People�s Daily Cambodia, DPRK Issue Joint Communique Cambodia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has Issued a joint communique Friday in Phnom Penh, stressing to further develop the traditional relations of friendship and promote the cooperation between the two countries. The two sides noted with satisfaction that the traditional friendship relations and close cooperation have developed near half century on the basis of the immortal relations between King Norodom Sihanouk and late Kim Il Sung. The both sides expressed that they will continue to develop their relations based on the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and other universally recognized principles of international laws and on the Five-Principles set forth in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, the communique said. The two sides agreed to further expand and strengthen exchange and cooperation in the political, economic, cultural, educational, sports and other fields in conformity with the interests of the two countries. The two countries are committed to strengthen the mutual support and cooperation in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and other Asian Organizations, the United Nations, the Non-aligned Movement and other international fora. The Korean people highly appreciated the Cambodian people for having achieved the national reconciliation, harmony, unity and secured a peaceful and stabilized the socio-political environment. The Cambodian side expressed its conviction that the independent reunification of Korea would be materialized by the concerted efforts of the Korean people in North, South and overseas in accordance with North-South Joint Declaration. The two sides expressed their satisfaction with the fruitful result of the visit of Kim Jong Nam. Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People' s Assembly of DPRC, arrived in Cambodia for a 4-day state visit on July 17 and concluded his visit Friday. **** Another Irrefutable Evidence of Falun Gong's Anti-Humanity A case uncovered recently by police has revealed another irrefutable evidence of the notorious Falun Gong cult, headed by Li Hongzhi, for its anti-human nature. On December 18 last year, Liu Renfang, a 52-year-old Falun Gong practitioner in southwest China's Sichuan Province, and five other followers connived to come to the Tiananmen Square in Beijing to " protect" the Falun Gong doctrines on New Year's Day. While she was harboring in an apartment of less than 120 square meters in Yanjiao Township of Sanhe city, Hebei Province neighboring Beijing, along with 70-80 other Falun Gong followers, the woman died a sudden death. However, her Falun Gong fellow practitioners were so brutal that they neglected her death and just put her body into a smelly sewer in order to destroy the evidence. Liu, a farmer in Pixian County of Sichuan Province, had long been suffering from headache and tracheitis. She began to practice Falun Gong in 1998, and then refused to go to hospital or take any medicine. Instead, she instigated the other five local Falun Gong followers to come together with her to Beijing to "protect" Falun Gong doctrines and make troubles. While hiding in the closed apartment waiting for the time to come to Beijing, Liu kept on practicing Falun Gong. As a matter of fact, the woman was seriously ill, but she believed that her master, Li Hongzhi, would help her. On the early morning of December 31, a day before the coming of the New Year, all the practitioners in the hidden room were busy preparing to leave for Tiananmen. But her townswoman Ji Yueqiong, another Falun Gong follower, found Liu already dead when Ji tried in vain to wake her up. She told her death to those in the room, but even nobody took a look at the body, let alone show due sympathy. On the way to Beijing, Ji Yueqiong and others were stopped and repatriated back to her hometown in Sichuan. But she kept it secret for two months until in early March when Liu's family was still looking for the missing woman. Ji felt guilty, and finally she made up her mind to tell the truth to the local police. Some police rushed to the hidden place. But to their great surprise, there was nothing in the room. In another development, on February 13, a farmer in the Tongzhou District of Beijing found a large plastic package floating in a river. He reported this to the local police station. Police found a woman body in the package. In April, Beijing state security departments came across an important clue to the case when looking into an illegal gathering of several Falun Gong practitioners. Police found these practitioners had discarded a female body in Sanhe Township into the river. In February, Zhao Guifeng, a Falun Gong follower from Changchun, Jilin Province, heard of the incident when she was promoting Falun Gong in Beijing. She instructed other practitioners to conceal the news, clean the room where the body was, and wipe out any possible evidence. Zhao wanted to have Li Hongzhi's instructions. So she aksed other followers to try to contact with Li via the Internet. They got in touch with Zhang Yu, a Falun Gong core member now in the United States. Two hours later, Zhang told them Li Hongzhi's instruction: do whatever you think proper. But at the same time Zhang told them time and again not to admit that the death has anything to do with Falun Gong in case police get to know about it. On February 12, Zhao Guifeng and several other Falun Gong followers managed to get into the Sanhe apartment and took away the already rotten body, and drove it to the river and plunged it into it. A few days later, Zhao had a call made to Zhang Yu in the United States, telling him that they had perfectly handled the incident and asking him to inform master Li Hongzhi of this. On April 18, Liu Banglu, the dead woman's husband, came to Beijing. He recognized his wife's clothes. And the DNA test by the Ministry of Public Security also proved that the body was Liu Renfang. **** Eleventh Panchen Lama Congratulates on Tibet Peaceful Liberation Anniversary Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, the 11th Panchen Lama, Thursday sent a letter of congratulation to southwest China's Tibet regional committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Tibet regional government, on the 50th anniversary of the region's peaceful liberation. In the letter, the Panchen Lama said great changes have taken place in Tibet since its peaceful liberation 50 years ago. Under the CPC's leadership, people of all ethnic groups in Tibet have made great achievements following the peaceful liberation, he said. Facts prove that without the Party, there would be no development and prosperity in Tibet, he said. It is a must to carry on the Tenth Panchen Lama's tradition of patriotism and speed up the construction of a new socialist Tibet under the CPC Central Committee with Jiang Zemin as the core, he said. He expressed belief that in another 50 years, Tibet will be more prosperous. **** China Opposed to US Congress Vote on Reimbursement: Spokesman Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sun Yuxi said Friday that China is "resolutely opposed" to the amendments proposed by a few anti-China members of the US House of Representatives to bar compensation to China for the services provided for US surveillance plane on the Chinese soil. "This has been an attempt to obstruct the improvement of Sino-US relations," he said. **** Roundup: Vietnam's Economy Has Positive Changes Vietnam's economy had many positive changes in the first six months of this year when the country's gross domestic product (GDP) reached 222.332 trillion Vietnamese dong (VND) (nearly 15 billion U.S. dollars), up 7.1 percent over the same period last year. Additionally, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam has also shown the signs of recovery. There were 200 more projects licensed with total registered capital of over 968 million dollars, increasing 30 percent in the number of projects and 39 percent in investment capital. Vietnam's import and export activities in the first half of this year also attained remarkable achievements. The country's export turnover is estimated to reach 7.585 billion dollars, an increase of 14.8 percent over the same period last year. Meanwhile, the import turnover attained 7.928 billion dollars, up 8.8 percent, much lower than the figure of 36.4 percent in the same period last year. Over the past six months, passenger and goods transport maintained the growth of over five percent compared with the same period last year. The number of foreign tourists to Vietnam reached 1.24 million, up 8.5 percent from the same period last year. The country's tourism service reached a turnover of 5.65 trillion VND (389 million dollars) in the first six months of this year, a 15.8 percent year-on-year increase. In the first half of 2001, production value of agriculture, forestry and aquaculture of the country is estimated to reach 68.3 trillion VND (4.55 billion dollars), increasing three percent against the same period last year. However, this figure is lower than that of 5.2 percent in 2000 and the year's target of 4.5 percent. Vietnam's industrial production value also attained over 113 trillion VND (over 7.5 billion dollars), up 14.1 percent compared to the same period last year. Although this figure is equal to the year's target, it is lower than the rate of 14.7 percent last year. In general, both industrial and agricultural production activities meet many difficulties in finding outlet for produce, due to the decrease of domestic purchasing power and export prices of agricultural produce. Total retail sales of goods and services of the country earned 114.1 trillion VND (over 7.6 billion dollars), up 7.6 percent against the same period of 2000. However, consumption index decreased by 0.7 percent compared to that in December, 2000. In terms of monetary, till June 30, 2001, the total value of payment methods is estimated to see an increase of eight percent compared to that by December 31, 2000. This figure is lower than that of 10.1 percent in 2000. The positive economic results in the first half of 2001 is sure to have created favorable conditions for the development of economy in the country. **** Chinese President Meets Moldovian PM, Parliament President Chinese President Jiang Zemin said Friday in Chisinau that he believes the Moldovian Government will realize the goal of national stability, economic prosperity and the improvement of people's livelihood. Jiang made the remarks in a meeting with Moldovian Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev. Jiang is here on a state visit to Moldova, the first by a Chinese head of state since the two countries established full diplomatic relations in January 1992. Tarlev briefed Jiang on the domestic situation of Moldova, saying Moldova has gained the best opportunity of development since the general election early this year. He said his government will make every effort to revitalize its economy. The prime minister described China as an example for Moldova, saying it will learn from the experience of China. He said Jiang's visit will push forward bilateral relations to grow in a more pragmatic way. Jiang said he hopes the trade and economic cooperation between the two countries can grow even better with joint efforts from both sides. In a separate meeting with Eugenia Ostapciuk, president of the Parliament of Moldova, Jiang said the several documents China and Moldova signed after the talks between Jiang and Moldovian President Voronin Friday have added new contents to the cooperation. Jiang said the joint statement he signed with Voronin has set the guiding principles for the development of bilateral relations in the 21st century. Moldova is the third leg of Jiang's five-nation tour to Europe, which took him to Russia, Belarus and will also take him to Ukraine and Malta. **** Living Buddha: Witness of Tibet's Changes "I have witnessed, with great pleasure, the historic changes in Tibet," said Bomi Qambalozhub, a renowned living Buhhda, in an interview with Xinhua Friday in Lhasa. Eighty four-year-old Qambalozhub lives on the third floor of the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. His room is simply furnished, with a balcony decorated with flowers and a shrine with bronze statues of Tsong-Khapa, founder of the Yellow Sect of Tibetan Buddhism and his two disciples. Both Qambalozhub's parents died when he was a child. Fortunately, he was identified as the first Living Buddha Bomi in his hometown when he was eight. At the age of 16, Qambalozhub started an in-depth study of Buddhist scriptures at Gandain Monastery, one of the three major monasteries in Lhasa. In 1959, he was conferred the highest degree of the Yellow Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. "I have witnessed all the great changes in Tibet after its peaceful liberation 50 years ago," said Qambalozhub. The old Tibet, in Qambalozhub's eyes, was full of shabby houses, citizens fighting with dogs for a mouthful of food, and shackled criminals begging on the streets. Today, however, typically Tibetan edifices have risen everywhere, and well-built roads lead to every corner of the autonomous region. "Sometimes I get so confused by the new buildings and new roads that I cannot find my way home," said the old man. As a highly reputed living Buddha, Qambalozhub is very proud of having presided over the ceremony for the reincarnation of tenth Panchen Lama. As the teacher of Buddhist scriptures for Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, the 11th Panchen Lama, Qambalozhub said the new Panchen Lama has won the faith and support of all the people in Tibet and all other Buddhists. "The reincarnation itself shows the great care and support from the central government," he said. He said with the restoration and development of lamaseries and temples, Tibet has now over 46,300 Buddhist monks and nuns. Qambalozhub himself was once the principal of the Tibet Buddhist Theological Institute and trained over 200 lamas. So far, over 600 Buddhists in Tibet have taken posts in people' s congresses and advisory bodies at all levels. Qambalozhub himself is vice-president of the Buddhist Association of China and president of the association's Tibet branch. "Each day, I see a lot of Buddhists come to the Jokhang Temple from every corner of Tibet to worship Buddha, learn the scriptures or kowtow. Such rituals have never stopped," said Qambalozhub. Qambalozhub enjoys high prestige among the Buddhists in Tibet, thanks to his accomplishments in Buddhist study and his frankness and integrity. "I have seen with my own eyes the drastic changes in Tibet since its peaceful liberation and in particular, since its democratic reform (begun in 1959). The Tibetan people have benefited most from such changes, which is a fact that allows no subversion," he said. The living Buddha could hardly conceal his regret at not being present on some occasions marking the 50th anniversary of Tibet's peaceful liberation due to his poor health. "However, I pray at the Jokhang Temple every day, hoping that under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, Tibet will continue to prosper and all its people will lead happy lives." _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
