(Clearwisdom.net) Since launching the persecution of Falun Gong in July 20, 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has attempted to extend this persecution all over the world via their embassies and consulates in other countries. The Chinese Embassy officials in Thailand have been carrying out the CCP's persecution policy. Their main method consists of asserting pressure on the Thai government and inciting hatred in the Thai Chinese community. Recently, Consul Hu Xiaolan even publicly threatened Thailand government officials and interfered with Epoch Times volunteers' distribution of the booklet - the Nine Commentaries on Communist Party at tourist sights. She demanded the Thai government arrest those volunteers. This report is going to reveal how the Chinese Embassy has been trying to interfere with Thailand's internal affairs and to control the Chinese communities in order to persecute Falun Gong.
CCP Actions Are Behind Thailand Government's Attitude towards Falun Gong
At the beginning of 2001, the Falun Gong practitioners planned to have an April cultivation experience sharing conference and invited some practitioners from other countries to the conference. The CCP undertook a concerted effort to stop this conference from happening.
On February 22, 2001 the Chinese Embassy held a meeting for Chinese companies to discuss this issue. According to Voice of America, opinions of the high-ranking officials in the Thailand police department were that Falun Gong practitioners have never caused any trouble in Thailand. This group should not be treated as trouble, as long as they don't have any political activities or other activities that would threaten the peace and public security. But according to the Thai-published newspaper China Daily, the leader of the Thai police, a general with higher rank, said that if Falun Gong practitioners' activities would affect relations between Thailand and China, then we would have to forbid them from holding the conference. His mentioning the relationship between Thailand and China demonstrates that pressure from the CCP is a major concern for the Thailand government. [1]
On February 28, 2001, the Xinhua News Agency published an article, quoting commentary articles from the Thailand Chinese newspapers Jinghua Chinese Daily, Asian Daily and New China Daily. All of these were against Falun Gong practitioners holding a conference in Thailand. These articles' common theme was their emphasis on the social stability of China and dealt with the relationship between Thailand and China. [2] During a phone interview with a reporter from Singapore's Morning Press, the head editor at New China Daily basically admitted that the reactions from the Chinese communities may be due to influence from the Chinese Embassy. [3]
On March 30 2001, Chinese News Net reported that on orders from Thailand Premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand informed the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Thailand in writing that the Falun Gong conference was forbidden in Thailand. [4] The report from the Chinese News Net did not say why this letter was not sent to law-enforcement agencies or the event contact person for Falun Gong, but rather to the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, which is closely allied with the CCP.
On August 23, 2003, led by Wang Jiarui, the head of CCP International Department, a CCP delegation met with Somkid Jatusripitak, the deputy prime minister and vice president of the "Thai Rak Thai" Party, and Surakiart Sathirathai, the Foreign Minister and vice president of the "Thai Rak Thai" Party, who expressed that they supported the Chinese government on the Falun Gong issue. During the meeting, Wang Jiarui expressed appreciation from Chinese government to the Thailand government for their support on the issues of Falun Gong and Taiwan. [5]
On November 15, 2003, The Washington Post quoted a Thai intelligence official who said, "At the Chinese government's request, the Thai government keeps close watch on Tibetans, democratic movement activists and Falun Gong practitioners entering or exiting Thailand. Also, when Chinese government leaders are visiting, the Thai government forbids those people from entering Thailand." [6]
Chinese Embassy's Anti-Falun Gong Activities Within the Thai government, Thai Society and Chinese Communities
In August 1999, the then Chinese ambassador Fu Xuezhang asked the Thai government to arrest the founder of Falun Gong, Li Hongzhi, who was planning to visit Thailand. The Thai government refused this request.
On June 20, 2002, the Chinese Embassy held an anti-Falun Gong photo exhibit and invited more than 100 VIP's from the Thai government, the religious community, from the education and commerce circles, and the Chinese community to the opening. Yan Tingai, the ambassador at that time, made an anti-Falun Gong speech and encouraged the Thai people to participate in activities that are part of the persecution of Falun Gong. [8]
Before and after a 2004 international conference held in Bangkok, Thai police received a list of Falun Gong practitioners' names collected by the Chinese Embassy. The Chinese Embassy officials asked Thai police to spy on these citizens, stating that those Thai citizens' practicing Falun Gong would be "a threat to the Chinese government." [9]
At the beginning of 2005, the Chinese Embassy threatened a Chinese businessman in Thailand, stating that if he still wanted Chinese tourists to come to tour his site, he must forbid Falun Gong practitioners from passing out Falun Gong materials at the spot.
On April 2005, Thai police dragged a Thai citizen into a car in downtown Bangkok. The reason given was that they needed to search him for drugs. Discovering this person to be a Thai citizen, the policemen were greatly embarrassed and apologized. They blamed the Chinese Embassy for giving them wrong information. At that time this citizen handed out copies of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. The policemen said, "We are really sorry, but please wait for 15 minutes before handing these out again."
In April 30, 2003, Mrs. Pirjo Svenssson, a Falun Gong practitioner from Sweden who lived in Thailand, was arrested during visits by Chinese government leaders. Mrs. Pirjo Svenssson and her husband had been working in Bangkok for three years. That morning, police knocked on her door, telling her that the immigration officers wondered if she had behaved illegally. No detailed reason was given. Policemen found a Chinese human rights videotape in her house, and they subsequently unlawfully arrested and jailed her. The Thai police's action was due to interference in Thai's internal affairs by the Chinese Embassy. The real reason for arresting Mrs. Pirjo Svenssson was the Chinese prime minister's visit to Thailand that day.
Chinese Embassy Suspected of Controlling Chinese Communities' Anti-Falun Gong Activities
In April 2001, Thai Falun Gong practitioners planned to hold a cultivation experience sharing conference. The Chinese ambassador Yan Tingai organized an anti-Falun Gong conference in the Chinese Embassy on February 22 and invited representatives from Chinese companies in Thailand. Afterwards, representatives from more than 60 Chinese companies in Thailand published an open letter to all overseas Chinese companies, calling on them "to band together to fight Falun Gong until the end." Concurrently, about 300 Chinese students in Bangkok attended the anti-Falun Gong conference. [10]
Lin Hong, chief editor of the New China Daily, told a reporter from The Morning Press in Singapore that, led by Zheng Mingru, the president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Thailand and Hu Yulin, president of the association of fellows from Chaozhou [11], and many Chinese communities from all over Thailand placed daily two or three-page advertisements with six Chinese newspapers and one Chinese weekly magazine attacking Falun Gong. This action started an anti-Falun Gong movement in the Chinese communities in Thailand. Moreover, they also wrote to government officials and senators, saying that they were strongly against Falun Gong activities in Thailand.
Lin Hong said that the former deputy prime minister and minister of health, Korn Thapparansi, in the name of the president of the association of the Thailand-China Friendship Association, also placed an advertisement in the newspaper against the Falun Gong conference in Thailand.
Lin Hong stated that the Chinese communities' reaction was also influenced by the Chinese Embassy.
Organizations and Persons Who are Active in the Anti-Falun Gong Movement:
The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Thailand and its president Zheng Mingru
The association of fellows from Chaozhou and its president Hu Yulin
The Thailand Chamber of Commerce and its president Wu Cheng
The public fund of Chinese newspapers in Thailand and its president Wu Hongfeng,
who is also the vice president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Thailand
and vice president of the Association of Thai-China Friendship Association.
Asian Daily in Thailand
Jinghua Chinese Daily
Officials in the Chinese Embassy Who are Directly Involved in Persecuting Falun Gong
Zhang Jiuheng, male, born in August 1947, from Bobai, Guangxi Province. He was the Chinese ambassador in Singapore from April 2000 to April 2004 and has been ambassador to Thailand since May 2004. [12] He was personally involved in the persecution of Falun Gong in Singapore and Thailand.
On February 25, 2001, Zhang Jiuheng invited representatives from the communities of commerce, education, from Chinese companies and Chinese students in Singapore to an anti-Falun Gong conference at the embassy. Zhang Jiuheng made a speech to incite hatred towards Falun Gong. [13] On February 27, 2001, when visiting the tourist place Jushilin in Singapore, Zhang Jiuheng publicly slandered the founder of Falun Gong. [14] On November 10, 2001, the Chinese Embassy in Singapore, the Chinese Science Association, and a Chinese anti-cult association held an anti-Falun Gong photo exhibit. In his opening speech, Zhang Jiuheng attacked Falun Gong and tried to incite hatred toward Falun Gong. [15] On June 11, 2004, after becoming ambassador to Thailand, Zhang Jiuheng affirmed the Thai foreign minister's stance against the activities of Falun Gong and Taiwan independence. [16]
Hu Xiaolan, female, is the former deputy chief of the second consular bureau (European and American consular bureau) of the Ministry of Foreign Affair. [17] She has been the consul general in the Chinese Embassy in Thailand since April 2004. [18]
According to information offered by Thai officials, Hu Xiaolan and other diplomats went to Pattaya and other tourist places, and have been concerned several times about Thai citizens handing out copies of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. They also threatened Thai officials in public. Hu Xiaolan told Thai officials, "We discovered that someone has been 'forcefully' distributing to Chinese tourists some materials that are not in favor of China. You should forbid anyone from passing out materials in Pattaya. Otherwise, we will stop sending Chinese tourists here to visit."
Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy also provided Thai police with pictures of volunteers from the Epoch Times and of their cars, which were taken by people hired by the Chinese Embassy. They also asked the Thai police to arrest these volunteers. A government official who spoke on the condition of anonymity let it be known that Hu Xiaolan and other Chinese officials came there in person on a weekly basis to check on information regarding the handing out of the Nine Commentaries. To satisfy them, Thai police had to give the Chinese officials some Epoch Times newspapers that they collected. [19]
Yan Tingai, male, was the Chinese ambassador to Thailand from April 2000 to April 2004. He is the main person who organized and incited the Chinese communities in Thailand to put pressure on the Thai government to forbid Falun Gong's conference in February and March 2001. On June 20, 2002, he organized an anti-Falun Gong photo exhibit in the Chinese Embassy and made a speech attacking Falun Gong. He also petitioned the Thai communities to participate in the persecution of the Falun Gong movement.
Reference:
1. VOA REPORT: "TAILAND-FALUNGONG MEETING" FEB 22, 2001
2. Chinese News Agency, February 28 2001
3. Epoch Times, February 23, 2001, "Bankbook's disapproving Falun
Gong parade might be related to Chinese Embassy"
4. Chinese News Net, March 30, 2001 from Beijing
5. CCP International Department news, Aug. 23, 2003
6. Philip P. Pan. The Washington Post, Nov 15, 2003, Page A.01
"China's Improving Image Challenges U.S. in Asia." Since taking office
in 2001, Thailand's Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has made a point of
cultivating closer ties with China, trying to position his country as Beijing's
main diplomatic partner in Southeast Asia. At the request of the Chinese, his
government monitors the comings and goings of Tibetan and democracy activists,
as well as members of the Chinese spiritual group Falun Gong, and prevents them
from entering the country when Chinese leaders are visiting, according to Thai
intelligence sources.
7. Dacankao Aug. 3, 1999, quote from Central News Agency (Taiwan) from
Bangkok
8. Xinhua News Agency June 20, 2002
9. Epoch Times June 11, 2005
10. Chinese News Net February 24, 2001
11. Chinese Embassy in Thailand News, September 21, 2003, Ambassador Yan Tingai
gave a speech at the banquet for the leaders of the Public Fund of Chinese
Newspapers in Thailand
12. Zhang Jiuheng's CV.
13. Chinese News Net on February 26, 2001 from Singapore
14. Jingxun News on February 27, 2001, Chinese Ambassador Zhang
Jiuheng visited Jushilin in Singapore.
15. Chinese Embassy in Singapore News, November 10, 2001, Ambassador Zhang
Jiuheng gave a speech at the opening ceremony of the photo-exhibit of
"anti-cult and maintaining human rights."
16. Chinese Embassy in Thailand News, June 11, 2004, Ambassador Zhang Jiuheng
met the Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs
17. Report from "World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun
Gong"
18. List of diplomats in Chinese Embassy in Thailand
19. Epoch Times June 11, 2005, a report by Zhuo Lifang
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