rzhu@watmath.waterloo.edu (Rupert Zhu) (02/08/91)
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IFCSS Liaison Office News Release No. 2091, Feburary 7, 1991
Fang Lizhi's Washington D.C. Visit
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IFCSS
733 15th Street, N.W., Suite 440
Washing D.C. 20005
Tele: (202)347-0017
Fax: (202)347-0018
E-Mail: ifcss@hal.cwru.edu
Dear IFCSS Members:
Prof. Fang Lizhi and his wife, Prof. Li Shuxian, had a casual
meeting with some representatives of IFCSS in the evening of Tue.,
Feb. 5. Chen Xingyu, Zhang Xiaochuan, Liu Jijie, Huang Liuqing, Huang
Yuangeng, Li Ping, Hang Lianchao, Liu Yadong and Xiao Qiang attended
the meeting. Also attended were IFCSS Advisors Elaine Budd and Rich
Schwartz.
The Fangs arrived in Washington D.C. on Mon. Feb. 4. Monday
evening, Amnesty International held a reception for them. Prof. Fang
delivered a speech on the occasion in which he expressed profound
thanks to those who supported them when they were in difficulty. He
thanked the United States for its hospitality to them. He also
expressed his personal appreciation to members of the Congress, staff
of the State Department and U.S. administrations, including President
George Bush, who personally worked to arrange their safe departure
from China.
In his speech, Prof. Fang pointed out that "the Chinese leaders
has used the distraction of the war in the Persian Gulf to intensify
the repression of those fighting for democracy and freedom in China."
"This is a new desecration by the Chinese authorities of the universal
principles of human rights", Prof. Fang remarked, "[i]t is clear that
the struggle for human rights and freedom in China is far from over."
Prof. Fang said that the human rights problem is a global
problem. "China's human rights problems are also the world's problem.
The Tiananmen massacre not only caused China to suffer; it polluted
the world environment as well." Prof. Fang said the best way he could
respond to the honor that people bestowed to him "is to insist on the
principle of human rights, and to remain diligent in the work to gain
more freedom for China and for the world."
"It may take a decade, a generation, or even longer" for freedom
and democracy to come to China," Prof. Fang said. But he believes that
"the time of freedom and human rights in China eventually will come."
He said that "[t]he world will never forget the men and women of
Tiananmen in 1989 who paid with their lives for freedom in China. "The
commitment they make yesterday is still the commitment we should make
today," he said, "[i]t is truly a dream that shall never die."
IFCSS officers Chen Xingyu and Liu Jijie attended the reception.
Professor Fang Lizhi met with members and staff of the House
China working group of Congress in the morning of Tue., Feb. 5. Chen
Xingyu also attended the meeting. The meeting was hosted by
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.
Prof. Fang made the following points in the meeting:
A. human rights situation in China is no longer a Chinese matter,
but rather a global problem. There should be no special standard for
human rights in China;
B. there cannot be economic and political development without the
true improvement of human rights record in China; and
C. the Congressional effort of tying human rights with U.S.
economic policy towards China worked, the release of themselves (Prof.
Fang and his wife) is one of the examples.
Prof. Fang also suggested the Congress to be concerned about the
cases that Chinese students and scholars in the U.S. have been denied
renewal of passport.
After the meeting, a hearing was held for Prof. Fang Lizhi by the
Congressional Human Rights Caucus. Prof. Fang delivered a much
detailed testimony about the human rights condition in China and about
the U.S. policy making forwards China.
Chen Xingyu also attended the hearing.
On Fab. 6, Professor Fang Lizhi and Professor Li Shuxian visited
the Senate Majority leader George Mitchell, Minority leader Bob Dole,
Congressman, Chairman of House Sub-committee of Asian and Pacific
Affairs Stephen Solarz and Congressman Don Pease, author of HR45.
Chen Xingyu accompanied them on the visits.
Members of the Congress expressed the pleasure to meet with Prof.
Fang and his wife and admiration for the Fangs' effort to improve
human rights and freedom in China. They especially expressed their
concern about the on-going trials and sentences to the pro-democracy
demonstrators imposed by the Chinese authority and willingness to
share the ideas with Professor Fang for possible legislative actions
to stop such suppression.
In the meeting with Senator Dole, Professor Fang indicated that,
in principle, a good trade relation with China would promote free
market system and help bringing democracy to China. But nothing in
China can be separated from politics. Without the improvement of
human rights records, there can not be a normal trade relation. He
emphasized that pressure from international societies, especially from
the United States Congress and Administration, does help the
situation. Chen Xingyu added that a statement from the Senator will
have a strong impact. Senator Dole agreed. He said he is willing to
call the Chinese Ambassador to express his concern, and asked to have
a list of these have been tried and sentenced, and these who are
waiting for trials, and a list of the students and scholars who have
been denied for passport renewal.
Congressman Chris Smith and Congressman Jim Leach joined the
meeting with Congressman Stephen Solarz. Congressman Solarz started
with a number of questions about the situation in China and Professor
Fang's opinion on the issue of MFN. It is clear that, said Professor
Fang, greater international pressure makes a difference. For example,
the number one student leader, Wang Dan, was sentenced for 4 years
while a relatively unknown student leader in Qingdao was sentenced for
18 years. One would expect Wang Dan to have much longer term, of
course both of them shouldn't be sentenced at all. The only reason is
that there was no world attention given to the student in Qingdao.
The legislative debate in the Congress last year was responded closely
by the Chinese authority, even the bill was not passed, the release of
some hundreds of the pro-democracy demonstrators and the free of his
wife and himself are proofs. MFN is the only leverage that can make
the Chinese authority to do some thing, because they cannot afford to
lose it. Therefore, the Congress should continue the legislative
effort to link MFN with human rights in China. The members of
Congress indicated that they will work on the issue, and they invited
Professor Fang to testify in their committee.
The meeting with Congressman Don Pease went directly into
technical part, since Congressman Pease is the author of the last year
House legislation (HR45). Congressman Pease is willing to work
closely with the Senate side on the issue to gain cooperative
progress.
Senator Mitchell asked, during the meeting, what is the most
effect action the Congress can take to stop the on-going persecuting
in China. The answer given by Professor Fang is to condition MFN.
Unfortunately, Fang said, that is the only language the Chinese
authority understands. Senator Ed Kennedy later joined the meeting.
The Senators asked professor Fang to share his ideas about the
conditions with them.
Debates on the war were taking place in the Congress, but members
were able to manage to meet with Professor Fang. They consider that
situations in China are as important.
Professor Fang Lizhi and Professor Li Shu Xian left Washington
D.C. on Wednesday evening.
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IFCSS Liaison Office (Signature)
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