China yesterday stepped up its campaign against the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement, vowing to fight the war against the sect "to the end".
In the latest step in its mass propaganda campaign against the movement, following the attempt by members to burn themselves in Tiananmen Square last month, China's Communist Party accused "Western anti-China masters" of being behind Falun Gong's repeated protests.
"The Chinese government will fight the war to the end in a bid to safeguard the reform and opening up of the socialist modernisation drive and the hard-won social stability," an editorial in the state-controlled People's Daily said.
The strong editorial was seen as an attack on the countries that have condemned China for its 19-month-long Falun Gong crackdown.
The newspaper claimed that as well as the immolations, Falun Gong teachings inspired a failed bombing attempt at Tiananmen Square last year.
"After receiving the message, a crazy Falun Gong follower armed with explosives went to the square and was ready to ignite himself on April 5th, 2000. His deadly attempt was foiled by patrolling police."
It was not clear yesterday why China, which promptly reported last month's self-immolations and used them to discredit the sect, waited 10 months to publicise the would-be bomber.
Following the burnings on January 23rd, all state media including radio and television have carried anti-Falun Gong reports on a daily basis, including interviews with the alleged burn victims who now claim they were duped by the organisation.
Some foreign journalists have been reprimanded by the authorities for their coverage of the controversy and for attempting to interview the victims without permission.
Falun Gong was banned in July, 1999, after it sought official recognition, and members have protested almost daily in Tiananmen Square since. China's harsh treatment of protesters has provoked widespread international concern.
Falun Gong claims more than 100 followers have died of police beatings and that tens of thousands of its members have been sent to labour camps without trial.
The Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Jean Chretien, who is on a week-long official visit to China, voiced Canada's concern about the crackdown in talks with Premier Mr Zhu Rongji on Sunday.
Mr Zhu repeated China's position that the movement, which combines Taoism and Buddhism with traditional Chinese exercises, was an "evil cult" that threatened social stability.