Extracts. China Firmly Opposes US Giving Permission for Chen Shui-bian's Transit: FM Spokesman China strongly resents and firmly opposes the US giving permission to allow Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan to transit through the United States, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhu Bangzao said Tuesday. Zhu said at a regular press conference that the US action goes against the three joint communiques between the two countries and relevant commitments made by the US side. The US action has fueled the tendency of "Taiwan independence " and rampantly interfered in China's internal affairs, Zhu stressed. China has always strongly opposed official exchange and contact between Taiwan and countries having diplomatic relations with China, the spokesman noted. He urged the US to seriously handle the solemn representations made by China and abide by the one-China principle, adding that the US should correct its wrong-doings and take a prudent attitude towards the "transit" issue. **** Syrian Trade Minister in Iraq to Promote Bilateral Ties Syria <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/Syria.html> n Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Mohammed al Imadi has arrived in Baghdad for talks on ways of promoting bilateral trade ties, the official Iraq <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/iraq.html> i News Agency (INA) reported on Tuesday. "We are going to work by all means to expand cooperation between the two countries at various levels," Imadi said upon arrival late Monday night, quoted by INA. Imadi, leading an official delegation, is expected to attend meetings of the Iraq-Syria Joint Committee of Cooperation. The visit followed the re-opening on Saturday of the Syrian interests section in the Iraqi capital, a move widely regarded as a step toward the resumption of the full diplomatic relations between the two countries. The ties were severed in 1980 when Damascus sided with Tehran in 1980-88 Iran <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/iran.html> -Iraq war. However, there has been a thaw in the relations since Iraq and Syria reopened their borders and resumed economic cooperation in 1997. Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan flew to Damascus in January. During his stay in Damascus, the two sides inked a free trade agreement in a bid to boost bilateral trade. Iraq reopened its interests section in Damascus last year. **** Ex-practitioners Get New Life after Abjuration of Cult The life of many former Falun Gong practitioners have improved after their abandoning the Falun Gong cult with the help of the government. Cai Shuliu, a former ardent practitioner in Shanghai <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/Shanghai.html> , said " from the very beginning the participants were trapped by Li Hongzhi's doctrine and soon after alienated themselves from their families and ordinary life." "We were so innocent that we just do whatever Li said in his book even though our action has infringed upon the law," Cai said. After being detained last year for illegally distributing Falun Gong brochures, she received help and counseling to help her break away from the psychological control the cult had on her. "Then I gradually found out what a terrible mistake I had made and how silly I was," she said. "It is a shame that Li took advantage of so many ordinary people for his own evil purposes." Liu Lan, a self-employed businesswoman in Heshan of south China 's Guangdong <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/guangdong.html> Province, was even more stubborn when she started practicing Falun Gong nine years ago. "I can remember clearly how unruly I was even when I first came to the penitentiary," she said. "It is the real evidence of Falun Gong's crimes along with the thoughtful concern from the penitentiary staff that changed my mind." Recalling her past experience with Falun Gong, Liu said she was simply living a nightmare and now she is awake. "It is really stupid to be pious about such a cult," she added. She also wants people to see through the tricks of Falun Gong and keep away from it. The Chinese government has made great efforts to ban the Falun Gong cult. So far, many Falun Gong followers in China have realized the cult's nature and Li Hongzhi's tricks. Thanks to the government's help, many innocent people, especially women, children and the elderly, have been saved and have gone back to normal lives. As the absurdities of Li Hongzhi's religion were exposed, the evil nature of Falun Gong, which is anti-science, anti-humanity and anti-society, is fairly evident. Li said Falun Gong practitioners don't have to take medicine if they are ill because they possess a special ability to cure themselves by using the principles of Falun Gong through exercises the cult prescribes. But those exercises have proven to be ineffective leaving thousands of Falung Gong followers seriously ill or dead because they refused medical treatment. Li claims that Falun Gong is not an organized group, but his teachings impinge on the practitioners' psyche, overpowering them as if they were tied down with invisible chains and could not move. The ringleader also misled practitioners with his distorted " Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance," which sway many people to commit suicide or self-mutilate themselves to reach so-called " nirvana," which is part of his doctrine. Inconsistency and self-contradiction in Li's remarks and behavior reveal fallaciousness and malicious, which has been recognized by more and more former followers who turned away from and renounced Falun Gong. Chen Xihua, a woman in south Hainan <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/hainan.html> Island, began practicing Falun Gong in 1999 when she was not in good physical condition in hopes that by practicing it she could cure her illness. To her disappointment, Falun Gong did not perform miracles like she had been told and her illness got even worse. "I did not take medicine or injections like Falun Gong instructed, and I refused my husband's suggestion to go to hospital," Chen said. Until July 1999 the time Falun Gong was declared illegal by the government, Chen came to realize that she was cheated by the Falun Gong with the no-medicine trick. She went to the hospital where her illness was cured. "The Falun Gong is a completely evil thing, and I'm determined to stay away from it," Chen spoke. In contrast to claiming that Falun Gong was not an organized group, Li set up his Falun Dafa (an alternative name for the Falun Gong) Research Association and smaller groups of practitioners across the country and overseas, for a close and effective administration. In addition, the cult leader attempted to control followers with absurdities Li invented himself, like eschatology, the ruin of the earth, and touting his "Magic Power." Li even claimed that he was supervising Falun Gong followers anywhere and at any time both physically and psychologically. "Li Hongzhi stole terms and concepts from religious sects and traditional Chinese Qigong to polish his fallacies, misleading people to follow and consequently become bewitched and off one's trolley," exposed Cai Rongxia, a former Falun Gong practitioner in Shanghai. At Li's command, some 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners gathered around the Zhongnanhai Compound, office site of China's top leaders, to protest against the media's exposure of Falun Gong's pseudoscientific nature in April 1999. "Li's denying of knowing the besiege he plotted by himself betrayed his hypocrisy and was against his claim of being almighty, " said Mu Dengke, a former Falun Gong member in north China Hebei <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/hebei.html> Province. Those people who should have lived a happy life were subject to domination of the evil cult and those happy families became broken once one or more family members became obsessed with Falun Gong, noted Liao Wenbin in south China's Guangxi <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/guangxi.html> Zhuang Autonomous region. The truth in many tragic stories happened to Falun Gong practitioners and innocent people have been unveiled despite Li's beguiling advocation of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, " Liao added. **** Jiang Congratulates Mongolian President on Re-election Chinese President Jiang Zemin <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/people/jiangzemin.shtml> on Tuesday congratulated his Mongolia <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/mongolia.html> n counterpart, Nachagyn Bagabandy, on his re-election Sunday as president of the country for a second four-year term. In a message of congratulation to Bagabandy, Jiang said: "On behalf of the Chinese Government and the Chinese people and in my own name, I wish to extend to you warm congratulations." China and Mongolia are friendly neighbors linked by common mountains and rivers, and the friendly cooperative relations between the two countries have registered marked progress in various fields in recent years, Jiang said. The Chinese president said he is ready to make joint efforts with Bagabandy for the further consolidation and development of the long-term, stable, healthy and friendly cooperative relations of mutual trust and good-neighborliness between China and Mongolia. **** Kenya, China to Enhance Broadcasting Cooperation Kenya and China have great potential of cooperation in the broadcasting industry as both countries have large TV and radio audiences, Kenyan Minister for Information, Transport and Communication Musalia Mudavadi said Monday in Nairobi. Such cooperation is significant in that it will not only enable the two peoples to have a better understanding of each other, but also enable Kenya to have more news sources instead of concentrating on Western media, Mudavadi said. The minister made the remarks while meeting with a visiting Chinese broadcasting delegation headed by Xu Guangchun, director of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. Mudavadi noted that the relationship between Kenya and China grows stronger every day with the frequent exchanges of visits by top officials of the two countries and the expanding cooperation in many sectors. He thanked China's support for Kenya in sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure construction, telecommunications and broadcasting, adding that the increasing investment in Kenya from the Chinese private sector has also boosted the development of Kenya's economy. Xu said that China and Kenya enjoy traditional friendship and the two countries have conducted fruitful cooperation in political, economic and cultural and other fields. The director said that he believed that such good relationship will be further enhanced in the new century. The Chinese government has always attached great importance to the development of broadcasting sector, Xu said, adding that up to date, China has 1 billion TV viewers and 350 million TV sets nationwide. He said that to provide more colorful programs to its audience, China is taking measures to increase cooperation with other countries in the sector and he believed that cooperation with Kenya will not only benefit the development of the two countries but is conducive to the world peace as well. The two ministers agreed that the two countries should further enhance the cooperation in the broadcasting sector by conducting more exchanges of programs and technology, and Xu pledged to have more Kenyan technicians trained in China. After the meeting, Mudavadi and Xu signed an agreement on the cooperation of broadcasting sectors between Kenya and China. On Monday afternoon, the Chinese delegation visited the headquarters and studios of the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), with Xu meeting with KBC's Managing Director Joe Khamisi and other top officials. Xu said that China not only encourages exchanges of programs between KBC and China Central Television Station, the country's national television station, but also will give green light to cooperation between KBC and any of the 3,000 local television stations nationwide. During their stay in KBC, Deputy President of CCTV He Zongjiu and Khamisi signed an agreement of authorizing KBC to use programs from CCTV's Channel 4 and 9, which are both for international services, and the two also signed a document for CCTV to donate to KBC a set of equipment to receive satellite signals from CCTV. The Chinese delegation arrived here on Sunday to kick off a six-day visit to the eastern African country. The delegation is scheduled to visit Kenya Television Network Studios and Nation Media Group. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
