Print
this articleZhang Hongbao in Blast Furnace
A Documentary on How the Outstanding Spiritual Leader
Transformed to a Political Leader
(VOA) US ASYLUM TO LEADER OF ZHONGGONG, ANOTHER FACTOR TO US-CHINA RELATIONSHIP
BY CHEN SU On JUNE 15， 2001
The US government granted asylum to Zhang Hongbao, founder of the Chinese Qigong Organization “Zhong Gong”. Such action taken by the US marked the ending of Zhang’s seven years of life in exile.
Zhang Hongbao’s case reflects direction of the White House’s Policy toward China
On June 13th, the US Immigration Appealing Commission announced its approval of political asylum to Zhang Honbao the founder of Chinese Qigong organization “Zhong Gong”. South China Morning Post in Hong Kong reports that the US government’s decision to grant Zhang asylum might possibly increase tension between the already troubled US-China relations. Hong Kong EPost says Zhang Hongbao’s case reflected the change of Bush Administration’s policy toward China.
The US Immigration Appealing Commission ruled over the decision made by the local INS Court at Guam last September. Guam is an island on Pacific Ocean and is a US territory. In that decision Zhang Hongbao’s asylum application was rejected. However, the Court at Guam granted him the status of “Anti-maltreatment Protection”. According to Hong Kong Epost, holders of such status would not be deported out of the United States, although they may never be eligible to apply for permanent residence in the US or for US citizenship. Now that Zhang Hongbao was approved for political asylum, he will be eligible to apply for permanent residence in the US in next June.
Chinese government accused that Zhang Hongbao had committed crimes and strongly demanded that the US should extradite him back to China for trial. However, Zhong Gong organization has denied such accusations. The US Immigration Appealing Commission also said that China’s accusations lack of evidence, because it was 10 years later that those alleged victims reported the assaults.
According to the Hong Kong-based Human Rights organization “China Human Rights & Democracy Movement Information Center”, Zhang Hongbao, 47 years old, established Chinese Qigong organization “Zhong Gong” in 1987. The name “Zhong Gong” means “Chinese Health Keeping and Intelligence Enhancing Qigong”. It’s said that, as of year 1990, this organization has grown to have disciples around 10 million to 38 million or so