§ Lord Chanasked Her Majesty's Government:
What concerns they have raised with the Chinese Government about the arrest on 6 August of some 100 House Church leaders in Tongxu County, Kaifong City, Henan Province. [HL4077]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanWe are aware of the report of the arrest of some 100 House Church leaders in Kaifeng City and are monitoring the situation closely.
We are very concerned about the treatment of House Church members in China. My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Bill Rammell) raised human rights with Vice-Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui during his visit to China in July. My right honourable friend the Prime Minister raised human rights with the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, during the latter's visit to the UK in May. We also raise religious freedom with the Chinese during our biannual UK/China Human Rights Dialogue, the latest round of which was held in London in May. We have repeatedly made clear that harassment of religious groups is unacceptable and not in keeping with the provisions of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, which we continue to urge the Chinese to ratify.