A3-0011/94

Resolution on relations between the European Union and the People's Republic of China

The European Parliament,

-having regard to its resolution of 15 December 1992 on the situation in Tibet,

-having regard to its resolution of 28 May 1993 on the inclusion of China and Taiwan in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT),

-having regard to its resolutions on human rights violations in China and Tibet of 15 March 1990, 13 December 1990, 21 February 1991, 13 June 1991, 12 September 1991, 13 February 1992, 19 November 1992, 24 June 1993, 16 September 1993 and 28 October 1993,

-having regard to the Council declaration of 17 December 1991 on relations with China to the effect that the Twelve and the Commission will abstain from trade initiatives with that country,

-having regard to information released by the International Society for Human Rights and Amnesty International,

-having regard to the position adopted by the People's Republic of China at the World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna in June 1993,

-having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

-having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Security and the opinion of the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education and the Media (A3-0011/94),

A.whereas relations between the People's Republic of China and the Union, which were suspended following the tragic events of June 1989, are now being gradually resumed and, because of persistent human rights violations, are still subject to two restrictions, namely the suspension of visits by Heads of State and a ban on the arms trade,

B.whereas, in assessing existing relations, account must be taken of all aspects of the domestic and foreign policy of the People's Republic of China, giving due weight to the role it plays on the world political stage,

C.noting the results of the 14th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, which endorsed the concept of the social market economy, and observing with interest the results of the economic reform policy and the attendant legislative and structural changes,

D.noting that standards of health and safety for workers in Chinese industry are often extremely low,

E.whereas the annual report by the UN Commission on Human Rights notes the continuation of systematic violations of fundamental human rights in China in 1992 in the autonomous region of Tibet,

F.having regard to the position of China on the question of Tibet and regretting that all the efforts by the UN General Assembly and the International Court of Justice to find a solution to this problem have failed to achieve a positive result,

G.whereas, since the entry into force of the Treaty on European Union, the role of the European Parliament in foreign policy has increased,

1.Urges the authorities of the People's Republic of China to continue their policy of reform and economic liberalization;

2.Notes the changes under way in the economic system of the People's Republic of China but considers it essential to achieve a political reform guaranteeing democratic principles and, in particular, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms;

3.Calls therefore for the establishment of a multiparty system with democratic participation by citizens;

I.ECONOMIC SITUATION

4.Notes that the economic reforms have produced an improvement in the living standards of part of the population, but warns of the dangers of 'economic overheating', with particular reference to growing social and economic disparities between development zones and backward areas of the country and the increase in tension between provinces and between peripheral regions and the centre;

5.Stresses that economic reforms should be accompanied by the gradual introduction of internationally recognized social standards and by an environment policy aimed at protecting the environment and safeguarding natural resources;

II.HUMAN RIGHTS

6.Reminds the People's Republic of China of the universal nature of the concept of fundamental rights, as expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which it is a signatory, and which it confirmed on signing the Declaration of the World Conference on Human Rights;

7.Reaffirms its condemnation of the use of the death penalty and torture, wherever they are practised;

8.Calls on the Chinese Government to release all persons whose only crime is practising their religion;

9.Expresses the hope that the Chinese legal system can become genuinely independent of the political authorities and able to guarantee citizens the right to legal counsel and to a fair trial;

10.Condemns the physical and moral pressure exerted on women to have abortions and the widespread practice of infanticide, especially of baby girls;

11.Expresses concern at the conditions under which prisoners are held, in particular isolation and inadequate medical care;

12.Condemns and expresses its concern at the situation of minorities and, in particular, reaffirms the provisions of its resolutions on the situation in Tibet; reiterates its total condemnation of human rights violations in Tibet by the Chinese authorities; expresses its concern at the destruction of the environment and the exploitation of Tibetan natural resources;

13.Hopes that the planned reunification with Hong Kong and Macao in line with the principle 'one country, two systems' will be accompanied by every possible democratic guarantee;

14.Welcomes the release of a number of dissidents and calls on the authorities of the People's Republic of China to forward to the European Parliament information concerning individual cases already submitted to their attention;

15.Expresses the hope that the death sentences reported to be part of a vast anti-crime campaign, in the wake of which hundreds of persons were sentenced to death or forced labour, have not been carried out;

16.Welcomes the release of certain prisoners, but deplores and condemns cases of persecution including those recently involving Chinese dissidents attempting to re-establish by peaceful means respect for human rights and the development of democracy, and calls for the release of all political prisoners;

III.INTERNATIONAL POLICY

17.Stresses China's new policy of openness in international relations;

18.Welcomes in particular the resumption of relations between China and the Vatican and hopes that this will provide the springboard for a return to freedom of worship and conscience;

19.Welcomes the normalization of relations between the People's Republic of China and all the countries of the Asian region, particularly Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, India and the former Soviet Union;

20.Condemns and expresses its concern at the trend towards a policy of rearmament and the sale of missiles to Pakistan;

21.Expresses the hope that China will join other members of the United Nations in putting pressure on North Korea to allow the IAEA to carry out its duties in North Korea;

22.Condemns the recent underground nuclear test, which is liable to jeopardize the existing moratorium, and calls on the People's Republic of China to commit itself firmly to an international agreement banning all nuclear testing;

IV.RELATIONS BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

23.Regrets that the human rights situation and the democratic shortcomings of the People's Republic of China make it necessary to maintain the restrictions on the number of official visits and on the arms trade;

24.Points out that in 1992 the Community had a trade deficit of 10 billion ECU with the People's Republic of China and therefore calls for the Chinese market to be opened up to competition;

25.Supports the priorities set by the Commission which, in the context of cooperation, has placed emphasis on training programmes in financial management and accountancy, the training of managers and lawyers, and on the environment sector, and calls for cooperation projects targeted on the less-favoured regions and ethnic minorities (Tibet, Inner Mongolia) to be stepped up;

26.Approves the projects for technical and financial assistance in the rural sector and the launching of the China-EC Centre for Agricultural Technology and calls for continuation of the cooperation project in the milk powder sector, so that large conurbations can be supplied with this product;

27.Points out that the EU's relations with China should be directed towards giving the broadest possible support to its processes of democratization and balanced social development;

28.Supports, therefore, initiatives in respect of professional and academic exchanges and training in the fields of science and culture;

29.Reiterates its insistence on the need for the inclusion of a human rights clause in trade agreements with third countries and at the same time considers that cooperation of any kind at Joint Committee, European Parliament or Member State level must be accompanied by a specific assessment of the progress made towards democracy and of the human rights situation in the People's Republic of China; undertakes not to approve any new cooperation agreements unless significant changes occur;

30.In conclusion, considers that the further expansion of cooperation between the People's Republic of China and the EU should be accompanied above all by:

(a)ratification by the People's Republic of China of the United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the effective application of the United Nations Convention against cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of 1987;

(b)ending the system of 'laogai' or labour camps and the release of political prisoners;

(c)ensuring respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Tibet and opening negotiations with the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in exile;

(d)securing agreement that the human rights of the people of Hong Kong and Macao are respected after these territories return to Chinese sovereignty;

31.Urges the Commission and the Member States to take account of these suggestions and, in particular, to take the measures necessary to ban the sale on European markets of goods produced by forced labour;

32.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States, the Government of the People's Republic of China and the People's National Assembly of China.