hile other religious groups are protesting China's crackdown on foreign missionaries and sects like the Falun Gong, Beijing has an unlikely friend in the United States. Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition and an outspoken proponent of "religious freedom" -- especially when it involves western evangelical groups spreading their gospel in the Islamic world -- seems to become ambivalent on the subject when the Peoples Republic of China is involved. Indeed, a strange alliance is emerging between the world's last great Communist nation, albeit one in a frenetic transition to some kind of state capitalism, and America's foremost religious conservative.

   One indication of this odd marriage of convenience is the near-obsequious interview Robertson recently conducted with Li Zhaoxing, Chinese Ambassador to the United States for airing on the Christian Broadcasting Network. Robertson informed viewers that Zhaoxing, an avatar of Shakespearean literature, was appearing to reveal "information about a disturbing new religious cult in China and the progress of China/U.S. relations." The cult in question is the Falun Gong, a syncretic mystical movement gaining popularity in China which fuses a cafeteria selection of religious and esoteric teachings.

   Under prompting from Robertson, Zhaoxing maintained that "the Chinese constitution provides for the right of the citizens' freedom of religion," adding that the country has "more than 100 million people believing in various religions such as Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and so forth." Despite this, Robertson continually referred to Falun Gong -- which some have suggested may be larger than the Communist Party of China or, indeed, any church in the PRC -- as a "sect."

   Zhaoxing also used other strategically worded questions from Robertson to assure his CBN audience that despite the crackdown on Falun Gong, "This has got nothing to do with any religion." The ambassador added that this was because "Falun Gong is not religion. It is nothing but a cult..."

   The remainder of the program sounded less like an interview and more of a publicity infomercial for the PRC. Robertson gushed about his "wonderful meeting" recently with Premiere Zhu, then launched into a paean of praise for the Chinese state.

   "I want to tell you that we here at CBN join with many people who are friends of China," declared Robertson. "And I just hope for peace and a very friendly relationship between our countries. The warmth is growing. I was there first in 1979. I've been back several times since. And I'm simply astounded at the progress, certainly economically and toward freedom in your country..."

   While many religious right organizations and leaders have allied themselves with the Taiwanese government of "Free China," backing the old Kuomintang regime of the late Chiang Kai-Shek (1887-1975) , Robertson is instead "bullish" on the mainland government. This position is now at odds with other evangelical and fundamentalist groups which have raised concern over China's policies on population control, abortion and the latitude of permitted religious expression. While Gary Bauer, Pat Buchanan and James Dobson all speak of blocking China's entry into the World Trade Organization because of the country's record on human rights, Robertson -- perhaps correctly -- sees one of the world's great civilizations in a period of convulsive transition. Robertson may also be sensing what many members of the Fortune 5000 elite also sense, an unparalleled economic opportunity.

   Robertson's "bullish" disposition regarding the PRC is evident in his substantial investments there and throughout the Asian sphere. Along with the wealthy Riady family of Indonesia, he is an investor in China Entertainment Broadcast, Ltd., a firm transmitting "no sex, no violence, no news" programming throughout Asia and the Peoples Republic. Another investor in the company headed by Hong Kong media mogul Robert Chu include the MUI group, the Indonesia-based conglomerate which had also invested in Robertson's move into the trendy Laura Ashley firm last summer.

   AANEWS has now learned that since March, Robertson has been operating a major internet portal in China known as Zhaodaola, as part of his Global Business Development Network founded in 1996. The firm maintains offices in the Henderson Office Building at No. 18 Jianguomen Nei Avenue in Beijing. Partnering with Robertson in the GBDN venture is MUI Media, Ltd.

   According to one internet watchdog source, Robertson's company "is assisting Chinese institutions design web pages and translate American web pages into Chinese." Zhaodaola -- the word translates roughly as "Found it!" -- is also reportedly in a "relationship" with the PRC Ministry of Information , and will be helping to co-produce a series of television programs for the government.

   Robertson's portal is reportedly filtered, unlike a competitor known as Sohu which was raided in March, just as the Zhaodaola operation was launching. One suggested reason is that Sohu's parent company included Nicholas Negraponte, who had the audacity during a banquet in Beijing to praise the notion of "disrespect for authority."

   Chinese officials temporarily shut down Sohu ostensibly because the portal allowed links to pornographic web sites.

   Robertson's involvement in a cozy, if somewhat controversial arrangement with the Chinese isn't the first time the prominent American preacher has mixed politics, religion and economic benefit, even at the expense of becoming involved with authoritarian regimes. In June, it was learned that Robertson had signed a development with Liberian strongman Charles Taylor whose government has been criticized for its shoddy record on human rights. Robertson's "Freedom Gold, Ltd." is spending $15 million in its initial exploratory phase to establish a mining operation for gold and other precious metals. Prior to that, Robertson was involved with the regime of Zairian dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who provided the televangelist with diamond and lumber concessions. Mobutu was also criticized by human rights groups, and dubbed the "President of Kleptocracy" for looting his country's wealth to the tune of an estimated two billion dollars.

   Inside the Washington beltway, both Robertson and son Timothy Robertson are reported to enjoy "high level contacts" within the Chinese regime. The opening of the Zhaodaola internet portal, along with Robertson's investment in his cable television operation, requires approval and cooperation of the PRG leadership. This comes at a time when the Chinese state is cracking down on "unapproved" organizations and religious groups, including Falun Gong and the "underground" Roman Catholic Church.

   According to Associated Press, the Vatican has been stalled in negotiations with the PRC over the status of its ecclesiastical hierarchy in China. Early this week, the Vatican's missionary news service, Fides, reported that it had obtained a 16-page policy paper by the Chinese communist leadership that outlines a plan to establishing a working relationship with the Vatican, and then root out "underground" church elements. The PRC and the Holy See have often disagreed over the status of the Catholic Church in China, which claims 10 million followers.

   The Chinese leadership also sees a challenge to its authority from groups like Falun Gong, which it accuses of using mind control, secrecy and a hierarchical structure to elicit blind obedience from its followers. On Thursday, a government spokesperson told western media, "To be merciful or tolerant to a cult is to trample citizens' human rights." So far, over 10,000 members of Falun Gong have been detained, although the group continues to distribute literature and spread its message over the internet.

   The leader of Falun Gong is Li Hongzhi, who like many "new religion" gurus mixes a syncretic blend of traditional faiths with esoteric beliefs. Now living in New York, Li Hongzhi offers his brand of salvation for a world which he says is being corrupted by science and technology. He is also reportedly antigay.

   The PRC leadership seems willing to tolerate only those groups and religious movements which it does not consider to be a challenge to its monopoly on power, or threaten the financial stability of the country. Though he preaches a variant of "religious freedom" for public schools and other institutions in the United States, or the right of missionary groups to proselytize Christianity in the Islamic world, he has staked out a peculiar position regarding the situation in China. Indeed, Robertson may be looking for a regime that guarantees and licenses not only his right to profit in the new PRC, but the right to proselytize as well.

[text only]