By Tsewang Lhadon

Anmerkung und Warnung der Redaktion:

Es ist bekannt, dass die chinesische Regierung durch ihre Botschaften über sämtliche, weltweite Aktivitäten der Tibeter, ihren Freunden und Sympathisanten bestens informiert sind. Dies ist nicht möglich ohne Methoden an zu wenden wie bei der ehemaligen "Stasi" mit eingeschleusten Spitzeln und "informellen Mitarbeitern". Daher lohnt es sich innerhalb der verschiedenen Organisationen besonders auf sehr interessiert scheinende Mitläufer zu achten, die überall und bei sämtlichen Aktivitäten der Gruppierungen an zu treffen sind, aber niemand innerhalb der Gruppe persönlich kennt und sämtliche Informationen besonders "fleissig" sammeln, mitschneiden sowie auch bildlich dokumentieren, sich dennoch nicht mit Übernahme von verantwortlichen Aufgaben exponieren wollen!

Chen Yonglin holding photos - one of a Tibetan activists meeting - that he says were taken by CHinese spies/ Photo by Matthew Hildebrand/Epoch Times

Listening to Mr. Chen Yonglin, a former Chinese diplomat speak at a public forum organized by the China Research Associate at the University of Toronto, sponsored by China Rights Network was fascinating.

Chen a former first Secretary at the Chinese Consulate in Sydney made headlines when he defected in May 2005. Chen spoke openly of the regime’s ploys to influence and control western perception of China through Chinese language media overseas and through student and community groups acting as front organizations. The purpose he said is to discredit and intimidate the five “poisons” or the target groups: Tibetan exiles, Taiwainese, Uighur Muslims, democracy activists and the Falun Gong practitioners.

Chen revealed efforts of Chinese regime to control overseas media through direct investment and gaining control of content publications. This he described as infiltration of Chinese Communist Party’s ideology; the main purpose being to legitimize its human rights violations. According to Chen the communist party is very instable with political stability dominating foreign policy. Chinese missions abroad monitoring and repressing dissidents outweighs their other functions combined.

According to Chen two people in every Chinese embassy is from the Secret Service. All communist institutions are considered Chinese government property including Chinese local institutions overseas. Chinese consulates built umbrella organizations, members among who are handpicked to lead the organizations. These members are used to proliferate the communist ideology among overseas Chinese. For purposes of effective monitoring the groups have less than ten members. Chen alleged the use of Confucius doctrine by Chinese officials to built good connections at high places claiming that Confucius theory in essence is against communism.

Chen went on to say how most younger generation in China today is ignorant of history. This he argued is due to the introduction of simplified Chinese script character that very few can read the real doctrines today. In other words the younger generation knows only what the regime wants known. History is distorted to suite its requirements.

On the question of Tibet when asked what he thought of the five rounds of negotiations between the Tibetan exile representatives and the Chinese government, Chen did not hesitate painting a gloomy picture describing the whole exercise as a “tactic by China”. He bluntly said, “The Dalai Lama has no bargaining chip at all” and “there is no sincerity from the Chinese side at all”. “It is impossible for you to get such result from negotiations”, he added.

According to Chen, the communist regime is hell bent in ensuring political stability for its own interest. Jiang Zemen who ordered persecution of thousands of Falun Gong members knows too well he will never be forgiven. Recalling the 1989 crackdown and imposition of martial law in Lhasa during which hundreds of Tibetans were killed, Chen said, “Hu has Tibetan blood on his hands”.
Chen Yonglin declares the collapse of the communist regime as inevitable while warning western nations to pay heed because Big Brother knows no boundaries. That was Chen’s message.

I went to Chen after the discussion and thanked him for sharing his insights and for his courage. When I told him I was a Tibetan, he said, “The Dalai Lama must visit Tibet”. …He must find a way to do it”. There was no room for arguments. He seemed to know what he was saying. It was time to move on but he left me thinking as I left the room.


The writer is a former Executive Director of the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy