Former Chinese Diplomat Testifies in Congress, Provides Details of Chinese Communist Party's "War" against Falun Gong

Jul 22, 2005

Chen Yonglin, testifying in the U.S. Congress on July 21. Chen was a senior diplomat for China until he defected in Australia in May (The Epoch Times)

WASHINGTON, DC--"A wolf in sheep's clothing" is what a former Chinese diplomat called the Chinese communist leadership, in testimony before Congress last Thursday.

"When the Western world looks at China, a lot of people see an emerging economic power," the diplomat, Mr. Chen Yonglin, told members of Congress. "Western people should not forget that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is a dictatorship that has [taken] the lives of 80 million people" in the last half-century.

Mr. Chen went on to say that the CCP is an "evil cult," and, "If businesses continue to deal with such a government...it's dangerous. Some day when the American people wake up, it will be too late."

Until his defection in May, Mr. Chen was the First Secretary for Political Affairs with the Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney, Australia. Prior to that Mr. Chen worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for ten years.

Appearing before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations, Mr. Chen described the organization of Chinese missions worldwide, saying they are divided into two categories: diplomatic and intelligence gathering. Those working to gather intelligence, Mr. Chen said, report directly back to Beijing and not their local mission, allowing Beijing to use missions worldwide as a vast spy network.

"I know that there are over 1,000 Chinese secret agents and informants in Australia and the number in the United States should not be less," he told the committee.

Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey, the subcommittee chairman, told Mr. Chen, "Your testimony is absolutely explosive."

Communist China "Waging War" on Falun Gong

Mr. Chen's testimony centered on details of how the CCP persecutes those who practice or support the Falun Gong exercise and meditation practice.

"The persecution of Falun Gong is a systematic campaign," Mr. Chen said. "All departments in the Chinese central government are involved."

Mr. Chen said that in 1999 a government agency called the 610 Office was established to "declare war" on Falun Gong. According to Chen's written testimony, "other ministries of the central government, provincial and various levels of governments and state-run institutions and companies established their own 610 offices," all with the purpose of implementing the policy to eliminate Falun Gong.

And, according to Mr. Chen, the CCP's fight against Falun Gong doesn't stop at China's border.

Mr. Chen told the committee that every Chinese mission around the world has at least one individual on staff whose primary responsibility is to undertake the "struggle" against Falun Gong in the respective countries where they are stationed.

Mr. Chen said Chinese officials primarily target government officials at the federal, state and local level with propaganda against Falun Gong. Exerting both political and economic pressure, Mr. Chen said the Chinese officials aim to thwart support for the practice, and engender distrust and disdain for Falun Gong among foreign government officials.

In his written testimony, Mr. Chen cited a number of cases where Chinese officials in Australia successfully caused city councils to vote down "motions in support of the Falun Gong or took some actions in favor of the CCP policy on the Falun Gong."

The U.S. House passed a resolution in September 2004 condemning the CCP for spying on and harassing Americans who practice Falun Gong. The resolution listed instances of breaking and entering as well as assault and battery.

Control of Media

Mr. Chen also told the committee that the CCP controls most Chinese-language media in the West, including the U.S., largely through dictating advertisement revenue through Chinese-owned businesses. With this control, the CCP can re-iterate the Party line in Chinese communities throughout the U.S.

Mr. Stephen Gregory, board chair for the English edition of The Epoch Times, which first broke the story of Mr. Chen's defection, also testified at the hearing.

"The CCP is creating a new kind of society," Mr. Gregory told the committee. "They are, to an extent that none had ever thought possible controlling all the information that goes into China, and all the information that comes out of China. The Epoch Times, simply by doing the job of an honest newspaper--covering the real story--and getting it into the hands of Chinese-speakers, threatens the very fundamental basis of the CCP regime."

Citing cases of robbery, assault and even a terrorist threat carried out against staff members of The Epoch Times, Mr. Gregory said the CCP has gone to great lengths to stop production and distribution of The Epoch Times.

Mr. Gregory told the committee, "The Epoch Times has an interest in human rights. The Epoch Times has an interest in covering the news honestly. And simply those interests...those make The Epoch Times a threat."

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