August 9, 2003

A MILLIONAIRE Gold Coast businessman is bankrolling a bid to censure China for human rights abuses over the alleged torture and detention of an Australian citizen.

Hong Kong-born businessman CY Wong has retained international lawyer Geoffrey Robertson, QC, and high-profile Queensland solicitor Chris Nyst to mount a case against China in the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

Mr Wong, who is building a $140 million resort at Broadbeach, is funding the case on behalf of Sydney woman Cui-Ying Zhang who claims she was tortured and jailed in China for practicing Falun Gong.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual health movement whose followers preach ''truth, compassion and forbearance'' and practice meditation and tai chi-like exercises. The movement has been [persecuted] in China and banned since 1999.

Mr Wong is a Falun Gong devotee and is funding the United Nations legal action against [Jiang Zemin].

Mrs Zhang, 41, is Chinese traditional artist who alleges she was detained, beaten and tortured in China in 1999, 2000 and 2001 for practicing and preaching Falun Gong.

She says her elderly father, who still lives in China, has been arrested and detained by authorities and she fears for his safety.

London-based Mr Robertson was on the Gold Coast this week and met with Mrs Zhang, Mr Wong and Mr Nyst to prepare a case.