China, Hong Kong, Taiwan (China).

Two years ago, Catholic Insight's editor contradicted the "democracy-through-free-trade" advocates who argued that the "one China, two political entities" arrangement would be successful in guaranteeing Hong Kong's political independence from mainland China. Free trade, they said, would democratize and humanize China all by itself. On the other hand, Catholic Insight pointed out that China is not merely an autocratic state, but rather an ideological totalitarianism which cannot be changed by economics only (July/Aug, 1997, P. 8). On Oct. 1, 1999, this totalitarian regime celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, spending $13.3 billion on propaganda. In the run-up to the celebrations, hundreds of "criminals" were executed.

In July, 1999, Taiwan declared its independence from China by launching the idea of "one nation, two states". As a state, it said, it is equal to Beijing's China. It will not negotiate union unless democracy is introduced on the mainland first. The Communist oligarchy in Beijing was furious.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong's much vaunted "autonomy" is proving to be just a fanciful conception. In June, Beijing overruled Hong Kong's Supreme Court decision to allow certain Chinese immigrants into the territory. That ended any claim to constitutional autonomy.

In July, China ended the claim to religious autonomy in Hong Kong by prohibiting a papal visit to the 300,000 Catholics there, without even having received an official Holy See application. Hong Kong's Basic Law, signed before the return of the territory to China two years ago, provides for religious liberty for at least 50 years. The pretext given for China's intervention into Hong Kong affairs was the Vatican's diplomatic relations with Taiwan. The real reason is China's continued rejection of Vatican connections for its "Patriotic" Catholic Church and the Vatican's continued support for the underground Catholic Church.

On the Chinese mainland, persecution of Christians is unrelenting. It differs from region to region in intensity, but it is always legal and always threatening. In April the government destroyed 13 "illegal" Catholic churches in Fuzhou city in south-east China. In May a young Catholic priest (age 33) was murdered by the Beijing police who threw him out of a window into the street. He had celebrated an "unauthorized" Mass that morning. In September an 81-year-old bishop of the underground Church was arrested together with three priests elsewhere in China. Earlier in the year, Beijing had protested the Vatican's new radio service in Chinese. Persecution is also extended to those who defy China's one-child policy.

During July and August, 1999, the Beijing regime also developed mass paranoia about the Falun Gong sect whose million members--unpolitical, peaceful, and non-resistant-have been arrested or suppressed throughout the country simply for daring to seek religious consolation outside the Marxist-atheist framework. "Free trade", of course, has not put the slightest dent in China's arrogance, nor will it. For those who want to keep up to date, see website: www.freechurchforchina.org.

Taiwan's declaration of independence should be fully supported by Canada. It is unthinkable that Canada should give in to Beijing's totalitarian claims over Taiwan. The island also has a flourishing Catholic community of 300,000 (out of 21 million) which enjoys religious liberty. Please write the Hon. Lloyd Axworthy, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lester B. Pearson Building, Tower A 10th Floor, 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON , KiA 0G2, e-mail: [e-mail] him to defend Taiwanese human rights.