U.S. Dept. of State - IIP: The United States and China

Text: U.S. Introduces U.N. Resolution on China's Rights Practices
(U.S. urges other commission members to support resolution)

Speaking before the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva April 18, the leader of the U.S. delegation asked the commission members to support a resolution concerning China's human rights practices.

"While the Chinese government deserves credit for some steps it has made, it nonetheless continues to violate many universal human rights," U.S. Ambassador Shirin Tahir-Kheli said in introducing the resolution.

Tahir-Kheli said the resolution expresses concern that "the Chinese government systematically violates the universal human rights of millions of its citizens every year," through "severe restrictions" it imposes on the rights of citizens to the freedoms of assembly, association, expression, conscience and religion, and to due legal process and a fair trial.

-- Increased restrictions on the exercise of cultural, linguistic, religious and fundamental freedoms of Tibetans and others; -- Continuing arrests and harsh sentencing during the past year of members of the China Democracy Party and those who sought to exercise their rights of association, expression, and participation in political life; -- Severe measures taken to restrict the peaceful activities of Buddhists, Muslims, Christians and others; and

-- Increasingly severe measures taken against adherents of movements such as Falun Gong;

"We urge other Commission members to join us in upholding the principle of universality of human rights before this commission, and in stating clearly that human rights conditions in China are of significance to this pre-eminent human rights body," Tahir-Kheli said.

"If we are to defend universal human rights, we must affirm robustly that they apply to every country, every day of every year," she continued.

Chinese Ambassador Qiao Zhonghuai took the floor immediately after introduction of the resolution to call for a "no action motion." The no-action motion was adopted by a vote of 23 in favor, 17 opposed, with 12 abstentions. One member state was absent during the vote.

China remains the only Commission member to have used the no-action motion to prevent a vote on a situation in its own country.

The debate on China in Geneva April 18 took place on the same day that U.S. and Chinese negotiators met for discussions on the U.S. EP-3 surveillance plane held on Hainan Island.

Amb. Shirin Tahir-Kheli
U.S. Delegation, U.N. Commission on Human Rights
Introductory Remarks on L. 13: Situation of Human Rights in China
April 18, 2001

The United States has introduced Resolution L. 13 because we are concerned about the protection of human rights in China.

We recognize the rapid strides that China has made in recent years and applaud the many improvements this has brought to people's daily lives.

In fact, this resolution explicitly recognizes "the significant transformation that Chinese society has undergone since the introduction of the reform policies, including the reduction of government interference in the everyday lives of most citizens, and the successful efforts of the Government of China in economic development and in reducing the numbers of Chinese living in extreme poverty."

Further, it welcomes China's "continued efforts to increase the transparency of the judicial system and respect for the rule of law" and its "expressed intent to proceed promptly with ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights."

But this Commission has an obligation to the truth, and that compels us to look directly at the shortcomings in China's human rights practices, too. Thus the resolution "expresses its concern" at the "severe restrictions" the government imposes "on the rights of citizens to the freedoms of assembly, association, expression, conscience and religion, and to due legal process and a fair trial."

It points out the "increased restrictions on the exercise of cultural, linguistic, religious and fundamental freedoms of Tibetans and others" and the "continuing arrests and harsh sentencing during the past year of members of the China Democracy Party and those who sought to exercise their internationally-recognized rights of association, expression, and participation in political life." It also expresses concern about "the severe measures taken to restrict the peaceful activities of Buddhists, Muslims, Christians and others who sought to exercise their internationally-recognized rights of freedom of conscience, belief and peaceful assembly" and "the increasingly severe measures taken against adherents of movements such as Falun Gong."

The resolution we are introducing is fair and balanced. While the Chinese government deserves credit for some steps it has made, it nonetheless continues to violate many universal human rights. And we encourage the members of this Commission to face the facts.

Some Commission members may be tempted to accept specious arguments that the United States is introducing this resolution for political reasons or to seek confrontation. Let me assure this Commission that this is not the case. We have a deep and important relationship with China, and the United States expects that relationship to continue to grow and prosper. Indeed, the United States has worked at the highest levels of the Bush Administration to ensure that relations between our countries remain cordial.

But this is a matter of human rights, not bilateral relations. The promotion and protection of universal human rights is the purpose of this Commission, the reason we nations meet here every year. If we are to defend universal human rights, we must affirm robustly that they apply to every country, every day of every year. No country should consider itself beyond review.

Human rights are the business of this Commission, Mr. Chairman. It should matter that the Chinese government systematically violates the universal human rights of millions of its citizens every year and then asks that it be exempted from any scrutiny at the Commission on Human Rights.

I can assure you that it matters to the United States and to proponents of human rights everywhere. That is why we are introducing this resolution. We urge other Commission members to join us in upholding the principle of universality of human rights before this commission, and in stating clearly that human rights conditions in China are of significance to this pre-eminent human rights body.

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)