Washington, DC—A faxed letter sent by the Chinese Consulate in order to undermine support for a musical show here in the U.S. has drawn sharp rebukes from members of Congress and leaders of human rights organizations. One recipient of the Consulate fax, the Mayor of Ft. Lauderdale, has reaffirmed his support for the show with a proclamation.
New York State Assemblyman Michael Benjamin denounced the letter. He received his copy one week before the opening night of Holiday Wonders, a show produced by New Tang Dynasty Television and the Divine Performing Arts company that features traditional Chinese song and dance along with Western acts.
The letter mentions prominently the "rapid progress" of U.S.-China relations, the strengthening of U.S.-China trade, and "sincere gratitude" for efforts in promoting U.S.-China friendship and cooperation before asking that support not be given to the Holiday Wonders or the Chinese New Year Spectacular (a performance of traditional Chinese music and dance also produced by NTDTV and the Divine Performing Arts).
The letter also uses the extreme and slanderous language typical of Chinese regime propaganda in describing NTDTV, the Holiday Wonders, the Chinese New Year Spectacular , and the meditation practice of Falun Gong.
'Unconscionable'
Congressman Dana Rohrabacher of California stated, "The Chinese regime has again demonstrated that it is not content with just repressing the Chinese people at home, but abroad as well.
"For the Chinese government to reach into the U.S to further its suppression of the Chinese people is unconscionable and should not escape the attention and condemnation of the American people."
Congressman Rohrabacher is a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. He serves as ranking Republican of the Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight and as a member of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment.
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs committee, also voiced her concerns.
She said in an email, "I am deeply concerned about reports of Chinese regime interference in the cultural activities of American citizens within the U.S. It would not surprise me given this regime's record of violating the rights and civil liberties of its people.
"If true, the regime must be held accountable for infringing upon the Constitutional protections of freedom of speech and expression of our citizens. I shudder to think what will greet visitors next summer as they gather for the Olympics in Beijing."
Praise for Falun Gong
The Consulate's letter asserts that NTDTV is affiliated with Falun Gong.
When asked about this, Ms. Carrie Hung, the network's spokesperson, stated that NTDTV is an independent not-for-profit Chinese-language t.v. network with whom the Chinese regime has tried repeatedly to interfere.
Michael Horowitz, Director of the Hudson Institute's Project for Civil Justice Reform and Project for International Religious Liberty, chose in a phone interview to comment on the letter's discussion of Falun Gong.
"Falun Gong practitioners are the people China can least intimidate in the whole world. The dictatorships tremble before groups that their power cannot intimidate. The Falun Gong stands for something very powerful not for themselves, but for everybody.
"This just proves that Falun Gong practitioners are making history. When the story of the 21st century is written, and China would have moved to democracy away from dictatorship, the Falun Gong community will have a place of honor. And the reaction to this Christmas show is a proof of that."
Intellectual Extortion
Suzanne Scholtes, President of the Defense Forum Foundation, described the Consulate's letter as "outrageous."
She said, "I hope this will turn out more people. The Chinese government is a repressing regime. It is attacking Falun Gong for everything it is guilty of."
Speaking of the word "anti-humanity" used in the Chinese consulate letter, Scholtes said "The Chinese regime is anti-humanity. It doesn't even allow people to express their beliefs."
She praised Mr. Benjamin's action of publicizing this letter and resisting coercion. "The New York lawmaker did the right thing."
Dr. Keith Roderick, the Washington Representative of Christian Solidarity International was also outraged by the letter.
He said,"The Chinese Consulate General's attempt to dissuade New York public officials from supporting the presentations of Holiday Wonders and a Chinese New Year Spectacular is clumsy.
"In letters sent on December 11, New York Consulate greets the officials with a wish for a Merry Christmas. Unfortunately, Christians in China, such as Weihan Shi, 37, a Christian bookstore owner who was arrested for his religious activity by Public Security Police in Beijing in November would find that greeting lacking in sincerity."
He continued, "The letter is a brutish attempt to stifle freedom of conscience for the Chinese people not only in China, but even the West."
According to Dr. Roderick, equating support for the Holiday Wonders in New York with undermining China-US relations amounts to intellectual extortion.
Mayor Undaunted
Mayor Jim Naugle of Fort Lauderdale received a letter similar to that denounced by Assemblyman Benjamin. This did not stop him from issuing a proclamation naming Dec. 27 as " Holiday Wonders Day " for Fort Lauderdale. The Holiday Wonders performs in Fort Lauderdale that night.
NTDTV staff member Ms. Shuqin Xia bumped into the Mayor when she went to his office to pick up a copy of his proclamation. The mayor told her the letter was "quite inappropriate."
The Mayor has also confirmed he will attend a reception held before the Fort Lauderdale show. It seems the Consulate's letter has not diminished at all his support for the show his proclamation states is "synonymous with Chinese classical dance and traditional dance of China."
Jenny Jing in Washington, D.C. contributed to this report.
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