Statement by Mr. Li Baoku, Vice Minister of Civil Affairs, At a Press Conference Held by the Information Office of the State Council
July 23, 1999/7/23
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Yesterday, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People's Republic of China announced that
the Falun Dafa Society and the Falun Gong organizations under its control were illegal
organizations and it was decided that they be banned.
According to the Regulations on the Registration and Administration of Social
Organizations, no social organizations can be set up without registering with the
departments concerned. All social organizations must abide by the Constitution, law,
regulations and policies of the state. No organization should contravene the basic
principles of the Constitution, nor should it impair the interests of the state, the
public interests, or the lawful rights and interests of other organizations and citizens,
or go against the prevailing social morality. According to these previsions, it is decided
that the Falun Dafa Society and the Falun Gong organizations under its control are illegal
organizations and should be outlawed.
1. The Falun Dafa Society headed by Li Hongzhi has not registered with the competent
authorities according to law and it has engaged in illegal activities.
The Falun Dafa Society is based in Beijing and Li Hongzhi has appointed himself its
president. The Society has Falun Gong centers, training stations and exercising sites
under it. The Fallen Gong centers are directly under the leadership of the Falun Dafa
Society and Li Hongzhi's instructions get to all Falun Gong centres through the Society,
and further down to the training stations, exercising sites and Falun Gong practitioners
successively. The Falun Dafa Society and the Falun Gong organizations under its control
have a closely knitted organizational system. But it has not gone through any legal
procedures for its registration and its establishment has not been approved. It is no more
than an illegal assembly.
Since it is an illegal organization, all its activities are illegal. Especially in recent
years, some Falun Gong organizations have instigated and hoodwinked their followers in
various places to harass and besiege Party and government department and media
institutions. They have also organized a number of large-scales illegal gatherings.
2. Falun Gong organizations have instigated troubles and incidents and have undermined
social stability.
As is known to all, it is the Falun Gong organizations that organized the "April 25
incident". This was a very serious incident of large-scale illegal gathering,
harassing departments of the Central Government, disturbing law and order and disrupting
people's normal life. After the incident, the government departments concerned have
meticulously, tirelessly, earnestly and reasonably educated and persuaded the Falun Gong
practitioners. However, the plotters and core members of Falun Gong organizations have not
only refused to pull in their horns, but also stepped up their efforts to plot illegal
activities, fabricate rumors to mislead people and stir up troubles. Li Hongzhi has since
talked about his "thoughts" and reflections and issued "instructions"
many times to people in China. Some of his core members first tired to organize
large-scale gatherings in various localities in China on the so-called occasions of Li
Hongzhi's "coming out for preaching" and "birthday". Then they
fabricated the story that the Chinese Government planned to reduce its trade surplus by
US$500 million in exchange for extraditing Li Hongzhi back to China and thereby instigated
Falun Gong practitioners to oppose the Government. Unbridled in advocating the absurd
heresies and fallacies of Falun Dafa themselves, they have willfully obstructed others
from airing different opinions, though reasonable and substantiated. They have censured
and launched group attacks against anyone who disagrees with their fallacies or expose
their pernicious nature. They have also incited some Falun Gong practitioners to appeal to
the higher authorities for help in an attempt to stage demonstrations against and bring
pressure to the Government. All this has seriously disrupted public order and jeopardized
social stability.
3. Li Hongzhi and his Falun Dafa have advocated superstition and heresy.
Li Hongzhi has spread various superstition and fallacies in an attempt to confuse people's
mind about moral standards and criterion for distinguishing right and wrong. He has
predicted that the end of the world is coming and the earth is going to blow up. He has
styled himself as the only Savior of the world and alleged that disasters and sufferings
can be avoided only by practicing Falun Gong. He has asked practitioners to obey him
blindly and regulate their behavior with his so-called teachings. He has forbidden them
from following other theories in mind and in action so as to mentally control them. The
evil ideas and fallacies that Li Hongzhi has preached are diametrically against modern
science and civilization, and contrary to the prevailing moral standards.
4. Li Hongzhi and his Falun Dafa have deceived people and harmed their physical and
spiritual health.
The evil ideas and fallacies of Li Hongzhi's Falun Dafa have made some Falun Gong
practitioners confused and paranoid, and have even got some of them into perversion.
Consequently, some refused to see doctors when ill and subsequently died when it was too
late for medical treatment. Some have committed suicide or become psychotic after
practicing Falun Gong. Some have even killed others cruelly. Many of such cases were made
public in yesterday's news report. For example, Li said, "there is Falun (the Wheel
of Law) in one's belly". Hence, some practitioners cut their abdomen to find Falun
and died of that. So what Li Hongzhi has been doing is not "redeeming people"
but rather harming people. Numerous facts have revealed that Falun Dafa compiled by Li
Hongzhi and Falun Gong organizations have done serious harms to the society.
To outlaw the Falun Dafa Society and Falun Gong organizations under its control conforms
to the will of the people. The illegal activities by Li Hongzhi and the Falun Gong
organizations have long aroused the strong resentment among the people from all walks of
life. People have exposed Li's absurdities and fallacies as well as the harms arising
therefrom. They have strongly appealed to the Government to take legal actions against
this illegal cult. This action of banning Falun Gong organizations has enjoyed broad
support of the people.
Now my colleagues and I are ready to take up your questions.