Subject: CND-EP, November 27, 1992

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 27 Nov 1992 23:24:57 EST

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===================  Europe / Pacific Section (CND-EP)  ===================
                             November 27, 1992

---------------------------- Table of Contents ----------------------------
No. Subject                                                      # of Lines

1. News Brief (4 items) ................................................ 51

2. Asian Americans in Science -- Bumping Against Glass Ceilings ........ 60

3. "Tide of Democracy" -- An Article by Martin Lee ..................... 99

4. A Dream Holiday in China - Travel Stories by a CND Reader (2) ....... 74

5. Money and Clinton Are Hot Topics in Asia ............................ 60

6. Tribunal Recognizes Tibet's Right to Self Determination.............. 76

6. More Damage Discovered at Tibetan Palace ............................ 22

7. Chinese Academy of Science Plans Summer Workshop in China ........... 20
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1. News Brief (4 items) ................................................ 51
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[JEN 11/24/92] TOKYO -- A group of 33 people displaced by World War II
arrived in Japan from China on Tuesday for a 15-day visit to search for
relatives after 47 years of separation. The people from northeastern China
were separated from their families during the chaotic closing days of World
War II.  They are in the 23rd such group to visit Japan since March 1981 in
the hope of being reunited with parents or other relatives. The visiting
group comprises 13 men and 20 women, whose average age is estimated at 50,
officials said.  They will stay in the National Olympics Memorial Youth
Center in central Tokyo. As of last year, a total of 1,813 war-displaced
people from China visited Japan since 1981, the officials said.  Of those
people, 636 or 35.1% were reunited with parents or other relatives.
(Forwarded by: Jian)
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[JEN 11/25/92] TOKYO -- A Chinese woman and an unidentified, apparently
Asian man were found dead at an apartment in Nakano Ward, Tokyo, on Tuesday
night, police said Wednesday. The victims, who appear to have been
strangled, had their hands tied behind their backs and their feet bound
together.  They had been dead for 10 to 14 days. The woman was identified as
Jin Xiaohong, 25.  The man was 185 centimeters tall and in his late 20s or
early 30s, police said. Jin came to Japan in September 1988 on a short-stay
visa and later married a Japanese man.  But they formally divorced this
summer, police said. Jin's brother in China contacted her former husband and
asked him to check if she was all right as he had not been able to contact
her since early November. The 51-year-old former husband, together with
police officers, found the two dead. (Forwarded by: Jian)
                      ____  ____  ____  ____

The Department of Computer Science at Hong Kong University of Science and
Technology will have 12 faculty positions open AT ALL LEVELS for the 1993-94
academic year.  The department has active research groups in the areas of
artificial intelligence, computer engineering, data and knowledge base
management, software engineering, and theoretical computer science. New
faculty are sought for with research interests in these areas as well as
computer graphics, human-computer interaction and other research areas.
Research funding is available through government agencies and
industry-sponsored research institutes at the university, such as the Hong
Kong Telecom Institute of Information Technology and the Sino Software
Research Centre. Detailed information can be obtained from Prof. V. Y. Shen,
Head of the department, at <[email-masked]>.
(From: Michael D. Stiber <[email-masked]>)

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2. Asian Americans in Science -- Bumping Against Glass Ceilings ........ 60
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Forwarded and Excerpted by: <[email-masked]>
Source: Science Magazine, 11/13/92

It would be hard to imagine a more impressive cv in science than Alice
Huang's: Wellesley, a doctorate from Johns Hopskins, full professorship at
Harvard.  By 1989, she had become the first Asian-American to become
president of the American Society of Microbiologists, and one of the first
Asian-Americans to head any national scientific society. A year ago, in
another first, she was named Dean for science at New York University.  On
the surface, it appears that Huang has risen swiftly through the ranks,
unimpeded.  And yet she describes the very real barriers she has
encountered.  Says Huang: "There is no question that a glass ceiling exists
for Asian-American scientists.  I've experienced it.  And the elite
institutions are the worst."  Even after all her successes, she still
remembers one committee that was searching for a woman to fill a "very top
level job" at a prestigious college.  "I realized early on in the interview
that although I was qualified on paper, it was highly unlikely that they
would appoint an Asian-American to the position," she recalls, "consider
they had been so WASP for their whole history.  They were pushing me on what
I would be willing to give up for this job."  In the end, Huang confronted
them: "I told them that I doubted whether they were going to offer this job,
at this time in the history of the institution, to an Asian-American woman."
As she recalls, two of the committee members actually nodded, confirming her
suspicions.

Asians are "overrepresented" in the ranks of science, comprising 7% of all
doctoral scientists working in the US in 1989 (even though they make up only
2.9% of the total population), according to the National Science Foundation.
And they've won a disproportionate number of Nobel prizes.  According to the
NSF, Asian-Americans are not reaching the upper echelons of science and
technology in numbers proportional to their presence as scientists: They lag
behind whites, blacks, and Hispanics in tenure status and academic rank in
the US.  In 1989, only 43% of Asian-American scientists and engineers with
doctorates had tenure, compared with 56% of whites, and only 35% of those
doctorates were full professors, compared with 42% of whites.  And
Asian-Americans have been noticeably absent, at least until very recently,
from leadership positions as deans, institute heads, and advisory board
members.  Of course there are notable exceptions.  Just last year, Chang-Lin
Tien was appointed chancellor of the UC Berkeley.  And Univ. of Pennsylvania
astrophysicist Benjamin Shen was finally named to be the first Asian-
American on the National Science Board.  But these exceptions are recent and
few, raising the question: Why haven't Asian-Americans gained more power in
the scientific establishment?  Most Asian-American scientists are reluctant
to blame blatant discrimination and will say only that cultural differences
and the language barrier may be hurting them.  Of course, many Asians return
to their native countries before they have a chance to climb to the top:
Only about 70% of Asian scientists working here are US citizens, and of
those that come to the US for doctoral or postdoctoral studies, many return
home--particularly the Japanese.  "These days there are many more
opportunities in Japan," says Nobel laureate Susumu Tonegawa, a MIT
biologist who first came here in 1963.

But what is holding down the Asian scientists who do remain in this country?
For despite their image as naturally gifted scientists, the bulk of them
remain in the rank and file of bench scientists.

In the end, power in the scientific establishment will come as an inevitable
result of the growing number of Asian-Americans.  Predicts Chang-Lin Tien,
"In the coming decade, you will see a lot of prominent Asian-American
scientists in the leadership positions, both inside science and outside it."

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3. "Tide of Democracy" -- An Article by Martin Lee ..................... 99
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Forwarded by: [email-masked]
Source: Far Estern Economic Review, 11/26/92
        text OCRed by Benjamin Yoong, Hongkong

On Wednesday, 14 November, the Hongkong Legislative Council (Legco) voted
strongly in favour of the limited democratic reforms proposed by new
Governor Chris Patten.

The Legco vote, which was supported by virtually all of the democratically
elected legislators but opposed by the ultra-conservative appointees of the
former Sinologist Governor Lord Wilson, marks the end of the colonial era in
Hong Kong. The large margin by which the proposals were approved demonstrate
that the democratic-tide which has swept through East Asia has reached the
shores of Hong Kong.

Despite the overwhelming support within Hongkong for democratisation, a
sector of the business community led by pro-Peking businessman-cum-
politician Vincent Lo has come out firmly against introducing even the
smallest measure of political reform.

In opposing the Governor's long-overdue reforms, these businessmen speak of
a false dichotomy between democracy and prosperity, arguing that the advent
of the former would mean an end to the latter for Hongkong. For the business
leaders of the most capitalist economy in the world to side with the Chinese
Communist Party against political reform in Hongkong is extraordinarily
short-sighted and runs against the mood of business leaders elsewhere in
Asia.

Twenty years ago, East Asia was characterised by fragile, authoritarian
regimes caught in the crossfire of the Cold War and worried about internal
threats from various insurgences playing upon popular grievances. In this
ocean of uncertainty, Hongkong was an island of sanctuary, where the rule of
law held sway and Hong Kong Chinese proved what they could do if given
economic and civil freedoms.

Today, however, the situation has changed. Japan vies for power and
influence with the US. Although they are far less modernised and
cosmopolitan than Hongkong, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the
Philippines have progressed from authoritarian to representative government,
and others are moving steadily in that direction. With few exceptions,
virtually every economically advanced nation in East Asia -- as in the West
-- has recognised that prosperity and democracy are not mutually
antagonistic but are, in truth, inseparable. Indeed, in many of these
countries business has helped lead the way in demanding more freedoms for
the people.

Alas, this has not happened in Hong-Kong. In order to preserve its
privileged political position in the territory and to carry business favours
with Peking, a sector of the business community wants to keep the political
system of Hongkong frozen within its outdated colonial structure.

These dinosaurs have somehow failed to realise that, just as free markets
and free trade are the lifeblood of Hong Kong's economic success, so a free
market of ideas and free competition in the political sphere are the keys to
successful government. Protectionist economics leads only to stagnation and
wasteful mal-distribution of resources; similarly, protectionist politics
wastes the talents of the people, erodes governmental effectiveness, and
thereby breeds social instability.

Protectionist politics that serve only to benefit vested interests are
particularly dangerous in Hongkong because of the scourge of corruption.
History has taught us that without democratic and accountable government, we
will never be able to maintain the rule of law, and without the rule of law,
Hongkong will experience a surge in the corruption and guanxi (politics
based on personal contacts) that is endemic in China. Such corruption would
threaten the free competition that is the very foundation of our business
success.

When they drafted the Joint Declaration in 1984, the British and Chinese
governments recognised this fact, and both agreed that only a government
elected by and accountable to the people of the territory would be able to
maintain Hong Kong's success. Hence, in the Joint Declaration the two
governments explicitly promised to allow "Hongkong people to rule Hong Kong
with a high degree of autonomy" through a legislative council that is to be
fully elected by 1997.

The problem was that no sooner was the ink dry on the Joint Declaration than
both Britain and China began to backslide from their commitments. Foolishly
seeking to appease Peking, Britain ignored the Joint Declaration's promise
of a fully elected legislature and resolutely opposed the introduction of
any democratic reforms.

Faced with the damage caused by eight years of broken promises Patten has
decided that it is only possible to take a small step towards fulfilling the
Joint Declaration. All but forgotten in the midst of Peking's rhetoric is
the fact that Patten's reforms would still leave Legco with only one third
of its members democratically elected by 1997 -- a far cry from what was
promised in 1984 and from what the Hongkong public would like to see.

When, now, Peking and its allies in the business community in Hongkong come
out to attack Patten's modest democratic reforms, it seems their real
disagreement is with the Joint Declaration itself.

For our businessmen to oppose the Joint Declaration's promises of autonomy
and democracy is to display an appalling lack of faith in the people of
Hongkong who have made their success possible. If anyone has an interest in
seeing Hongkong maintain its prosperity, we do. It is precisely because we
plan to remain here long after the last colonial governor has returned to
Britain that we are so keen on Patten's reforms -- and, indeed, we believe
they do not go nearly far enough. With the rest of the modernised nations of
East Asia, we know that only a firmly rooted democratic system will bring us
the stability necessary to continue our extraordinary economic success.

(Martin Lee is chairman of the United Democrats of Hongkong and an elected
Legislative Councillor.)

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4. A Dream Holiday in China - Travel Stories by a CND Reader (2) ....... 74
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Forwarded by: Kangmei Wang ([email-masked])
Written by: A. Qu ([email-masked])

CHAIRMAN MAO IS THE RED SUN

Maoism is reviving in China. Chairman Mao is the God.

When I first arrived in Beijing, it was still quite hot. I took a taxi from
the airport to my friend's place. I saw hanging under the car roof, near the
front window, a small picture of Chairman Mao. It was very nicely made.
There were silk ribbons attached to the bottom side of the picture. In
Wangfujing Book Store, big posters of Chairman Mao, Liu Shao Qi, Zhou En Lai
and Zhu De were on sale. There were also calendars featuring pictures of the
revolutionary leaders.

I took a train from Beijing to Shanghai with train No. 13. The train was
said to be the most advanced type with full air conditioning. It was indeed
a very nice train. On the way, the train radio broadcasted the old
revolutionary songs for almost a whole hour. In Shanghai, I asked my nephews
the question "Who is Chairman Mao?". One answer I got was "Chairman Mao
founded the People's Republic of China". Another one was "Chairman Mao is
superior (heng in Shanghai dialect) to a king". I bought two tapes of
revolutionary songs and took them with me to UK. One one of the cassette
cover, it declared that it had been sold over one million copies. I also
heard that badges of Chairman Mao were becoming popular again. But I did not
see anyone wearing it in Shanghai.

MAGIC NUMBER 518 -- Wo Yao Fa

Just before CCP's 14th Congress, Deng Xiaoping made a trip to the southern
cities. He extended his famous "white cat and black cat" to "Mr. Capitalist
and Mr. Socialist". It is said that during a visit to an assembly factory,
he pointed to an equipment and asked a worker if it was Mr. Capitalist (Xin
Zi) or Mr. Socialist (Xin She). The work hesitated to answer. Deng Xiaoping
answered the question himself: It does not matter as long as it can bring
money. Now, all over China, everybody is busy making money, from farmers to
workers, from school teachers to university professors, from private
business to state-run companies.

In Beijing, I have a friend who is a calligrapher. He wrote name plates for
shops for 50 yuan per character. In Shanghai, it is not uncommon for schools
to open shops. It is called "Po Qiang Kai Dian" (break the wall to open
shops). In some schools, morning milk is compulsory for pupils and snacks
are sold from the school shops. More and more people are taking second jobs.
In Beijing, one would be proud to have some business in the evening,
normally selling news papers, operating a food stall on the street etc.

Stock dealing was once very popular. Many of my old friends had traded
stocks in some way. When I talked to them, they could tell more than I
could, all in those highly technical terms. One of my friends' mother was a
retired teacher. She made several thousands of profit. The names and profits
of the top 3 or 5 stock traders in Shanghai were published in the newspaper.
The ones who made more than one million profit. Of course, there were also
people who lost money. One of my middle school classmate admitted that he
lost about 5000 yuan. But he told me that he thought as if it were lost
through playing Majiang (Majiang gambling is ever popular now). All
newspapers now carry the list of stock prices. Even the wired radio station
of my hometown broadcast the stock price every day.

Private businesses are booming. More and more intellectuals are abandoning
their specialist field and joining the army of businessmen. This is called
"Xia Hai" (going down into the sea). Universities are experiencing some
difficulties in recruiting post-graduate students. At least, not all the
best students go for this option. One of my college classmates was a
lecturer. He had worked hard for 2 years trying to go to USA. Now, he
abandoned that plan. He is now helping to organise a car factory near his
home. He told me that if he had money, or could get a loan, he would open a
cosmetics factory or a Chinese medicine treatment factory.

Any numbers having 8(Fa) in are most popular, whether it is a house number
or a telephone number. I heard a true story in my home town. The main
character of the story was some factory manager who spent about 300000 yuan
(public money) to buy a car plate numbered 518. He was later discharged from
his post and sent to prison for misusing public money. In an auction of
selling the plate again, nobody wanted to buy, less it was too noticeable by
then.

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5. Money and Clinton Are Hot Topics in Asia ............................ 60
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Forwarded by: Zhao Hua
Source: AP 11/18/92
By: Linda Deutsch, Honolulu

Money and the world's future under a new U.S. president are hot topics in
Asia, Associated Press correspondents said.

The four correspondents from Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and China said during a
panel discussion that the U.S. presidential election drew unprecedented
interest in Asia. The discussion was moderated by AP President and Chief
Executive Officer Louis D. Boccardi at a meeting of the Associated Press
Managing Editors association.

"The big story in Japan is U.S.-Japanese relations," said Dan Biers, news
editor in the AP's Tokyo bureau. "Japan is very concerned about how the
Clinton presidency is going to affect Japan." Biers said Japanese TV
stations preempted regular programming to cover the election and provided
simultaneous translation of President-elect Clinton's acceptance speech.

Biers said Japan is bogged down in a stagnating economy after years of
affluence so extreme that restaurants offered coffee with gold sprinkled on
top. Living standards remain high, he said, but "the stock market bubble has
burst."

Kathy Wilhelm, AP's Beijing bureau chief, said the Clinton presidency will
be watched closely by Chinese leaders who fear being cast in the role of
"the evil empire" now that Russia has abandoned communism.

"The basic question is whether the West is going to push China to
democratize," said Ms. Wilhelm.

"But that is not the top priority for most Chinese," she said. "The top
priority for the average citizen is making money."

Robert Liu, AP's Hong Kong bureau chief, said the British Crown Colony
remains a cosmopolitan financial hub where Mercedes is the preferred
automobile and $100 brandy is the preferred drink. But Liu said Hong Kong's
citizens are in a state of high anxiety facing the return to Chinese rule in
1997. Liu said the future is not as gloomy as some believe.

"Hong Kong can continue to be a vital hub of the region," he said, noting
that China now has major investments in Hong Kong businesses which would
suffer if abrupt changes are made, adding, "I think Hong Kong will survive."

Kelly Smith Tunney, AP's Korea bureau chief, said the year's biggest stories
have been economics and elections the Korean elections that is.

She said that for the first time in decades there will be a civilian
president and "There are no former generals running yet."

Living standards have improved, Ms. Tunney said, but the increase in wages
also has brought an increase in prices. Peanut butter costs $20 and other
imported products are prohibitive, but the still young economy is in a state
of development, she said. In China, Ms. Wilhelm said improvements in living
have been dramatic and stores are well stocked.

"They now have everything you would want to buy and most Chinese can't
conceive of wanting anything they can't find in the stores."

She said dissatisfaction centers on a perception that the upper classes
including government officials gain from improvements while the middle class
is left out.

"People are living better but they don't feel they are living better," she
said.

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6. Chinese Academy of Science Plans Summer Workshop in China ........... 20
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>From: Li Xiaowen <[email-masked]>

Chinese Academic Link (CAL) have received many responses to its call for
proposals of Summer Workshop'93 in China.  25 completed proposals have been
forwarded to the Chinese Natural Science Foundation.

Recently, CAL received 11 copies of replies from the Chinese Academy of
Science (CAS) Open Labs about their interests of workshop topics. With only
one exception, these workshops will not cover international traveling
expense, financial support is limited to in-contry expense only.

The workshop topics that CAS Open Labs are interested in include Aquatic
Genetic Engineering, Fresh Water Ecology, Material physics, Grain/fluid
two-phase flow, Resource and Environment Graphical Information Systems,
Fatigue and rupture of new materials, Frontier and state-of-art of friction
research, Frontier in Surface Physics, Low-dimensional semiconductor
structure physics, Experimental Ocean Aquatic Biology and Technology, and
Environment and Organic Geochemistry.

For detailed information on the workshops, please contact Dr. Li Xiaowen at
<[email-masked]>. CAL can also be contacted for workshop proposals not
listed above.

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