A lengthy article in the Global Times (May 16) titled 'US embassy increasingly offensive in pushing ‘peaceful evolution’ in China by roping in activists with money' pointed to the recently announced programme of the US Embassy in China to "support non-governmental organizations (NGOs) including think tanks, civil society organizations and individuals carrying out programs in support of the civil society, museums, national parks, nature reserves, and community organizations to carry out activities to spread American values and enhance the understanding of the US among the Chinese people, among other objectives. The maximum amount for each award is $30,000." It quoted Li Haidong, Professor at the Institute of International Relations at China Foreign Affairs University, as cautioning that this program being initiated by the US State Department under the guise of "public diplomacy" is to propagate and infiltrate all parts of China, including Hong Kong and Macao, and provide funding and transfer benefits to "specified individuals" or "organizations" under the cover of cultural activities, and may even aim to instigate a "color revolution". Listing US funding under various programmes it mentioned the approval of $7.5 million in ESF funds to NGOs for activities that preserve cultural traditions and promote sustainable development and environmental conservation in the Tibetan Autonomous Region and other Tibetan communities in China and provision of US$ 450,000 and US$ 922,000 in the 2006 and 2010 fiscal years respectively for programs to strengthen Hong Kong political parties. It said "analysts pointed out that in addition to directly propagandizing Western democracy and its rule of law, it often uses the guise of caring for women's, animal. and minority rights to export "colour revolution"." It quoted other Chinese experts who argued that US cultural exchange and other programmes were designed to further "peaceful evolution".
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