Published by: World Tibet Network News , Sunday, June 15, 1997

XINHUA is the official news agency of the People's Republic of China

BEIJING (June 13) XINHUA - A solemn statement on the resolution of the Commission of the European Union (EU) on a Long Term Policy for Europe-China Relations, issued today by the Foreign Affairs Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), warned that 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 on June 12. The statement of the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee said that although the resolution supports the European Union's long term China policy and wishes to develop relations and cooperation 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, adding that the resolution advocates for 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".

_This resolution adopted by the European Parliament has poisoned the atmosphere of China-Europe relations and thus disrupted their normal development. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress hereby expresses its utmost indignation at the anti-China clamor of this Resolution."

It said that to promote peace and development is the mainstream of the world today, and that to seek mutual respect and equality, oppose power politics 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 ideas, hate to see China develop and grow strong, it said, and that they have repeatedly instigated the European Parliament to adopt anti-China resolutions, 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 only over ten days before China's resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, which is a significant step forward in our efforts to accomplish the great cause of the reunification of the motherland," the statement noted.

The statement also said that Macao will smoothly return to China in two years' time, and that Taiwan will also return to the embrace of the motherland eventually.

_The Chinese people have long stood up and have firmly embarked upon the broad road of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Those in the European Parliament who have tried to change China according to their will by exerting pressure have apparently miscalculated the situation, No one can stop China from getting reunified, prosperous and powerful."

The statement continued that China has always pursued an independent foreign policy of peace and is willing to develop friendly relations and cooperation with all other countries in the world including member states of the European Union.

China's National People's Congress attaches importance to the development of relations with the European Parliament. But their relations can only be based on mutual respect, equality and mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

_We would like to seriously demand these people in the European Parliament that they should discard the Cold-War mentality, conform to the trend of the times and do something useful for the healthy development of China-Europe relations and for world peace and progress," the statement concluded.