WOIPFG Issues Report on CSSA Acting as CCP Overseas Agent

As some overseas Chinese Student and Scholar Associations (CSSA) conduct anti-Falun Gong activities and help the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to extend the persecution under the direction of Chinese embassies and consulates, the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG) released a report on June 28th, 2007. The report exposed how Chinese embassies and consulates extend the CCP's human rights persecution policy overseas and interfere with the internal affairs of other countries through the CSSA. Following is the entire text of the report:

Investigation Report on CSSA Acting as CCP Overseas Agent

(June 22, 2007)

Introduction

The Chinese Student and Scholar Association (CSSA) comprises students and scholars from mainland China, who study and work in universities around the world. As early as the year 2000, CSSA exists in at least 12 countries. In the US alone, there are at least 109 such associations. According to China Scholars Abroad, an official website created by the Chinese government, there are more than 60 CSSAs in the US However, the real number is far larger. For example, only CSSA-UK is listed for Great Britain, but there are at least 71 CSSAs in all parts of the United Kingdom. This investigation report reveals how the Chinese embassies and consulates export the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s human right violation policy to other countries and interfere with the internal affairs of those lands.

Each School's CSSA is under direct leadership of Chinese consulate

Many universities' CSSA states directly in its bylaws or on its website that the organisation is under the leadership of the Chinese embassy or consulate. For example, on the CSSA-Republic of Ireland's website, Tang Jiwei from Education and Culture Section of the Chinese Embassy in Ireland is listed as the official contact. We have verified that he is the First Secretary in the education group of the embassy, and the group's office is listed as the contact address of CSSA-Republic of Ireland. In England's Sunderland University, its CSSA bylaws state that "our association is under leadership and guidance of Chinese Embassy in United Kingdom and CSSA-UK." Cheng Xusen, the executive and web team member of CSSA-Sunderland also clearly states in his status report that "CSSA-Sunderland is under leadership, supervision and management of the Chinese Embassy in Great Britain and the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester." Membership meeting duties outlined in Germany's CSSA-Wuerzburg include "passing on and discussing how to carry out the orders from the Chinese Embassy and the Ministry of Education of China." CSSA-France's Art Troupe states in its bylaw that the group is under the guidance and supervision of the Chinese Embassy in France's Education Section.

The education consul and consul in Chinese consulates directly control or influence CSSA by acting as its advisor.

For example, two out of three CSSA Advisory Board members of Columbia University are from the Chinese Consulate General in New York City. They are Education Consul Fanglin Ai and Da Yao, consul in charge of New York City and Long Island. Da Yao is not only the advisor of the Columbia University CSSA (CUCSSA), but also the advisor of Weill Medical College of Cornell University CSSA.

On June 8th, 2007, the New York University Chinese Student and Scholar Association, also known as New York University Chinese Culture Club (NYUCCC) initiated a signature campaign on its website against NTDTV International Chinese Classical Dance Competition. On June 17th, CUCSSA published an open letter on its website to support NYUCCC, and in the meantime, posted nine articles to attack and defame Falun Gong. In all those articles, the website of the Chinese Embassy is linked. With a click, one can see the original postings on the website of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America.

CSSA Presidents Conference

In the early days, Chinese embassies and consulates could not guarantee 100 percent control of CSSA in all the schools because its president was elected locally by the member students. Around the year 2000, Chinese consulates in different areas planned and established the CSSA Presidents Committee.

On February 9th, 2003, the official CCP mouthpiece Xinhua reported that the US Southwest CSSA Presidents Committee had been founded at the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles. The report announced that "The Committee enrolled CSSA of 18 colleges and universities, as well as national laboratories in Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Hawaii as members, including 12 president's units" "to foster the friendship and strengthen the ties to all kinds of associations, student clubs and overseas Chinese..."

CSSA carries out anti-Falun Gong activities under the leadership of Chinese consulate

Directed by Chinese consulate, CSSA carries out anti-Falun Gong activities, many of which took place inside the consulate. In February 2001, CSSA members in Houston area attended an anti-Falun Gong forum held at the Chinese Consulate General in Houston. In the article of CSSA-Sunderland's Cheng Xusen, he also mentioned that his organisation had cooperated with the Chinese consulate to carry out anti-Falun Gong activities.

On May 26th, 2007, the Education Section of the Chinese Consulate General in Houston hosted a meeting for CSSA presidents from Texas and Louisiana. Those presidents reported their achievements in "suppressing the moving space of enemy force".

Chinese embassies and consulates provide operating funds to CSSA

According to Article 19 of the "Tentative Measures on Implementing Financial Responsibilities at the Education Section (or Group) of Overseas Embassies and Consulates", issued by the Ministry of Education of China, "Propaganda Fund Disbursement" is specified, whereby Education Section (or Group) of overseas embassies and consulates are required to "follow regulation and allocate funds for student's social activities" each year. At the beginning of the year, the students social associations should submit a detailed budget, and at the end of the year, actual expense reports to the Education Section (or Group)."

Zhang Pingqiang was the CSSA President at George Brown College and Windsor University in Canada. In his writing, he disclosed that the Chinese consulate provided funds to each CSSA. It was also clearly stated in the finance section of the Oxford University CSSA's bylaws that "CSSA funding came from Embassy disbursement, donations, sponsors and ticket sales."