America's Future Update on China

Update on U.S. - China Relations

Two Chinese students at U.S. universities supplied China's military with American defense technology that allowed China to produce a special metal used in sensors and weapons that cost the U.S. Navy millions to create. An FBI official said, "This is a classic example of how the Chinese collect dual-use military technology. Students come here; they get jobs; they form companies." In another case, two Chinese students in the U.S. were caught sending submarine-related technology to the Chinese military. About 50,000 Chinese students currently study in the U.S. Washington Times, 8-5-03

The FBI warns that China will be the greatest espionage threat to North America in the next 10-15 years. FBI Director Robert Mueller told Congress that China has more than 3,000 "front" com-panies in America coordinating direct espionage efforts. Some of the thousands of Chinese visitors, students and business people who visit the U.S. each year also have a government intelligence task. China Reform Monitor No. 507, 8-14-03

China has improved its missile force with U.S. technology, and can now accurately strike the U.S. military base at Okinawa with satellite-aided guidance navigation technology obtained from the US. China Reform Monitor No. 507, 8-14-03

Update on Free Trade

Hong Kong appears to be surviving, for now. Hong Kong's puppet government, hand-picked by the Chinese Communist Party, announced that it is delaying enactment of the new, draconian anti-sedition law known as Article 23, which would have cur-tailed rights of free speech, association and press by making it easy for the government to jail people for vaguely defined activities. Public protests, which have brought a half-million people onto the streets, apparently have been temporarily effective. Washington Times, 7-14-03

The Bush Administration accused China of backsliding on promises to ease restrictions on foreign companies, dismantle old trade barriers, and clamp down on software piracy. A U.S. Chamber of Commerce report accused the Chinese government of failing to open its markets as promised when it was accepted in the World Trade Organization. The report states that China has not relaxed restrictions on the ability of U.S. companies to sell their products in China, and that officials do not do enough to stop illegal copying of software. Commerce Secretary Donald Evans said, "American manufacturers can complete against any country's white collars and blue collars, but we will not submit to competing against another country's choke collars." New York Times, 9-16-03

Update on Human Rights

China is planning to require all 960 million citizens to carry an I.D. card with a microchip storing all vital personal information, and which authorities anywhere can access. Critics believe this will make it much easier for the government to monitor all political and religious dissidents. New York Times, 8-19-03

China is reshaping Tibet by importing tens of thousands of Han Chinese into the region. China says the purpose is to "modernize" Tibet's agrarian economy, but the political goal is to secularize Tibetans and eliminate political opposition to Beijing's rule. Students face expulsion from Tibet University if they take part in religious activities such as a Buddhist pilgrimage. China still describes its violent takeover of Tibet in 1950-51 as a "peaceful liberation." New York Times, 9-15-03

70 million men in China can't get a wife, the result of China's one-child policy and forced abortions. For every 100 girls born in China, 16 more boys are born. "Although the Chinese government has banned gender selection of newborn babies by ultrasound and selective induced abortion, many doctors secretly provide such services for extra fees, sometimes as high as 1,000 yuan." That's the equivalent of $213. The Straits Times, 8-25-03