HC Deb 09 May 2002 vol 385 cc308-9W
Mr. Swayne

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts regarding the Chinese one child policy; and if he will make a statement. [54484]

Mr. MacShane

We have not discussed this subject with EU partners recently. We have expressed our concerns to the Chinese authorities, including through the UK-China human rights dialogue, over abuses associated with the one child policy. We believe that coercion has no place in family planning programmes.

Mr. Swayne

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place within the UN during the last two years about the Chinese one child policy. [54506]

Mr. MacShane

We are not aware of any recent discussion of China's one child policy at the executive board of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) or any other UN body. However monitoring of UNFPA's engagement with the Chinese Government on policy issues has taken place through at least two visits to China in the last two years by members of UNFPA's executive board.

Back to
Forward to