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China Daily
97 / 12 / 23 /
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1. Nightmares -- germ warfare
2. What's on (Page 9, Date: 12/23/97)
3. Programme benefits all guests
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Nightmares -- germ warfare
EIGHTY-four-year-old Ni Jinchao has been living with a wound for
55 years. Day in, and day out, the palm-sized injuries under his
feet open and reopen.
"At first I often wished one day when I got up, the scar would be
healed, and all the pain and the depression accompanying it would
go," said Ni.
"But it never did."
So does the pain in his heart.
Ni could never forget the day he was injured. He was working in
the rice paddy barefooted on April 11, 1942, when he saw the
Japanese plane drop some white powder. Then his two feet began to
feel itchy, and later the area developed into a wound which would
not heal. He had to bind his feet with pieces of cloth and walk
with a limp for the rest of his life.
He was not alone. Twenty-five persons permanently bore wounds in
this small village in Jinhua in Zhejiang Province. They didn't get
infected with the germ by accident. They were victims of a large
Japanese germ warfare attack that took place in East China in the
early 1940s.
Compared with thousands that died of the biological attack, these
villagers were lucky -- they survived after all.
In August this year, 108 survivors and family members from six
areas of China filed a suit with the Tokyo District Court,
demanding the Japanese Government acknowledge their damage and
compensate them with 1.8 billion Yen (US$9.39 million). The court
case will start on February 16, 1998.
Of the 30 war-damage suits filed with the Japanese court, this is
the first in connection with Japan's use of biological weapons
during the World War II.
For victims of Japanese germ warfare, the burden has been on their
minds for too long.
"For 52 years, no one in my family dared discuss the topic,
because it was too painful to talk about it," said He Yinzhen, one
of the plaintiffs from Changde, Hunan Province.
The 63-year-old He said her family was once a big one. But within
20 days, six family members were killed by the attack.
Although she was only seven at the time, she could still well
recall the nightmare in October 1941.
"The Japanese planes bombed Changde. My mother brought six
juveniles to the countryside. The others were still left in the
town to manage the herbal medicine shop. Later, my younger brother
caught a cold, and my mother sent him back to town," He sobbed.
"We didn't know that there was something more deadly than bombs
waiting for them."
Along with bombs, the Japanese released fleas infected with
plague, and cotton and grain which were used to protect the fleas.
"My sister-in-law was the first to be stricken with the plague. We
went back to town to find her blue-faced and having difficulty
breathing. She had a high fever and there was a swelling under her
chin," said He.
She died at midnight. The next day, her brother-in-law fell ill.
The next few days turned out to be a nightmare. He's niece, nephew
and brother died one after another. The house was turned to a
ghost house.
"Dad wouldn't let me in for fear I would also be hounded by the
devil. I stood outside the door, watching the bodies of our folks
carried out to bury. My father arranged for us to get back to the
countryside on a small boat. As we left, he told us not to tell
others what was happening to our family," He said.
Their neighbours noticed the door of their home had been closed
for several days and came to inquire. Finally the word got out.
The Kuomintang government sent quarantine officers to He's home to
have a medical check-up. The house was sealed up.
Later it was burned by the bombs of the Japanese. Her elder
brother was badly injured and died. The relatives collected some
money to put up a shack for the family to live in.
"My family suffered a loss that cannot be compensated, and the
Japanese Government didn't even admit they ever used germs," said
He.
In the early 1980s the Japanese Government admitted the existence
of Unit 731, but not its germ warfare, which was banned by the
1925 Geneva Convention. Many Japanese still don't know what Unit
731 did in China in the early 1940s. It is believed that 2,098
Chinese were eventually killed in germ warfare field experiments.
Keiichiro Ichinose, the main lawyer for the Chinese plaintiffs,
has made a dozen trips to China to investigate.
"When I came to Chongshan Village of Zhejiang Province to collect
evidence, I was overwhelmed by the fact that so many people, not
one or two individuals, are suffering from the germ warfare," said
Ichinose.
It was the human experiment, more than horrible weaponry, that
distinguished the Japanese troops. After the plague was
transmitted to Chongshan Village, the Japanese 1644 Army led the
infected villagers to Linshan Monastery. To extract
plague-infected organs, the Japanese performed vivisections on
villagers. The 18-year-old Wu Xiaonai was tied to a chair and cut
open from the chest to stomach, according to Wang Jindi, an
investigator of biological attacks in Chongshan Village. Over all
about 400 villagers d
ied from plague and vivisections.
In 1994, several hundred victims from Chongshan Village put the
demand for a clear apology and compensation to the Japanese
Embassy in China, but got no reply. In August 1995, Ichinose heard
the news when he came to Harbin to attend a symposium on the
hideous atrocities carried out by Japan's Unit 731.
He then visited Zhejiang and Hunan, and found the Japanese troops
conducted germ experiments and vivisections on the Chinese in many
locations along the railway from Zhejiang to Jiangxi. They
infected people with plague, anthrax, cholera and a dozen other
pathogens.
"We are further convinced the area was experimental ground for the
Japanese troops because many places were mentioned in the diary of
Kumao Imoto, a staff officer of the Japanese troups in China,
whichwas found in the Defense Agency's National Defense College.
People in their 70s and older can still recall the incident. There
are also victims who are still living," said Ichinose.
Qian Guifa is one who miraculously survived the plague. He clearly
remembers that on October 27, 1940, the Japanese planes flew over
the Kaiming Road, the business centre of Ningbo and released
barley. Soon 14 staff members of the Yuantai Restaurant where he
apprenticed fell ill, including himself.
To eradicate the plague, a total of 137 houses in the area were
burned down, including the restaurant Qian once worked in. No
house has been built in the area since.
Qian was treated at a monastery which was temporarily turned into
a hospital. Many people infected with plague were also kept there,
some simply waiting to die.
Perhaps because he is strong, he survived after several days of
high fever. But few people ever came out of the hospital.
But even with such strong evidence, the Japanese continue to deny
or trivialize this part of their wartime record, refusing demands
for a clear apology.
The cover-up was assisted by the United States in the postwar
years.
"The Allied Forces granted immunity from war crimes prosecution to
the Japanese doctors in exchange for their data and helped
covering up the human experiment," said Watanabe Nobori, a
researcher on the notorious Unit 731.
Instead of putting the ringleaders on trial, the United States
gave them stipends in order to have a germ warfare advantage over
the Soviet Union.
Keiichiro Ichinose said that their clients are eligible for
individual state compensation based on the Hague Convention of
1907, which bans signatory nations from engaging in germ warfare.
Japan ratified the convention in 1911.
But Keiichiro believes this is the case that would last at least
10 years. Even if they failed, there is some significance.
"Because the word would get out and people would know what was
happening in China 50 years ago," said Ichinose.
"In this sense, we always succeed."
_____________________________________________________________
_Date: 12/23/97_
_Author: Gong Qian_
_Copyright© by China Daily_
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What's on (Page 9, Date: 12/23/97)
EXHIBITIONS
Oil paintings show -- Wanfung Art Gallery is holding an oil
painting exhibition entitled "Scenes of Old Beijing."
On display are more than 20 oil works by three middle-aged,
Beijing-born artists who have captured scenes like the old
hutongs, time-honoured gates, life in quadrangles with a
true-to-life effect of closeup.
Time:9 am - 6 pm, through December 30.
Place: Wanfung Art Gallery, 136 Nanchizi Dajie, Dongcheng
District, Beijing.
Tel: 6512-7338.
Contemporary art -- Red Gate Gallery is hosting an art show of
original works by some fine artists. On show are paintings by
artists including Su Xinping, Zeng Fanzhi and Guo Jin. Their works
have been selected for calendars in the past 10 years and in the
1998 Calendar.
Time: 11 am-6 pm, through December 31.
Place: Red Gate Gallery, third floor, China World Trade Centre, 1
Jianguomen Dajie, Chaoyang District, Beijing.
Tel: 6505-2266 ext 6821/5729.
Oil paintings -- Zhang Xiaogang's "Bloodline: The Big Family," is
running at the gallery of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.
Zhang started his oil painting career in the early 1980s. However,
it was the "Bloodline" series he created after 1993 that
established his fame both at home and abroad. In this series, his
usual style disappeared. He presented instead the style of
charcoal portraiture once very popular in China in the 1950s and
the 1960s and chose old photographs with strong local
characteristics as his subjects. The photographs were typical
family portraits of the kind found in most Chinese households.
Time: 9 am-5 pm, until December 25
Place: Gallery of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, 5 Xiaowei
Hutong, Wangfujing Street
Tel: 6528-4838
Oil paintings -- The Beijing International Art Palace is holding a
40-day oil painting exhibition until February 6 next year.
The oil paintings on display come from the collection of the art
palace and most of them have been displayed in the gallery of the
art palace.
Set up in 1991, the Beijing International Art Palace has held more
than 200 art shows, including Chinese painting, oil painting, folk
art, and imitations of European classical oil paintings.
Time: 9 am-6 pm, until February 6, 1998.
Place: Beijing International Art Palace, 48 Wangfujing Street,
Dongcheng District
Tel: 6512-5063
CONCERTS
Children's chorus -- The children orchestra attached to the China
National Symphony Orchestra will sing famous domestic and foreign
songs to greet the coming year.
Yang Hongnian will conduct.
Time: 7:30 pm, December 29.
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie
Tel: 6605-5812
Film song concert -- The Chorus of the Central Nationality
Orchestra will give a movie theme concert.
Film songs include "Bright Sunny Sky," "My Country," "Why the
Flowers Are So Red" and "My Beautiful Homeland."
Time: 7:30 pm, December 26.
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie
Tel: 6605-5812
Chorus concert -- The Chorus of the China National Symphony
Orchestra will give a chorus concert for the coming new year.
Time: 7:30pm, December 24.
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie, Xicheng District
Tel: 6605-5812
World-famous pieces -- Tianjin Symphony Orchestra will hold a
world-famous pieces concert.
Time: 7:30 pm, December 30
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie
Tel: 6605-5812
Christmas concert -- The Central Nationality Orchestra Singers'
Group will sing hymns and Christmas carols.
The hymns include "Ave Maria," "Oh, Christmas Tree," "Joy to the
World," "The First Noel," "Jingle Bells," "Hallelujah," "The
Gospel" and "Serenade."
Time: 7:30-9pm, December 24
Place: the Art Salon of Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, 48 Wangfujing
Dajie
Tel: 6512-5063 or 6513-3388 ext 1209
_____________________________________________________________
_Date: 12/23/97_
_Author: _
_Copyright© by China Daily_
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Programme benefits all guests
Congratulations on the successful implementation of Courtesy of
Choice in China
CONGRATULATIONS on the successful implementation of Courtesy of
Choice in China
In the hospitality industry, it is widely understood that the
accommodation of guests' preferences -- varied though they may be
-- is a fundamental requirement. Some guests like to smoke, while
others object to smoking. In order for the hospitality industry to
accommodate the preferences of smokers and non-smokers, the
International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA) has designed
the Courtesy of Choice programme and introduced it to its members.
Principles of Courtesy of Choice
The Courtesy of Choice programme aims to ensure good air quality
in hotels, bars and restaurants by using existing ventilation
systems effectively to accommodate the preferences of all guests,
both smokers and non-smokers in a spirit of harmony and mutual
respect. As a result, designated smoking and non-smoking areas are
available in all participating hotels. Non-smoking rooms are also
available in hotels.
The basic principle of air movement is that air always moves from
an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure. When air
is entering a room, it creates a high pressure area and flows
towards the area of lower pressure, where it is exhausted.
Therefore, smoking areas should be situated in the lower-pressure
areas, or "downwind" of the non-smoking areas so that the air in
the room moves over the non-smokers before reaching the smokers.
In practice, this simply means locating the smoking area neare
r the exhaust and the non-smoking area nearer the air supply.
Benefits of Courtesy of Choice
In the hospitality industry, it makes sense to find a solution
that accommodates the preferences of all guests -- those who smoke
and those who don't.
The Courtesy of Choice programme helps establishments to:
accommodate the preferences of all guests by providing the choice
between smoking and non-smoking areas that have been carefully
designated and are clearly marked;
improve the guest service delivery standard
handle difficult guest situations in a tasteful way
The programme will make establishments' job easier. Efforts are
made to appropriately designate smoking and non-smoking areas.
This eliminates guess work about where to seat guests.
Implementation of Courtesy of Choice in China
Since it was first introduced in the Langham Hilton in London in
1994, the Courtesy of Choice programme has been widely implemented
in hotels and restaurants in 41 countries worldwide.
From early 1997, the programme has been in place in China, Beijing
being the first target. In association with IH&RA, Beijing Tourism
Industry Association (BTIA) introduced the programme to Beijing's
hospitality industry. BTIA, the chief administrative organization
responsible for professional and quality standards in Beijing
hotels, has given Courtesy of Choice full support, recognizing its
value in promoting harmony among guests and improving service
standards in the local hospitality industry.
To date, Courtesy of Choice has achieved great success in Beijing
and has been implemented in Beijing's most prestigious hotels.
Future Prospects
In order to benefit more hotels and let the customers enjoy the
internationally recognized industry standard across China,
expansion of Courtesy of Choice is planned for other major Chinese
cities such as Shanghai, Tianjin, Qingdao and Dalian. The
programme has already been implemented in Gloria Resort Sanya, a
five-star hotel in Hainan Province.
China Tourist Hotels Association (CTHA), the country's top trade
management organization with over 1,700 members nationwide, has
shown great interest in the Courtesy of Choice programme. Yuan
Zongtang, vice-president of CTHA, attended the 1997 IH&RA Annual
Congress in Amsterdam at which Courtesy of Choice was one of the
main topics. Yuan said, "We will give full support to promotion of
the programme's implementation in China."
In the years to come, Courtesy of Choice will undoubtedly benefit
China's tourism industry, and help China's hotels to improve
customer service delivery closer to the international standard.
KSA (China) Ltd, a Hong Kong-based PR firm, is responsible for the
programme's implementation in China. For detailed information on
the programme, please contact:
Mr David Shen or Mr Philip Niu.
Tel: (010) 6492 9833
Fax: (010) 6492 9823
_____________________________________________________________
_Date: 12/23/97_
_Author: _
_Copyright© by China Daily_
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Updated on September 24, 1997
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_[1]The 15th Party Congress_
_[2]Sep. 12 - Sep.18, 1997_
[INLINE]
[3][LINK] _[4]General Secretary Jiang Zemin's
Report to the 15th Party Congress_
[5][LINK] _[6]New Party Leadership elected,
Top Leaders' Profiles_
[7][LINK] _[8]Communique of 15th CPC Central
Committee's First Plenum_
[INLINE]
Feedback: [9]cd...@chinadaily.net
_Copyright by CBnet ®, China Daily Information_
References
1. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtg124.html
2. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtg124.html
3. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/report.html
4. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/report.html
5. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb46.html
6. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb46.html
7. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb09.html
8. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb09.html
9. mailto:cd...@chinadaily.net
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[2][LINK]
[3][LINK]
[4][LINK]
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_Chinese, U.S. Presidents Hold Press Conference _
WASHINGTON, October 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Jiang
Zemin and U.S. President Bill Clinton have agreed that China
and the United States should strengthen cooperation in
building a strategic partnership oriented toward the 21st
century, with a view to promoting world peace and
development.
This was stated by Jiang during a joint press conference by
the two presidents Wednesday.
The two presidents also shared the view of holding regular
visits between the two countries' heads of state,
facilitating a Washington-Beijing presidential communications
link, triggering the mechanism of a regular exchange of
visits by foreign ministers and other cabinet officials, as
well as strengthening cooperation in economic, scientific and
technological, cultural, educational fields and in law
enforcement.
Jiang described his talks with Clinton as "constructive and
fruitful," and believed that his ongoing visit could attain
the goal of enhancing mutual understanding, broadening common
ground, developing cooperation and building the future.
The two presidents also agreed to handle bilateral relations
and differences in line with the principles of mutual
respect, non-interference in each other's internal affairs,
equality and mutual benefit, and seeking common ground while
putting aside differences.
Clinton said that Jiang's visit to the United States gave
them the opportunity and the responsibility to build a future
that is more secure, more peaceful, more prosperous for both
peoples.
The two countries share a profound interest in a stable,
prosperous and open Asia, and a strong interest in stopping
the spread of weapons of mass destruction and other
sophisticated weaponry, Clinton said.
He said he agreed to move ahead with the U.S.-China agreement
for cooperation concerning the peaceful use of nuclear
energy.
In both China and the United States, trade has been a
critical catalyst for growth, and China is the fastest
growing market in the world for America's goods and services,
Clinton said. He also said the United States would "do
everything possible to bring China into the World Trade
Organization."
Referring to the Taiwan issue, Jiang said that China wishes
to effect the peaceful reunification of the motherland by
means of implementing Deng Xiaoping's concept of "one
country, two systems."
But China is not committed to giving up the use of force in
this regard, he said, adding that this does not target the
Taiwan compatriots, but direct against the foreign force
interfering in Taiwan affairs and against the scheme that
would attempt to separate Taiwan from China.
On the human rights issue, Jiang said the current world is a
rich and diverse one, and concepts on democracy and human
rights and on freedoms are relative and specific ones.
Therefore, they should be determined by the specific national
situation of different countries.
References
1. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/visit/report.htm
2. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/visit/d1-jiang_j15.htm
3. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/visit/comment.htm
4. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/visit/backgrnd.htm
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