That sure didn’t take long. The ink on Chen Yonglin’s visa hasn’t dried yet, and he’s already testifying in front of congressional committees in DC.
Senior American politicians have heaped praise on the Chinese defector Chen Yonglin, the former consul for political affairs in the Chinese consulate in Sydney, after his address to a US congressional committee in Washington.
Mr Chen repeated claims that more than 1000 Chinese secret agents and informants were tracking and persecuting Falun Gong members. “In each Chinese mission overseas, there must be at least one official in charge of Falun Gong affairs, he said.
He appeared before the global human rights subcommittee of the House committee on international relations, with several experts on China’s repression of religious groups.
Mr Chen – who defected almost two months ago and after a delay was granted a protection visa – spoke mainly about attempts by Chinese diplomats and others in Australia to silence Falun Gong members and supporters. He was congratulated for his testimony, with the chairman of the subcommittee, Chris Smith, saying it was “absolutely explosive”.
Mr Chen, in his written statement, said the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of the Falun Gong was a systematic and broad-based campaign.
AdvertisementAdvertisementIn Sydney, he said, the consulate undertook regular anti-Falun Gong propaganda campaigns aimed at convincing local government officials and state MPs that the Falun Gong was a dangerous cult.
“The consulate’s work has been very successful, with only a handful of NSW parliamentarians and councillors willing to meet Falun Gong practitioners.” He said the consulate had mobilised Chinese people and companies to “squeeze the Falun Gong’s living space”.
“The consulate paid certain Chinese scholars the fee for trips to China to encourage them to speak against the Falun Gong on TV or write articles for newspapers,” Mr Chen said. “Some visa applicants were asked to swear at the Falun Gong demonstrators in front of the consulate.”
In a separate development, the Australian Federal Police will testify before an Australian Senate committee investigating alleged confidentiality breaches in the asylum case of Mr Chen. There have been claims Australian immigration officials and the Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, contravened the Immigration Act by talking to Chinese authorities about the asylum request. Mr Downer told Parliament on June 14 that at no time did he or his department “improperly convey” information about Mr Chen’s intentions. He acknowledged a “brief discussion” about Mr Chen with the Chinese ambassador, Fu Ying. Madame Fu said on June 6 the Australian Government had asked her whether Mr Chen would face persecution if he returned to China. “And I said he won’t,” she said.
And if you believe Madame Fu, I want to know where you get the opium you’re smoking. (Do they actually still call owmen “Madame” anymore?)
1
By Ken
I think the term “Madame” is still commonly used in diplomatic circles so as an ambassador that would be expected. As would the use of the term Madame Rice for Condoleezza Rice, though if anyone in the U.S. uses that term I haven’t noticed. (Madeleine Albright was referred to as Madame Albright)
July 22, 2005 @ 4:22 pm | Comment
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By Laowai 19790204
Nice breaking news Richard!
July 22, 2005 @ 4:33 pm | Comment
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By crispy rice
I thought madams ran whorehouses…
July 22, 2005 @ 5:16 pm | Comment
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By Laowai 19790204
what a difference an ‘e’ makes….
?
July 22, 2005 @ 5:57 pm | Comment
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By Gordon
I’m not at all surprised by this. Washington is on a witch hunt right now and this is just the fuel they were looking for to keep the fire going.
I’m glad Chen is testifying about his knowledge of Chinese spies and I do see China as a potential threat, but I think the monkeys in D.C. do a little too much chest beating.
July 22, 2005 @ 6:45 pm | Comment
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By richard
Yes, they sure are a potential threat, but that’s the key word, potential. So in a sense I agree with you, Chen’s testimony can be used to tighten the screws and rile up yet more congressional vitriol against China. And then again (because I am partly on the fence I’m afraid), you can’t say the CCP didn’t bring this on themselves to a large extent with its highly visible jingoism, arms build-up and provocation of both Taiwan and Japan.
July 22, 2005 @ 6:54 pm | Comment
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By bellevue
Richard, it takes half an hour to make China’s ICBM ready for launch to strike the north America targets. Is that the reason behind the word ‘potential’?
About Chen Yonglin, I can tell you almost all Chinese – inside and outside China – harbors deep hatred against him. Someone suggests that Chen should be rounded up immediately by homeland security to enforce a law on the book – since he already admitted that he had involved in human rights violation so he is liable and deportable under US law.
July 23, 2005 @ 7:25 am | Comment
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By Thomas
Hmm….he admitted that he was involved in a human rights violation….that was sanctioned by the Chinese government….so why don’t we just send all of the Chinese ambassadors home too, shall we?
I can understand why Chinese dont like him. He hurts national pride.
Yes, the truth DOES hurt, doesn’t it?
July 24, 2005 @ 7:38 am | Comment
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By hu
the problem is Chen is telling lies to hurt his country in order to achieve his personal agenda. That is why CHinese inside outside CHina hate him so much.
July 26, 2005 @ 11:32 am | Comment
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By Johnny K
No, the people inside China hate him because they don’t really have access to the knowledge to realize that there is a good deal of truth to Chen’s assertions.
July 27, 2005 @ 10:36 am | Comment
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By hu
to Johnny K
you brainwashed westerner, so you have good access to the knowledge the truth? the Chinese people inside CHina access to the truth from their daily life, how about you my dear Jonny K? what just from what the shit Chen said?
July 30, 2005 @ 11:33 am | Comment
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By richard
Hu, I think Johnny’s point is valid. I also noticed you are posting on my blog under the names Hu, Ko, Sing and Mi. Why all the different identities?
July 30, 2005 @ 11:38 am | Comment
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By hu
do not matter my identity. so answer me where is your good sourse of information? how you have good access to the knowledge about the truth?
just from whatever shit chen said? you guys are really smart!! i SEE.
Australian policy already did investigation for you and prove CHen is a shit liar.
you still believe in him, God, you guys really like to be with stinky shit. I feel sorry for you!!
July 30, 2005 @ 11:11 pm | Comment
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By Scott
Sorry to be blunt. I believe Hu is brainwash by communist ideology. I also disagree with Hu on “Chinese inside outside China hate Chen Yonglin”. You should do more research. And the ways you talk sound very uneducated. The people in my community consider Chen a brave man.
July 31, 2005 @ 12:05 am | Comment
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By Scott
I come across 9 commentaries, http://www10.epochtimes.com/9pingdownload/English/9ping_en.pdf . I found the “Nine Commentaries” is an accurate description the Chinese Communist regime. The “Nine Commentaries” gives an uncensored history of the Communist Party and reveals the true nature of it. The editorial so far caused over 2.9 million people to withdraw from the Communist Youth League, Chinese Communist party, and other communist-led organizations. Never before has something revealed the true history and nature of the Communist Party, as the Nine Commentaries has. I believe this grand wave of resignation from Communism is a phenomenon that only happens once in many centuries.
The “Nine Commentaries” received exceptional attention from the Chinese people. On The Chinese Epoch Times’ website, each commentary attracts more than 100,000 visits daily. People who hear about it want to read it themselves. In Hong Kong, when 30,000 copies of the “Nine Commentaries” were first put on the newsstand in December, they were gone within two hours; a second round of 30,000 copies were all taken by the following day. Overall, 700,000 copies of the special edition were distributed in two weeks in Hong Kong. Through May 2005, about 250 public forums on the “Nine Commentaries” have been held in more than 50 cities in 20 countries and were attended by thousands of people.
After reading the “Nine Commentaries”, many members of the communist party inside and outside China started to renounce their membership one after another. Many renowned scholars, government officials, and Chinese community leaders have spoken out in the publicly held forums on the Nine Commentaries. The new thinking brought about by the “Nine Commentaries” and the excitement of witnessing the CCP’s disintegration is reflected in their speeches and articles.
I believe what Chen is doing is because he love his country and that love inspired him to stand up for justice.
Scott
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Gandhi
Hu is not a trustable person because he uses a bunch of different identities. If you think about it, it is very obvious why he does that. I am not telling you to trust what I say either. Every one of us has the right to gain more knowledge and find out what is right and wrong. However Chinese Communist regime censor the media and Internet so people in China can’t access to any reliable information.
July 31, 2005 @ 12:28 am | Comment
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By richard
Interesting, Scott! That is one hell of a document. I hate Epoch Times, but I have to say the Commentaries makes some very good points.
July 31, 2005 @ 10:45 am | Comment
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By James
Why hate the Epoch Times?
December 6, 2005 @ 9:43 am | Comment
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By Jamese
Why hate the Epoch Times?
December 6, 2005 @ 9:44 am | Comment