What does the world look like as reported on the pages of California's growing ethnic newspapers? PNS monitors the Chinese-, Spanish-, Vietnamese-, Japanese-, Korean-, Arabic-language news media as well as English-language newcomer and native-born ethnic press published and/or distributed widely in California. "Gleanings from the Ethnic Media" is a regular weekly column compiled by Emil Guillermo, host of "NCM: New California Media TV" (seen on PBS station KCSM-TV60 in the Bay Area); assisted by Pacific News Service and the NCM Network. Just as the alternative news media connected the disaffected populations in the 1960s, so in the 1990s the ethnic media connects the new ethnic majority communities of California -- to one another and to the larger public forum.

TWO CHINAS: Tawan President Lee Teng Hui's "Two States Theory" is helping China President Jian Zemin evade internal and external problems, says an editorial in the World Journal (SF). Lee's speech is being viewed as a final shove that pushes China from its self-image as "Great Power" to a "regional power." An even bigger shove has come from China's economic woes: its foreign trade is down; the huge problem of what to do with state-owned smokestack industries remains unresolved; industrial production is ailing; financial instability remains; unemployment is rising.

But the latest flare-up over Taiwan gives Jiang a diversion. The

Chinese Communist leadership has now made Taiwan a central issue. It appears they are getting a lot of support from the people. Now the Chinese Communists are saying that the Taiwan problem takes

precedence over all other problems. Lee has hardened the Communists' determination to resolve the Taiwan issue once and for all. WJ does not think the tough talk coming from the Mainland necessarily means war. Nevertheless "there will be clashes, disappointments, and it's not going to be pleasant for us to watch."

HATE MAIL: For two weeks now, anti-Asian hate material has been passed around in the city's Richmond and Sunset districts (Sing Tao Daily, SF). Starting on July 5, many businesses and families received anti-Asian hate flyers in their mailboxes. Mayor Brown branded the flyers as "contemptible behavior" and said it cannot be tolerated. A group of Chinese-Americans sent letters to the media. "We're citizens and pay taxes," they said, "we never thought something like this would happen, that we'd be facing terror from crazies." The letters asked all citizens to support Asian-Americans terrorized by hate groups.

KAISER IN SIGHTS: The California Nurses Association has entered into talks with the Oakland NAACP to join a court action against Kaiser Permanente, reports the Sun Reporter (SF). A lawsuit has already been filed against the HMO to stop the planned closure of an Oakland hospital. The nurses union claims it amounts to "medical redlining," against underserved communities, especially blacks. Shannon Reeves, president of the Oakland NAACP has met with union executives and invited Kaiser officials for further talks. Meanwhile, another suit, claiming discrimination against black nurses, is being contemplated. There reportedly widespread complaints of racial bias in pay and job classifications.

NO CHOICE: Vietnam has the highest rate of abortion in the world, with over 33,000 performed in Hanoi alone during the first six months of 1999, reports Tin Viet (SJ). The main reasons given for the high rate are lack of condoms and increased pre-marital sex. But the United Nations' population control program puts the actual number of abortions much higher because many abortions were done in

non-hospital settings. Because of such abortions, many women are suffer health problems. The irony is that Vietnam has two companies that produce condoms for export to the United States. The economic crisis in Asia has doubled condom prices locally, forcing many Vietnamese to forego usage.

SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY: U.S. citizenship exams should be "simpler, fairer and reasonable," declares an editorial in the World Journal (SF). Currently, one third of all citizenship exam-takers flunk. Many failures are due to the culturally biased nature of the questions and the nervousness induced by having to face an oral examiners. WJ does not want special considerations for newcomers. But it suggests that some questions on the exam are difficult even for applicants more familiar with the American culture. For example, how many Americans could answer, "Who said 'Give me liberty or give me death'?" WJ notes that new citizens are so culturally different from applicants 100 years ago and that the quality of applicants is now much higher based on home ownership, economic means, and English-language skill.

LATINO-FILIPINO ALLIANCE: Los Angeles area congressman Xavier Beccerra (Calif-30th District) told Filipino community members that a congressional task force is being formed to pass a measure supporting Filipino veterans. HR 1802, a bill that allows veterans SSI benefits if they return to the Philippines, has already passed in the House and now goes to the Senate. While it is not the full "Equity Act" sought by Filipinos who fought for the U.S. during WWII, it's a start. "Let's take our victories and build on them," Beccerra told the Filipino American Service Group. Beccerra indicated that the full Equity Act would cost billions of dollars, and it may be easier to achieve benefits bit by bit. The renewed congressional focus is on gaining access to health services at VA hospitals. Estimated cost: $36 million.

ONE OFFICE, PLEASE: Immigration activists and some Democratic legislators have denounced a bipartisan bill that would divide the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) into two offices (La Opinion, LA). Under the plan, one office would apply laws and the other would provide services. But critics argue such an idea would only worsen existing problems. Congressional Latinos are reportedly divided over the measure because it does not specify how the "service" office will be financed. Some Latino legislators say this would result in higher fees for services and possibly longer delays in the naturalization process. A coalition of immigrant rights organizations believe that the INS should be restructured, especially to better deal with services like naturalization; but everything should remain under the jurisdiction of the INS.

VIRTUAL CHINA: A non-profit agency supported by the Chinese government puts China's Internet users at four million and growing, reports the World Journal (SF). The China Nationwide Network Information Center (CNNIC), the clearinghouse on Internet matters in China, says the biggest obstacles to growth are the inability to keep up with the demand and the high rates charged for Internet use. There are now some 1.46 million computers which can access the Internet, 250 thousand with special access; 1.21 million with e-mail access. Near 40 percent of users are based at home; the rest are government or business users. They range in age from 21 to 40 years old.

IN CYBERSPACE WE TRUST: Mexicans trust private universities and the Internet more than they do key national institutions like the police and the presidency, according to a study from the National Polytechnic Institute. The police and the House of Representatives generate the least confidence among Mexicans, according to the study based on interviews with more than 400 people in Mexico City.

Only 6.95 percent of those interviewed claimed to be "very confident" with the nation's most important institution‹the presidency of the republic. Judges have the confidence of only 4.22 percent, while only 1.49 percent expressed confidence in members of the Mexican House of Representatives. By contrast, Mexicans expressed faith in families (57.8 percent), private universities (45.66 percent) and the Internet (38.21 percent).