On May 17, hundreds of well-organized pro-communist mobs gathered in Flushing to verbally and physically assault Falun Gong practitioners who were holding a permitted rally to support Chinese who quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The attacks, which have lasted for nearly two months now, were organized by the Chinese Consulate, according to a recorded confession by Chinese Consul General Peng Keyu. At least 12 were arrested for attacking Falun Gong practitioners. No Falun Gong practitioner was spotted fighting back or returning unfriendly remarks.
Falun Gong practitioners contacted Liu shortly after the attacks started, only to be rebuffed again and again. Meanwhile, they found Liu’s door was wide open to their attackers. Besides meeting with the attackers, Liu also encouraged attackers, who had their images published in The Epoch Times, to complain about the publication.
However, not long ago, Liu used to show friendliness to Falun Gong practitioners—before he was elected councilperson. According to Falun Gong practitioners, Liu once came to their truth-clarification booth in Flushing and expressed his disagreement with the CCP’s persecution, and promised to help protect Falun Gong practitioners once he won the election. He didn’t keep his word, and never let Falun Gong practitioners into his office until about two months after the Flushing mob attacks started.
People can’t help wondering, why? Why is an elected New York City official showing such favoritism to CCP supporters and so much indifference, even hostility, to law-abiding people who the CCP views as enemies?
The answer is three words: “United Front Work”
United Front Work: The Magic Weapon for Expanding Communist Influence
“(United front work) specifically refers to the political coalition of various social political forces… formed under some historical circumstances, based on common interest for a fixed common goal, under the theoretic guidance of Marxism, organized and led by the Chinese Communist Party.”
—CCP Central Committee United Front Department
As one of the three “magic weapons for communist revolution” as defined by Mao Zedong, the united front work strategy has always been the guideline of the CCP’s global policies. Beijing requires its officials of overseas Chinese affairs to “identify, nurture and establish major targets…among 2nd and 3rd generation overseas Chinese, as well as new immigrants1.” “Nurturing” government officials like Liu is certainly an important part of this strategy. In Liu’s case, the nurturing seems to have paid off.
From what is known, the “nurturing” that the CCP applied to Liu includes financial support, media exposure and a reception in China, mostly done through local Chinese organizations.
Money Talks: Money From CCP-controlled Organizations
When you take other people’s gifts, your hand will be weak.
—Chinese proverb
One reason for Liu’s unwillingness to displease the Flushing mobs may be that the Fujian Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (FCBA) reportedly is a major force in organizing the attacks.
FCBA has been active in raising money for Liu’s election. According to The World Journal, a U.S. based Chinese newspaper, FCBA had raised over $70,000 by July 2, 2008 for Liu’s next election campaign.
At a FCBA sponsored fund raising dinner party held for Liu on July 2, less then two months after the Flushing attacks started, when someone asked Liu to run for Mayor of New York City, Liu answered smilingly, “I will run for whatever position you guys require of me,” The World Journal said. The leader of FCBA made a speech to motivate members to help Liu obtain high positions in NYC government, according to the report.
FCBA, seemingly a harmless benevolent organization, has served as an overseas agency of the CCP that carries out communist policies in the heart of the United States. From the day it was founded, the FCBA has maintained a close relationship with the Chinese Council in New York. Former Chinese Consul General Liu Biwei attended FCBA’s founding ceremony in April 2004. On May 8, 2008, 9 days before FCBA members attacked Falun Gong practitioners in Flushing, the current Chinese Consul General Peng Keyu led FCBA’s new staff in reading their inaugural oaths. After the ceremony, some 1,000 attendees sang with Peng “Singing in Praise of My Motherland” to celebrate the Beijing Olympic Games, according to a report in Chinese newspaper Qiaobao.
FCBA has been active in carrying out missions against China’s dissidents, including Falun Gong practitioners. In a blog published on www.niuguo.net, a self-proclaimed FCBA member, under the screen name Kingbank, said, “I myself was caught on media camera when showing Falun Gong practitioners the middle finger in a major activity of Chinese people in 2004. Though it was not elegant, I was accepted by the FCBA as a member because of this.”
It is not difficult to see that the FCBA, who invites new members for their insulting of the CCP’s dissidents, would not be so fervent in throwing money at politicians who would speak a fair word for Falun Gong practitioners. This loud message can’t have escaped Liu’s attention, and obviously he did not ignore it.
Other Chinese organizations such as the Eastern Chinese American Physicians Association IPA and the U.S. Chinese Chamber of Commerce have also raised funds for Liu. Without them Liu may not be able to have raised the $3 million he had obtained by July 2 this year, next only to New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
Official documents revealed by former Chinese envoy Chen Yonglin showed that the CCP uses overseas Chinese community groups to work as special agents and help suppress overseas dissidents. "Controlling the Chinese community is the CCP's consistent foreign policy,” Chen said in an interview. “The CCP uses these community groups as front organizations to influence western government officials. The purpose is to discredit and intimidate the five target groups: Tibetan exiles, Taiwanese, Uighur Muslims, democracy activists, and most of all Falun Gong practitioners.”
Reddening: Connections With Active CCP Supporters
If you often stay close to the red, you will turn red.
—Chinese proverb
Liu was invited to visit China at the end of March 2007. In Beijing he was honored with the Award for Chinese influencing in the World, and was received by Vice Director Xu Yousheng of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council. Later he visited several other cities in Shandong Province, in each of which he was warmly received by top officials. Liu’s visit was heavily reported by Chinese media from before he arrived, depicting him as a political star.
The reason Liu chose Shandong as his destination was that the person who planned his visit was the head of the Shandong Association of Fellow Provincials of New York, Lu Chengrui. Lu is also chairman of the Union of the Chinese Organization Leaders, an organization with close ties to the CCP who often voices CCP’s ideologies in the name of all Chinese in America. A recent example was that Lu held a meeting of Chinese organization leaders on March 14 to state that “Chinese around the world” would not allow Taiwan to obtain a UN vote. At the meeting Lu threatened that the vote would trigger a war, and made other remarks similar to those used in official Chinese propaganda.
Liu has frequent contact with figures like Lu, and attends their activities often. With such close connections with CCP overseas representatives, it is no surprise that Liu remains consistent with the CCP on all important issues.
Infiltration: Targeting the U.S. Government
“The tasks and missions of the China Council overseas are clear; one is to ‘blend into local high-level politics,’ and the second is to ‘influence the mainstream society.’”
—Investigative Report by World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong, quoting China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification website
The Chinese media in the United States and mainland China all mentioned that Liu may become the Mayor of New York City one day. The Chinese organizations Liu remains intimate with have encouraged Liu to run for Mayor on various occasions. No doubt it is the goal of the CCP to make Liu the first Chinese Mayor in the United States.
If Liu and the CCP succeeded, what would happen? The story of the first Chinese Mayor in Australia, John So, mayor of Melbourne, may serve as a good reference.
John So and John Liu share many things in common in terms of their relations with the CCP. John So was given the same award that Liu received in Beijing in 2007. They both visited China on the invitation of overseas Chinese organizations and were both very well received in China. They were both widely reported in Chinese media, which referred to So as the “best Mayor in the world” and Liu as the “new political star.” Further more, they both showed hostility toward Falun Gong. Their difference is: So has already paid for his discrimination against Falun Gong.
In 2003, So prohibited Falun Gong practitioners from participating in the city's annual Moomba parade on a short notice, charging the spiritual group as “too political.” On April 7, 2004, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal ordered him to make a public apology to Falun Gong and also fined him $200,000. Afterwards, he became a member of the Council for the Promotion of United Front Work of China.
In its “Investigative Report on the Control of Overseas Chinese and the Implementation of Global United Front Work Strategy by the Chinese Communist Regime,” WOIPFG pointed out: Such political alliances formed overseas under the driving force of the Chinese Communist regime … are very similar to the then “Third Communist International” formed by the Soviet Communists.
Liu has reportedly tried to persuade his colleagues in government positions not to raise the Falun Gong issue or support Falun Gong practitioners, making the CCP’s ideology more deeply planted in various levels of the government in the United States. His reaction to the Flushing mob attacks, especially his indulging the attackers, proves the CCP’s infiltration has put the freedom and lives of American citizens in danger.
When pro-CCP politicians like John Liu go higher in various levels of the U.S. government, Americans who disagree with communists will need to watch their backs, because their government may not be watching out for them.
Note: Website of Standing Committee of Liaoning Provincial People’s Congress
