FAQ: Protest Against Florida Splendid China
Copyright 1995-2003
Last-modified: 2003/05/25
Version: 5.0
Citizens Against Communist Chinese
Propaganda
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- Is there a theme park
operated in the United States of America by the People's Republic of China and
the Chinese Communist Party ?
- Why is it called
'Florida Splendid China' ?
- Who are some of the
people who have attended 'Splendid China' (either one) and why is this
significant ?
- Why are people
protesting at this theme park ?
- What is the
multi-faceted plan to protest Florida Splendid China ?
- What's so bad about
the exhibition of minority and religious exhibits at 'Splendid China' ?
- What are the minority
and religious exhibits at 'Splendid China' ?
- Who are the
protesters ?
- Are the protesters
just against the communist Chinese government ?
- What do the
security/staff of 'Splendid China' do during a protest ?
- What do the
protesters do during a protest demonstration of 'Splendid China' ?
- What are things that
the protesters will not do during protest demonstration?
- How can I help with
protesting Florida 'Splendid China' ?
- When are the protest
demonstrations against Florida Splendid China ?
- How do I get to
Florida Splendid China ?
Is there a theme park operated in the United States of America by the
People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party ?
Yes.
The theme park is owned, managed and operated by China Travel Services (CTS).
In May of 1997, a CACCP investigator was sent to Hong Kong to answer this
question. His research shows that documents on file at the 'Companies Registry',
at the Queensland Government Offices building in Hong Kong, demonstrate the
ownership of the theme park as well as it's link with the Communist Chinese
Beijing government.
From page
15,
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.
The reader should
have no doubts as to the ownership and control of China Travel Services.
In a listing of assets on page 21
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.
A copy of the prospectus is on file at:
Companies Registry
13th
Floor
Queensway Government Offices
66 Queensway
Hong Kong
Tel. No.
2867 2579
Also, copies of the original microfilm are also available from
Citizens Against Communist Chinese Propaganda.
For a complete summary, please read "The Case Against Florida Splendid
China" at case.html
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Why is it called 'Florida Splendid China'?
To differentiate it from the
Shenzhen Splendid China
theme park in south China, near Hong Kong built in 1989. Two years after
completion of Shenzhen Splendid China, China Travel and American Eastern
International Co. announced plans to build Florida Splendid China in Orlando.
Within two weeks after opening in Florida, American Eastern International sold
it's interest to China Travel Services. Florida Splendid China is now a wholly
owned subsidiary of CTS and the People's Republic of China (PRC).
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Who are some of the people who have attended 'Splendid China' (either one)
and why is this significant ?
Most of the top leadership of the Chinese
Communist Party have attended the Splendid China theme park in China,
demonstrating their approval and support of how Splendid China portrays Chinese
history and China's rule over Tibetans,
Mongolians, Uyghurs and other peoples. The propaganda
and publicity surrounding their visits to the park show the political purposes
that the park is being used for in China and abroad as an official mouthpiece
and showcase of China's "minority" policies.
Partial list of visitors to 'Splendid China' (and their title at the time):
- Jiang
Zemin Gen. Sec'y of the Central Comm. of the Communist Party of China
- Deng Xiao
Ping
- Yang Shangkun
President of People's Republic of China
- Li Peng Premier of the
State Council
- Wan Li Chairman of the
Standing Comm. of the National People's Congress
- Liao Hui Director of the
Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of State Council
- Liu Yi Director of
China Travel and Tourism
- Li Ruihuan Member of Central Committee Political Bureau
- Wu Xuequian Vice-Premier
of State Council
- Ngapoi N. Jigmi
Vice-Chair of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
- Ismail Amat
Vice-Chairman of CPPCC and Director of State Nationalities Committee
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Why are people protesting at this theme park ?
Before the park opened, a
group of interested individuals wrote letters to the management of the park to
request that exhibits portraying the non-Chinese peoples of China be removed.
The reason for the request was that the presence of the non-Chinese cultural
exhibits incorrectly implied that these were part of Chinese culture.
Specifically, the Potala Palace miniature exhibit was named. The individuals
never received a response to their letters and decided to protest the
inclusion of non-Chinese exhibits at the park. Citizens Against Communist
Chinese Propaganda was formed in March of 1995 to organize and implement a
multifaceted effort against Florida Splendid China and the display of the
non-Chinese and religious exhibits.
Representatives from each of the nationalities represented by these
exhibits support the efforts of Citizens Against Communist Chinese Propaganda
for the peaceful and legal removal of these exhibits and are indeed members.
We are
protesting the inclusion of religious exhibits because there is no freedom
to practice religion in China. The use of these symbols of religious thought and
expression after the brutal treatment of religions and religious people by the
communist government should be pointed-out. Although economic reform has been
made, no such relaxation of the heavy-handed manipulations in religious matters
from the communist party are in sight. If anything during the last year, the
pressure on religion has increased.
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What is the multi-faceted plan to protest Florida Splendid China ?
- Protest Demonstrations. These
are scheduled for December 18 (anniversary of grand opening), March 10 (anniversary of Tibetan Uprising Day), May 1 (anniversary of takeover of Southern Mongolia), June 4 (anniversary of TianAnMen Square), October 13, (anniversary of takeover of East Turkestan) .
In the first nine years after the park opening (1993-2002), fifty (50) demonstrations/actions have been been completed.
- Campaign to ban school sponsored field trips to Florida Splendid China. So
far we have the support of the Pinellas County Classroom Teachers Association,
and a vote before thousands of members of the Florida Teaching
Professionals/NEA overwhelmingly approved (and nearly unanimously) the
following resolution:
'Splendid China' shall not be used for educational field
trips until such time as the exhibit on Tibet is removed or until China
recognizes the sovereignty of the Nation of Tibet.
Although this resolution was passed in April 1996, public school sponsored field trips still visit Florida Splendid China in 2003.
- State legislators letter writing campaign
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) List
- World Wide Web Resources - we have on-line resources which consists of :
- We will continue to write letters
to the park with our concerns and to seek meetings with park officials.
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What's so bad about the exhibition of minority and religious exhibits at
'Splendid China' ?
A. "Minority" Exhibits Why we object to 'Minority" exhibits
The quick answer is that the
Splendid China minority exhibits are a complete whitewash of the reality of
minority life under Chinese rule. Tibetans, who regard themselves as an occupied
people, not as a minority, are portrayed as happy, healthy and glad to be
"Chinese." In short, the park is a thinly veiled and politically motivated
attempt to improve the image of the Chinese government.
Regarding Tibet, the
inclusion of the Potala Palace
represents an effort of the communist party to identify a Tibetan structure as
Chinese. The Potala has been the official winter residence of the Dalai Lama
since the 5th Dalai Lama started construction in 1645 until 1959 when the palace
was shelled by communist Chinese troops. This shelling and military attack was
against the thousands of Tibetans that had gathered to form a human wall to
protect His Holiness from a rumored kidnapping plot to be carried out by
People's Liberation Army forces. The occupation of Tibet by China since 1959 has
been brutal. Tens of thousands of people have been murdered (Over one million
died when you include famine, suicide, etc.), entire libraries of religious
texts have been burned, countless statues and other religious artifacts have
been defaced, and thousands of monasteries have been destroyed.
The same can
be said of the Eastern Turkestanis and Southern Mongolians who have likewise
been under Communist Chinese Party domination. Any attempt by Tibetans, Uighurs
or Southern Mongolians to express their own national or cultural identity is
severely punished, and this is in their land, where they are the majority. For
centuries they have been following traditions that, since the occupation, have
been battered by the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution as well as
other crack-downs that are not so widely known. Even through these dark days,
the strength and the spirit of these peace-loving people has not abated, and
their traditions still remain. It is an absolute crime to portray them as
Chinese, to allow a ruthless dictatorship to show the cultural icons of its
conquered victims as spoils of war in a theme park.
B. Religious Exhibits Why we object to 'Minority" exhibits
The inclusion
of religious exhibits infers that religious freedom exists in the People's
Republic of China. This is not the case since all religious practice is overseen
and controlled by government committees. The committees are comprised of members
of the communist party. Members of the Chinese Communist Party must espouse an
atheist viewpoint, that is, they are not allowed to have the opinion that
religious practice is real or valid. This is not religious freedom for the
people under Chinese Communist domination. Even though economic reforms have
been made, no such relaxation of the heavy-handed manipulations in religious
matters from the communist party are in sight.
The Splendid China theme
park is part of a propaganda
plan by the communist government of China to:
- Remove the Tibetan identity and replace it with a Chinese identity. In
place of Tibetan, insert Mongolian, or Uighur, or any of the minorities
improperly represented.
- Mislead American school children and improperly use them in the Communist
Party's bid to spruce up their image. To do this, the park has aggressively
marketed itself in Florida school districts as an "educational" experience.
- Change foreign (non-Chinese) public opinion about the occupied peoples by
showing them as happy, healthy, and glad to be Chinese.
- Send cultural troupes on tour to spread the ideas that there is religious
freedom, and that Tibetan culture is being helped by the Chinese government.
When, in fact, the monasteries are run by communist officials, and the Chinese
government is responsible for banning public display of the Tibetan flag and
photographs of the Dalai Lama.
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What are the minority and religious exhibits at 'Splendid China' ?
A. The
'minority' exhibits are:
- Mausoleum of Genghis
Khan........................Mongolian
- Mongolian
Yurt..........................................Mongolian
- Potala
Palace.............................................Tibet
- Id Kah
Mosque..........................................Uighur / Eastern Turkestan
- Xiang Fei's Tomb (Tomb of
Apak Hizrat Hoja).....Uighur / Eastern
Turkestan
- Hanging Coffins.........................................Bo
- Miao Village...............................................Miao
- Dai Village..................................................Dai
- Manfeilong Pagoda......................................Dai
- Jingzhen Pavilion.........................................Dai
- Bai Dwelling Houses.....................................Bai
- Three Ancient Pagodas.................................Bai
- Dong Village...............................................Dong
- Buyi Village................................................Buyi
- Dwelling Houses of
the Hakkas......................Hakkas
15 out of 57 exhibits are 'minority' = 26.3 %
Last population figures
place 'minority' population at about 6 %
B. The religious exhibits are:
- Big Wild Goose
Pagoda. Buddhist.
- Three Ancient
Pagodas in Dali. Buddhist.
- Stone Sculptures near
Dazu. Buddhist.
- Mogao Grottoes.
Buddhist.
- Feihong Pagoda. Buddhist.
- Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. Buddhist.
- Id Kah Mosque
Muslim.
- Leshan Grand Buddha
Statue. Buddhist.
- Longmen Grottoes.
Buddhist.
- Midair Temple
Buddhist.
- Potala Palace
Buddhist.
- Shaolin Temple.
Buddhist.
- Pagoda Forest
Buddhist
- Temple of
Confucius Confucian.
- Temple of Heaven.
- 1000 Eyes & 1000
Hands statue. Buddhist.
- Town God Temple
Shanghai Folk.
- White
Dagoba. Buddhist.
- Yungang Grottoes.
Buddhist.
- Manfeilong Pagoda. Buddhist.
- Foshan Ancestral
Temple
- Jin Gang Bao Gang Pagoda. Buddhist.
22 out of 57 exhibits are religious = 38.6 %
There is no freedom of
religion to worship as the believer wishes, only as the Communist Party
allows.
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Who are the protesters ?
Organizers and supporters of protest
demonstrations against Splendid China have been:
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Are the protesters just against the communist Chinese government ?
No.
The protesters are not anti-Chinese in any sense. They believe, however, that
the Communist Chinese government has grossly distorted the history and culture
of Tibetans, Southern Mongolians, Uighurs and other non-Chinese peoples who now
live under Chinese domination. Attempts by the Chinese government to portray
Tibetan culture as Chinese culture are at the heart of what the protest is
about.
Furthermore, if the Communist Chinese Party (CCP) ownership of the
theme park was being protested, then we would have thousands of CCP owned
businesses to protest against in the US, according to US Government figures. The
protest is about the propaganda theme park only.
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What do the security/staff of 'Splendid China' do during a protest ?
- Recent cutbacks have reduced the security staff to a minimal level. The following is what you could expect (if the staff levels were maintained):
- The famed EMT golf
cart is always available in case of injury. This trained professional
agrees with our right to protest.
- The majority of the American security guards are polite and friendly when
they are aware that a peaceful, nonviolent protest is happening.
- The security/staff has also approached the protesters to ask them to
leave, inferring that the police/sheriff will put them in jail if they don't
leave. This tactic shouldn't work, since at the first protest, the protesters
spoke with the sheriffs department and as long as the protesters stay on the
sidewalk, there is nothing that the police can do. Blocking traffic or
trespassing onto the grounds is a violation of the law, but walking on the
legal right-of-way (sidewalk) isn't.
- Individuals connected to the protest movement are asked to not distribute
literature, display signs or banners, or wear clothing that portrays a protest
message, IF they go into the park. Once inside the park, they are watched
closely to ensure that any of the previously-mentioned activities do not take
place.
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What do the protesters do during a protest demonstration of 'Splendid China'
?
Following are some examples of the peaceful protest methods used while
protesting at 'Splendid China':
- Protesters hold signs,
banners, and flags at the main entrance to the park and along the road
that leads to the park from US192.
- Leaflets are
distributed explaining the reasons for the protest.
- Circumambulate the park saying mantras for loving-kindness and compassion.
- Walk along the
sidewalk with flags on ten-foot poles, so that the flags can be seen on
the inside of the park. The United States, Tibetan and Mongolian, and Eastern
Turkestani flags have flown during the protests.
- Offer new exhibits to the theme park, such as the Torturer's Jail
- The sidewalk stretches along two sides of the theme park. Almost to the
end of the sidewalk, the Potala Palace replica can be viewed and many pictures have been taken
with the Tibetan National flag against this backdrop.
- Chant "China Out of Tibet", "Long Life Dalai Lama", "Free Tibet" .
- Chant "China Out of Eastern Turkestan", "Free Eastern Turkestan" .
- Chant "China Out of Southern Mongolia", "Free Southern Mongolia" .
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What are things that the protesters will not do during protest
demonstration?
- Violence or vandalism of any kind.
- Unauthorized/illegal entry into the park.
'Splendid China' is a
legitimate business and although the protesters have differences with the
theme park, this type of behavior is unconscionable.
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How can I help with protesting Florida 'Splendid China' ?
a.
Contact:
Citizens Against Communist Chinese Propaganda
b.
Write to the park and demand that the non-Chinese and religious exhibits be
removed.
Chairman, Splendid China
3000 Splendid China
Blvd.
Kissimmee, Fl 34747
c. If you live in Florida, write to your
local school principles and school board to demand that they advise schools and
teachers not to visit Splendid China.
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When are the protest demonstrations against Florida Splendid China ?
Visit the Protest History Page for past demonstrations.
- Around March 10th, for Tibetan Uprising day
- Around May 1st, to commemorate the takeover of Inner Mongolia
- Around June 4th, to commemorate the people killed in Tiananmen
- Around October 12, to commemorate the takeover of Eastern Turkestan
- Around December 18th, to commemorate the anniversary of the opening of Florida Splendid China
- Plus other dates to be announced.
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How do I get to Florida Splendid China ?
Florida Splendid China is
located 12 miles southwest of Orlando, 3 miles west of I-4 and only a mile from
the main entrance road to Walt Disney World¬ Resort.
From I-4 take exit 25B
west and proceed past the main entrance road to Walt Disney World¬
Resort.
From Highway 27, exit at Highway 192 and proceed east.
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Last updated
05/25/03