Dec 18, 2005

Chris Bowen, an Australian Labor Party MP, says that trade with China is important and that it is in Australia's and China's best interest, but it should not come at the expense of human rights.

"I support trade with China, but I don't support trade with China at the cost of human rights and I think the [Australian] Government gets the balance wrong," Mr Bowen told Sound Of Hope radio on Tuesday November 29.

Mr Bowen said the majority of the Australian people are in favour of human rights. Earlier on that same day, he addressed Falun Gong practitioners who were holding a peaceful appeal to Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer to cease the issuing of monthly certificates that restrict their peaceful vigil outside the Chinese embassy.

"The reason I support Falun Gong practitioners is because I believe in human rights, I believe everyone has the right to practise their philosophy or their religion or their way of life freely," Mr Bowen told the reporter.

"Just because I'm not from Falun Gong doesn't mean I shouldn't stand up for their rights to do what they would like in a peaceful way; they believe in as you say Truth, [Compassion], Forbearance who could disagree with that?" he said.

In March 2002 the Australian Foreign Minister began signing certificates restricting the use of banners, amplified sound and later signage on cars parked legally in the vicinity of the Chinese Embassy by Falun Gong practitioners. Mr Downer instigated these certificates just after a trade visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, who publicly requested the ongoing appeal by the Falun Gong practitioners outside the embassy be stopped.

Mr Bowen said that this issuing of certificates by Mr Downer that impeded Falun Gong practitioner's vigil outside the embassy also infringed upon the rights of all Australians.

"I think Australia is meant to be a free and democratic country. And in a free and democratic country people should be able to protest in a peaceful way and Falun Gong has been denied that right and I think that is a shame for Australia," he said.

"I think the Australian people are a very fair people, are very tolerant people and if they were educated about the cause of Falun Gong, they would be quite angry [about the restrictions placed upon their appeal]," he said.

"The Australian Government should be standing up for the rights of Australian citizens. There are Australian citizens who practise Falun Gong, who have been harassed overseas and to a lesser degree in Australia, and the Australian Government should be a voice for democracy and freedom, and the Australian Government has not been that voice and I think that matter is a great shame for our nation."

When asked if the Communist Party ruling China is representative of the Chinese people, Mr Bowen commented that it is not. "There are a billion people in China; I don't believe that the Communist Party represents all of them."

On the changes he foresees in China, Mr Bowen was optimistic: "I think China will embrace more freedom, more democratised rights. I don't know if that will happen quickly or it will take a long time, but it must happen."

Mr Bowen said he was aware of the mass withdrawals of membership from the Communist Party in China and commented: "If it is happening it is a sign more people are wanting change."

He did not believe that a non-democratic system could survive in the long run, quoting examples of Russia and East Germany. Mr Bowen also envisaged that such countries might look strong on the outside, but inside the picture might be different, adding that they start to collapse when people least expect it.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/5-12-18/35923.html