The following points are based on an internal document circulated by the Chinese authorities in Australia to the Chinese Students Association of 7-8 April. It has two options for public action appended. The large “spontaneous protests” witnessed in Sydney yesterday are an indication of this kind of mobilisation effort. The following is a direct translation of the original document:
Executive Summary: This activity is a voluntarily organised and spontaneous peaceful patriotic activity. The aim of this activity is prevent the disruptive actions of Free Tibet campaigners (the Chinese used is Zang du fenzi – Tibet Independence Elements) and Anti-Chinese elements from interfering with the Olympic torch relay.
Roles and Duties: The National Flag Group — is to hand out Chinese flags and Olympic flags to friendly onlookers; The Picket Group — will maintain order under the direction of the group leader. All members will follow instructions to protect the Olympic torch; The Propaganda Group (i.e., the PR team) — will hand out leaflets to standers-by, onlookers and others; and, The Visual Recording Group — will record the words, pronouncements, provocations and malicious actions of Free Tibet campaigners. Moreover, this group will record all other useful material.
Discipline: Obey orders, act collectively. Prevent all actions that can in any way be detrimental to the image of China, including words, comments and provocative behaviour, or any use of force. When confronting provocation you must be aware that the media will exaggerate even your most minor actions without any basis in fact while willfully ignoring those of the Free Tibet campaigners. You must remain calm and cool. The Visual Recording Group must be sure to be timely in taking footage of the provocations and destructive activities of the opposition. There must be reasonable use of the national flag and slogans. Do not drop any or leave any behind. When speaking to outsiders firmly maintain that this is entirely a spontaneous activity. You must accept no media interviews in the name of any group or collective. Keep a reasonable distance between yourself and the torch-bearer. Maintain a smiling face to onlookers, the media and other peaceful demonstrators. Demonstrate the good behaviour of the Chinese. Wear light and casual clothing. We suggest that you wear light colours.
Costs: The organisers will pay costs in advance. However, if any participants wish to pay for themselves they will be most welcome.
Promotional Strategy – Option 1: The Canberra leg of the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay will begin at Capital Hill where Parliament House is located. The harmonious flame of the Olympic Torch will set alight the emotions of this garden city. The Australian Chinese Youth Exchange Promotion Association cordially invites all patriots, Chinese students studying overseas, patriotic young people as well as all of your friends and relatives to join hands as witnesses of this historical moment, to raise your arms and cheer! The aim of this activity is to share the Olympic Spirit and Great Chinese Civilisation with the whole world. The organisers will provide bus transportation from Sydney to Canberra return, as well as breakfast and lunch. Participants will also be presented with Olympic keepsakes. We will cooperate closely with the police to ensure the safe protection of the Olympic torch. Whenever any willfully disruptive individual is found they will immediately be handed over to the police to be dealt with.
Signed: The Australian Chinese Youth Exchange Promotion Association (a non-profit organisation sponsored by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Australia).
Promotional Strategy—Option 2: Chinese Students in Australia Welcome Committee for the Olympic Torch The Australian Chinese Students Association (ACSC) hopes that the vast majority of Chinese students studying in Sydney will participate in the welcoming ceremony for the Olympic Torch in Canberra, and by so doing cheer on the Beijing Olympics. We welcome the enthusiastic participation and mobilisation of all students, as well as their friends. We welcome people from all walks of life to sign up, regardless of gender, age or nationality. We will provide free transportation as well as breakfast and lunch. Our buses will be available at five different locations for pick-ups. Protesters have to apply to demonstrate ahead of time! Therefore any protesters who attempt to disrupt our force must be handed over to the police immediately.
Signed: The Australian Chinese Students Association (a non-profit organisation sponsored by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Australia).
A leadership that will murder it’s recalcitrant children (Tieaneman Square) is no different to the Nazis who murdered anyone who they percieved were a challenge to their hegemony. They should not have the Olympics and the fact that they have demonstrates the level of farce that the Olympics has decended to.
As guests in this country, foreign students should stay out of local politics. Furthermore they should not be involved in subterfuge organised by foreign governments. The statement that “The Visual Recording Group – will record the words, pronouncements, provocations and malicious actions of Free Tibet campaigners” begs the question as to what these campaigners might do. Presumably, this includes Australian citizens demonstrating in their own country about the repressive action of a foreign government towards minorities within its border.
Whilst lamentably that is within their control within their country, they should stay out of local politics even if it does it impact on the image of their own country.
Perhaps Lu Kewen ( aka Kevin 08) who is full of gratuitous advice to the Chinese in their own country could advise the Chinese students, who are guests in this country that they are not here to act as agents of a repressive foreign government, even if it is their own.
The official Chinese line is that Western media is misrepresenting the facts in Tibet. Much the same as the Indonesians are denying any human rights abuses in West Papua. The two countries have a lot in common. Both are occupied illegally by a foreign power. Both have suffered trans migration and the indigents are treated as third rate citizens in their own countries.
Now we have the Chinese embassy encouraging its nationals in a host country to gather information on dissenters to their propaganda line. China should never have had the Olympics in the first place but money always takes precedence over human rights does it not. ?
The fact PM Rudd said the China military goons would not be shadowing the torch relay, and has been over ruled by the IOC with it’s ‘democratic global mandate’ to make any policy it likes to (like a royal king or emperor in fact) is a little embarrassing . Yes. But it’ trivial. Chinese military SPIES taking pictures of democracy activists in Canberra is not trivial: Hamish McDonald reported recently Sydney Morning Herald p22, 29 March 08 that “Russia’s Novosti news agency reported that in Gansu province alone the Public Security Bureau has arrested 2302 people since the pro-Dalai Lama protests began in mid-March, with 432 (including 170 monks) still in custody. That suggests the total arrested across the Tibet Autonomous Region itself, Sichuan, Qinghai and Yunnan, might run into many more thousands.”
From the Facebook page for this event on which they use language of the Cultural Revolution:
We hear that Falun Gong, Free Tibet and other elements of the “Five Poisons” have organised hundreds of people to disrupt the torch relay in Canberra using burning toilet paper and fire extinguishers to humiliate China and the name of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
We Canberra Chinese forces are weak, only about 500 people, including old people and children! Maybe this is how for the first time in the Olympic Games relay, the scum of the nation will win over the number of sons and daughters of China!
My dear compatriots, do you want to see the torch insulted by the scum of the Chinese nation and their anti-China running dogs? Can you tolerate the world’s media reporting and magnifying this humiliation of our country?
No matter whether you have taken Australian citizenship, show your love for the motherland! etc etc
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=10358419647&ref=nf