This blog is updated regularly so make sure you check it often. The opinions expressed in blog entries and comments reflect individual perspectives and do not necessarily reflect VietWill's position.
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Secret Sanya - China's new nuclear naval base in the South China Sea revealed |
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Jane's Security News
21 April 2008
 China is constructing a major underground nuclear submarine base near Sanya, on Hainan Island off its southern coast, Jane's can confirm. Although Asian military sources have disclosed this fact to Jane's since 2002, high-resolution commercially available satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe allows independent verification of the previous suggestions.
The extent of construction indicates the Sanya base (also known as Yulin) could become a key future base for People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) aircraft carriers and other power-projection ships. In December 2007, perhaps in concert with a major PLAN exercise the previous month, the PLA moved its first Type 094 second-generation nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) to Sanya.
An underground submarine base and the positioning of China's most advanced sub-surface combatants at Sanya would have implications for China's control of the South China Sea and the strategically vital straits in the area. Further satellite imagery suggests the construction of Sanya has been supported by a gradual military build-up in the Paracel Islands over the last 20 years, and the transformation of the Chinese-occupied features in the Spratly Island group into assets that could support a range of military operations.
China's nuclear and naval build-up at Sanya underlines Beijing's desire to assert tighter control over this region. China's increasing dependence on imported petroleum and mineral resources has contributed to an intensified Chinese concern about defending its access to vital sea lanes, particularly to its south. It is this concern that in large part is driving China's development of power-projection naval forces such as aircraft carriers and long-range nuclear submarines.
China has pursued this build-up at Sanya with little fanfare, offering no public explanations regarding its plan to base nuclear weapons or advanced naval platforms there.
For both regional and extra-regional powers, it will be difficult to ignore that China is now building a major naval base at Sanya and may be preparing to house and protect a large proportion of its nuclear forces here, and even operate them from this base. This development so close to the Southeast Asian sea lanes so vital to the economies of Asia can only cause concern far beyond these straits.
Source: http://www.janes.com/news/security/jir/jir080421_1_n.shtml
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More than a cry for dead victims |
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By Dr. Pham Hong Son
Special to The Epoch Times
19 April 2008
Did any of the casualties in Darfur's genocide or dead victims of the recent Chinese crack-down in Tibet, and of the Chinese shootings in the sea around Vietnam's Paracel and Spratley islands, glance at the official website of the upcoming Beijing Olympics which contains the slogan: "'One World One Dream fully reflects the essence and the universal values of the Olympic spirit–Unity, Friendship, Progress, Harmony, Participation and Dream. It expresses the common wishes of people all over the world, inspired by the Olympic ideals, to strive for a brightfuture of Mankind"?
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Interview with Le Minh Phieu - Vietnamese Olympic torch bearer |
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 Le Minh Phieu is one of the 6 Vietnamese selected to carry the Olympic torch when it passes through Ho Chi Minh City on 29 April 2008. Recently, Phieu wrote a letter to the IOC President about China's violation of Olympic rules by wrongly claiming ownership over the Paracel Islands which it seized from Vietnam in its torch relay maps. On 9 April 2008, Phieu was interviewed by DCVOnline. Following is the content of the interview:
By DCVOnline (translated by Le Duc)
9 April 2008 in France
DCVOnline: Hello Le Minh Phieu, first, can you please tell us what motivated you to enter the contest “Looking for torch bearers for the Beijing Olympics 2008” sponsored by Samsung?
Le Minh Phieu: This project was initiated quite some time ago, since August 2007. At that time, a close friend knew of this contest, and he said that he would write an essay nominating me.
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An American's reflection on the protest in San Francisco |
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By Mike James
 Like many, I get disturbed when I hear about peaceful people being brutalized by others. So on Wednesday, I had to go down to protest the Olympic torch relay through San Francisco. It was a beautiful day out. The sky was clear and blue, and the sun was shining and bright. It felt like a great day to be out and about exercising my right and duty to peacefully protest something that is so wrong.
I wanted to show solidarity with those who have been oppressed and to project my feelings with them about the hypocrisy that is the Beijing Olympics. Though I am quite far away from where it is still happening, I feel my one voice, if it is combined with others, helps create and support a collective voice that can be heard; and the critical information the that the mainstream media has yet to expose can be revealed. Though it got heated a few times at a few of the locations around the park, it was just what I came down there for, a peaceful protest in unity.
Then I discovered through Vietwill what was happening to the fishermen in Vietnam. I felt compelled to support their voices in what ever capacity I could to expose yet another brutality imposed by China and to help bring it to the attention of the world. I was moved by the message and the dignified efforts of the Vietwill members. I feels like the surface has only been scratched and more is yet to come. I think if everyone who learns about what is happening in the waters of Vietnam contributes to the effort; the news will travel farther and faster. It is a matter of survival for the fishermen.
It is not just the fishermen's problem, it is ours too.
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My VietWill torch relay protest memoir |
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By Ailien
10 April 2008
 Yesterday was a beautiful morning in San Francisco, warm and bright. It seems to me that Someone higher up there really meant to support us, the protesters with high spirit coming out to Embarcadero to express our views at the torch relay event.
The night before, at the end of the last VietWill conference call meeting, we encouraged and reminded each other, "It's show time." I went straight to bed, trying to get a good night's sleep so that I can get ready for VietWill's first battle. I was nervous and scared as it would be my very first time in life doing this kind of activity. My friends called and wished me safety instead of success. Rumor said there would be violence or even rioting. I was so scared. Then, I received emails from our members in Thailand and Washington D.C. with sincere encouragement; I became empowered.
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