Selected Tuidang Statements, July 10

Posted: 25 Jul 2012 09:19 PM PDT

The Chinese characters say 'Renounce the Chinese Communist Party.' (The Epoch Times)

Editor's note: The Epoch Times here publishes direct translations of statements made by the Chinese people in renouncing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its subordinate organizations. Statements such as these are submitted to a website affiliate of the Chinese version of The Epoch Times, Dajiyuan. The movement to renounce, withdraw from, or quit the CCP, called "Tuidang" in Chinese, began in late 2004, soon after The Epoch Times published the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, an editorial series that explores the nature and history of the CCP. The statements offer a rare and candid glimpse of history in the making. The Chinese people are turning their backs on the Communist Party, choosing conscience over convenience, and peacefully ushering in a future China, free of Party rule.

The following is a selection of edited Tuidang ("quitting the Party") statements made by Chinese nationals on July 10, 2012.

My Statement of Quitting the Youth League and Young Pioneers

We all know how corrupt the CCP is. In our work unit, the income of a small middle-level cadre is several times more than that of the regular workers. There is a great gap between the rich and the poor. Officers plunder everything they can lay their hands on. As soon as I was advised to make the "three withdrawals" by a good-hearted man, I agreed to withdraw from all the evil Party's organizations. I hope this dictatorial regime will perish as soon as possible, so that people in China can soon enjoy freedom and justice, and we can lead a better life.

Xie Hua
July 9, 2012 7:41 p.m.

The CCP is a Cult

Everything the CCP has done or is doing is a reflection of its rascal nature. Although the communists concealed all the evil deeds they did before, today they can no longer conceal anything. The CCP is actually a cult that prohibits people from telling the truth. Whoever tells the truth is punished and even thrown into jail.

We hereby solemnly announce that we quit all the affiliated organizations that belong to the CCP. After cleaning off the mark branded on me by the evil beast, I will secure my future and life when Heaven perishes the CCP. In quitting the CCP I am choosing a bright future for myself.

Bao Pingan, Li Pingshun, Daibiao
Bengbu, Anhui Province
July 9, 2012 9:27 p.m.

Announcement of Quitting the Youth League

I have already lost confidence in the government that rules China today. This government is corrupt, incompetent and extravagant. The officers are only interested in trading power for money and colluding with gangsters. Being against the government is now the heartfelt wish for most people. However, we are not yet brave enough to speak out our resentment towards the CCP. I solemnly announce that I withdraw from the Youth League and its affiliated organizations.

Ma Tianci
July 10, 2012 8:04 p.m.

"Free Gate" Reveals the Truth

My wife and I voluntarily withdraw from the Youth League and Young Pioneers. I have introduced five of my friends to the Free Gate software and shown them how to install it. "Free Gate" lets them know the truth and allows them to see for themselves what's going on in the real world.

Quan Laoda, Wu Xiaobo (husband and wife)
Chengdu, Sichuan Province
July 10, 2012 10:46 p.m.

I'm Disgusted with the CCP's Organizations

I have long been disgusted with the CCP's organizations. It is a corrupt, murderous, lying and shameless Party. I loathe its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. It deprives people of their freedom of belief. I hereby announce that I withdraw from the CCP's evil organizations and the Young Pioneers.

Zhang Weilian
Canada
July 10, 2012 3:44 a.m.

I Quit the CCP During My Trip to Australia/New Zealand

I read the "Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party" when on a trip to Australia, and I realized how vicious the CCP is. I am now in New Zealand and I've asked a volunteer in the Tuidang Service Center to help me quit the Communist Party's organizations. Thank you!

Guanghua
A tourist from mainland China
July 10, 2012 2:53 p.m.

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Yangtze River Floods Chongqing City

Posted: 25 Jul 2012 05:26 PM PDT

The world's third longest river overflowed into 11 districts and 47 townships of China's Chongqing City.

A heavy rainstorm that swept over 22 provinces caused the Yangtze River to flood. On July 24, the flood passed the Three Gorges Dam and flowed into a major urban area of Chongqing City.

State-run Chinese media claimed that around 140,000 residents who live near the Yangtze River relocated before the flood arrived. China's Ministry of Civil Affairs confirmed 111 deaths, and stated that more than 1.17 million people have been relocated or they are in need of help to relocate, and 540,000 residential buildings or houses are damaged.

The Yangtze River runs across China, starting from the Himalayan Mountains in the west and ending at the coastal city of Shanghai in the east. In 1998, massive flooding from the Yangtze River caused more than 3,700 deaths.

Protests in Chongqing Greeted With Batons

Read the original Chinese article.

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The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Chronic Problems? HTC Forgets About Dre

Posted: 25 Jul 2012 09:03 PM PDT

There are signs that HTC Corp.'s acquisition strategy is running into trouble after the Taiwanese phone manufacturer said it was selling back half of the 50.1% stake it holds in headphone maker Dr. Dre's Beats Electronics LLC, less than a year after making the investment.

State Department Critiques China’s Human Rights Abuses

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 10:00 PM PDT

The department released its diagnosis after an annual meeting in which the United States discussed concerns with China.

China to be only economy with high growth in next decade: report

Posted: 26 Jul 2012 04:20 AM PDT

With the US and European economies entangled in a prolonged downturn, China has the chance to become the only economy posting high growth in the next decade, according to a Beijing-based think tank's ...

Mini-skirts invade theme park in Guilin

Posted: 26 Jul 2012 04:20 AM PDT

A theme park in Guilin city in Guangxi province has launched a festival called Summer Loves Mini-Skirts. Women wearing mini-skirts less than 38 cm can enter the park for half-price — 110 yuan (US$17...

Apple quarterly earnings miss expectations

Posted: 26 Jul 2012 03:56 AM PDT

Apple has released its latest earnings and sales that both missed analysts' estimates. In the third fiscal quarter, which ended June 30, the company reported US$35 billion in revenue, while net profi...

Foxconn to invest in broadband satellite network in Jiangsu

Posted: 26 Jul 2012 02:32 AM PDT

The Hon Hai Group, the world's largest contract manufacturer of consumer electronics, confirmed Tuesday that it will invest in a broadband satellite network in Jiangsu province in eastern China. H...

PepsiCo’s Profit Declines After Reorganizing Business Overseas

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 10:00 PM PDT

PepsiCo said that its second-quarter profit fell 21 percent as a deal to expand its business in China and a stronger dollar offset growth overseas.

China an Eager Host to Donilon — Diplomatic Memo

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 10:00 PM PDT

Thomas E. Donilon, the national security adviser, met with Chinese leaders in Beijing who are uneasy about their country's role as a punching bag in the American presidential race.

Draft arms trade treaty condemned

Posted: 25 Jul 2012 10:35 AM PDT

Campaigners including Oxfam say global arms trade treaty would fail even to halt shipments from Russia to Syria

Arms control campaigners who have been urging the UN to approve the first global arms trade treaty have condemned a draft text as "weak and confusing", and warn that it will not save lives.

Oxfam said that if the treaty were not toughened up before the month-long talks ended, on Friday, it could become meaningless, and would not even stop arms shipments by Moscow to Syria.

British diplomats were more optimistic, insisting the draft was a "strong basis" for what could be the first global treaty to regulate the way arms are bought and sold. But they conceded that "more work was required" in certain contentious areas, and said the UK would not compromise on some core demands.

The schisms between the sides are likely to become more pronounced as the end of the week approaches, and there are fears among activists that some nations will try to browbeat smaller countries to accept a weak final text.

The talks at the UN in New York are the culmination of a decade-long effort to get a global treaty.

The majority of nations, including the UK, began by demanding a robust text that would prohibit arms sales to countries with poor human rights records, and make independent arms dealers more liable to scrutiny.

But a small number of states, including the US, Russia and China, expressed concern about the scope of some of the proposals. The US said it did not want ammunition included in any treaty.

Russia and China were said to oppose criteria that would have outlawed arms transfers to countries that might use the weapons for human rights abuses. This week a draft text was published that appeared to fudge some of these issues.

Oxfam, one of the leading campaign groups for the treaty, said the draft's lack of clarity meant it was "far too weak to achieve its humanitarian goals". This text "would lead to few, if any, lives being saved".

Anna Macdonald, Oxfam's head of arms control, said the draft did not cover all conventional weapons, was ambiguous about ammunition and unconvincing on the issue of human rights. She said the threshold had been set so high it would only prohibit arms sales in situations where the weapons were intended for genocide. The draft would also let countries honour existing contracts to states no matter how much circumstances changed.

"This means Russia could continue to supply arms to Syria," she said. "That is a key test for us. Would the draft [treaty] stop Russia arming Syria? No it wouldn't."

The UK delegation in New York, which has included the British ministers Alan Duncan and Alistair Burt, insisted it had not compromised on its core demands.

"Inevitably there are still areas in the draft that require more work," said one British diplomat. "However, this is the closest the international community has ever been to agreeing a treaty that effectively regulates the international trade in conventional arms. It is crucial we do not miss this vital opportunity to secure a robust and effective, legally binding, [treaty]."

The Foreign Office minister Lord Howell said: "We are negotiating very hard …there are very high prizes to be achieved if we can get the robust treaty we want. We've always said we want to have a humanitarian dimension fully in this treaty. But how we do, in this last vital stage, is a matter of delicate negotiation and I must leave it there."

The treaty must be approved unanimously, so any one country can effectively veto a deal on Friday.

Campaigners say the early weeks of the negotiations were constantly delayed by bickering, objections and disruptions from some countries, including Syria, North Korea, Iran, Egypt and Algeria.

Nick Hopkins

Ai Weiwei: China excluded its people from the Olympics. London is different

Posted: 25 Jul 2012 09:47 AM PDT

Ai Weiwei withdrew from the Beijing 2008 Olympics opening ceremony and was declared a threat to the police state. Here he explains why he hopes the London Games will be different

The Olympic Games are highly commercialised. They purport to follow the traditions of an ancient athletics competition, but today it is the commercial aspect that is most apparent. I have seen how, through sport, cities and corporations compete against each other for financial gain. The Olympics are beholden to the wishes of various commercial operations, which in turn shape our understanding of the event and of the world. They are no longer connected to the idea that humanity can be expressed through athletics.

In China, the Olympics have always served as a tool for propaganda. China uses its gold-medal count to affirm its position in the world order and its strength as a nation. Many other countries have the same attitude. But flaunting gold medals, in the guise of fighting for a country's glory, is done at the expense of many lives. For one, athletes sacrifice their physical and emotional wellbeing for this vanity. This is a tragedy in itself.

I don't believe in the so-called Olympic spirit. I speak from personal experience. When China hosted the Games, it failed to include the people. The event was constructed without regard for their joy. The state and the Olympic committee failed to take a position on many major social and political issues. Afterwards, the state tightened its controls; China became a police state. "Friendship, fair play, glory, honour and peace": the Olympic slogan is an empty one.

My memory of the Beijing Olympics has not changed. It is a fake smile, an elaborate costume party with the sole intention of glorifying the country. From the opening to the closing ceremony, from the torch relay to the cheers for gold medals – these all displayed the might, and the desperation, of a totalitarian regime. Through authoritarian power a country can possess many things, but it cannot bring joy or happiness to its people.

I see the Beijing National Stadium as an architectural project. I accepted Herzog and De Meuron's invitation to collaborate on the design, and our proposal won the competition. From beginning to end, I stayed with the project. I am committed to fostering relationships between a city and its architecture. I am also keen on encouraging participation and exchange during mass events that are meaningful for humankind.

I have no regrets about the role I played; the stadium is a work of great quality and design. I only withdrew from participating in fake performances laden with propaganda. I disagreed with the approach, and did not want my name associated with it. The Beijing opening ceremony had no sensitivity for the Chinese people; it even had the police force dancing on the fields. This is the fantasy of a totalitarian society. It was a nightmare.

By publicly announcing that I would not participate in the opening ceremony, I became a minority, an alternative voice. To the media, I have become a symbolic figure, critical of China. According to the government, I am a dangerous threat. I only expressed my personal opinion of an occasion that many people are passionate about. Unfortunately, such an occasion has no room for differing stances. Mine posed a challenge to the Games themselves. What did I say? Only that I didn't like the government propaganda. I don't feel obliged to approve of it.

I don't watch TV. I did not watch the Olympics last time; I am not very interested in watching it this time, either. I have no interest in activities that are dissociated from the emotions and struggles of everyday people. I enjoy watching any kind of competition – but it must be carried out in fairness, adhering strictly to the established rules. Any competition that cannot demonstrate fairness and abide by a set of openly acknowledged regulations violates civil society. It is also in conflict with the principles of human, social and legal rights.

I have visited London two or three times. I have good impressions of the city. It has a strong and natural continuity with its traditions. At the same time, people enjoy their lives and the city is full of culture. It was a pleasant experience to work with the Serpentine gallery, as well as Herzog and de Meuron, on this summer's pavilion. From the response, I can see that Londoners are very savvy about art and architecture. Tate Modern is also a unique cultural institution, a standard-bearer for quality contemporary art and activities.

I am interested in seeing what the 2012 Olympics has done to London, but I am not free to travel. If I were free, I'd like to see how people will respond to the event, and how members of a different society, living in different social conditions, will participate in the Games. I don't know how London will cope, but I believe it will be more relaxed than Beijing. In London, the people will be able to participate in and celebrate the joy of the Games.

Ai Weiwei

Beijing floods: not enough prevention

Posted: 25 Jul 2012 08:59 AM PDT

To keep people safe from freak storms, like the one that hit Beijing over the weekend, city authorities must empower residents to protect themselves, flood official Cheng Xiaotao tells Xu Nan

On July 21, at least 37 people were killed in Beijing in the heaviest rains the Chinese capital has seen since records began more than 60 years ago.

The storm was particularly severe, but heavy downpours are not a new phenomenon for China. Memories of Guangzhou's summer floods of 2010 remain fresh, while the loss of 22 people in Jinan city's "July 18 downpour" in 2007 is still keenly felt.

At the time of the flooding in Jinan, the capital of China's eastern Shandong province, senior flood official Cheng Xiaotao wrote an essay warning of the dangers posed by urban flooding. Five years later, what are his views? Following the weekend's tragedy in Beijing, chinadialogue spoke to Cheng, who is deputy director of flood and drought prevention research at the Ministry of Water Resources and also deputy chair of the Standing Committee of the International Flood Initiative.

Too little focus on prevention

Beijing was hit by severe storms in July 2011 too, although only half as much rain fell compared to this year. Since then, Cheng believes the government has improved its emergency response. "At least in the city proper, we saw progress this year compared to last year. After the rain was forecast, workers were sent to clear the pipe network, they were kept on standby and responded quickly when the water started to build up."

Compare this with the previous summer, when "transportation broke down and you couldn't get the equipment anywhere" and water poured down the steps into some subway stations, he said. One station on Beijing's second subway line is named Jishuitan, after a nearby pond. Last year, the locals joked that all stations had turned into ponds.

But, despite some progress, Cheng still has concerns: "To date, the emphasis of this work has been on responding to disasters rather than preventing them," he said. Around the world, but particularly in Asia, the frequency of localised cloudbursts is increasing, sometimes producing average hourly rainfalls of 50 millimetres to 100 millimetres, he said.

The past three decades contain plenty of examples of devastating floods hitting Asia's rapidly growing cities. A turning point in conceptualising the problem of "urban flooding" was the Nagasaki floods in Japan in 1982, when transportation, communications networks and electricity supplies were completely paralysed. The death toll hit 299 and more than 20,000 cars were lost.

In 1999, heavy rains swept through south-western Japan, causing flash floods in Tokyo and Fukuoka. More than 100 millimetres of rain fell within one hour and in both places, there were cases of people drowning in basements. Two years later, rainwater flooded the Seoul subway system thanks to severe storms which left at least 49 people dead and highlighted the weakness of our modern cities in the face of sudden and torrential downpours.

Cities are particularly likely to experience heavy rains, thanks to the heat island effect, which in turn creates something of a "rain island effect", explained Cheng. Average temperatures in a city tend to be higher than the surrounding areas. When this hotter air rises to higher altitudes, it cools, forming clouds that produce rain. Cities are also less receptive to the rain when it comes: their hard, impermeable surfaces conspire to keep rainwater above ground. Ironically, underneath Beijing lies an enormous empty aquifer, while on its streets water gathers, unable to reach it.

Managing flood disasters

Cheng believes there are useful lessons for China in Japan's experiences of city flood management. In 2003, Japan passed legislation on the management of water flow into urban rivers, laying the foundation for the country's modern day flood-prevention system. The law requires that anyone converting an area of more than 1,000 square metres of greenery or farmland to urban usage must calculate the increase in run-off and provide corresponding stormwater facilities.

Cheng put it in layman's terms: "The hard surfaces mean that a certain amount of water will remain at the surface, and you need to dig a pond big enough to contain that amount. And the developer pays." The idea is that developers do not have the right to endanger society by increasing the burden on city drains.

The regulations aim to reduce pressure on underground sewers – if the water can't reach the aquifers, then you solve the problem at the surface, said Cheng.

"Building drains is hard and time-consuming, particularly in established cities," he said. "In new urban areas, it is easier to implement a comprehensive programme, where a single trench is dug as the backbone of both sewer and road construction, and the infrastructure for water, electricity, gas and communications networks is done in one swoop. But digging up roads in old areas to lay large diameter pipes, is basically unrealistic.

"Urban water systems should be seen as an organic whole. Everyone can do their bit to help. Any company, organisation or school can find ways of storing rainwater in their own backyard."

Even before Japan passed its law, which was later copied by Taiwan and Korea, Japanese civil society was taking action, said Cheng. In one 235-square kilometre water basin, 85% or which was urbanised, a "comprehensive water management committee" was formed. Since 1990, this group has overseen the construction of 4,300 rainwater control points, creating 3 million cubic metres of water storage.

After South Korea's storms of 2001, Seoul also jumped into action, restoring a number of streams in the city that had been filled in and covered by roads due to complaints of water pollution and the city's desire to ease traffic congestion. When the city was developing rapidly, these streams were considered an inconvenience; today, people realise their importance in managing urban water effectively, said Cheng.

Identifying high-risk areas

In 2011, officials in China's Nanjing city made a promise to locals: the following year, they would have no floods. But the city's flood prevention systems could not be overhauled in such a short time-frame and, unsurprisingly the government came under fire for breaking its promise.

Cheng stressed that improving urban sewers is a huge engineering undertaking, which can't be done overnight. City managers need to adopt a rational attitude and make gradual improvements, he said. They also need to keep the public informed of their plans, just as when new subway lines are being planned, the subway map will include dotted lines showing people when and where new routes will be completed so that they understand the potential disruption during the construction period.

The authorities should also inform people about current drainage conditions – for instance where the flood-prone areas are, so they can be avoided during a big storm, and how deep floodwaters are likely to get in different places. This way, said Cheng, residents in at-risk zones can take appropriate measures to protect themselves.

Put simply, his message is: tell the people what the plans are, and what the risks are.

Cheng said that both city managers and locals need to understand the causes and impacts of city floods. Officials need to educate the public about flood prevention, while the public should also work to raise their awareness of potential dangers.

Basic knowledge about flooding will help people avoid high-risk areas. For example, people should know to steer clear of overpasses in heavy rain, which will produce a lot of water run-off, said Cheng. Pedestrians should also pay close attention to the appearance of the water – a whirlpool, for instance, may indicate there is a pothole underneath.

Several of victims of the weekend's floods in Beijing were electrocuted to death, Cheng added. Floodwaters can make contact with power sources, and become electrical conductors. But the electrical current gets weaker as it moves, so if your foot starts to tingle, you may still be able to step back quickly to where it's safe. But if you don't realise that the water is carrying electricity and carry on or – because you are rushing – move to a spot where the current is stronger and fall into the water, nobody will be able to save you.

The fact that some unfinished buildings were damaged by strong winds during the storms, also causing casualties, is a reminder to avoid taking shelter in unstable buildings, Cheng added.

In the Jinan floods of 2007, most of the deaths were avoidable, said Cheng, who has examined each case. The majority died because they did not know how to respond to the crisis, and went into high risk areas. These lessons should be remembered, he said.

Xu Nan is managing editor in chinadialogue's Beijing office.

Top China Stories from WSJ: Yuan Shift, AMC Theater Deal, Tax Experiment

Posted: 25 Jul 2012 06:19 PM PDT

China's central bank is starting to guide the yuan downward against the dollar; China's Wanda Group got approval to acquire movie-theater chain AMC; China will expand use of the value-added tax.

Infant girl abandoned with cut-throat in northern China

Posted: 25 Jul 2012 05:41 PM PDT

The abandoned girl is recovering in the hospital. /Picture by People.com

Liaoning, China – According to local media, a baby girl was found abandoned in a trash can by a residential area in Anshan City, Liaoning province. The girl was reportedly to be a premature infant born less than 24 hours with an 8 cm long blade wound on throat.

Mr Huang, a dumpster diver who found the girl, said he saw a black plastic bag in the trash can around 8am on July 23. He opened the bag and saw the infant after unwrapped another bag in it. The baby was later taken to a clinic nearby. "The girl was apparently a premature infant , bruised with umbilical cord. Her body was cold, the breath was very weak. The infant was suffocated in the bag for a long time." The doctor from the clinic recalled.

According to the report, the infant was found with an 8 cm long blade wound on her throat when being weighted in Central Hospital of Anshan City. Her blood pressure was too low and the wound was not bleeding. "The cut is 8 cm long and very deep. She would not be saved if the wound was deeper." The surgeon said. The doctors also found the infant had a heart murmur from the result of congenital incomplete development.

The local police has filed report and started an investigation. Unfortunately, the surveillance cameras round the scene didn't work and left no clue for the police. Lawyers said that to abandon a baby is committing a crime of desertion. If a parent cuts the throat of his/her baby, one can be charged with homicide as well. FMN

Netizens create Beijing flood maps amid government failure