Subject: CND (US), Feb. 19, 1991

From: Zuofeng Li <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 19 Feb 91 12:59:19 CST

*  *  *   C H I N A    N E W S    D I G E S T   *  *  *

                             Feb 19, 1991

        +-+-+-+- ( China News Digest,  US Section Service) -+-+-+-+

         - - - - - - T a b l e   o f   C o n t e n t s - - - - - -
No. Subjects                                                    # of Lines
1. Update on the IFCSS Open Letter Campaign.............................31
2. CLDP Issues Statement on the Recent Trials and Sentencings in China..51
3. Chinese Diplomats Comment on Trials at Home..........................44
4. Chinese Diplomatic Missions Attempt to Sabotage
   Student Self-Governing Organizations.................................54
5. Celebrate the Year of the Sheep with Jubilation in UIUC..............20

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Update on the IFCSS Open Letter Campaign.............................31
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From [email-masked]
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 19, 1991

Since the IFCSS started the Campaign of Cosigning the Open Letter to Mr. Wan
Li on the Sentencing of Wang Juntao, Chen Zimin, et al, 71 people have
cosigned the letter. The cosigners include famous Chinese activists as well
as American friends. A list of the cosigners can be obtained from the IFCSS
HQ.

The open letter, addressed to Mr. Wan Li, Chairman of the Standing Committee
of the National People's Congress of China, calls for a prompt investigation
of the cases and release of all political prisoners. IFCSS urges all the
Chinese students and scholars, their family members and their friends join
the campaign.  It is asked that all IFCSS regional coordinators, working
committee members, IFCSS Council and Supervisory Committee members, IFCSS
member school organization leaders and campus representatives as well as all
IFCSS activists participate in this campaign, mobilize as many people as
possible to co-sign the letter.  In order to have an effective impact, this
campaign is intended to be joined by all those who are sympathetic to the
prisoners of conscience in China.  IFCSS requests that Chinese students and
scholars appeal to their overseas Chinese and American friends to join this
action for justice.

For more information on the open letter campaign , please refer to the Feb.
15, 1991, issue of the CND (US) or call the following IFCSS regional
coordinators:
	Eastern:	Cheng Ming	(716)834-2096
	Mid-Atlantic:	Wang Gan	(804)971-1363
	Mid-West:	Dong Qiqi	(517)423-5834
	Northeast:	Peng Xiaocong	(617)621-0391
	Northwest:	Gao Hong	(503)228-2537
	Pacific:	Li Sen	        (619)453-8082
	Southeast:	Li Gang	        (404)633-3014
	Southwest:	Zhang Wei	(713)779-6468

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. CLDP Issues Statement on the Recent Trials and Sentencings in China..51
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From [email-masked]
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 19, 1991

The following is a statement from CLDP regarding the recent trials.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

               A Statement of the Liberal Democratic Party of China

The dictatorial regime of the Chinese Communist Party, which is guilty of
countless monstrous crimes, has been always ignoring and abusing basic human
rights.  It has been using all imaginable and unimaginable cruel methods to
suppress and eliminate any dissident who dared to speak out his/her own
mind.

Recently, this regime has used all the methods at its disposal to persecute
those who actively participated in the 1989 pro-democracy movement.  After a
series of trials and sentencing for many students, intellectuals, and workers,
this regime had sentenced Mr. Wang Jungtao and Mr. Chen Ziming for thirteen
year in prison.  This was done while it was denounced around the world for
its ruthless trampling on the basic human rights of the Chinese people.  This
was done after the two peaceful dissident were illegally jailed for more than
two years.

All these illegitimate trials and sentencing were not only made its
self-imposed Constitution of China a big joke, but also revealed the nature
of this regime as the enemy of the people once more.  The Chinese Communist
regime was afraid of people, did not dare to face the justice and truth, so
it picked the time when the world attention was focused on the Gulf Crisis.
But even this can not hide ruthlessness and weakness of this reactionary
regime.

The Liberal and Democratic Party of China would like to warn this regime:
For more than forty years, you had bloodily killed countless dissidents and
other innocent Chinese people.  The brutal massacre of peaceful protesting
people on the fourth of June, 1989 has already revealed the true nature of
of yours to the people around the world.  Right now, you are continuing the
persecution of all the dissidents.  If you think that by suppressing the
Chinese people's desire of freedom and democracy, you can prolong your
ruling, you are deadly wrong!  Those of you who are responsible for the
crimes this regime committed will be tried by history and this day will not
be too far away.  This regime is DEAD.  All of the Chinese Communist Party
members who has conscience, you must take an uncooperative attitude toward
this regime now.  For those who dare to continue being the enemy of the
people, we will remember you and get you.

The Liberal and Democratic Party solemnly announce that we shall use all
effort and resources to push and realize our goal, i.e., the eradication of
the brutal dictatorial regime of the Chinese Communist Party.  We will use
all the methods available to challenge and oppose this regime.  We will not
only let people to know the crimes committed by this regime, but also
participate directly and indirectly in the demolishing of it.  By doing
this, we are hoping that the collapse of this regime will come as soon as
possible, so we can rebuild a free, democratic, and prosperous new China!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Chinese Diplomats Comment on Trials at Home..........................44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From: Liu Dong, IN%"[email-masked]"
Source: CND (Canada), Wednesday, Feb 13, 1991

Ottawa (Feb. 9) -- An official from the Chinese Embassy told a group of
Canadian students on Friday that the Chinese government has been "very
lenient" towards the Chinese students who took part in the 1989 pro-democracy
movement.

"We have released a large number of them. As for the small number who were
tried, the trials are open," Mr.Yang Jinshen, first secretary of the Chinese
Embassy, told the Carleton University's World Affairs Club.

The club is going to take part in a mock United Nations debate at Princeton
University next Thursday. About 40 universities from North America will take
part in this annual event. Each university will represent one country. This
year, it is Carleton's turn to represent China. Mr. Yang and a military
attache, identified himself as Colonel Yu, were invited to brief on China and
its foreign policy.

Responding to the question of alleged human rights abuses, Mr.Yang told the
group that only a very small number of those who breached laws were arrested.
"And our sentences have been very lenient, only two to seven years," Mr.Yang
said. "Besides, we have different social values," he added.

Mr. Yang emphasized the openness of the trials. "Many took part in the
trials, including their family members, friends and teachers. All are carried
out strictly according to Chinese laws."

Then he was asked to comment on Mr. Jiye Mao's trip to observe the trials.
The question was: since the trials were open, why did the Chinese government
refuse a Chinese student to return to his own country to observe them?

The atmosphere of the meeting instantly became tense. With his head half
bending forward, Mr.Yang said: "First of all, Chinese students studying
abroad, I'm not sure whether they know what happened during the June Fourth
in 1989. No government in the world would tolerate activities aiming at
overthrowing it. Secondly, Chinese students here took part in many
anti-government activities during that period of time. We are very lenient to
them. We would not punish those who went back."

When asked whether he meant that Mr.Mao's trip was an anti- government
activity, Mr.Yang promptly answered: "I would not say his trip was
anti-government. But a lot of the activities here are anti-government."

To conclude on that subject and to drive his point home, Mr.Yang challenged
the audience with this remark: "China needs stability. If what happened in
Eastern Europe happens in China which has 1.13 billion people, even if the
exodus is only one percent of the population, no country will accept it."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Chinese Diplomatic Missions Try to Sabotage Student Organizations....54
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

University of Varginia, (Feb. 18) -- In preparing for a Chinese New Year
Party, a representative from CSSS-UVa contacted Mr. Hu Zhibeng, second
secretaty of education in the Chinese Embassy, and requested the Embassy to
provide fund for CSSS's Chinese New Year's party. Though previous verbal
agreement has be made in the CSSS-UVa receiving fund from the Chinese
Embassy for non-political activities, Mr. Hu refused to allocate the fund.
According to Mr. Hu, a new policy has been implemented that requires
CSSS-UVa sign a statement which declares: 1) CSSS is a welfare association;
and 2) CSSS will withdraw from IFCSS before the fund can be provided.

According to a statement from the CSSS-UVa council, the CSSS-UVa holds the
positions that Chinese students and scholars are entitles to receive the
student activity fund, and excluding the CSSS-UVa from receiving the fund is
an act of discrimination. The CSSS-UVa insists its right to join the IFCSS
and will not sacrifice this right for the sake of monetary support from the
Chinese Embassy. The CSSS-UVa wishes to remind Mr. Hu that his attempts to
split the Chinese student body at Univ. of Virginia are "non-diplomatic" and
are interference on the internal affairs of CSSS-UVa.

Following the incident, the CSSS-UVa has reported it to the relevant
University of Virginia authorities. On Saturday, Feb.16, CSSS-UVa
successfully organized the Chinese New Year party without Embassy's fund.
More than 200 showed up. <[email-masked]>

St. Louis, (Feb. 19) -- In order to provide diversified entertainment to
the Chinese students and scholars in the Greater St. Louis area, the St.
Louis Association of Chinese Students and Scholars for Democracy in China
(SLH) contacted Mr. Yuan Chao, an Education Counsel in the Chinese Consulate
General in Chicago, for the purpose of obtaining Chinese movies to be shown
in a Chinese New Year Party. The request was rejected, since, according to
Mr. Yuan, the SLH is too political for the Consulate to be associated with,
even though the SLH is an elected student self-governing body. Mr. Yuan gave
the condition for loaning movies to the Chinese students and scholars in St.
Louis as the SLH changing its name to something non-political. According to
council members of the SLH, the name of St. Louis Association of Chinese
Students and Scholars was chosen, in the aftermath of the June 4 massacre in
Beijing, by majority vote of Chinese students and scholars in St. Louis, and
all political activities of SLH agree with its charter, again passed by
majority vote. While the SLH is willing to cooperate with the Chinese
Consulate in serving the Chinese students and scholars in St. Louis, the
SLH's nature of self-governing will not be changed for the sake of being
able to loan movies from the Chinese consulate. The SLH views Mr. Yuan's
suggestion of organizing a separate team by the Consulate for showing movies
as an attempt to split the unity of Chinese students and scholars in St.
Louis.

The failure to loan movies from the Chinese Consulate in Chicago did not
prevent the SLH from successfully holding a Chinese New Year Celebration
Party. More than 300 Chinese students and scholars paid a nominal fee to
join the party, which boasts 2 hours of entertainment in the form of chorus,
Karaoke, Martial arts show, dances, performances of Chinese music instruments,
selections of Beijing Opera, movie show, prize drawing, and traditional
Chinese New Year food. The party lasted well into the night, and concluded
in joyful dancing.  <[email-masked]>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Celebrate the Year of the Sheep with Jubilation in UIUC..............20
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From: [email-masked] (Bo Xiong)
Date: Sunday, Feb. 17, 1991

CND correspondent Bo Xiong reporting from the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign:  Hosting one of the largest Chinese student communities
in the United States, the university sponsored a series of campus activities
celebrating the Chinese New Year of 1991 -- the Year of the Sheep.

>From the Chinese New Year's Day February 15 through February 17, Chinese
students from mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and students from Singapore
organised game plays, dancing parties, movie shows and many other events
for Chinese here to have happy get-togethers and for Americans to understand
more about China and Chinese people.

On the evening of 17th, organised by UIUC, co-sponsored by (mainland) Chinese
Solidarity Student & Scholar Association, (Taiwan) Chinese Student
Association, Hong Kong Student Association and Singapore Student Association,
a grand talent show was presented to the university community.	Entertainment
included Chinese tranditional song, dance, solos, slides, an ancient fashion
show and the Lion Dance.  An audience of over 1,500 was seated in the UIUC
theatre, the audience cheered performers and clapped with the tempo in the
musics in the show.  The grand show wound up by the song "Descendents of
the Dragon".  Chinese and American audience spent the evening joyfully.

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Editor of this Issue: Zuofeng Li, E-mail: [email-masked]     |
|                             - - - - - - -                              |
| To Subscribe China News Digest, send "SUB CHINA-NN Firstname Lastname" |
| to: [email-masked].  Send "UNSUB CHINA-NN" to same address to |
| cancel subscription. Send news contribution to [email-masked] |
|                             - - - - - - -                              |
| For technical matter, contact: Tan Shi, E-mail: [email-masked] |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+