chi@vlsi.uwaterloo.ca (Bo Chi) (01/14/90)
| +---------I __L__ ___/ \ -------I +----+----+ | ___\_\_ | \./ | | -----+- | | | | | __ \/ | --+-- |--- | |---| | I----+----I | I__J/\ | __|__ | | | |---| | | | _____ \ | /| \ | | | L__-| | I I---------J / J \/ | | V | J * C h i n a N e w s D i g e s t * (ND Canada Service) -- Jan. 14 (I), 1990 Table of Contents No. of Lines Brief News: Gorbachev won't oppose multiparty system, etc..............35 1. Hong Kong governer, Chinese leader discuss "Rains and Typhoons".....63 2. A visit to the French magazine Actuel by a Chinese diplomat........144 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brief News ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- [AP/yawei@aqua.bacs.indiana.edu] President Mikhail Gorbachev announced Saturday that he is willing to accept a multiparty political system in the Soviet Union. Gorbachev's pledge came at the end of a futile 3-day visit to the restive Baltic republic of Lithuania aimed at persuading local Communists to restore the ties they severed with Moscow. ''I see no tragedy in a multiparty system, if, ...it arises as a result of a normal historical process and answers the needs of society,'' he told a meeting of the Lithuanian Communist Party. [Soc.Culture.China/ao-b@hydroplane.cis.ohio-state.edu] ABC Evening News reported yesterday that one day after the lifting of martial law in Beijing, the Chinese government issued regulations which virtually banned any kind of political demonstration, and two people were arrested yesterday for laying a wreath at the Tiananmen Square. [People's Daily, 12/30/89] Chinese nationals who have been staying in foreign countries for 3 months or more, and Chinese nationals who apply to work or study abroad for 1 year or more, must submit evidence that they are free from AIDS, venereal diseases, and other contagious diseases. Those fail to provide the health certificate will be denied exit permits, according to the measure that goes into effect January 1, 1990. Hong Kong and Taiwan residents who are planning for short-term visits to mainland China are not subject to the new requirements. The People's Daily report did not mention any requirements for foreign visitors. [AP/yawei@aqua.bacs.indiana.edu] Romania's interim President Saturday reversed a decision to ban the Communist Party, which he announced before crowds of anti-communist demonstrators yesterday. He called it a ''hasty decision,'' and instead said the issue will be decided in a national referendum set for Jan. 28. The referendum also will include the question of whether to reinstate the death penalty, abolished only 2 weeks ago. There have been calls to bring back the death penalty by those who feel life imprisonment is too lenient for crimes committed by Ceausescu cronies as well as by members of the Securitate. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Hong Kong governer, Chinese leader discuss "Rains and Typhoons" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Hong Kong Standard/hkucs!kwchan@uunet.uu.net] A senior Chinese official yesterday put pressure on Governor Sir David Wilson to stop all anti-China activities in Hongkong. In a sharp exchange between Mr Li Hou, deputy director of the State Council's Hongkong and Macau Affairs Office, and Sir David, the Chinese official was obviously deeply unhappy about demonstrations on New Year's Day when protesters called for the downfall of the "Chinese Ceausescu". Mr Li said some people in Hongkong had again engaged in anti-China activities. This was an apparent reference to the Hongkong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China, which organised the New Year's Day rally. "Some people in Hongkong have been trying deliberation of the rains and the winds," Mr Li told Sir David at the start of their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guest House. "For example, during the New Year, some people in Hongkong were calling for the downfall of the 'Chinese Ceausescu'. He stressed that the "rains" must be stopped in order to welcome in the good weather. Sir David countered by implying that Mr Li was blowing the matter out of proportion. He said it was important to "distunguish between small showers of rain and typhoons" and not to be confused about the two. Mr Li replied by saying: "A small shower, if not given enough attention, may develop into a typhoon". He said their task at the meeting was to continue their efforts "so as to prevent further rains". The chairman of the Hongkong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movemtn in China, Mr Szeto Wah, last night said future activities of the alliance would depend on the situation in China, but added he was not in the least worried by Mr Li's remarks. Sources said the Governor explained to the Chinese his Government's position that demonstrations such as that orgainised by the alliance were permitted under the laws of Hongkong. The Government could not take action against the alliance because it was a legitimate organisation. The governor is believed to be pushing for one-third of the Legislative Council to be directly elected in 1991 and at least 40 percent of the seats in the post-1997 legislature to be directly elected. The Chinese were told that they should be responsive to the mainstream views of the Hongkong people, who wanted a faster pace of democratic development after June 4. Following the meeting, the Governor met the director of the Hongkong and Macau Affairs Office, Mr Ji Pengfei, who hosted a dinner at the state guesthouse for Sir David. Vice Foreign Minister Mr Zhou Nan held the first meeting of the day with Sir David at the foreign ministry. The Governor will meet Chinese Premier Li Peng this morning at Zhongnanhai. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. A visit to French magazine Actuel by a Chinese diplomat ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Translated from Press Freedom Herald/yawei@aqua.bacs.indiana.edu] Since the French magazine Actuel, together with 15 newspapers worldwide, printed the false People's Daily and called on their readers to send or fax the newspaper to China, the Chinese embassy in Paris has filed several protests to the French government. In Nov. 7, 1989, a First Secretary from the Chinese embassy visited the office of the magazine. Below are his exchanges with Actuel's publisher Bi-Zot, chief editor Burnier, and reporter Nick who had witnessed the massacre in Beijing. Bi-Zot: What would you like to know from us? Secretary: Nothing! But...want to learn some news. Especially to explain something very important, and state our regrets. Because, it's like this (smiling), you have just said that you have published a paper which imitates our People's Daily, but with subversive contents... Bi-Zot: We think those are free speech... Secretary: Its purpose is to overthrow the government... Burnier: Its purpose is to promote dialogues! Secretary: (trying to finish) ...a legitimate government. Nick: Basically it's just a lot of news in the newspaper. Secretary: Oh yes, lots of news, yes. But lots of twisted news too. (starting to laugh.) Burnier: It's also somewhat funny. Secretary: Yes... We think it is very regrettable, because... Burnier: ...that was our intention too... Secretary: The appearance of this newspaper, ...we think, let's put it this way, when there's a false People's Daily, it maybe against some regulations! Or should we say, there's a law for everything... Burnier: What law? Secretary: What law? The law prohibiting falsified newspapers... Nick: Article 35 of the Chinese constitution says press freedom is protected. Secretary: No, that's not the same. Because this is a Party newspaper, the biggest newspaper in China. You falsified such a newspaper, with very similar appearance, but the contents are completely different. Bi-Zot: We have really worked on the contents! Burnier: In France, it is legal to imitate other's work, I think this is also true for most other countries. Secretary: But those are reactionary works! Aren't they? They were trying to incite people to... Nick: So you think democracy, peace, non-violence are reactionary words? Secretary: Of course not, but these are two different things. It's one thing to say democracy, also freedom of speech, but it's another thing to falsify People's Daily, reactionary articles, overtly (starting to laugh) inciting people to resist the government. Bi-Zot: We got our inspiration from Gorbachev. Take a look at all the things that have been happening. Your position should allow you to see a lot of things. Did you see what happened in East Germany? Burnier: You should know that those leadership class, they are too old, they won't last long. Secretary: You should also know the unhappy reactions from the Chinese government through our foreign ministry... Let's put it this way, suppose reactionary documents are being faxed from Beijing to subvert the French government, would that be allowed? Burnier: Mr. Secretary, let me tell you one thing, ... in 1968, ... Bi-Zot: Let's say the French Socialist Party was in Beijing, or Mr. Mitterand went to Beijing after the student movement in May of 1968, and he faxed some documents back from Beijing, we would be very happy about it! Burnier: I would be happy too. After 1968, during the 1970s, some students, whom I didn't really agree with, or may I say I opposed them, but some of them were my friends. They were propagating Chairman Mao Tzetung's 'Little Red Book', called on the French people for a violent revolution, and wanted to start a civil war! You must know that it would be a civil war! Bi-Zot: The publisher of [another French newspaper] was very actively involved. Burnier: All right, let's come back to now, Mr. Secretary, we had never, never advocated civil war to China! You can look at all these articles that were printed, and faxed out, there's nothing in them that's advocating civil war. But during the 70s, countless pamphlets were translated from Chinese to French, and distributed in France, advocating civil war! There were some violence, some people were killed or injured. The French government was not real happy about it, and put a few people in jail, but that's about it! They didn't jail more people, or gunned down people on the street. Nor did they file a protest to Mao Tzetung or the Chinese government. Therefore, I think you should have the same attitude. Secretary: That... first, I think... the Chinese government, the Chinese regime, would never allow any foreigner, whether staying or passing through Beijing, or living in other parts of China, to... Burnier: ...that's perfectly okay in France... Secretary: ...to engage in activities that are hostile to their own legitimate governments, governments that have diplomatic relationship with China. Bi-Zot: Then how do you explain that over a long period of time, China has cooperated with various groups that were trying to overthrow their governments? Nick: Do you read Lenin's books? Secretary: Yes, I do... Nick: Do you read them very carefully? or do you just read them? Secretary: Some of the things involved historical backgrounds, but, generally, our policy is not to interfere in other countries internal affairs. Nick: It should have been like that to start with... Burnier: Governments only do what they want to do. The French government would never interfere with China's internal affairs, nor would it interfere with the affairs of a newspaper in China. Bi-Zot: We at France have been through a lot of catastrophes, we have paid big price for our democracy and freedom, it took several centuries. Are you pretty familiar about our history? We went through several revolutions for our democracy and freedom. I think you should be pretty familiar about these things, so I really shouldn't say too much. Secretary: I know a little about the French revolutions... Bi-Zot: Oh, excellent! I really trust your intelligence... Burnier: ...and your knowledge about the history of the revolutions. Secretary: Na Li! Na Li! Only a little bit. Nick: Do you listen to Radio Beijing's broadcast in Paris? Secretary: Yes, you can. ... Do you? Sometimes? Nick: It's difficult to listen to short wave radio... Secretary: There's a half hour of French broadcast at short wave, 10:30PM each day... Nick: Then what you are doing is exactly the same as what we did here. Secretary: ...there was never anything against the French government in the broadcasts. Burnier: But there has been commentaries that made the French government quite unhappy! Secretary: Of course there would be protest after the activities that were trying to overthrow the Chinese government... Bi-Zot: We are not trying to overthrow the government... Secretary: (laugh) Bi-Zot: ...we are trying to promote free elections. Secretary: For free elections, one would have to overthrow the current government first. Burnier: Mr. Secretary, the Chinese government will collapse by itself... Bi-Zot: I am sure you can see this, but you... Burnier: ...and you should know that it's not good for you to follow a government that will not last long. You could have a very bright future. Secretary: We'll see! History will tell. Burnier: We are trying to give you friendly advice that will benefit you, Mr. Secretary! Secretary: We will see how history develops! History is the witness and the judge of everything! But, in one word, will you or will you not continue to do what you have been doing? Bi-Zot: Yes, we will. Burnier: Actually we have stopped. Now it's the readers of all France, of all 15 countries who are continuing. And they have more fax machines in Germany and the United States! Bi-Zot: That's right! They have more fax machines. And Italy, Venezuala, and many other countries. When all the readers of the free world are continuing, we can't stop it even if we want to! Now it's not just us, there's hundreds of thousands, countless, millions of readers in the world who are continuing.... (the end) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Executive Editor: yawei@rose.bacs.indiana.edu or yawei@iubacs.bitnet | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- News Transmission chi@vlsi.uwaterloo.ca (or) ----------------------- --------------------- NDCadada Editor: Bo Chi chi@vlsi.waterloo.edu ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sun Jan 14 11:48:33 EST 1990