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Falun Gong Tries to Cheat Western Public: Chinese Ambassador
Falun Gong, which has caused bitter suffering for many families in China, is trying to shy away from its doomsday theory as well as other hallmarks of a destructive cult in a bid to continuously cheat public opinion in the Western society, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Yang Jiechi said Thursday.
Yang, in reply to questions about Falun Gong in a luncheon speech at the National Press Club, also emphasized the Chinese Government's decision to ban Falun Gong two years ago was legitimate because it reflected the will of the majority of the Chinese people.
Yang pointed out that the doomsday view of Falun Gong, though already well-known and widely condemned in China, seems not to be so clear to the American people because its leaders ``have changed their tactics'' by putting on a benign cloak to hide its evil nature in its rhetoric campaign in the United States.
``What the leaders of Falun Gong have been saying is that the Earth has been destroyed many times, and the Earth is about to explode, and the leaders have magic power to postpone the explosion of the Earth,'' Yang said.
Falun Gong leaders even alleged that they decided to put off ``the explosion of the Earth'' in response to the request of the top Chinese leaders, he added.
``I don't think the American people believe that,'' the ambassador said.
The heads of the evil cult ``should really let the American people know the whole doctrines, not just telling people that it's good for people's health and (it's just) do exercises and so on,'' Yang said.
Yang also refuted allegations by some American politicians and human rights activists that Falun Gong should be legitimized for the sake of religious freedom.
``Some people say the issue touches religious freedom. (But) Falun Gong (itself) has said time and again that it is not a religion. I believe Falun Gong has an ulterior motive,'' he said.
About 1,600 Falun Gong followers who cannot resist the mental control of their leaders have died in China because their leaders declared practitioners should shun medicines and doctors when they get ill, he said.
Moreover they should believe in their leaders so that if they die, they will go to the heaven and fulfil their dreams, he said.
``Just think about the families that suffered from all this loss of their dear ones, (and about) their friends and so on. How many broken families resulting from the deaths of 1,600 people!'' Yang said.
Yang said the Chinese Government, which has the responsibility for its people's well-being, has adopted ``the right approach'' on Falun Gong, because the Chinese people have supported the government in its efforts to ban the destructive cult.
He noted that Western journalists based in Beijing and other places in China said in their own reports that ``the Chinese people don't like Falun Gong,'' especially after the self-immolation that occurred in Tian'anmen Square earlier this year.
If the overwhelming majority of the people in China consider Falun Gong as bad, one has to say that the banning of the cult represents ``the people's will,'' rather than ``a conclusion imposed on the people by the government,'' Yang stressed.
The Chinese ambassador urged human rights activists in Western countries ``to respect the rights and the opinion of the Chinese people.''
``I think people have to respect the opinion of other countries. If people really believe in human rights, they should have the courage to respect the facts,'' he said.
Yang also said that Falun Gong provides a classic example as to show ``how one should respect the real public opinion in a given country.''
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