(Clearwisdom.net) The New York University Chinese Culture Club (NYUCCC), under the instigation of the Chinese Consulate in New York, published an open statement that attempted to discredit and interfere with New Tang Dynasty Television's (NTDTV) International Chinese Classical Dance Competition, again arousing people's concerns over the Chinese Embassy and Consulates using overseas Chinese students for their own political purposes.

On July 14, 2007, Ms. Zhang Lingdi, a former student at Ottawa University, confirmed in an interview at the university that the Chinese students' association leaders from China are pushed by the Chinese Embassy and Consulates to collect information on local Falun Gong practitioners, in effect turning them into spies for the communist regime.

On June 6, 2007, a former diplomat with the Chinese Consulate in Sydney, Australia, Chen Yonglin, pointed out that in almost all universities in Australia, the United States and Canada, Chinese student associations are set up by the China Education Department and given funding by the Chinese government.

According to reports, in November of last year, second secretary Wang Pengfei in the Education Office of the Chinese Embassy in Canada was not allowed to stay in Canada. Canadian Foreign Affairs declined to renew his diplomatic visa after he was found to be paying Chinese student association members of Ottawa University to collect information on local Falun Gong practitioners.

Zhang Lingdi, who studied at Ottawa University, said in an interview in September 2005 that she received an email from someone claiming to be Vice President Xu of the Ottawa University Chinese Student Association. The email said: "The Chinese Student Association is directly led by the Education Office of the Chinese Embassy in Canada, and we are watching every move you make."

In the email, Xu referred to press conferences and other activities that Zhang Lingdi had participated in to rescue her father ,Zhang Kunlun, who had been illegally arrested for practicing Falun Gong in China. It continued to say, "According to reports from students and an investigation by the Students' Association leaders, you are still a Falun Gong practitioner." Presumably as a tactic of intimidation, Xu went on in the letter to give detailed personal and family information of a Falun Gong practitioner in Ottawa.

Exerting Influence Through Financial Means

On November 24, 2006, the Vancouver Chinese Culture Club's website had a notice regarding electing new board members. One of the listed duties of the club president was "applying for funding from the Chinese Consulate." The same website listed the Education Office of the Chinese Consulate in Vancouver as a sponsor. The club has worked closely with the Consulate on official activities, including putting together welcoming contingents for Chinese leaders such as Hu Jintao.

Falun Gong practitioner Dai Gongyu said in an interview, "The Chinese Embassy and the Consulates spread hatred through the Chinese community groups under their control, which include the Chinese Students' Associations." She said that during every visit from Chinese leaders, the Embassy organizes students' associations to "welcome" the visiting party. At the same time, the students are directed to block appeals by Falun Gong practitioners and other protesting groups. Dai Gongyu recalled, "In December 2003 when Wen Jiabao visited Ottawa, Falun Gong practitioners held a peaceful protest in front of the Westin Hotel where Wen Jiabao was staying. They unfurled banners that read, 'Welcome, Wen Jiabao!' and 'Severely Punish Jiang Zemin.' Two officials from the embassy's Education Office directed Chinese students to squeeze in front of the Falun Gong practitioners and wave red flags, and to block the banner 'Severely Punish Jiang Zemin' from view. The officials shouted to the Chinese students, 'Make sure you cover it up!' Other Chinese people present confirmed that one of the officials was Wang Pengfei.

On March 5, 2007, Ms. Zhang Jiyan, the wife of a Chinese diplomat at the Chinese Embassy in Canada, brought an official document with her when she walked out of the Chinese Embassy. The document was entitled "Results of the Investigation of NTDTV Trying to Enter Canada and the Results of the Lobbying Work." The document shows that the Chinese Embassy tried to lobby the Canadian government and directed pro-CCP Chinese groups and overseas students to write to object to NTDTV entering Canada. It also directed the Embassy to send slanderous information about Falun Gong to Canadian officials.

Chinese Embassy's Control Over Overseas Students Widespread

On April 20, international human rights lawyer David Matas and Canada's former Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour were invited to address the "Investigation of the CCP's Organ Harvesting from Falun Gong Practitioners" forum at Columbia University in the United States. The Chinese Students Association at this school (CUCSSA) threatened to violently disrupt the forum.

The Columbia University Chinese Students Association charter listed three consultants, two of whom two were Fanglin Ai and Da Yao from the Chinese Consulate. The charter document itself said that it was reviewed by the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in New York.

In the UK, the "Chinese Student and Scholar Association in the UK"is funded by the Education Office of the Chinese Embassy in the UK and according to its website, is headquartered in the Chinese Embassy. The regulations of CSSA-UK state that "CSSA-UK accepts instruction from the Chinese Embassy in the UK" and that "CSSA-UK recommends two to three official presidential candidates, which are agreed upon by the Chinese Embassy in the UK."

The regulations of the German Wuerzburg Chinese Student and Scholars Association include a provision for a "dismissal of Association," which says that: (1) the Chinese Embassy should be informed of any dismissal and abolishment of the Association; (2) after dismissal of the Association, all financial reports must be handed over to the Chinese Embassy.

On the websites of many Chinese Student and Scholar Associations, there are reports of its leaders being invited to attend forums by the Chinese Embassies and Consulates, such as the study entitled: "Spirits of Two Meetings." After the persecution of Falun Gong began, the associations became mouthpieces for the CCP, putting up headlines such as "Overseas Scholars and Chinese Residents Denounce Falun Gong." These reports were then exported to China to deceive the general populace.

For the associations controlled and sponsored by the CCP, their leaders accepting the CCP's funding and pushing the CCP's political propaganda may constitute a breach of the "Foreign Agents Registration Act." According to the law, in order to engage in lobbying or public relations activities for foreign governments, one is required to disclose and lawfully register to conduct the activity. Furthermore, it is also illegal to engage in collecting private information, participate in political activity which propagates communist ideology, or attempt to limit other people's religious beliefs or instigate hatred.