Congress of the United States - Washington, DC 20515

October 22, 1996

His Excellency Li Dauyo

Ambassador

Embassy of the People's Republic of China

2300 Connecticut Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20008

Dear Ambassador:

Thank you for responding via your Counselor, Shao Wenguang, to Representative Sanders' letter of September 15 regarding the detention and treatment of Ngawang Choephel, a former resident of our state of Vermont. As you know, thousands of Americans are keenly interested in Mr. Choephel's fate, including several hundred of our Vermont constituents and the 50 other Members of Congress who joined us in contacting you.

We appreciate the information provided in your Counselor's letter. However, that letter also raised a number of important questions which he did not address. Therefore, on behalf of our constituents who are concerned about Mr. Choephel, we respectfully request answers to the following questions:

1. How is Mr. Choephel's health?

2. Where is Mr. Choephel being held?

3. Does Mr. Choephel have a regular access to a private attorney?

4. Has Mr. Choephel been formally charged with a crime? If so, what are the charges?

5. What is the evidence against Mr. Choephel?

6. Who are the Americans alleged to have conspired with Mr. Choephel to, as Mr. Wenguang wrote, "gather sensitive intelligence" in Tibet, and what is the evidence of their involvement in such a conspiracy?

7. When will Mr. Choephel be brought to trial, and how will the trial be conducted?

Your prompt response to these questions would be greatly appreciated. Along with other Americans of goodwill, we want very much to pursue close, friendly and productive relations between our peoples and governments, but cases like that of Mr. Choephel continue to be a source of widespread concern.

Sincerely,

Bernard Sanders Patrick Leahy

Member of Congress U.S. Senator