Published by: World Tibet Network News Saturday, November 29, 1997

Toronto Sun November 29, 1997

OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Jean Chretien claimed a diplomatic coup yesterday in getting China's dictator to co-sponsor a human rights symposium.

But the coup quickly fizzled when President Jiang Zemin refused to acknowledge human rights abuses in China.

As Chretien stood by his side, Jiang said China is a democracy where free speech flourishes without fear of state reprisal.

"China's citizens enjoy the freedom of assembly, speech and demonstration and protests," he boasted, as demonstrators outside protested slave labor camps, religious persecution and China's subjugation of Tibet.

Jiang added that free speech in China did not include Tiananmen Square in 1989 when the Communist rulers ordered tanks to roll over pro-democracy protesters.

"Freedom of speech is totally different from the attempt or deliberate attempt to create chaos, endangering the safety of government operations," he said.

Moments before, Chretien bragged that Jiang had agreed to co-host a human rights gabfest in Canada in March because of his influence.

Later, Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy said the conference will deal with legal aid and training of judges.

But Axworthy couldn't say if China's slave labor camps and selling of human organs will be on the table. Nor could he say if Chinese human rights activist Harry Wu will be invited.

Jiang arrived on Parliament Hill to a noisy welcome from about 100 protesters, including several dozen Jiang supporters.