China sees red at Chen visa - 'political persecution' does not exist at all

Sydney Morning Herald ^ | July 11, 2005 | Tom Allard and agencies

[Cincinatus' Wife]

China has lambasted Australia for granting Chen Yonglin a permanent visa and has lashed out at the former diplomat and defector for airing allegations that it persecutes dissidents and engages in widespread espionage.

In a statement released last night, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said: "China resolutely opposes the Australian Government's decision to give Chen a 'protection visa'."

It called Mr Chen's accusations of a 1000-strong Chinese spy network in Australia and claims that he faced execution if went back home as "lies not worthy of response". It said: "China is a country ruled by law and handles affairs in accordance with the law. The so-called issue of 'political persecution' does not exist at all."

Australia granted Mr Chen, his wife and six-year-old daughter visas on Friday after the Chinese ambassador, Fu Ying, warned that asylum for the former first counsellor at the Sydney consulate would lead to more defections.

Mr Chen went public with his claims last month after his bid for asylum was rejected by the Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, and immigration officials tipped off his consulate as to his intentions.

Diplomatic sources said China was angry that the affair became public; often, defections of this type are handled secretly.

The Chinese statement said Mr Chen was "running away" because he was reaching the end of his four-year posting. "In order to stay permanently in Australia, he fabricated all kinds of lies."

A spokesman for Mr Downer said Mr Chen's visa "was granted under law. There's nothing more really to be said about it."

[EagleUSA]

Oh, Boy! These Communists just cannot handle it when someone "frees" one of their oppressed -- especially a dissident. Squeal like the little pinko pigs they are -- :-)

[EagleUSA]

I had no trouble accessing the page.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

US voices fears over Chinese military build-up***….They were expecting thanks for persuading North Korea to rejoin talks on its nuclear weapons programme, a decision it announced on Saturday. But Miss Rice suggested there were no results yet to celebrate and she denied retracting her assessment of North Korea as an "outpost of tyranny.”

She also said: "There is no doubt that we have concerns about the size and pace of the Chinese military build-up, and it's not just the Pentagon. I've made clear to people this is a view held by the US government."….. ***