British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Expresses Support for Falun Gong

Dear Mr. xxx,

Thank you for your letter of 28 April to Foreign Office Minister, John Battle MP, about the treatment of supporters of the Falun Gong movement in China. I have been asked to reply on his behalf.

We have been deeply concerned at the treatment of Falun Gong leaders and adherents since the exercise based Qigong group was banned in July 1999. Believing the movement to be a threat to state security, the Chinese authorities have engaged in a repressive program of "re-educating" ordinary adherents and handing down excessive sentences against the Movement's leaders. There have been numerous reports of harsh treatment in custody or during interrogation.

Through our policy of critical dialogue with the Chinese, we have made it clear that such actions are unacceptable and in direct contravention of provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which China signed in October 1998 but has yet to ratify. Falun Gong has been raised at the highest levels with the Chinese authorities. The Prime Minister did so with Chinese president Jiang Zemin on 19 October 1999. The Foreign Secretary pressed Chinese Foreign Minister, Tang Jiaxuan, in New York on 12 September for swift action to improve the respect for human rights in China.

We also raise the Chinese authorities' mistreatment of Falun Gong adherents during the regular UK/China human rights dialogues with China. During the last round held in Beijing between 12-14 February, in addition to rehearsing our general concerns, we also expressed concern at the manner in which Falun Gong demonstrators were manhandled in Tiananmen Square on 1 October 2000 and 1 January. We sought details on a number of individual Falun Gong leaders and practitioners, representative of many more, who received long sentences for apparently minor acts. The Chinese typically respond along the lines that the movement is an "evil XX [slanderous word respectfully omitted]" which seeks to brainwash its followers and is a danger to the state.

We have also been concerned at a number of cases of harassment of UK-based Falun Gong practitioners, including through intimidation of relatives based in China. We view such incidents seriously. Mr. Battle called in the Chinese Ambassador in London, Ma Zhengang, on 20 June 2000 and demanded that such activities cease.

The Chinese authorities can be in no doubt about the strength of our feelings on this important issue.

I hope this is helpful.

Yours sincerely

Michael Murtagh

China Hong Kong Department

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The Rt Hon Michael Ancram QC

Chairman of the Conservative Party

 

John Dee Esq

Chairman, Friends of Falun Gong UK

17^th May 2001

 

Dear Mr. Dee,

The Party Chairman has asked me to thank you for your letter of 28^th April and to reply on his behalf.

The Chairman is grateful to you for bringing your organization to his attention and has noted the points you make. The next Conservative government will return to the practice of co-sponsoring an annual resolution at the UN Human Rights Commission criticizing China's Human rights' record unless and until that record improves.

Thank you once again for writing.

Yours sincerely,

Chairman's Office

Conservatives

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