Politic-Economic-Society-Tech

Activists Press Powell to Press China

Activists appealed on Friday to Secretary of State Colin Powell, who visits Beijing this weekend, to press Chinese leaders to free jailed dissidents and improve human rights. 

``The Bush administration must seek concrete improvements,'' Amnesty International USA said in a statement. ``The scale of China's human rights problem cannot be hidden.'' 

According to the group, China is holding at least 6,000 political prisoners, including pro-democracy and labor activists, Roman Catholic priests and members of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement. 

``In the past few years, many countries have been concerned about China's human rights,'' said Ren Wanding, an outspoken government critic who has spent a total of 11 years in prison. ``Although the concerns are genuine, it doesn't really help the situation. China's human rights violations are still just as bad.'' 

Powell, who arrives Saturday, has made human rights a top priority. He urged China on Thursday to change its legal system so that innocent people are not harassed. 

China this week released three Chinese scholars with U.S. ties who had been convicted of spying. One was expelled and two granted medical parole after their cases threatened to overshadow Powell's visit. 

Bao Tong, a former aide to deposed Communist Party chief Zhao Ziyang, said the move was a political one and that he didn't ``think the law should be a tool for diplomatic relations.'' 

Bao spent seven years in prison for sympathizing with pro-democracy demonstrators in 1989. He now lives in Beijing under heavy surveillance. 

Bao said he hopes ties between the two countries grow stronger, on the condition that ``they see eye to eye on the meaning of freedom, human rights and democracy.'' 

``If they have the same definition, I think relations will improve,'' he said. 

A group of 35 Chinese activists on Friday issued an appeal to Powell to ask Beijing for medical parole for dissident Xu Wenli, according to the Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy. 

Xu, 58, was sentenced in 1998 to 13 years in prison for trying to form an opposition political party. According to his wife, he suffers from hepatitis and chronic back pain. 

Liu Jing, the sister of another jailed dissident, said at least 10 police officers started monitoring her home Friday, likely to prevent her from making an appeal to Powell. 

Her brother, Fang Jue, in 1998 created a stir by issuing a call for direct elections, free speech and stronger civilian control of the military. He was convicted later that year of making illegal business deals and sentenced to four years in jail. 

``I'm a regular citizen. I don't break the law. It's probably because of my brother,'' said Liu, who hasn't seen Fang in five months. She said he has developed high blood pressure. 

``I hope Powell's visit will help change the conditions of my brother's imprisonment. I hope China-U.S. relations will improve. But truth be told, I'm not sure that would happen.'' 

source:  WorldNews, July 27, 2001