Yang, in reply to questions about the Falun Gong in a luncheon speech at the National Press Club, also emphasized the Chinese Government's decision to ban the cult two years ago was legitimate because it reflected the will of the majority of the Chinese people.

Yang pointed out that the doomsday view of Falun Gong, though already well-known and widely condemned in China, seems not to be so clear to the American people because its leaders "have changed their tactics" by putting on a benign cloak to hide its evil nature in its rhetoric campaign in the United States.

"What the leaders of Falun Gong have been saying is that the Earth has been destroyed many times, and the Earth is about to explode, and the leaders have magic power to postpone the explosion of the Earth," Yang said.

Falun Gong leaders even alleged that they decided to put off "the explosion of the Earth" in response to the request of the top Chinese leaders, he added.

"I don't think the American people believe that," the ambassador said. The heads of the evil cult "should really let the American people know the whole doctrines, not just telling people that it's good for people's health and (it's just) exercises and so on," Yang said.

Yang also refuted allegations by some American politicians and human rights activists that Falun Gong should be legitimized for the sake of religious freedom.

"Some people say the issue touches religious freedom. (But) Falun Gong (itself) has said time and again that it is not a religion. I believe Falun Gong has an ulterior motive," he said.

Yang said about 1,600 Falun Gong followers have died in China because their leaders declared practitioners should shun medicines and doctors when they get ill, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency 07/27/2001)