Chen Yonglin (Traditional Chinese: 陳用林; Simplified Chinese: 陈用林) is a former Chinese diplomat who sparked fears of a diplomatic incident through his defection to Australia in the summer of 2005. The episode highlighted the tensions faced by China's trade partners when concerns arise from that nation's human rights record. The episode was compared to the Petrov Affair by such observers as Shadow Minister for Immigration Laurie Ferguson and trade unionist Bill Shorten. Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: 简体字; Traditional Chinese: 簡體字; pinyin: jiÇŽntǐzì; also Simplified Chinese: 简化字; Traditional Chinese: 簡化字; pinyin: jiÇŽnhuàzì) are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Vladimir Petrov The Petrov Affair was a Cold War spy drama in Australia in April 1954, involving the defection of Vladimir Petrov, third secretary in the Soviet embassy in Canberra. ... Laurie Ferguson Laurie Donald Thomas Ferguson (born 7 July 1952), Australian politician, has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1990, representing the Division of Reid, New South Wales. ... William Richard Shorten (born 1967), Australian trade union official, is National Secretary and Victorian state secretary of the Australian Workers Union (AWU), one of Australias oldest and largest unions. ...

Background

Chen had been a university student in Beijing during the pro-democracy movement that ultimately led to the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. Several of his friends were wounded in the ensuing repression by the government. He was said to have underwent political reeducation after the subsequent crackdown on dissidents, and joined the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1991. This culminated in his posting as the consul for political affairs in the Chinese consulate in Sydney, Australia. In this position, Chen has stated that he was responsible for monitoring Chinese political dissidents, especially Falun Gong, living in Australia. He also reportedly had access to highly classified information on Chinese intelligence activities in Australia. Chen has claimed that he had "gone easy" on dissidents and Falun Gong practitioners and had not reported some actions, to protest China's policies towards political dissent. He has also suggested that the Chinese government was becoming suspicious of his activities, and that as a result, he fears for his safety if returned to China. Chen remains unapologetic over his defection, insisting that he betrayed the Communist Party of China, not China. Beijing [English Pronunciation] (Chinese: 北京 [Chinese Pronunciation]; Pinyin: Běijīng; IPA: ), a city in northern China, is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... The Unknown Rebel - This famous photo, taken by photographer Jeff Widener, depicts a lone protester, whose actions halted the progress of a column of advancing tanks until he was pulled into the crowd. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively opposes an established opinion, policy, or structure. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia with a metropolitan area population of over 4. ... Falun Gong, (Traditional Chinese: 法輪功, Simplified Chinese: 法轮功; pinyin: Fǎlún Gōng; literally Practice of the Wheel of Law) also known as Falun Dafa, (Traditional Chinese: 法輪大法, Simplified Chinese: 法轮大法; pinyin: Fǎlún dàfǎ; lit. ... The Communist Party of China (CPC) (official name, though almost universally known in English as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)) (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Zhōngguó Gòngchǎndǎng) is the ruling political party of the Peoples Republic of China, a position guaranteed by the countrys...

Factors contributing to the defection, according to Chen, are the torture and death of his father during the [[Cultural Revolution, his witness of the Tiananmen Massacre, the persecution against the Falun gong imposed by the Chinese Authorities.

Defection and allegations

On May 26, 2005, Chen walked out of the consulate and went into hiding with his wife and six-year old daughter. On that day he reportedly met an officer from the Department of Immigration who contacted the Chinese consulate to verify Chen's identity. A Senate inquiry later criticized the government for this action, citing Chen's stated concern that such contact would put his life in danger. [1] The Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) is an Australian government department, part of the part of the Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs Portfolio. ... Australian Senate chamber Entrance to the Senate The Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. ...

On May 31 he met with a representative from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Chen has stated that he was told at this meeting that his request for political asylum had been rejected, but that he could apply for a protection visa. The story broke to the international media on June 3, when Chen contacted The Australian newspaper, sparking fears of a serious diplomatic incident between the two nations. May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is an Australian government department concerned with the relations between Australia and other nations, both in political and economic terms. ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... The Australian (informally referred to as The Oz) is a national daily broadsheet newspaper published by Rupert Murdochs News Corporation. ...

On June 4, though he allegedly feared being kidnapped, Chen came out of hiding to address a rally commemorating the 16th anniversary of the deaths in Tiananmen Square. During his speech, he claimed he would "reveal everything he knows". He also claimed that the Chinese government had more than a thousand agents in Australia, and that they were responsible for monitoring and kidnapping Chinese nationals back to China. Furthermore, Chen claimed that in one particular case in early 2000, Chinese agents in Sydney had kidnapped a student to force his father, Lan Fu, a former senior Chinese official to return to China.[2] June 4 is the 155th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (156th in leap years), with 210 days remaining. ... The Unknown Rebel — This famous photo, taken by Associated Press photographer Jeff Widener, depicts a lone protester who single-handedly halted the progress of a column of advancing tanks for over half an hour. ... Lan Fu is a former deputy mayor of Xiamen Municipality, China. ...

After the June 4th rally, Chen once again went into hiding, having claimed that he was under constant surveillance and in fear of his life.

On June 5, the Chinese embassy released a statement claiming that Chen was due to return home and had invented allegations of wrongdoing in the hope that he would be allowed to stay. The statement was intended to alleviate fears for Chen's safety if he returned to China. June 5 is the 156th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (157th in leap years), with 209 days remaining. ...

Support, opposition, and ultimate success

On June 7 Chen's claims of a thousand-strong spy network were supported by Hao Fengjun, a former police officer with the 6-10 Office, a special security force established to eradicate Falun Gong by whatever means they deem necessary. The Chinese government responded by claiming that documents seized from Hao's home in China had shown that he was a low-level policeman suspected of corruption. Hao's lawyer, Bernard Collary, attacked the claims, however, arguing that they were "standard [Chinese] tactics." Hao was granted a protection visa by the Australian government in late July 2005. June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... The 6-10 office is an extra-constitutional arm of the National Security Bureau and Public Security Bureau of China. ... Falun Gong, (Traditional Chinese: 法輪功, Simplified Chinese: 法轮功; pinyin: Fǎlún Gōng; literally Practice of the Wheel of Law) also known as Falun Dafa, (Traditional Chinese: 法輪大法, Simplified Chinese: 法轮大法; pinyin: Fǎlún dàfǎ; lit. ...

On July 7, a Chinese defector in Canada using the name Han Guangsheng emerged to support Chen and Hao's spying allegations. During his interview on the ABC show Lateline, Han explained "I do know that the Communist Party of China sent people to collect intelligence information, including Chinese Embassy and Consulate staff. Some of the reporters coming from state Chinese media and visiting scholars are also given special spying tasks to carry out." The fifty-two-year-old defector has been denied political asylum and ruled ineligble to remain in Canada, because the federal Immigration and Refugee Board found him a "willing accomplice" in prior human rights abuses. [3] This appears consistent with Han's claim that he was in charge of Shenyang's public security and labor camps before his defection. [4] July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ... Han Guangsheng, emerged as a Chinese defector in Canada during July, 2005 to support a number of allegations made by Chen Yonglin. ... For the American Broadcasting Corporation, see ABC This is the current Australian Collaboration of the Fortnight! Please help improve it to featured article standard. ... Lateline (news) is a current affairs television program in Australia. ... Shenyang (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Shěnyáng, Manchu: Mukden) is the capital city of Liaoning province in Northeast China. ... Laogai (勞改; pinyin: láo găi), which means reform through labor, is a slogan of the Chinese criminal justice system and has been used to refer to the use of prison labor in the Peoples Republic of China. ...

China's ambassador in Canberra, Fu Ying, condemned Chen for "attacking his motherland" with "allegations and noise" for what she claimed was the sole purpose of living in a wealthier country. She warned that many more would follow Chen, if he was allowed to relocate to Australia. [5] For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ... Madame Fu Ying (傅莹 pinyin: Fu4 Ying2) is the Chinese ambassador to Australia. ...

On July 8, Chen Yonglin, his wife, and his 6-year-old daughter were granted permanent protection visas by the Immigration Department, despite the opposition of the Chinese government. July 8 is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 176 days remaining. ...

Post-visa statements and activities

Following the granting of protection visas to Chen and his family, he has met with Australian intelligence officials to discuss his earlier claims of a thousand-strong Chinese spy network. On July 21 Chen testified before the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations as part of a panel discussing "Falun Gong and China’s Continuing War on Human Rights." Here Chen broadened his earlier charges, stating: "I am aware there are over 1,000 Chinese secret agents and informants in Australia, and the number in the United States should not be less." He also testified that "The United States and Australia are considered by the CPC as the base of the Falun Gong overseas" and that "Chinese diplomats are required to denounce the Falun Gong and to distribute anti-Falun Gong materials whenever it is possible." [6] Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ...

On July 28, The Washington Times published accusations made by Chen regarding China's build-up of a nuclear arsenal capable of a pre-emptive attack on the United States. [7] The Washington Times[1] is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 kilometers (11 mi) above the hypocenter. ...

On July 31, Chen attended a public seminar hosted by the Victorian Federation of Chinese Associations without invitation. There he defended and repeated his earlier spying allegations, and went on to claim that the VFCA was "controlled by the Chinese Consulate in Melbourne". The vice president of the federation, Sheng Wang, denied these claims and accused Chen of damaging the reputation of all Chinese Australians as well as undermining relations between China and Australia. [8]

On August 5, Chen was invited to a seminar at the University of Melbourne. [9] The Old Quad Building, formerly Old Law The University of Melbourne, located in Melbourne, Victoria, is the second oldest university in Australia, and the oldest in Victoria. ...

On August 16, Chen accused the Chinese government of sending a three-member assassination squad into Australia, claiming he was alerted to their presence by a close friend in the foreign ministry. Chen told ABC TV, "they want to shut me up and ... they want to send a warning example to others who want to defect." [10] Foreign Minister Alexander Downer called this "highly improbable." The Hon. ...

In late September, Chen contended that the man in charge of China's spy network continued to operate out of the consulate-general in Sydney. As reported by The Bulletin, this individual works independently of the consulate, complete with his own budget. Chen did not name this alleged spymaster. [11] Front cover of the Feburary 24, 2004 edition of The Bulletin The Bulletin is a weekly magazine, which has been published in Sydney, Australia since 1880. ...

In October and November, Chen addressed the European Parliament, the Flemish Parliament of Belgium, and the British Parliament on the issue of humans rights in China. The Chinese Mission at the European Parliament sent three diplomats and three official media reporters to hear Chen's testimony at the European Parliament. While Chen was addressing to the British All Party Parliamentary Group on Human Rights at the Palace of Westminster, President Hu Jintao was visiting Westminster. Prime Minister Tony Blair was forced to raise the human rights issue with Hu under the pressure of overwhelming media attention. Sign in the entrance of the European Parliament building in Brussels, written in all the official languages used in the European Union as of July 2006 The European Parliament building in Strasbourg The debating chamber, or hemicycle, in Strasbourg The European Parliament building in Brussels The European Parliament (formerly European... The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: Vlaams Parlement, and formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the legislative power in Flanders, for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and a cultural and linguistic community of Belgium. ... The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ... The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, in London, England is where the two Houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (the House of Lords and the House of Commons) meet to conduct their business. ... The President of the Peoples Republic of China (Simplified Chinese: 中华人民共和国主席; Pinyin: Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Zhǔxí, or abbreviated Guójiā Zhǔxí 国家主席) is the head of state of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Hu Jintao (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Hú Jǐntāo; born December 21, 1942) is currently the Paramount Leader of the Peoples Republic of China, holding the titles of President of the Peoples Republic of China, Chairman of the Central Military Commission and General Secretary of the... The Prime Minister is in practice the most important political office in the United Kingdom. ... Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the UK Labour Party, and Member of the UK Parliament for the constituency of Sedgefield in North East England. ...

On March 30, 2006, Chen joined more than 4000 signatories in an open letter to Australian Prime Minister John Howard to question Premier Wen Jiabao regarding the persecution against human rights lawyers in China by the Chinese Authorities and concern about allegations of live organ harvesting at the Shenyang Thrombosis Hospital. [12] Despite official Chinese denials. The current (25th) Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard (sitting, fifth from left), with his Cabinet, 1999 The office of Prime Minister is in practice the most powerful political office in the Commonwealth of Australia. ... John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939), Australian politician, is currently the Prime Minister of Australia. ... The Premier ( Chinese: 总理 pinyin: zŏnglĭ), sometimes referred to as the Prime Minister, is the Chairman of the State Council of the Peoples Republic of China and head of Central Peoples Government. ... Wen Jiabao (Simplified Chinese: 温家宝; Traditional Chinese: 溫家寶; Pinyin: WÄ“n JiābÇŽo; Wade-Giles: Wen Chia-pao) (born September 1942) is the Premier of the State Council of the Peoples Republic of China. ... On 9 March 2006, allegations were made of organ harvesting on living Falun Gong practitioners at the Sujiatun detention compound, an alleged labor camp and part of the China Traditional Medicine Thrombosis Treatment Center, a joint-venture with Malaysian healthcare company Contry Heights Health Sanctuary and subject oversight beyond local... Shenyang (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ShÄ›nyáng, Manchu: Mukden) is the capital city of Liaoning province in Northeast China. ...

External links

• Australia's Senate Inquiry Report on Chen Yonglin's Case
• Chen participating at refugee rally
• 'Secret documents exchanged' for asylum, Sydney Morning Herald, June 8, 2005
• Hao Fengjun's claims
• Additional testimony before the U.S. Congress (.pdf format)