Week of January 12, 2001The U.S. and China This Week
U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS: China Challenges Incoming Bush Administration's Security Policiesgovernment remarked that the U.S. missile defense proposals that strained U.S.-China relations last year would have adverse impact on bilateral ties and have an adverse global impact. In addition, it criticized the continuing unofficial U.S. military alliance with Taiwan and the sales of weapons. The report came shortly after the Bush prepares to implement his campaign proposals for a strengthening of U.S. military and the building of a national missile defense system. The pro-NMD president-elect Bush can expect to be the target of increased attacks from the Chinese government on U.S. proposals for NMD and relations with Taiwan compared to the Clinton Administration. President Clinton has been hesitant to move ahead with deployment of the defense system during the final months of his presidency and carefully maintained a low-key relationship with Taiwan.
SOCIETY: Falun Gong Member Freedmonths of a three-year sentence. Zhang Kunlun, a dual Canadian and Chinese citizen, was the first known individual holding foreign citizenship to be imprisoned for being a Falun Gong member. China outlawed Falun Gong 18 months ago. The 60-year-old Kunlun, a sculpture professor in Shandong’s Jinana city, was described as “tired, but fine?by a Canadian embassy spokesperson in Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao
said Kunlun was released because he realized Falun Gong is an evil
According to the Hong Kong-based Information Center
for Human Rights and Democracy, three recent deaths in
SOCIETY: Blood Donations Result in Aids Transmissionspread Aids by reusing needles and reinjecting tainted blood into blood donors, sources indicate. Blood selling is still practiced in China, where many people will not donate blood due to a cultural belief in its sacred quality. In the past, blood heads would mix blood from various donors of the same blood type, take the plasma out, and reinject the blood back into the donors so they could sell their blood again sooner. The blood was not tested for HIV. One Shanghai County health official estimates that hundreds of thousands of blood donors were infected with HIV through this practice. While testing donated blood for HIV is now officially required, it is not widespread. Official statistics as of last September held that China had 20,711
individuals infected with HIV, an increase of 37%
Last updated: 17 January 2001 |
