HC Deb 14 December 1998 vol 322 cc404-5W
Mr. Howard

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese authorities concerning individuals imprisoned for counter-revolutionary offences. [63537]

Mr. Fatchett

Through our continuing bilateral and EU/China human rights dialogues we have raised the cases of a number of individuals detained for counterrevolutionary offences. We have encouraged China to review all such cases following the removal of crimes of counter-revolution from China's Criminal Law in 1997.

Mr. Howard

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese authorities on their implementation of the United Nations Convention on Human Rights. [63538]

Mr. Fatchett

Through our continuing bilateral and EU/China human rights dialogues, we are encouraging China to ratify quickly, with as few reservations as possible, the two international human rights covenants which it has signed. UK experts visited China in February to share experience in this area.

Mr. Howard

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the detention of members of the Democratic Party of China. [63539]

Mr. Fatchett

We are dismayed at the recent detention of members of the China Democratic Party. The actions of the Chinese authorities are at odds with the principles of the international human rights covenants which China has signed. China should release all of those detained and take a more tolerant attitude to those who wish to express freely their political views.

Mr. Howard

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese authorities concerning the detention of(a) Xu Wenli, (b) Lu Decheng, (c) Yu Dongyue and (d) Yu Zhijan. [63540]

Mr. Fatchett

We are dismayed at the recent detention of members of the China Democratic Party. On 2 December, our Embassy in Beijing expressed our concerns to the Chinese government. They can be in no doubt as to our views.

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