Some foreign news media lately report that Tan Yongjie, an alleged "Falun Gong" follower in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region who stowed away to the US, was tortured by Chinese policemen in Guangdong and had got a third-degree burn. But an inquiry of related departments about this tells that no such a man as Tan had been found in China's mainland and the so-called self-account by this man has many doubtful points.

The reporter first turned to public security departments of Guangdong and Guangxi for their residence files and local census records trying to find the man out allegedly by the name of "Tan Yongjie". However, irrespective of every possible effort made, all had got to no avail. Experts of public security explained that the so-called Tan Yongjie probably used a false name after he ran a blockade to the US. Experiences told that using false names have customarily helped stowaways get away from investigations by security departments in the US and present their stories of being persecuted that has turned out to be the most favorable means to have helped them out unscathed in the US.

Guangdong Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region security departments point out that they haven't got such a soul alleged as "Tan Yongjie". The so-called "Chinese policeman tortured him" is a sheer lie.

Experts also thought that there are so many doubtful points in Tan's self-account failing to justify his statement. For instance, Tan claimed to have been "branded by hot iron par by Chinese policemen" on June 2, and that "diagnosed as a third-degree burn, on 13 locations, deep into the muscle, the area of wounds is large and deep, hard to close up". But irrespective of such serious wounds, to people's surprise, Tan had managed to hide in a crate in a container ship on a 14-day voyage, crossed the vast Pacific Ocean, passed through many hands or places without any corn on hand, even not knowing a word of English, and finally arrived at Houston and entered hospital for treatment on July 13. The whole process takes more than 40 days. It is unbelievable to any person with a little common sense.

The police noted that now they are not supposed to make any guess at the doubtful points in Tan's account and his so-called real experience during the illegal immigration. They hope they can get more related material and the real name of the stowaway and conduct further investigation about the issue so as to give a convincing answer to all good and honest people within and outside China.

(People's Daily08/30/2001)