Published by: World Tibet Network News, Wednesday, October 16 1996

(ADDS details, background. Corrects immigration to emigration in Shen's quote.)

BEIJING, Oct 15 (AFP) - China on Tuesday condemned the escape of veteran dissident Wang Xizhe to the United States via Hong Kong, attacking Hong Kong and US authorities for encouraging people to illegally leave China.

"On this issue, all states and governments must observe the rules and laws and not encourage illegal emigration," Foreign Ministry spokesman Shen Guofang told reporters.

"This is an illegal emigration case, and our judicial departments are seeking to bring Wang Xizhe and his co-plotters to justice."

According to a dissident source, Wang left Hong Kong Monday night and is heading to San Francisco via a third country.

He was smuggled into the British territory on Saturday after his fellow dissident, Liu Xiaobo, was arrested and sentenced to three years in a labour camp.

The two co-authored a petition last month calling for an independent Tibet as well as the impeachment of Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

Following Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule next year, dissidents will not be allowed to go abroad "without going through the legally required procedures," Shen said, adding: "That would violate international law."

"After July 1997, I am sure Hong Kong will become an international financial, economic and trade centre. It will not become a centre for other things," he said.