CONGRESS REBUFFS EU SLURS

People's Daily, June 14, 1997

China yesterday strongly rebuffed a European Union resolution on Europe-China relations, saying it heavily interferes in the nation's internal affairs. The Foreign Affairs Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC) issued a statement yesterday on the EU resolution of a Long Term Policy for EuropeChina Relations. It warned the resolution has "poisoned the atmosphere of Sino-European relations and disrupted their normal development". The statement was issued with the authorization of the NPC Standing Committee. The resolution was adopted by the European Parliament in June 12. The statement of the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee said although the resolution supports the European Union's long-term policy and wishes to develop relations and co-operation with China in the economic trade, cultural and other fields, the resolution unjustifiably accuses and vilifies China at great length in terms of its judicial system, its policies towards minorities and religion, its domestic economic policies and foreign

relations. "In addition, its wording on the issues of human rights, Tibet, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao constitutes a gross interference in China's internal affairs", the statement pointed out. It added that the resolution advocates Taiwan's membership in international organizations and has even gone so far as to suggest that the efforts for the reunification across the Taiwan Straits would "lead to conflict". It said that to promote peace and development lies in the mainstream of today's modern world. To seek mutual respect and equality, oppose power polities and hegemonism, and promote dialogue and cooperation and refrain from confrontation and conflicts. This has increasingly become the consensus of the international community. But some people in the European Parliament, still with the cold war mentality and the old colonialist idea, hate to see China develop and grow strong, it said, and they have repeatedly instigated the European Parliament to adopt anti-China resolution, thereby interfering in China's

internal affairs, damaging China's image and hurting the feelings of the Chinese people, in a premeditated, but vain attempt to confront China and obstruct its development. "These perverse acts of theirs have run counter to the desires of the European Union and its members for better relations with China and have impaired their efforts in this regard,' the statement noted, adding that furthermore, they have also blemished the very image of the European Parliament itself and will undoubtedly damage the fundamental and long-term interests of the peoples of the European Union eventually. "It is just over 10 days to Chinese resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, a significant step forward in our efforts to accomplish the great cause of the reunification of the motherland," the statement noted.