09-13-2017, 10:30 PM
*** 14-Sep-17 World View -- Kidnapping and sham trial of Lee Ming-che brings China-Taiwan relations to another low
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** China kidnaps and tortures Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che for sham confession
****
![[Image: g170913b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g170913b.jpg)
Taiwanese editorial cartoon depicting commonly held attitude toward China's trial of Lee Ming-che (News Lens)
Lee Ming-che, a community college teacher in Taiwan who has posted
criticisms of the mainland Communist Party of China (CCP), was
kidnapped by Chinese authorities on March 19 in Macau, as he was
traveling to China to visit a friend. There was no word of his fate
until March 28, when Chinese authorities confirmed that he had been
jailed on charges of "pursuing activities harmful to national
security." Lee is the first Taiwanese to be accused based on a new
law that specifies harsh punishment for CCP critics.
Lee was not permitted visits by his family, and he had no lawyer
except one appointed by the CCP. Only when his trial began, on
Monday, September 11, were his wife and mother permitted to see him in
the courtroom.
On Monday, the CCP released videos of Lee confessing to his alleged
crimes, referring to comments written in an instant messaging group:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"I spread some attacks, theories that maliciously
> attacked and defamed China’s government, the Chinese Communist
> Party and China’s current political system, and I incited the
> subversion of state power."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
There are few people who doubt that Lee's "confession" was coerced,
probably by means of torture.
Lee’s wife Lee Ching-yu said to the Taiwanese media, "Please forgive
Lee Ming-che if you see him doing or saying something disturbing in
court under duress. That is just the Chinese government skillfully
extracting a 'guilty confession.'" Taipei Times (28-Mar) and Reuters and News Lens (Taiwan)
****
**** Kidnapping and sham trial of Lee Ming-che brings China-Taiwan relations to another low
****
The Chinese kidnapped, jailed, tortured, coerced a confession from and
tried in court someone who was effectively a nobody, and nothing that
he said could possibly have done any harm to the Chinese government.
So the question arises why China would spend millions of dollars to do
this with no apparent purpose.
According to Taiwanese Judicial Reform Foundation executive director
Kao Jung-chih, the timing of the trial was deliberately set for Monday
to stop Lee’s wife, Lee Ching-yu, from traveling to Geneva,
Switzerland, on Sept. 10 and reporting on her husband’s case at a
meeting of the UN working group on arbitrary detention and enforced
disappearances, since the court trial disqualified Lee Ming-che as a
victim of enforced disappearance, which international law treats as a
crime against humanity.
Many analysts believe that China is using the Lee case to send a
warning that a crackdown on Taiwan is coming. According to
one analyst:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"Beijing has been in the mode of demonstrating that
> China is not happy with Taiwan and can cause Taiwan pain in a
> variety of ways. In that sense, Beijing welcomes a deterioration
> of relations with Taiwan."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
Taiwan's premier William Lai begged China to return Lee to Taiwan:
"Lee works at a non-profit organization as a human rights advocate.
There is no way he could subvert the Chinese government. I felt sorry
for Lee being forced to confess at a trial in a manner nobody could
accept." Sentinel (Taiwan) and VOA and Taipei Times and News Lens (Taiwan)
Related Articles
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, China, Taiwan, Lee Ming-che,
Lee Ching-yu, Kao Jung-chih, William Lai
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- China kidnaps and tortures Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che for sham confession
- Kidnapping and sham trial of Lee Ming-che brings China-Taiwan relations to another low
****
**** China kidnaps and tortures Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che for sham confession
****
Taiwanese editorial cartoon depicting commonly held attitude toward China's trial of Lee Ming-che (News Lens)
Lee Ming-che, a community college teacher in Taiwan who has posted
criticisms of the mainland Communist Party of China (CCP), was
kidnapped by Chinese authorities on March 19 in Macau, as he was
traveling to China to visit a friend. There was no word of his fate
until March 28, when Chinese authorities confirmed that he had been
jailed on charges of "pursuing activities harmful to national
security." Lee is the first Taiwanese to be accused based on a new
law that specifies harsh punishment for CCP critics.
Lee was not permitted visits by his family, and he had no lawyer
except one appointed by the CCP. Only when his trial began, on
Monday, September 11, were his wife and mother permitted to see him in
the courtroom.
On Monday, the CCP released videos of Lee confessing to his alleged
crimes, referring to comments written in an instant messaging group:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"I spread some attacks, theories that maliciously
> attacked and defamed China’s government, the Chinese Communist
> Party and China’s current political system, and I incited the
> subversion of state power."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
There are few people who doubt that Lee's "confession" was coerced,
probably by means of torture.
Lee’s wife Lee Ching-yu said to the Taiwanese media, "Please forgive
Lee Ming-che if you see him doing or saying something disturbing in
court under duress. That is just the Chinese government skillfully
extracting a 'guilty confession.'" Taipei Times (28-Mar) and Reuters and News Lens (Taiwan)
****
**** Kidnapping and sham trial of Lee Ming-che brings China-Taiwan relations to another low
****
The Chinese kidnapped, jailed, tortured, coerced a confession from and
tried in court someone who was effectively a nobody, and nothing that
he said could possibly have done any harm to the Chinese government.
So the question arises why China would spend millions of dollars to do
this with no apparent purpose.
According to Taiwanese Judicial Reform Foundation executive director
Kao Jung-chih, the timing of the trial was deliberately set for Monday
to stop Lee’s wife, Lee Ching-yu, from traveling to Geneva,
Switzerland, on Sept. 10 and reporting on her husband’s case at a
meeting of the UN working group on arbitrary detention and enforced
disappearances, since the court trial disqualified Lee Ming-che as a
victim of enforced disappearance, which international law treats as a
crime against humanity.
Many analysts believe that China is using the Lee case to send a
warning that a crackdown on Taiwan is coming. According to
one analyst:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"Beijing has been in the mode of demonstrating that
> China is not happy with Taiwan and can cause Taiwan pain in a
> variety of ways. In that sense, Beijing welcomes a deterioration
> of relations with Taiwan."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
Taiwan's premier William Lai begged China to return Lee to Taiwan:
"Lee works at a non-profit organization as a human rights advocate.
There is no way he could subvert the Chinese government. I felt sorry
for Lee being forced to confess at a trial in a manner nobody could
accept." Sentinel (Taiwan) and VOA and Taipei Times and News Lens (Taiwan)
Related Articles
- In a major victory for China, Panama switches allegiance from Taiwan to China (14-Jun-2017)
- Taiwan says it must defend against increasingly threatening China (18-Mar-2017)
- Taiwan's president responds to military threats from China (01-Jan-2017)
- New Taiwan poll shows overwhelming support for independence from China (02-Jun-2016)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, China, Taiwan, Lee Ming-che,
Lee Ching-yu, Kao Jung-chih, William Lai
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
