The China Puzzle, Part
6
by Linda A. Prussen-Razzano
What else could the Chinese Military possibly want to buy from America?
How about a military base here in the United States?
While reports vary on the exact length of time, the Chinese Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) has had a presence at the Long Beach Naval Station in Oakland, California since the early 1980’s (shame on you, President Reagan). They lease a portion of the space directly from the city. In 1997, they attempted to lease the entire former 144-acre Long Beach Naval Station and its secure ports. COSCO planned to demolish the existing structures and build a new $200 million terminal, thereby allowing its 600 ships to sail directly to America’s shores without having to pass through U.S. Customs.
Ironically, a Marine reserve battalion also bid on the base, but was turned down.
The Long Beach Harbor Commission reportedly supported the move, which would net millions in rent, $1 million in taxes, and several hundred jobs for the area. President Clinton, himself, affixed his “seal of approval” on the deal. The Administration forwarded the line that “`all intelligence agencies that briefed us have assured us that COSCO represents no threat to our national security” (H1534, “COSCO: A Communist Chinese Owned-Company,” House of Representatives, Mr. Cunningham, April 15, 1997). According to news reports, Dorothy Robyn, working with preservationists to fight the lease, was urged by a Clinton appointee to “abandon their effort[s].“
Unfortunately, the plan’s supporters did not have access to intelligence reports indicating that COSCO is tied directly to the PLA, and answers, in part, to COSTIND. They apparently were unaware that COSCO has reportedly shipped WMD to terrorist groups in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Bosnia. Presumably, they didn’t know that another COSCO ship had been caught smuggling illegal aliens; that various ships had been cited by the Coast Guard on 6 separate occasions for security infractions; or that COSCO had been fined for paying kick-backs to shippers instead of paying legal tariffs.
Moreover, they would be shocked to learn that COSTIND-controlled Poly Technologies of California attempted to smuggle 2,000 fully-automatic AK-47s to the United States aboard COSCO’s Empress Phoenix. Mr. Wang, chairman of Poly Technologies, was a known Clinton supporter who visited him in the White House and at various DNC fundraising functions.
Finally, they obviously didn’t know that the “brief” upon which the Administration claimed “no threat” was a complete fabrication. According to Rep. Cunningham, “the same intelligence briefers, the CIA, the National Security, the Coast Guard, have all stated that no such comment was ever made [or] ever intended” (H1534, Cunningham, April 15, 1997).
Indeed, the President was quite generous to COSCO, as well as the Chinese shipping industry. In 1996, he cut millions from education, but gave the Chinese $50 million for “trade.” He also supplied them with a $137 million “nonrecourse” loan to build 5 new ships. What, specifically, does “nonrecourse” mean? It means that if China defaults, the American taxpayers foot the bill.
But why? Why would the President so greatly favor a company that our intelligence community has linked to various nefarious activities?
Enter Johnny Chung and Yah Lin “Charlie” Trie.
On December 19, 1994 and on March 9, 1995, Johnny Chung, a California businessman turned DNC fundraiser, delivered $40,000 and $50,000, respectively, directly to the White House. Two days after the March, 1995 deposit, one of COSCO’s advisers attended the President’s weekly radio address at the White House. Johnny Chung continued to funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal campaign contributions, and COSCO representatives, such as Mr. Wang, enjoy fund-raising coffee and chats with the President. Johnny Chung, whose presence raised alarms with the CIA, gained access to the White House a total of 50 times (21 times on the authority of the First Lady, herself). COSCO advisers got a personal tour of the Naval Base and a multi-million dollar loan to build 5 new ships.
Yah Lin “Charlie" Trie, a DNC fundraiser, brought Mr. Wang to a DNC fundraiser as his “guest.” In April of 1996, President Clinton appointed Mr. Trie to the Commission on U.S. Pacific Trade and Investment Policy. He also visited the White House numerous times, eventually funneling $640,000 of illegal campaign contributions into the President’s legal defense fund.
Amazingly, once news reports surfaced which linked the foreign contributions to the DNC and Clinton/Gore 1996 campaign, the First Lady repeatedly remarked to the press that she didn’t “know” how Chung and Trie gained such access.
They gained such access because, my dear, you granted it.
Finally, when China started shelling Taiwan and America launched her ships towards the Straight, China ordered America to back down. Why? “The former Ambassador, Charles Freling, quoting a Chinese official, [said] that China would intimidate Taiwan because U.S. leaders would care more about Los Angeles than they would Taiwan.” (New York Times, January 24, 1996).
Just as Mrs. Clinton allowed Chung and Trie to infiltrate the White House, so the President allowed China to infiltrate our shores. The President and First Lady blatantly lied to the public. In return for illegal campaign contributions, the President funneled millions of tax-payer dollars to his cohorts and the Chinese. Chung later plead the 5th Amendment, the Trie fled to China. These “friends” of the White House indirectly threatened to bomb our country from one of our own ports.
So, are the pieces starting to come together? ***
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