HC Deb 21 June 1999 vol 333 cc276-7W
Dr. Desmond Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what reports Her Majesty's Government have received on the welfare of the following prisoners(a) Ye Kensheng (Xinyang Municipal Labour Educational Camp), (b) Xiao Minghai (Xinyang Municipal Labour Educational Camp), (c) Xu Dajiang (Xinyang Municipal Labour Educational Camp),(d) Zhang Jinchen (Xinyang Municipal Labour Educational Camp), (e) Wang Xuehua (Xinyang Municipal Labour Educational Camp), (f) Li Zhongchang (Nanhu Labour Educational Camp, Anhui), (g) Zhan Guohua (Hefei Labour Educational Camp, Anhui), (h) Li Liya (Nanhu Labour Educational Camp, Anhui), (i) Hou Feng (Nanhu Labour Educational Camp, Anhui), (j) Tian Lin (Nanhu Labour Educational Camp, Anhui), (k) Meng Qingli (Shangqiu Labour Educational Camp, Anhui), (l) Wu Guifang (Urumqi Labour Educational Camp, Xinjiang), (m) Guei Chuan-Lun (Bao-feng Labour Educational Camp, Xuan-zhou, Anhui), (n) Liu Hai-Kuan (Bao-feng Labour Educational Camp, Zuan-zhou, Anhui), (o) Zhang Wan-Bao (Bao-feng Labour Educational Camp, Xuan-zhou, Anhui), (p) Lin Ke-Wei (Nanhu Agricultural Labour Educational Camp), (q) Peng Shu-Xia (Women Labour Educational Camp in Hefei, Anhui) and (r) Wang Chuan-Bing (Qing-gang Detention Centre (of the PSB), Heilongjiang); and what representations Her Majesty's Government have made on their behalf to the Chinese authorities; [87257]

(2) what reports Her Majesty's Government have received on the welfare of the following prisoners (a) Huang Dehong (Baokkang prefectural Labour Educational Camp), (b) Huan Debao (Wuwei Labour Educational Camp, Gansu), (c) Hei Qunhu (Wuwei Labour Educational Camp, Gansu), (d) Dai Chenggang (Zhenglin Labour Educational Camp, Zhaoyang, Hubei), (e) Zhang Shangkui (Zhenglin Labour Educational Camp, Zhaoyang, Hubei), (f) Li Qingshu (Zhenglin Labour Educational Camp, Zhaoyang, Hubei), (g) Zhang Jun (Local township Labour Educational Camp, Hubei), (h) Brother Song (Local township Labour Educational Camp, Hubei), (i) Hu Shoubin (Shayang Labour Educational Camp, Hubei), (j) Jia Ping, (Shayang Labour Educational Camp, Hebei), (k) Huang Zhihai, (Tangshan Labour Educational Camp, Hebei), (l) Fan Jinxia (Tangshan Labour Educational Camp, Hebei), (m) Yang Xiaofang (Tangshan Labour Educational Camp, Hebei), (n) Liang Fujuan (Tangshan Labour Educational Camp, Hebei), (o) Huang Xiaojuan (Tangshan Labour Educational Camp, Hebei), (p) Zhu Qin (Tongxian Labour Educational Camp, Hebei), (q) Zheng Fang (Shibalihe (18 miles River) Labour Educational Camp, Zhengzhou, Henan) and (r) Xu Ying, (Shibalihe (18 miles River) Labour Educational Camp, Zhengzhou, Henan); and what representations Her Majesty' s Government have made on their behalf to the Chinese authorities. [87258]

Mr. Hoon

It is not possible to raise with the Chinese authorities each individual case of concern that is brought to our attention, such as those of the Christian "house church" worshippers listed by my hon. Friend. But we do take every opportunity to raise individual cases, both bilaterally and in conjunction with our EU partners.

My predecessor, the late Member for Leeds, Central, did so when he visited China in April. In addition, through our continuing bilateral and EU/China human rights dialogues, we have expressed our deep concern to the Chinese authorities about the harassment and detention of Christians who worship in "house churches". We will continue to encourage China to look upon religion as fulfilling a basic human need and not as a threat.