DATE=4/25/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA-FALUN GONG UPDATE (L)
NUMBER=2-261682
BYLINE=LETA HONG FINCHER
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  Scores of members of China's banned spiritual 
group, Falun Gong, have been arrested in Beijing's 
Tiananmen Square as they tried to mark the anniversary 
of a mass protest last year.  V-O-A's Leta Hong 
Fincher has this report from Beijing.


TEXT:  Hundreds of plain-clothed and uniformed 
policemen monitored Tiananmen Square, detaining the 
Falun Gong demonstrators as soon as they appeared.  
Witnesses say protesters emerged from crowds to 
practice their meditation, or to raise small banners 
decorated with words from their spiritual movement.  
Policemen moved in immediately, pushed the protesters 
into waiting vans and drove them away.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi said at a 
news briefing that he had no knowledge of any 
protesters being arrested.  But he said the 
government's ban on Falun Gong activities was for the 
protection of the masses.

            /// SUN ACT - IN CHINESE, ESTABLISH THEN 
FADE ///

Mr. Sun said the Chinese government has already 
achieved decisive success in its struggle against 
Falun Gong.  He said that of the original two-million 
practitioners, more than 98 percent have recognized 
what he termed, "the true character of Falun Gong" and 
broken away from the group.

On April 25th of last year, about 10-thousand Falun 
Gong followers staged a mass sit-in around the 
headquarters of the Communist Party to demand 
recognition of their movement.  The Party leadership 
responded by banning the group.  Some of the 
movement's leaders have been imprisoned for up to 18 
years.

Last week, China's state-run media stepped up its 
campaign to discredit the group.  The Chinese 
spokesman accuses the group's founder, Li Hongzhi, of 
trying to destabilize the country.

            /// SUN ACT IN CHINESE, ESTABLISH THEN 
FADE ///

Mr. Sun Yuxi accuses Falun Gong of collaborating with 
foreign anti-China forces, acting as their political 
tool and pursuing anti-China activities.

Falun Gong poses an especially serious threat to the 
Beijing government because it claims to have between 
70-million and 100-million followers, some of whom are 
Communist Party members. (SIGNED)

NEB/LHF/FC/JP




25-Apr-2000 06:41 AM EDT (25-Apr-2000 1041 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.