World Tibet Network News Sunday, February 15, 1998

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Feb 14 (AP) -- Heckled by human rights protesters, Chinese Premier Li Peng began a three-day visit to the Netherlands on Saturday, aiming to improve trade and icy relations.

Chanting "Free Tibet" and demanding the release of jailed Chinese dissidents, about 75 demonstrators rallied outside the Dutch Central Bank where Li lunched with Finance Minister Gerrit Zalm. Police arrested one protester.

Despite Dutch concerns about human rights in China, trade remained the top issue on the table, with Li expected to sign an unprecedented $4.5 billion petrochemical joint venture Monday between Royal Dutch Shell and three Chinese companies.

Joining Li for lunch were top Dutch bankers, who were eager to get licensed to operate in China, Zalm said.

"I want to assure (Li) that the financial sector in the Netherlands can contribute to China's development," Zalm said.

Li took a prominent role in crushing the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, and he is the one Chinese leader most associated with the crackdown.

Though many Dutch question China's commitment to human rights, Prime Minister Wim Kok's government has backed off from a confrontation with Beijing that made relations between the two countries tense last year.

The Dutch wanted to introduce a critical resolution against China before the U.N. Human Rights Commission while they held the rotating presidency of the European Union, but failed to garner enough support from EU countries, especially France.

The attempt rankled Beijing, which canceled a four-country European tour by Vice Premier Zhu Rongji and blocked a Dutch trade mission to China.

Bilateral relations since "have been set right," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Peter Mollema, adding that the two countries now want to broaden their cooperation on several fronts.

Human rights issues were to be discussed during Li's visit, but the Dutch government expects no breakthroughs, he said.