The bottom line is that Florida Splendid China is an agent of a foreign government masquerading as a legitimate entertainment attraction and engaged in unlawful acts, primarily, the wholesale distribution of Chinese Communist Party propaganda in order to change American public opinion. (Note: the distribution of propaganda by any unregistered agent of any foreign government is illegal.)

1. Florida Splendid China is owned, operated and controlled by the State Council of the People's Republic of China through the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office (OCAO) and China Travel Services (Holdings) HK.
   1. Exhibit A provides the details of the ownership structure of China Travel Services (Holdings) HK as reported in a stock prospectus obtained in Hong Kong in the summer of 1997. (1) A quote from a page of this document reads as follows:

      Ownership and Control Structure

      On 9 July 1996, the authorised and issued share capital of the Issuer was increased from HK$100 million to HK$700 million. The issued share capital of the Issuer is held by six of its directors and one deputy general manager on trust for China Travel Service Head Office of the PRC, which is owned by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office ("OCAO") of the State Council of the PRC.

      OCAO is one of the working organisations of the State Council of the PRC, responsible for the liaison and promotion of overseas Chinese affairs. Both the Issuer and the China Travel Service Head Office of the PRC are directly accountable to the OCAO. The appointment of senior management of the Issuer needs to be approved by OCAO. The current General Manager of the Issuer is Mr. Zhu Yue Ning. He was the Deputy Mayor of Shenzhen from 1986 to 1994, responsible for development in industry, communication and technology, and has extensive experience in corporate management and economic development.

      The directors and senior management of the Issuer are responsible for day-to-day management and determine policies and strategies. OCAO directly oversees and influences overall policy and strategy of the CTS group.
      

   2. Exhibit B demonstrates the ownership of Florida Splendid China by the China Travel Services (Holdings) HK and is from the same document. In the section that details assets, under the heading Theme Parks is the following:

      A sister theme park to Splendid China miniature Scenic Spot was set up in Florida, USA and commenced operations in October of 1993. The site is situated near Disney World and Epcot Centre theme parks. The Issuer has commenced the building of a Windows of the World theme park in Changsha, Hunan, PRC with an anticipated investment of RMB 200 million. The park is expected to open in 1997.

2. Despite evidence that details the ownership of Florida Splendid China, it is also important to show how the Chinese Communist Party uses Florida Splendid China theme for it's own purposes and how the theme park and it's message is approved by the highest leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. Also demonstrated in the following paragraphs is the hidden agenda of Florida Splendid China.
   1. The Chinese Communist Party uses Florida Splendid China and China Travel Services (Holdings) to further their goals and objectives.
      1. Within a week after the park opened, full control of Florida Splendid China was assumed by China Travel Services (Holdings) HK and all non-Chinese interests in the park were retired. After the park opened for business, the American partners were removed. This implies that American involvement in Florida Splendid China was viewed as a threat to Chinese government interests. (2)

      2. It is suspected that the Chinese Embassy staff and visitors use the diplomatically licensed Chinese government bus to travel from Washington DC to Kissimmee, Florida to attend events and entertain visitors at Florida Splendid China. On one such occasion, a picture was obtained and is available at: action/p14/p14_10.html
         Used as a showcase of Chinese Communist Party propaganda, Florida Splendid China is used as a venue to impress and educate visitors and serve as an unofficial annex of the Chinese embassy.

      3. Further investigation reveals that China Travel Services (Holdings) HK, as well as having business dealings with normal travel related interests, is also a partner in APT Satellite Holdings with other entities connected with the State Council of the PRC. (3)
         These entities also have connections with the People's Liberation Army and have been suspected of illegal arms shipments and are being investigated for a range of activities including illegal satellite technology transfer and illegal campaign contributions. (4) Some of the other organizations are (and self-description from their webpages):
         
         Great Wall Corporation, the sole government organization in China responsible for the launch service marketing, commercial negotiation, contract execution and performance with a legal person status. (5)
         China Aerospace Corporation. (CASC) is specialized in various space products such as satellites, missiles, launch vehicles and ground support system. (6)

         Although China Travel Services (Holdings) HK is a company with diverse assets, the acquisition of an interest in a satellite holding company is a radical departure from previous holdings. This implies that China Travel Services (Holdings) is used in whatever manner necessary to further the aims of the Chinese government (and the Chinese Communist Party). Whether used as a big pot of money to maintain government control of psuedo-commercial enterprises, or as an operator of a propaganda theme park, China Travel Services (Holdings) HK aids and assists in the program of the Chinese Communist Party both inside the People's Republic of China and throughout the world.
         While no charges have been filed as of this writing, China Travel Services (Holdings) HK, as a partner of APT Satellite Holdings Ltd is also part of the allegations which indicate that the Chinese government and the People's Liberation Army have engaged in the illegal transfer of satellite technology from the United States for their Long March booster program. This investigation is ongoing in the US Congress.

      4. Mr. Zhu Yeu Ning, Chinese Communist Party Official, former Vice-Mayor of Shenzhen and General Manager of China Travel Services (Holdings) HK is listed as a director of the Florida corporation which was started and continues in business as Florida Splendid China. Mr. Zhu's connection with APT Satellite Holdings as a member of their board of directors demonstrates the substantial link between the Chinese Communist Party and their secret agenda in pseudo-commercial enterprises.

   2. The Chinese Communist Party approves of the message at Florida Splendid China.
      1. The People's Republic of China is under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

         "The Chinese Government has always been subordinate to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP); its role is to implement party policies."

         United States Department of State, Background Notes (7)

      2. The theme park built in 1989 in Shenzhen, People's Republic of China, was visited by many top-CCP officials, including Li Peng, Jiang Zemin, Deng Xiao Ping and others. This demonstrates that the original theme park in Shenzhen has the approval and backing of the highest members of the CCP. (8)

      3. Although a subset of the exhibits at Shenzhen Splendid China and thousands of miles away, Florida Splendid China's exhibits are described the same by tour guides and in writing in both parks. This demonstrates that Florida Splendid China's message is the same as that approved by the leaders of the CCP in the Shenzhen Splendid China theme park. (9, 10)

      4. At the grand opening of Florida Splendid China in 1993, four high ranking CCP officials were in attendance. Foreign Minister Qian, who also serves on the State Council of the People's Republic of China demonstrates Chinese Communist Party support for Florida Splendid China by his presence. (11, 12)

      5. At the grand opening of Florida Splendid China, many current leaders of the CCP, including Jiang Zemin, Qian Qishen, Li Peng, Li Dao Yu wrote congratulatory messages, again, demonstrating Chinese Communist Party support for Florida Splendid China. (13)

   3. The Florida Splendid China Hidden Agenda.
      1. In documents from the 1993 Beijing Propaganda Conference obtained and translated by the International Campaign for Tibet, the media strategy towards the West is suggested by the Chinese government in the following passage:

         With regard to the attacks by the West and the Dalai Clique and their frequent activities, our external propaganda should launch offensives. We should expand our spheres of influence, in particular, we should infiltrate our propaganda into the mainstream life of the West. Firstly we should continue to send Tibetan scholars and Tibetan singing and dancing troupes abroad to lecture and perform.

         Secondly, relevant embassies and consulates should aim at the public opinion and the activities of the Dalai Clique in the countries they are stationed and utilize speeches, picture exhibitions, special articles and other forms to carry out propaganda work, so as to win over officials and people of those countries.

         Thirdly, TV programs for external broadcasting should include programs about Tibet. We should broadcast to Europe and America so that our propaganda can directly reach audiences of the Western countries. (Doc. #3, p.26) (14)

         This demonstrates that a plan exists, targeted at Western audiences, attempting to change public perceptions on the issue of Tibet.

      2. Florida Splendid China advertises itself as an educational experience. According to the Orlando Sentinel in February 1996, A mass mailing entitled "Splendid China Learning Adventures" was sent to schools across the state of Florida that offered special discounts rates and a walking tour for children. (15)
         Communist Party approved and disseminated information is being advertised as an 'educational adventure'. Furthermore, field trips sponsored by public schools implies legitimacy and approval by State and local government.

      3. Continual statements to the press from Florida Splendid China spokespersons have repeatedly denied any links to the Chinese government and political nature of Florida Splendid China. Instead, they have maintained that their parent company is a 'publicly sold and held conglomerate in Hong Kong' (16) , and that Florida Splendid China is "nothing more than an attraction" (17) , and "We don't make a political statement..." (18)
         Officials and spokespersons from Florida Splendid China have outright lied about the ownership of the park, how can they be trusted to tell the truth about the hidden political agenda?

      4. If Florida Splendid China was 'nothing more than an attraction,' then normal correspondence with members of the public might have been expected, however, numerous letters over the past five years (19) , addressed to the Chairman of Florida Splendid China, have been unanswered. Florida Splendid China is unwilling to even return a phone call or letter to members of the public that wish to talk about the exhibits, and when told about the Pinellas County (Florida) Teachers Association ban on public money for field trips to Florida Splendid China, rather than talking with them about the issue, the response was "Plenty of school children still visit the park" (20)
         If park officials are willing to snub the 7th largest school district in the state of Florida (23rd in the US) in order to maintain their signs, this demonstrates that the park's message is more important than income, they are unwilling to speak with anyone (even educators) about the park's message.

3. The propaganda message is not hard to uncover. One such message is represented by the inclusion of some 'minority' exhibits in Florida Splendid China. Specifically, the Potala Palace, the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan, the Tomb of Apak Hoja and the Id Gah Mosque, all represent peoples and lands whose people and their Governments or leaders assert that they have been illegally occupied since People's Liberation Army troops invaded their lands. It is the Chinese government's position that these once sovereign people and nations were in need of 'liberation' and that is one excuse that they use to justify the continuing occupation, contrary to international law and the peoples' rights to self-determination of Tibet, Southern Mongolia, and Eastern Turkestan. As well, they further comment that these peoples and lands have been 'Chinese since ancient times' and such, makes it an internal matter. The inclusion of these exhibits, which do not represent Chinese people, cultures or structures is a gross attempt to place a Chinese identity on the Tibetan, Southern Mongolian, and Eastern Turkestani people and end discussions on the human rights situation in China.
   1. Tibetans are different from Han Chinese people both culturally and linguistically. Although it can be said that during the Tang Dynasty (9th century), the emperor sent a daughter to be the wife of the marauding Tibetan King as a peace offering, might be misinterpreted if taken out of context. At the same time, the rulers of the Himalayas were the unified Tibetans under Srongson Gampo (whom the Chinese refer to as a warlord, in some way to negate the profound influence he had on history.) During this time, Tibetans harassed and harangued the Tang Dynasty, going so far as sacking the Tang Dynasty capitol and burning it. During that time it was customary to placate your enemies with a marriage to a member of your household. It is not an example of the Chinese forcing the Tibetans to accept Chinese control, but rather Tibetans forcing their demands on the Chinese. Srongson Gampo married five women that included three Tibetans, a relative of the Tang Dynasty emperor and a Nepali princess. History records that his 'Number One' wife was not Chinese.
      Tibet's Potala Palace is a Tibetan structure. It was designed by Tibetans, built by Tibetans, and housed the Tibetan government offices, the Dalai Lama's personal quarters, and a monastery. The only connection that the Chinese have with the Potala Palace is that they bombed it in 1959 and closed it down after the so-called peaceful liberation of Tibet to make it into a museum.
      If Florida Splendid China had a sincere desire to portray the real Potala Palace with an accurate history, then they have made some serious mistakes that they are unwilling to correct. Since we have been attempting to negotiate with them since the opening of the park about this matter, clearly, they have no intent to portray anything other than the propaganda line, "Tibet has been part of China since ancient times.'

   2. The name of the great conqueror, Genghis Khan, is defamed in Florida Splendid China. They insist that he was buried in a Mausoleum (hence, the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan exhibit) and that he was somehow Chinese. Genghis Khan is truthfully known as the Mongolian conqueror of Central Asia, China and parts of Europe.
      First, the 'Secret History' lets it be known in no uncertain terms that Genghis Khan was buried in secret, there was never a 'Mausoleum of Genghis Khan' created by Mongols. The original structure which the park's exhibit portrays, was built by the Chinese Communist Party in the 1954 to contain the Ordons of Genghis Khan, mobile shrines erected to his memory. The most comprehensive treatment of this subject is contained in a paper entitled "The Eight White Ordon, Offering Ceremonies of Genghis Khan and the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan". It is available at: http://members.aol.com/yikhmongol/cerem-fn.htm
      If Florida Splendid China had a sincere desire to portray real Mongols with an accurate history, then they have made some serious mistakes that they are unwilling to correct. Since we have been attempting to negotiate with them since the opening of the park about this matter, clearly, they have no intent to portray anything other than the propaganda line, "Mongolia has been part of China since ancient times.' (They don't make a distinction between the Republic of Mongolia (Outer) and Southern Mongolia.)

   3. The people of Eastern Turkestan (renamed Xinjiang, or New Dominion, by the Manchu conquerors in the late 19th century), represented by the Tomb of Apak Hoja and the Id Gah Mosque are not Chinese, they are a Turkic people with a different language, different physical appearance and different culture. Florida Splendid China goes so far as to use a Chinese name, "Xiang Fei's Tomb", to give a Chinese identity to the Tomb of a great Uighur leader, Apak Hoja, and seventy-one of his (non-Chinese) relatives. Other Chinese government publications even admit that 'Xiang Fei' is not even buried here, the park refuses to speak with anyone about this error/fabrication. The Id Gah Mosque, another Uighur cultural icon is a typical Central Asian style Mosque, it does not represent Chinese architecture and was not built by Chinese people.
      If Florida Splendid China had a sincere desire to portray real Eastern Turkestanis with an accurate history, then they have made some serious mistakes that they are unwilling to correct. Since we have been attempting to negotiate with them since the opening of the park about this matter, clearly, they have no intent to portray anything other than the propaganda line, "Xinjiang has been part of China since ancient times.'

4. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates the links between the Chinese Communist Party, Chinese government, China Travel Services (Holdings) HK, and both the Shenzhen and Florida Splendid China theme parks. As evidenced by publicly available documents, both theme parks are owned, operated and controlled by the Chinese Communist government. An examination of other aspects of the theme parks reveals that they are used as deemed necessary by the Chinese Communist Party, such as entertain/impress guests or serve as representatives in multi-national corporations performing illegal acts, or to disseminate propaganda.

(1) A member of the organization, Citizens Against Communist Chinese Propaganda traveled to Hong Kong in the summer of 1997 and obtained a copy of the stock prospectus for China Travel Services (Holdings) HK from the Companies Registry at the following address:
13th Floor
Queensway Government Offices
66 Queensway
Hong Kong
Tel. No. 2867 2579

Copies of either the original microfiche or paper copies are available from Citizens Against Communist Chinese Propaganda.

(2) Orlando Sentinel; "New order: China controls Central Florida theme park: The communist nation becomes sole owner of Florida Splendid China after U.S. partner pulls out."; 01/15/94
See: 1994 media reports (pdf format).

(3) APT Satellite Holding Ltd webpages. All companies which make up the group are listed on their webpages.
See: http://www.apstar.com/

(4) News articles on Chinese influence in the United States. 1995-1999.
See: The Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs 1997 Report
US House Select Committee Report on US National Security and Military/Commericial Concerns with the PRC.

(5) Great Wall Industries Web pages. See: http://www.cgwic.com/

(6) China Aerospace Corporation (CASC). See: http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/china/contractor/casc.htm

(7) United States Department of State, Background Notes: China, April 1998, Released by the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
See: http://www.state.gov/www/background_notes/china_0498_bgn.html

(8) China Travel Services promotional literature showing Chinese Communist Party members visiting Shenzhen Splendid China. A partial listing of pictures from that document are available on the internet at:
Jiang Zemin po/jiang_1.html
Deng Xaio Ping po/deng_1.html
Li Peng po/lipeng2.html

(9) China Travel Services, Shenzhen Splendid China Guide Book; Getherease Inc, San Francisco, Ca

(10) China Travel Services, Florida Splendid China Grand Opening Guide Book , 1993

(11) Orlando Sentinel, "Theme park takes bow as activists create row: The communist nation becomes sole owner of Florida Splendid China after U.S. partner pulls out.", December 19, 1993
See: Media from 1993 (pdf format)

(12) China Travel Services, Florida Splendid China Grand Opening Guide Book , 1993
A list of the Honorary Committee for the Grand Opening of Florida Splendid China is included.
See: images/ch2.gif

(13) China Travel Services, Florida Splendid China Grand Opening Guide Book , 1993
A collection of letters generated for the Grand Opening of Florida Splendid China is included.
See: po/gol.html

(14) ICT; China's Public Relations Strategy on Tibet: Classified Documents from the Beijing Propaganda Conference; 1993; International Campaign for Tibet; Washington DC.
See bp.html

(15) Orlando Sentinel, "SPLENDID CHINA'S FORTUNE IS BEGINNING TO IMPROVE"; February 5, 1996.
See: Media from 1996 (pdf format)

(16) Tampa Tribune; "Protest Targets Splendid China"; 03/16/96
See: Media from 1996 (pdf format)

(17) Orlando Sentinel; "Controversy is a theme of this park"; 03/17/98;
See: Media from 1998 (pdf format)

(18) St. Petersburg Times, "Newest Attraction attracts protesters"; 12/20/93
See: Media from 1993 (pdf format)

(19) Citizens Against Communist Chinese Propaganda web page: Letters;
See:action/ac2/index.html

(20) Orlando Weekly; "Makeover an attempt to cover blemish?"; 09/12/96
See: Media from 1996 (pdf format)