Date: Thu, 7 Nov 96 4:19:46 MET

BEIJING, Nov 7 (AFP) - China's release of ailing dissident Chen Ziming was greeted with cynicism Thursday by human rights groups, who accused Beijing of using jailed activists as political "pawns."

"Obviously we welcome his release," said Mike Jendrzejczyk, the Washington director of the US-based organisation, Human Rights Watch.

"But at the same time we deplore the fact that the Chinese government is once again cynically using prisoners like Chen, who have serious medical problems, as pawns to win concessions from the international community," Jendrzejczyk said by telephone.

Chen, 44, was released from prison late Wednesday evening in a clear attempt by China to placate the US human rights lobby ahead of a key visit by US Secretary of State Warren Christopher later this month.

Chen, who was released on medical parole, is suffering from cancer as well as liver and heart conditions.

Jendrzejczyk said Chen's release was solely aimed at "providing some cover" for Christopher's visit and keeping the path open for a Sino-US presidential summit later next year.

"It would be a grave mistake for the US administration to over-react or treat this as a major concession," he said, adding that Chen's release "can by no means be considered an adequate move."

Chen had been named by Human Rights Watch in an open letter to Christopher, urging the secretary to exact "concrete results" on human rights issues during his November 18-21 visit to Shanghai and Beijing.

"We have already talked to State Department officials here, asking that while welcoming Chen's release, they must also press China over the release of other political prisoners," Jendrzejczyk said.

The Human Rights Watch letter, dated November 4, warned Christopher that his visit could only carry validity if he used his meetings with Chinese leaders "to deliver an unambiguous and credible message on human rights."

It also urged Christopher to make three key demands of Beijing to be met during his visit, including providing a list of all Chinese and Tibetans sentenced on charges of counter-revolution or endangering state security.

The Chinese authorities should also agree to allow international medical teams access to ailing dissidents in jail, as well as regular, unrestricted access to Tibet and the Moslem-majority region of Xinjiang for American journalists and human rights groups.

"Failure to produce these three would be grounds for postponing Vice President Al Gore's planned trip to China later this year," the letter said.

It also called on Christopher to lay down preconditions for a presidential summit in the latter half of 1997, including the release of such prominent jailed dissidents as Wei Jingsheng and Wang Dan.

A senior US State Department official warned earlier this week that "no dramatic breakthrough" was expected during Christopher's visit, which he described as "relatively low-key."

However, he added that Christopher would "express our concerns at recent events" concerning human rights.