Baucus And Bereuter Write Letter To President Bush Urging Human Rights Dialogue With Beijing

Congressional-Executive Commission on China | www.cecc.gov

Baucus And Bereuter Write Letter To President Bush Urging Human Rights Dialogue With Beijing

February 13, 2002

(Washington, DC)—Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) and Congressman Doug Bereuter (R-NE), Chairman and Co-Chairman respectively of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, have written a letter urging President Bush to raise U.S. concerns over China's human rights practices during his visit to the Chinese capital next week. "Your visit to Beijing provides an opportunity to discuss specific aspects of America's human rights and rule of law concerns with the Chinese leadership to help them understand that these issues remain priorities of our nation,'' Baucus and Bereuter wrote in a letter delivered to the White House today (Feb. 13). The letter also recommends that the President urge Chinese authorities to review the cases of those imprisoned for counterrevolutionary crimes, to release unconditionally all prisoners of conscience, to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and to invite the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Religious Freedom to visit China. "These actions by China would represent meaningful progress in the human rights area and would be welcomed throughout the world,'' the two U.S. legislators wrote. "We urge you to raise these cases at the highest possible level during your trip.''

In the letter, Baucus and Bereuter expressed appreciation for the "strong and direct message'' President Bush delivered to Chinese President Jiang Zemin in Shanghai last October about the need for China to respect the rights of individuals to practice religion freely. They also welcomed President Bush's message to President Jiang that the war on terrorism cannot be used as an excuse to crack down on peaceful dissent. "We are also pleased to see the renewal of the bilateral human rights dialogue late last year between our two countries,'' Baucus and Bereuter wrote in the letter.

The letter follows the first formal hearing by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, held on February 7, under the theme "Human Rights in the Context of Rule of Law.'' The next full hearing is scheduled for April 11, and will focus on "Human Rights and Legal Reform.'' The Congressional-Executive Commission on China consists of nine Senators, nine members of the House of Representatives, and five senior Administration officials appointed by the President. Its legislative mandate is to monitor and report on human rights and the development of the rule of law in China, and to submit an annual report to the President and the Congress.

The following letter was sent on February 13 to President Bush from Senator Max Baucus and Congressman Doug Bereuter:

Dear Mr. President,

We are writing in our capacities as Chair and Co-Chair, respectively, of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, which was established in the China PNTR trade legislation to monitor human rights and developments in the rule of law. Following the first formal hearing of the Commission on February 7, we wanted to make some specific recommendations for your official trip to China later this month.

We appreciate the strong and direct message you delivered in October to Chinese President Jiang Zemin in Shanghai about the need to respect the right of individuals to practice religion freely. We further welcome your message to President Jiang that the war on terrorism cannot be used as an excuse to crackdown on peaceful dissent. We are also pleased to see the renewal of the bilateral human rights dialogue late last year between our two countries.

Your visit to Beijing provides an opportunity to discuss specific aspects of America's human rights and rule of law concerns with the Chinese leadership to help them understand that these issues remain priorities of our nation. We recommend that you urge Chinese authorities to perform a comprehensive review of those imprisoned for counterrevolutionary crimes, to release unconditionally all prisoners of conscience, to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and to invite the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Religious Freedom to visit China. These actions by China would represent meaningful progress in the human rights area and would be welcomed throughout the world.

Individual Congressional members of the Commission will write you separately about specific human rights cases of concern to them. We urge you to raise these cases at the highest possible level during your visit. We wish you success on your official visits to Japan, Korea, and China, three countries that continue to be important to U.S. foreign policy interests in Asia. We also look forward to learning about the results of your trip, particularly the discussions in Beijing on human rights and the rule of law.

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