WSJ: Chinese Dissidents Take On Beijing Via Media Empire

In November 15th’s issue of The Wall Street Journal, a page one article “Chinese Dissidents Take On Beijing Via Media Empire” describes the efforts of overseas Chinese, including Chinese-Americans, to speak out against mainland China’s crackdown on Falun Gong (“”a Chinese spiritual-and-meditation movement banned by Beijing as an “evil cult.””). The article also goes on to describe the efforts of individuals and organizations actively involved:

“…New Tang Dynasty broadcasts to the U.S., Europe and Asia, including China. It is one of a growing number of media organizations run mostly by Falun Gong practitioners, including a radio station and a newspaper with editions in 10 languages. There is also a film-production company, a performing-arts school, dozens of Web sites and a Chinese New Year cultural show, which has played around the world, including New York’s Radio City Music Hall and the Kennedy Center in Washington…Falun Gong follows in a long tradition of sects in China that have challenged the state. Falun Gong started in 1992 as a spiritual movement intended partly to improve practitioners’ health. While a government crackdown has largely contained Falun Gong in China, the group has flourished overseas, driven by well-educated practitioners who volunteer time, money and technological expertise to push their cause, to what some experts describe as a near-fanatical degree.”

The efforts are impressive. I remember going to the Chinese consulate in San Francisco to get my visa to visit China and seeing Falun Gong supporters protesting against the Chinese government. But I didn’t realize the extent of Falun Gong supporters’ existing overseas efforts.