama

Barack Obama’s visit to China has seen human rights lawyers placed under tight control. Before Obama’s arrival in Beijing, reports reveal the President intended to meet Chinese human rights attorneys. However, lawyers such as Li Heping, Li Fangping, Mo Shaoping and several others have been under heavy surveillance. Attorney Li Renbing told SOH that on November 18th, several attorneys made phone calls to the US embassy hoping to meet the President. While they waited outside the embassy, national and public security officers caught wind of their plan and rushed in taking them away.

Li Renbing spoke to SOH on the day (Recording):
“Early in the morning we called the US embassy. Officials at the embassy asked us to wait until 11:30am. Basically, what they were saying or implying was, due to safety concerns, there was no arrangement for the President to meet us. There were too many plain clothed police and security personnel outside. If no one inside the embassy took us inside, there was no way we could get in. It might be diplomatic concern, or possibly concern for our safety behind the decision not to see us. The President does not want to get us in trouble, and ruin our careers among other things.”

Attorney Zhang Kai just came back from a visit to the US. There he testified at the U.S. Congress. He had hoped to meet with President Obama. Zhang believes human rights have no borders and powerful world leaders have an obligation to defend human rights and justice.

Zhang spoke to SOH (Recording):
“A truly great nation has an obligation to uphold justice. When Obama visited China, he did make breakthroughs on human rights issues. Bilateral talks between China and the US on human rights issues have been restarted. At the same time however, we are quite disappointed. We did not get a chance to meet President Obama. We still have expectations. We believe Obama is not only the President of the United States but also the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. He has more obligations. He should take more responsibity in upholding moral values.”

Attorney Li Fangping was followed and monitored by police the day before Obama’s arrival. He believes the main concern for the President should be human rights.

Li said (Recording):
“The topics of rule of law, human rights and Tibet were touched upon in a very general manner. However, there’s been little discussion on freedom of religious belief. It’s custom for US Presidents to speak out on religious freedom. I feel this is an important issue. In the US Constitution, the very first freedom is religious freedom. In China, people have great difficulties practicing their beliefs.”

Attorney Jiang Tianyong wasn’t allowed to leave his home 24 hours after returning to Beijing from the US. Jiang told SOH that seven national security and one public security officer interrogated him for an hour. Public security officers have kept up surveillance outside his apartment since July 30th. The site is still in operation.

Freelance writer Chen Pokong commented recently saying that Obama did not get the chance to meet Chinese civilians during his visit. It’s unknown whether the CCP was solely responsible, or if it was part of a secret bilateral agreement. This is different from Obama’s predecessor. In June 2008, then US President George Bush met human rights attorney Li Heping at the White House and had pictures taken with them.

Chris Thomas; Li Yifei; and Feng Ming of the SOH Radio Network

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Tang Jitian’s reaction to Obama’s visit

On November 18th, US President Barack Obama completed his three day visit to China. His speech on human rights and internet blockades have been filtered and censored by the Chinese government. During his visit, petitioners have been monitored and suppressed heavily. Well known Beijing human rights lawyer, Tang Jitian says the most important political leader of the Western world’s visit to China, lead to serious human rights violations.

Obama was supposed to meet several human rights lawyers during his visit but that didn’t happen. On the contrary more abuse to Chinese lawyers has occurred.

Tang Jitian, who has defended Falun Gong practitioners, AIDS victims, victims of land seizures, and prisoners of labor and re-education campsm, says President Obama should “push China to political civilization.” He believes pushing forward and improving human rights depends ultimately on Chinese people.

Tang spoke to SOH and had this to say: (Recording):

“The US planned to meet lawyers undertaking human rights work, but this hasn’t occurred. Many lawyers have been forced to stay home during his visit and some were taken away while following his vehicle. On the surface, nothing has greatly improved. It depends on Chinese people to push forward step by step the development of society in China. External efforts are a factor but we cannot rely heavily on them. Before his journey is complete, if he can express his concern on these issues through diplomatic or other appropriate channels, it confirms him as a lawyer, a powerful leader, and as a Nobel Peace Prize recipient.”

Tang reminded the world’s leaders to quickly grasp the truth of the Chinese government. The world should push forward human rights as a means to civilization.

Tang said (Recording):

“Economic and political cooperation between nations should be long-term goals. However it should be clear, that due to present economic needs much action has been taken lacking foresight, which is harmful in the long term. I feel Europe and America have international standing, and have made outstanding progress on their human rights and legal systems. This should push forward the civilization of the whole world, especially in the political realm. Politics are an important starting point in foreign dealings. Western leaders should also think about the values they uphold when in contact with China. Historically, they mustn’t be like the Anglo-French who dealt with the Czechs and Polish haphazardly. They had a random policy which was harmful not only to them, but also to themselves.”

Keith Ware, Li Yifei and Han Fei of the SOH Radio Network.

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‘9 Commentaries’ awaken people

Five years ago, The Epoch Times published “Nine commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party”, a book which analysed in depth, the lies and violent nature of the Chinese communist regime. The publication exposed the great catastrophe brought on the people of China by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and subsequently instigated the “Quit the CCP” movement. Five years on, over 63 million people have now denounced their membership in the CCP and related organizations, and voices from China call for an even wider spread of this book.

According to Wang, a teacher in Zhejiang, when the “Nine Commentaries” was published five years ago, she read it through the Internet, and was moved to the point, that she immediately denounced her membership from the party. Wang introduced the book to friends, and persuaded some friends to quit the CCP. She hopes that more people will help to spread the “Nine Commentaries”, in particular toward the younger generation.

Wang said (recording),
“I read the “Nine Commentaries” in 2004, and the most beneficial aspect, was that I came to know the great amount of history that had been covered up by the Chinese Communist regime. For example, I only learned about historical events such as that of the Great Famine during 1959 and 1960, through the “Nine Commentaries”. Once I read it, I had a clear understanding of the truths and facts of events that took place since [the CCP] was established in China 60 years ago. I came to realize that we had been kept in the dark, and lived with lies and deceit. Subsequently I quit the CCP through the Internet, and mobilized some friends around me to also quit the CCP. The “Nine Commentaries” can be spread further to our younger generation. Since the 80’s and 90’s, there existed a broken ridge in their understanding of the history of our nation. Hence I feel we should let more people learn the truths of history, and clearly see the ugly face of the CCP. ”

Mr Lei from Hunan said, the “Nine Commentaries” is a great historical composition, which revealed the truths of history which the CCP had concealed. He suggested the publication should be mass printed and distributed. (Recording)
“This book, the “Nine Commentaries”, presented the real history of the CCP’s evil, through analysis backed by facts. It is a historical composition with great value. The generation of our fathers and grandfathers, experienced the various calamities like those told in the “Nine Commentaries”, that was their life, I remember when I was younger, father was forced to wear tall hats, and paraded down the streets and all sorts of things. If we let more people learn about the “Nine Commentaries”, the people of mainland China will no longer protect the CCP, but will stand against it. Because many people now are still in the dark, we need to act as a compass in bringing an end to the CCP’s evil governance. We should not only spread it through the Internet, but also think of ways to distribute it in print.”

Mr Hu from mainland China often travels between countries to run his business. According to Hu, “The Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party” has been spread very far and wide in China, and words persuading people to quit the CCP have been posted everywhere. Hu believes that the regime is afraid of this publication, thus dares not to openly criticize it.

He said (Recording), “The entire “Nine Commentaries” provides an in-depth analysis of the CCP, it is very profound. For most ordinary citizens, it is seen as truly reasonable. It has been spread very widely, and one could say that the publication has struck the CCP’s lethal point, as the regime dares not to discuss or openly strike back. Slogans which promote the “Nine Commentaries” and withdrawals from CCP’s organizations can be regularly seen in various parts of society, and in some places these slogans are openly visible beside government buildings.”

According to Mr Jaing Suge, the Chinese Communist regime is now corrupt to a point which surpasses that of the late Qing Dynasty. He believes it is inevitable for the heavens to eliminate the CCP.

“The Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party” can remove one’s fear toward the CCP, thus escape its lies and control. (Recording) “The “Nine Commentaries” has significant impact on changing the thoughts of a Chinese person, and correcting it to a righteous state. The “Nine Commentaries” not only reflects the truths of history, people also gain clear understandings, I have refused those lies, and now feel immune to the fear I had felt in the past. The CCP is a gigantic cult, and more than 90% of ordinary citizens very much hate it. China used to have three million square kilometres of ocean area, but 1.5 million has now been taken by foreign countries, yet we are unable to do anything. On this issue, the CCP is no better than the Qing Dynasty. So much of the historical heritage from the Qing Dynasty has disappeared.”

Matthew Ytsma; Wang Qian; and Yu Yin of the SOH Radio Network

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