Motion for a resolution pursuant to article 47 of Rules of Procedure

Tabled by Olivier Dupuis, Gianfranco Dell'Alba and Jean-François Hory

On behalf of the ERA Group

On the European Union's position on the promotion of human rights in China

The European Parliament

a. having regard to Article J. 1(2) of the Treaty on European Union and Articles 130u of the EC Treaty, which establish the promotion of human rights as an objective of the of the CFSP,

b. having regard to its resolution of 20 February 1997 on the 53rd session of the UN Commission on Human Rights,

c. having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy and the opinion of the Committee on External Economic Relations (A4-0198/97) on the Communication from the Commission on a long term policy for China-Europe relations (COM(95)0279-C4-0288/95),

d. having regard to its previous resolutions on the People's Republic of China, Tibet, East Turkestan and South (Inner) Mongolia,

e. having regard to the dialogue on human rights established in 1994 between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the EU Council's Troika, and its unilateral suspension by China,

f. Whereas the Final Act of the Vienna Human Rights Conference (July 1993) reaffirmed the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of human rights,

g. Whereas China has continued to tighten controls on freedom of expression and to persecute political dissidents and labour activists through arrest, conviction, and in some cases torture and execution,

h. Whereas Wei Jingsheng, winner of the 1996 Sakharov Prize for freedom of expression, has been subject to severe beatings while in prison, apparently with the complicity of the authorities, and has been denied medical attention,

i. Whereas persecution on the grounds of religious belief, involving the arrest and torture of religious leaders and others, persists in Tibet, East Turkestan (Xinjiang) and South (Inner) Mongolia,

j. Whereas the much publicised legal reform which removed the crime of "counter-revolution", has simply resulted in its being replaced by an equally vague charge of "endangering state security,"

k. Whereas the Council and the Commission were unable to defend a joint position on the issue of human rights violations in China at the last session of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, contrary to the wish expressed by the European Parliament in its resolution of 20 February 1997,

l. Whereas a commitment to human rights must be subordinate to a short-sighted perception of commercial interests,

1. Considers that attempts by Member States to re-establish a human rights dialogue with China must be accompanied by an insistence on and encouragement of improved human rights conditions and respect for the rule of law;

2. Urges the Council and the Member States to jointly sponsor a resolution on China at the next session of the UN Commission on Human Rights;

3. Calls on China to accede to the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights, and on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, and welcomes its stated intention to sign the latter;

4. Calls on China allow access of UN specialised agencies and rapporteurs to China, and to allow the attendance of international observers at political trials;

5. Urges the Chinese Government to review the cases of all those convicted under the now repealed laws of "counter-revolution";

6. Calls on the Chinese authorities to allow international medical assistance to prisoners with grave health problems, and to consider favourably the release of prisoners on medical grounds;

7. Reiterates its call for the release of Sakharov Prize laureate Wei Jingsheng;

8. Requests the Council Presidency to regularly submit a written report to Parliament on its activities in regards the promotion of human rights in China;

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States, the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Chinese National People's Congress.