Mar 11, 2001

China's campaign against the Falungong has moved beyond its borders and into the international arena. How goes the battle between Beijing and the [group], and what of the governments drawn into the fray? Goh Sui Noi assesses the situation, based on reports filed by The Straits Times overseas bureaus

In the United States, it has become another bone of contention in the prickly Sino-US relationship, another source of ammunition in the armoury of those who are gunning against Beijing for its human rights record.

China's battle with the Falungong [group] has grown in two years from a domestic to an international one - and is putting governments in the region and beyond in a dilemma between preserving friendly relations with Beijing and freedom of religion.

Beijing has pressured governments in the region to suppress the movement.

Its Sydney consulate recently visited the mayor of South Sydney and made representations to prohibit a Falun Dafa - as it is known in Australia - event there.

But local councillors turned down the demands.

Indeed, the Australian government has raised its concerns about China's treatment of Falungong followers with Beijing.

Last year, it warned Australian practitioners of Falungong - there are about 3,000 - against travelling to China after three Melbourne members were held for questioning and escorted out of the country. ...

Strong Western Opposition

THE Chinese crackdown on the Falungong movement has met strong opposition from Western democracies, however, particularly superpower United States, which in the last four years has become a major hub for the [group].

Falungong founder Li lives in the US

[Group] members in the US have successfully lobbied the US Congress, which has passed a resolution in the Senate condemning China's crackdown of the [group].

From a secret location, they also broadcast radio programmes worldwide on the movement.

The new Bush administration has taken a new stern approach to China's alleged human rights abuses and particularly its crackdown on Falungong, leading the [group]'s supporters in the US to be cautiously optimistic.

In one of his first acts as Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell on Jan 24 called in the Chinese ambassador to the US and told him America's concern.

The State Department at the same time issued a tough statement condemning Beijing's actions against the [group] and asked for the release of all members detained for peacefully demanding the right to freedom of religion.

In addition, the Falungong founder, who has resident status in the US, was assured that he would be safe as long as he stayed in the US, as any extradition was out of the question.

The Chinese have responded to these US moves by warning about the dangers of 'harming Sino-US relations'.

Observers in the US, however, believe that it remains to be seen whether the Bush administration will take a far tougher line on Chinese human rights than former President Bill Clinton, who has been accused of being 'soft' on the Chinese.

Their reason is that tough words do not always translate into steady, long-term policy.

The movement is just but one of the perceived human rights problems in China that the US takes issue with.

Dilemma For Taiwan, Hongkong

THE dilemma that Falungong poses looms largest for governments in Taiwan and Hongkong, which must tread carefully between not jeopardising their sensitive relations with Beijing and not compromising on their people's rights and freedom to religion.

The Taiwanese government, which is viewed with suspicion by China because of the ruling party's refusal to denounce its pro-independence platform, recently denied Beijing's accusation that it was attempting to fund an international Falungong meeting in Thailand and sour Sino-Thai relations.

Taipei was also caught by surprise by the big turnout of Falungong members at an overnight rally last Dec 23 in support of their Chinese counterparts.

'We have underestimated the strength and unity of Taiwan's Falungong movement,' an investigator with the Justice Ministry told Sunday Review.

The movement in Taiwan has grown rapidly in the past few years from an initial membership of two to more than 100,000 island-wide. It counts among its members employees of the Board of Foreign Trade and the police department as well as university professors.

There is no plan to suppress the movement just yet.

'There is no need to do so as long as it does not ... After all, Taiwan is a free society,' the investigator said.

Collision Course With China

HOWEVER, the Taiwanese government's laissez-faire approach could soon put it on a collision course with Beijing.

Said [group] member Susan Chin: 'Taiwan is now a recovery bastion for the Falungong movement in China. I believe so especially when the Hongkong government is coming under increasing pressure from Beijing to ban the movement there.'

The Taiwanese government must be watching developments in Hongkong closely, where already a chief secretary has had to step down because of a clash in attitudes towards the [group].

Outgoing chief secretary Anson Chan had given permission to Falungong members to rent the government-administered City Hall for a meeting, in defiance of Hongkong chief executive Tung Chee Hwa's expressed wish to crack down on the [group].

She is not alone: Justice Secretary Elsie Leung is also against banning the [group], and has advised against the speeding up of the enactment of a controversial law to implement an article in the Special Administrative Region's basic law prohibiting subversion and treason.

The same rule in China cannot apply in Hongkong if the 'one country, two systems' arrangement were to have any credence at all.

The Hongkong government has deliberately slowed down this legislative process because it is so alien to the local political tradition and would cause major upheaval if not handled sensitively.

The new chief secretary Donald Tsang had to declare that he would not compromise on matters concerning Hongkong's basic values, such as freedom and respect for human rights.

However, Hongkong is treading carefully in the face of increasing pressure from Beijing to suppress the [group].

Precautions are made to ensure that the Falungong will not cause embarrassment to President Jiang when he visits in May.

The chief secretary has worked through mediators to appeal to the [group] to not take drastic actions and to avoid activities during the visit.

The reward for showing restraint would be further delay in the enactment of the draconian law