China :: Exposé

Chinese police surround a group of foreign journalists as security is ramped up, with at least 300 hundred uniformed police guarding the entrance to the Jasmine rally site, designated in an online appeal, in the Wangfujing shopping street in central Beijing on Feb 27. (AFP/Getty Images) The ever-growing storm of demonstrations against authoritarian rulers in the Middle East and North Africa has made the Chinese regime extremely jittery. Recently, foreign journalists were assaulted and detained. Prominent Chinese human rights lawyers and activists have also been arrested or harassed by Chinese police. Hundreds of uniformed and plainclothes policemen in Beijing and Shanghai patrolled likely protest sites on Feb. 27, the second Sunday of high alert, following calls on the Internet for Chinas own Jasmine Protests. Foreign journalists were followed, and those with cameras were blocked from entering the Wangfujing area--Beijings main shopping street--located a short walk from th...

Millions of feet of film of historical imagery from intelligence satellites may be declassified this year, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) said. The NGA is anticipating the potential declassification of significant amounts of film-based imagery in 2011, according to an NGA announcement that solicited contractor interest in converting the declassified film into digital format. It was published in Federal Business Opportunities on February 14, 2011. A copy is posted here (pdf). For planning purposes, the NGA told potential contractors to assume the need to digitize approximately 4 million linear feet of film up to approximately 7 inches in width. The imagery is stored on 500 foot spools, with many frames up to several feet in length. A nominal start date of October 1, 2011 was specified for the digitization project. The NGA announcement also suggested that the winning contractor would retain rights to distribute declassified imagery and recoup investment, for a speci...

General Editor of DJY (Chinese Epoch Times), Guo Jun,speaking at the seminar on "The Internet and the End of Dictatorship" held in San Francisco on Feb. 22. (Ma Youzhi/The Epoch Times) The Epoch Times Group invited US experts in different fields to participate in a seminar titled, The Internet and the End of Dictatorship, in San Francisco on Feb. 22. The experts analyzed the changing political climate brought about by the Internet. As the web has recently played a key role in the revolutions against dictatorships in North Africa and the Middle East, the topic turned to the possibility that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the most powerful and deeply entrenched dictatorship ever known, may face similar disintegration. A number of Chinese citizens made recordings of their feelings on this issue, some of which were played back at the seminar. They expressed their appreciation to the overseas Internet experts for making anti-censorship software. Several experts i...

Expatriate Chinese democracy activists in San Francisco have been stimulated by the recent democracy uprising in North Africa and the Middle East, and they wonder: is China ready for her own color revolution? In mid-February they called together a panel, calling it the National Affairs Salon, and sat down to hash it out. Among the participants were student leaders and survivors of the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. They were at ground zero demonstrating against government corruption when the Chinese regime called on the army to open fire on them. Many have spent time in prison and later left China or were expelled. They have been waiting for another opportunity, trusting that, someday, the Chinese people would gain their constitutional rights and democracy. That moment may be here now, they saidor at least, closer than it has been since 1989. The successful ousting of Tunisias and Egypts former dictators, and the wide spread of demonstrations in the Middle Ea...

The Obama Administration has taken several initial steps to modernize the national security classification system and to combat overclassification. But those halting efforts are being undermined by the Department of Defense, which is not implementing the Presidents policy. DoD, which is the governments largest producer of classified information, has failed to update its internal regulation on information security, despite a specific Presidential directive to do so. The result is that military components today are following old, incomplete and misleading guidance on classification policy. For example, one such component, U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM), said on February 20 that it was unaware of a current requirement to update and correct its classification guidance. It had no records pertaining to the performance of a Fundamental Classification Guidance Review, which was required by President Obamas Executive Order 13526 . Why? Because, it said, no Review was required [by] DoD ...

The academic journal Research in Social Problems and Public Policy has devoted its latest issue to the topic of Government Secrecy. The special issue was edited by Susan L. Maret. The table of contents may be found here (pdf). Two probing congressional examinations of the Espionage Act, its application and its possible reform have recently been published. The House Judiciary Committee held a December 16, 2010 hearing on The Espionage Act and the Legal and Constitutional Issues Raised by WikiLeaks. Also newly published is a May 12, 2010 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing volume on The Espionage Statutes: A Look Back and a Look Forward.

Several Hong Kong politicians have indicated their support of a newly established Taiwan-based Alliance of victims of human rights abuse in China. Individuals and groups who have been persecuted by CCP officials in China have given a list of over 11 thousand names to the Taiwanese government. The No CCP Villain International Alliance was founded in Taiwan by groups and individuals who say they have been or are currently persecuted by Chinese Communist Party officials. They urge the Taiwanese government to deny the named CCP officials entry to Taiwan based on their human rights records. Hong Kong lawmaker Albert Ho said the establishment of the alliance is encouraging because of its clear stand. Since the Chinese regime always uses the human rights issue as a bartering chip, it is important that there is a constant voice to keep telling it: money is not everything, and that there are many people and governments who wont yield to economic interests. He added that such a...

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has seen Jasmine Revolution-type protests sweeping the Middle East, and it is afraid. Over the past two weeks the CCP has reasserted its control over the military and public security apparatus; organized study sessions; strengthened Internet and social controls; promoted and rewarded members of the peoples armed police; called together leading cadres for public forums to emphasize the importance of social management, and strengthened Party organizations at all levels. At the center of this blitz of activity is a secret meeting held by the Politburo on Feb. 12the committee that sits atop the Chinese Communist Partyto discuss the threats posed by the Jasmine Revolution in the Middle East. Longtime China analyst Perry Link obtained news about this meeting, which he publicized in the New York Review of Books. The main purpose was to come up with strategies to make sure the wave of demands for democracy in the Middle East would not occur in...

Last week the Senate confirmed Stephanie OSullivan to be the Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (PDDNI), the number two position in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). Ms. OSullivan, a longtime CIA employee who is currently Associate Deputy Director of CIA, will be the fourth person to hold that office. A review of the materials submitted in support of her nomination, especially a set of answers to pre-hearing questions (pdf) submitted by the Senate Intelligence Committee, turns up a number of interesting new details concerning intelligence policy. For example: ** ODNI began an effort last year to reinvigorate the declassification of imagery for public release, Ms. OSullivan said. She indicated that this program had been launched in May 2010, but there is little sign that it has had any impact to date. On the contrary, attempts to gain access to historical intelligence satellite imagery remain as contentious and mostly as fruitless as ever. Tr...

Newly updated reports of interest from the Congressional Research Service include the following (all pdf). Egypt: The January 25 Revolution and Implications for U.S. Foreign Policy, February 11, 2011. Amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Set to Expire February 28, 2011, February 10, 2011 (a three month extension until May 27, 2011 was passed by Congress last week). Intelligence Identities Protection Act, January 28, 2011. Closing the Guantanamo Detention Center: Legal Issues, February 11, 2011. Nanotechnology and Environmental, Health, and Safety: Issues for Consideration, January 20, 2011. Foreign Aid: An Introduction to U.S. Programs and Policy, February 10, 2011.

The revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt are making the Chinese regime extremely nervous as democracy activists are placed under strict surveillance by secret police. Liao Shuangyuan, a democratic activist from Guizhou Province, planned to meet his friend Lai Jinbiao, an activist who lives in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province. They arranged to meet for lunch on Feb. 16 and take the 7 p.m. train to Guiyang City together. Lai Jinbiao told the Epoch Times, To our surprise, when Mr. Liao arrived at my house, over 10 security officers also showed up and demanded that Mr. Liao go with them. Mr. Liao insisted on having lunch in my house. At around 1:10 p.m., he was taken away. I have not been able to reach his cell phone since. Just now, his wife called asking his whereabouts. We wish the media could pay more attention to this matter. Lai Jinbiao also said, The Communist Party Central Committee already knew we celebrated Mubaraks resignation. Some public security officers secretly revealed to us t...

Former Congressman Steve Horn (R-CA), who was a leading congressional defender of the Freedom of Information Act and of public access to government information generally, died last week at age 79. Rep. Horn was a primary sponsor, along with Sen. Patrick Leahy, of the Electronic Freedom of Information Act of 1996, which formally extended the provisions of the FOIA to electronic records. He led congressional efforts to oversee FOIA implementation and to address defects in agency compliance. As chairman of a House Government Reform subcommittee with jurisdiction over FOIA, What struck me then and now is the critical role that public access to Government information plays in our democracy, Horn said in 2002. It is key to having an informed citizenry and to supplying our citizens with the knowledge they need to hold their Government accountable. Therefore, I have always been a strong advocate of the Act. Rep. Horn was outspoken against the abuse of secrecy by executive agencies and the wi...

Former Congressman Steve Horn (R-CA), who was a leading congressional defender of the Freedom of Information Act and of public access to government information generally, died last week at age 79. Rep. Horn was a primary sponsor, along with Sen. Patrick Leahy, of the Electronic Freedom of Information Act of 1996, which formally extended the provisions of the FOIA to electronic records. He led congressional efforts to oversee FOIA implementation and to address defects in agency compliance. As chairman of a House Government Reform subcommittee with jurisdiction over FOIA, What struck me then and now is the critical role that public access to Government information plays in our democracy, Horn said in 2002. It is key to having an informed citizenry and to supplying our citizens with the knowledge they need to hold their Government accountable. Therefore, I have always been a strong advocate of the Act. Rep. Horn was outspoken against the abuse of secrecy by executive agencies and the wi...

Rights activists in China's southwestern province of Guizhou were harassed by local police for promoting civil rights at a local park and city square during a Window on Civil Rights activity in early February. On Feb. 7 activists Tian Zuxiang, Liao Shuangyuan, Mi Congbiao, Chen Xi, Yong Zhiming and Xiao Wang passed out pamphlets about the democratic movements in Tunisia and Egypt at the Guiyang People's Square. They explained to people how to download software from the overseas website Dongtaiwang.com (Dynaweb in English), so as to avoid the Internet blockade and access information censored by the authorities. More than 10 people, led by the police, clashed with the group and tried to snatch the pamphlets. Tian Zuxiang told the Epoch Times: We threw the rest of the copies to the crowd in front of the police and left Qianling Park. We went to People's Square in the afternoon and changed topics. We passed out information and pictures of a Guizhou human rights...

Legislation introduced in the Senate this week would broadly criminalize leaks of classified information. The bill ( S. 355 ) sponsored by Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) would make it a felony for a government employee or contractor who has authorized access to classified information to disclose such information to an unauthorized person in violation of his or her nondisclosure agreement. Under existing law , criminal penalties apply only to the unauthorized disclosure of a handful of specified categories of classified information (in non-espionage cases). These categories include codes, cryptography, communications intelligence, identities of covert agents, and nuclear weapons design information. The new bill would amend the espionage statutes to extend such penalties to the unauthorized disclosure of any classified information. (Another pending bill, known as the SHIELD Act , would specifically criminalize disclosure and publication of information concerning human intelligence acti...

Since the early 1940s the Voice of America (VOA) has broadcast uncensored news to the people of China. If the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has its way, VOAs China service will go off the air on Oct. 1. Prominent democracy activist Yang Jianli described the proposed cut in VOA service as bad news, extremely bad news. Its a blow to the common people. Its bad news to Chinese human rights and democratization. The BBG is in charge of all U.S. civilian international broadcasting. On Feb. 14 the BBG sent its proposed fiscal year 2012 budget to Congress, and the proposed cuts in VOAs China service are part of that budget. VOAs Cantonese serviceradio, TV, and websitewill be cut entirely. VOAs Mandarin service currently broadcasts eight hours of radio and one hour of TV daily. The Mandarin service will be cut back to a website only. According to VOAs website, VOAs mission is to be a consistently reliable and authoritative source of accurate, objective, and comprehensive news. China cert...

Since the early 1940s the Voice of America (VOA) has broadcast uncensored news to the people of China. If the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has its way, VOAs China service will go off the air on Oct. 1. Prominent democracy activist Yang Jianli described the proposed cut in VOA service as bad news, extremely bad news. Its a blow to the common people. Its bad news to Chinese human rights and democratization. The BBG is in charge of all U.S. civilian international broadcasting. On Feb. 14 the BBG sent its proposed fiscal year 2012 budget to Congress, and the proposed cuts in VOAs China service are part of that budget. VOAs Cantonese serviceradio, TV, and websitewill be cut entirely. VOAs Mandarin service currently broadcasts eight hours of radio and one hour of TV daily. The Mandarin service will be cut back to a website only. According to VOAs website, VOAs mission is to be a consistently reliable and authoritative source of accurate, objective, and comprehensive news. China cert...

The Director of National Intelligence on Monday did what has never been done before: He disclosed the size of the coming years budget request for the National Intelligence Program. For Fiscal Year 2012, The aggregate amount of appropriations requested for the National Intelligence Program is $55 billion, according to a February 14 ODNI news release (pdf). The new disclosure was required by the FY2010 intelligence authorization act (sec. 364). That legislation permitted an optional Presidential waiver of disclosure if necessary on national security grounds, but no waiver was asserted. The disclosure of the budget request constitutes a new milestone in the normalization of intelligence budgeting. It sets the stage for a direct appropriation of intelligence funds, to replace the deliberately misleading practice of concealing intelligence funds within the defense budget. Doing so would also enable the Pentagon to (accurately) report a smaller total budget figure, a congenial prospect in ...

The Central Intelligence Agency has taken no action to carry out the Fundamental Classification Guidance Review, a mandatory effort to eliminate obsolete or unnecessary classification practices. The Fundamental Review is a systematic attempt to combat overclassification by subjecting thousands of current classification instructions to critical scrutiny and revision. It was required in President Obamas December 2009 executive order 13526 (section 1.9), which came into effect in June 2010. These reviews can be extremely important in changing the habits and the practices of classifiers throughout government, said William H. Leary of the National Security Staff last year. But that will be true only if the required reviews are actually implemented. In response to a Freedom of Information Act request for CIA records on its implementation of the review process thus far, CIA reported last week (pdf) that We did not locate any records responsive to your request. This does not necessarily impl...

Chinese farmer Yang Youde fires his homemade cannon near his farmland on the outskirts of Wuhan, in central China's Hubei province, to defend his fields against land seizure. (AFP/Getty Images) One can only wonder how many places like Yueqing there are in China, and how many people will still suffer what Qian Yunhui suffered. [ Editors note : Qian, a village chief in Yueqing, Zhejiang province, was crushed to death after fighting against forced demolitions. His death was made to look like an accident, but eyewitnesses say they saw men pinning him in place as the giant truck bore down.] After studying the past ten years of social unrest in China, a strong correlation between the extent of the unrest and Chinas economic growth model can be seen. Since the end of the 1990s, the four big wealth spots on Chinas treasure map are real estate, mining, stock markets, and finance. Local governments fiscal revenue is highly dependent on land transfer fees, property related taxes, and levies (...

Chinese police spying on a blind Chinese human rights lawyer and his wife at their home before they beat them A blind Chinese human rights defender and his wife were beaten senseless by Chinese police on Feb. 8, after a video of their plight under house arrest was made public, according to Chinese and U.S.-based human rights organizations. Chen Guangcheng, a stalwart campaigner against the Chinese Communist Partys one-child and forced abortion policies, was released from prison last September. He served a four-year-and-three-month sentence for damaging property and organizing a mob to disturb traffic, a euphemism for his activist work exposing the Party. After his release he was immediately put under house arrest. An hour-long video of the house-arrest experience, in five segments, was published by the U.S.-based NGO ChinaAid on Feb. 9, and is available on YouTube . It shows police and Domestic Security Division officers, part of a 66-person around-the-clock team, sp...

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao chatted with eight petitioners during his visit to the State Bureau for Letters and Calls on Jan. 24. The rare move gave some petitioners hope and prompted several hundred to come to Wen Jiabaos residence in Beijing hoping to deliver New Years greetings to him during the Chinese New Year Festival. However, just as in previous years, petitioners were sent to black jails. Tianjing rights activist Ning Jinxia, who advocates Taiwanese enterprises rights, told The Epoch Times, Wen Jiabao recently announced that he wanted to resolve the hardships of the people and has personally talked to petitioners. Therefore Im in Beijing to deliver New Years greetings to him. Around a hundred petitioners arrived at the Yongdingmen Bus Station on Jan. 31, holding banners and calling, Down with corruption! Down with corrupt officials! According to a Feb. 5 report by Voice of America (VOA), on Chinese New Year Eve, one black jail at Jiujingzhuang, was overcrowded a...

Secrecy News reported Monday on strange new guidance from the Air Force Materiel Command declaring that Air Force employees and even their family members could be prosecuted under the Espionage Act for accessing the WikiLeaks web site. On Monday night that new guidance was abruptly withdrawn. Lt. Col. Richard L. Johnson of Air Force Headquarters released this statement: Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) recently published an internal news story that discussed the implications of downloading presumed classified information from WikiLeaks. The release was not previously coordinated with Headquarters Air Force and has been removed from the AFMC website. The Air Force has provided guidance to military members and employees to avoid downloading what could be classified information into Air Force unclassified networks and reminded them that publication of information does not itself constitute declassification of such information. The Air Force guidance did not address family members who ar...

Editor's note: The Epoch Times publishes direct translations of statements made by Chinese people in renouncing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its subordinate organizations. Statements such as these are submitted to a website affiliate tuidang.dajiyuan.com , of the Chinese version of The Epoch Times, Dajiyuan . The movement to renounce, withdraw from, or quit the CCP, called 'tuidang' in Chinese, began in late 2004, soon after The Epoch Times published the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, an editorial series that explores the true nature and history of the CCP. The statements offer a rare and candid glimpse of history in the making: the Chinese people turning their backs on the Communist Party, choosing conscience over pragmatism, and peacefully ushering in a future China free of Party rule. At First, Not Seeing Clearly My name is Wan Xian and I am 39 years old. Earlier, I had heard many people say that we had been brainwashed by CCP ever sinc...

Americans who have accessed the WikiLeaks web site may have violated the Espionage Act, under an extreme interpretation of the law advanced by Air Force officials last week. Many government agencies have instructed their employees not to download classified materials from the WikiLeaks web site onto unclassified computer systems. The governments position is that although the material is in the public domain, its classification status is unaffected. Therefore, to preserve the integrity of unclassified systems, the leaked classified information should not be accessed on such systems. If it is accessed, it should be deleted. But on February 3, Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base issued startling new guidance stating that the leaked documents are protected by the Espionage Act and that accessing them under any circumstances is against the law, not simply a violation of government computer security policy. According to AFMCs legal office, Air Force members ...