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Fri, Mar 21, 1997
Uighurs protest in front of Chinese embassy; ASEAN supports Vietnam; PRC not happy with Cambodia; HK's Lee in N. America; Dalai Lama arrives in Taiwan; and more . . .Please read the statement of purpose.
Ethnic problems: a report from Inside China tells of protests in front of the Chinese embassy in Kezekstan. Uighur exiles protested against the impending execution of two Uighurs in Xinjiang for their participation in riots there last month. It was believed that the two would be executed on Thursday, reports the paper, but the Chinese government "denied Uighur exile allegations that China would execute two rioters on Thursday", reports the paper.
Only violence would end China's rule in Xinjiang, the protestors said. The paper quotes one exiled Uighur who said "No state supports us, we have no guns. We only have terrorism."
Vietnam:ASEAN has weighed in on Vietnam's side of the row with China concerning Chinese drilling activities in waters off of Vietnam's coast. The regional body called for both sides to negotiate a peaceful settlement and for China to stop its drilling there. In an interesting note about the concept of non-interference in another nation's "internal affairs", ASEAN said: "While it was observed that the subject incident is internal to Vietnam and China, it poses. . . a threat to the peace and stability of the region. . . . Consequently, there is a need for Vietnam and China to come to the negotiating table with a view to providing a diplomatic solution to the problem based on the principles of international law."
Cambodia: an update from Wednesday's story on the new air-travel accord between Phnom Penh and Taibei and the political repercussions for Phnom Penh: Luo Gan, Secretary-General of the State Council, arrived in Cambodia on what is billed as a "goodwill visit," but Luo is expected to raise the issue with the Cambodian government. "We will reiterate our stance to the Cambodian Government. Any official agreement with Taiwan is not acceptable to China," an official with the PRC embassy in Phnom Penh said. Luo is also expected to address problems in the Cambodian political system, in which power is shared between two premiers.
Hong Kong: Martin Lee, leader of the Democratic Party, will tour the United States and Canada for the next month, building up support and awareness for civil rights matters in the territory, reports Inside China Lee has called on the US and Canada to defend civil rights in the territory after it has reverted to mainland rule in July. He said the US and Canada should not put trade with the PRC over civil rights in the territory. He said, "China trade and Hong Kong's freedoms are not mutually exclusive."
Taiwan: Taiwan has 'rebuffed' the mainland's call for the return of 16 hijackers in Taiwan, in exchange for the one Taiwan wants returned. See yesterday's issue for more details.
Taiwan:"Dalai Lama Visit Spotlights Taiwan-China Dilemmas" is an Inside China article on how both Taiwan and the Dalai Lama stand to gain from the Tibetan leaders's visit to the island tomorrow.
The South China Morning Post also has a story.
United States: in anticipation of to the mainland vice-President Gore's trip next month, the PRC has published a white-paper explaining its trade policies. The move is seen as an attempt to head off problems caused by China's growing trade surplus with the US.