Chinese Consulate Rejects Reporter's Visa Application

Investigative reporter specializes in covering human rights in China
By Luo Ya and An Ni
The Epoch Times

Almost three weeks after the Epoch Times published reports about a Chinese concentration camp where organs were being harvested from Falun Gong practitioners, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the reports and openly invited the international community to conduct an investigation.

In response to this invitation, Sydney-based reporter Linda Xu from the Sound of Hope radio station went to the Chinese consulate in Sydney on April 19 to lodge a visa application. Her application was immediately rejected.

Ms Xu was told by an official at the visa office that reporters entering China need an invitation letter from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ms Xu explained that at a press conference on March 28, Qin Gang, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had openly invited the international community to conduct an investigation.

The official replied: "This is not possible. Why don't you ask Qin Gang for an invitation letter yourself!" He returned the application documents to Ms Xu. When she tried to explain further, a consular security guard told her to leave.

Ms Xu, who specializes in reporting on human rights activities in China, volunteered to be part of a team of investigators from the "Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China" (CIPFG). The team plans to conduct a three month investigation into all forced labor camps, prisons and hospitals in China. CIPFG announced that the five volunteers in this first team are representatives from three independent media – The Epoch Times , Sound of Hope radio station and NTD TV station, with offices in North America, Europe and Australia.

A spokesperson for Sound of Hope radio station said that the Sound of Hope radio station had formally accepted the invitation from Qin Gang.
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