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Wei Jingsheng Speaks at the European Parliament
about Chinese Human Rights Issues:
The Death Penalty, Arms Embargo,
and Beijing Olympics
News from Wei Jing Sheng Foundation
December 8, 2007
The chairman of the Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition, Mr. Wei
Jingsheng, was invited by the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for
Europe (ALDE) group of the European Parliament to attend its conference
from December 6 to 7, 2007. He also attended a luncheon as the VIP
guest at the European Parliament Members' Restaurant hosted by its
European Parliament members.
The organizer at the European Parliament, Marco Cappato, member of the
Parliament, told the audience that the Chinese government called all of
their Parliament members in an effort to prevent Wei Jingsheng's
participation.
In his speech, Wei Jingsheng said that the group's effort to establish
a moratorium on the death penalty, in particular by the Nonviolent
Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty, not only received
attention in the United Nations, but also had very important effects in
China where 90% of the world's executions take in place. The Chinese
government's Supreme Court has already decided on resumption of the
right to review all death penalty decisions made by lower courts, and
has informed the lower courts to reduce the number of death penalties.
These actions indicate that although the dictatorial government could
be playing games orally, it will quietly reduce its bad actions when
there is strong international pressure. The human rights pressure from
the international society has its important effect in pushing forward
the human rights progress in China.
Wei Jingsheng also said that the huge trade deficit between Europe and
China could not be compensated for by the 30 billion Euros worth order
that France received from China. More European enterprises have lost
their business, and more European workers have lost their jobs. These
losses are not because the European business is not competitive, but
due to unfair trade relationships and cheap labor. Why is there cheap
labor? Because the Chinese workers do not have the rights to demand
rightful wages. Why is there unfair trade? Because the Chinese
government monopolizes the market. These problems are part of the
Chinese human rights issue. So paying attention to Chinese human
rights is paying attention on Europeans' own interests as well.
Wei Jingsheng also talked about what people have been talking about
France recently, after it received the 30 Billion Euros' order -- that
France is trying to persuade other nations of the European Union to
lift the arms embargo against the Chinese Communists. Wei said that it
is a huge matter related to standards of value, as well as security,
that it should not be used to trade politically. The security of Asia
is tied to the security of the globe. Should a major war break out in
Asia, the security of Europe would be directly threatened. The
uprising of Russian extreme nationalism, as well as the massive export
of Russia's advanced weapons and technology, are all for the final goal
to resume its traditional control over the East Europe. The Europeans
should pay attention to this situation.
Near the end of conference, Wei Jingsheng also encouraged the attendees
to continuously pay attention to Chinese human rights, especially
during the time before Beijing's Olympic Games. The Games offer the
best opportunity to push for the progress of Chinese human rights.
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