Honorable Senators, Congressmen and Congresswomen:

According to a Washington Times February 15 report, the US administration will cancel shortwave radio broadcasts by Voice of America into China this year, as Beijing is expanding its propaganda operations in the United States and around the world.

We, a group of Chinese residing in America as well as Chinese Americans, are so shocked and feel so uneasy at the news that we have to petition to you, dear honorable ladies and gentlemen, for your voting against this unwise decision which, if actuated, we think, would be harmful to both countries.

The Chinese  people are more enlightened now about freedom and democracy than ever before, part of the credit definitely goes to VOA China broadcasting, which, since started more than 60 years ago, has all along held a mirror of truth before the Chinese people.

If Congress approves the plan, all shortwave VOA broadcasts in Chinese, under way since 1942, will end on Oct. 1 this year.  This day happens to be the 62nd National Day of the Chinese Communist regime. What a “nice” birthday gift offered by our great America for this man-slaughtering regime! What a humiliating and regrettable thing for America to do! Just like a soldier surrendering his arms to the enemy after a long fighting and when the final victory is already in sight.

Recently all people fighting for democracy in China are greatly inspired by the “Jasmine Revolution” spreading over the Middle East area. The Chinese Communist regime is panic and is frenziedly waging a death-bed struggle to preserve its rule. So, apparently this is not the time for VOA to retreat. On the contrary, it should reach out with more broadcasting to China.

The cuts planned by the administration with the cost-cutting excuse calls for shifting the focus from shortwave to digital media, such as Internet broadcasts. Another reason for this cuts plan is said to be the “jam problem”.

But, the news report tells us, according to some knowledgeable people, the internet-only method would prevent millions of Chinese from getting news and information, especially those in restricted areas. On the other hand, VOA’s shortwave broadcasts into China, according to a China specialist, are much more difficult and labor-intensive to jam than VOA’s digital, social media and satellite broadcasts. China’s jamming on internet is a fact known to all. For example, we are now in America, not in China, but we have frequently encountered blockage when   searching the internet for news about China in Chinese, let alone people inside China. Therefore we can imagine, so far as China’s information-deprived audiences are concerned, shortwave radio remains an important tool to reach.

Dear ladies and gentlemen, out of our deep love for both America and our mother country China, out of a sincere wish that our relatives and friends in China can enjoy the same freedom and happiness as we do now in America, we eagerly petition you to block the passage of this ill-advised cuts plan and let VOA Chinese broadcasting continue fighting for China’s freedom and democracy until the final victory.  Thank you for listening to our petition.

致美国国会请愿书(中文译文)

尊敬的美国国会议员先生和女士们:

根据华盛顿时报2月15日一项新闻报道,正当北京在美国及世界各地扩大它的宣传运作的时候,美国政府打算在今年取消对中国的短波广播,

我们是一群居留美国的中国人和美籍华人,看到以上消息, 都感到十分震惊和不安.因此, 尊敬的国会议员先生和女士们, 我们不得不在此吁请各位,务必投票否决此项不明智的议案,因为我们认为,此议案若实行,将对美中两国都造成伤害.

“美国之音”对中国的广播,自从开创以来,一直在中国人民面前高举着一面反映事实真相的明镜.今天的中国人民对自由民主比以往任何时候都有更加明确的认识, 此中因素有多种,而美国之音中文广播无可否认是其中重要因素之一.

如果国会通过这项计划,自从1942年以来一直在运作的美国之音中文广播,就将在今年年10月1日全部停播. 而这一天恰好是中共政府成立62周年的国庆日. 这将是我们伟大的美国送给中共这个杀人政权一件何等厚重的寿礼!美国如此卑躬屈膝,实在令人遗憾.无异于一个战士,在经过长期战斗,胜利已经在望之际,向敌人缴械投降.

最近一个时期,积极从事中国民主事业的人士都为中东地区”茉莉花革命”形势感到鼓舞,而惊恐的中共当局正在狂乱地为维持其政权进行垂死挣扎.因此,当前显然不是美国之音撤退中文广播的时候,正相反,应当是增加广播的时候.

据报道,这次行政当局计划削减美国之音中文广播,是为了节省行政开支.他们打算把短波广播的经费集中到英特网广播这类数码媒体上使用.此外,这项裁减计划的另一理由是 ”广播受到干扰”.

但是,此项新闻报道告诉我们,熟悉这方面情况的人士说,若单靠互联网,会使千百万中国人,尤其是那些处在条件受限制地区的中国人,无法及时得到新闻和信息.另一方面,一位中国问题专家认为,中共要干扰美国之音短波中文广播,比起干扰美国之音的数码媒体及社会媒体和卫星广播来,难度要大得多,费力得多.而中国对互联网的封杀,已经是人人皆知的事.例如,我们现在是在美国,不是在中国,但在搜索有关中国的中文新闻时,也常遭到中共的新闻过滤.所以,我们可以想象,就知情权被剥夺的广大中国民众来说,短波广播仍然是传播信息的一个重要手段.

亲爱的女士们,先生们,由于对美,中两国深切的爱,由于真诚盼望我们在中国的亲友都能享受到与我们在美国享受的同样的自由和幸福,我们在此殷切请求各位投票反对这项不明智的议案,阻止其通过,好让美国之音中文广播为中国自由和民主继续战斗,直到最后胜利.

谢谢各位倾听我们的呼声.