LONDON – With the visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to London on September 12 & 13 for trade talks, Tony Blair has yet again a great opportunity to show he is a man of principle and one who stands by his vision of global values that would give “justice and opportunity for all” (1)
When Blair visited China this time last year he was assured by Wen Jiabao that “political development” would follow China’s emergence as an economic superpower. Now, one year later, will Tony Blair grasp the nettle and ask for definitive answers on the promised development?
Two recently published reports from the government’s Foreign Affairs Select Committee (2) and the European Parliament (3), cast serious doubts on the advancement of human rights, freedom of expression and implementation of democratic rights within China. The former, in a number of its conclusions, urged the government to hold China to account for its record in human rights and religious freedom. The European Parliament again came out with a strong recommendation that “the EU arms embargo against China remains intact until greater progress is made on human rights”.
The arms embargo is likely to be the focus of Wen Jiabao’s talks with the Prime Minister on Wednesday September 13. During a press conference following the recent EU-China summit held in Helsinki, Wen urged European leaders to show their “farsightedness and courage” and “make correct political decision” to lift the arms embargo on China and recognize China’s market economy status.
Speaking on behalf of the Tibet Society, Philippa Carrick stated, “From the recent Foreign Affairs Select Committee’s report, it is clear that China is not showing any commitment to improving its human rights record nor is it being held to account for this lamentable lack of progress. Gross human rights abuses and repression continue to take place. Wen Jiabao will push our government very strongly to increase trade links and lift the arms embargo. The time has come for Tony Blair to publicly stand up for justice, for human rights, for the repressed and to robustly reject any lifting of the embargo until China shows itself committed to political development and cleans up its human rights record.
“With the coming of the 2008 Beijing Olympics China is looking to firmly establish itself as a united and prosperous country. Its Olympic slogan ‘One World: One Dream’ looks to further this image. This whitewash of reality cannot be allowed to continue. Millions of people continue to suffer without a voice. If world governments and media do not speak out at every opportunity and ask China to account for itself, who will? It is deeply depressing that more is done in response to terrorism than to an ongoing injustice that has been championed by a non-violent campaign spanning nearly 50 years as is the case with Tibet.”
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Notes to editors.
For background / further information, contact Philippa Carrick, Tibet Society 020 7272 1414 / 07941 105485.
To coincide with the visit of Wen Jiabao, there will be a series of planned demonstrations in London and outside Downing Street organized by Tibetans and supporters of Tibet. For details contact: Alice Speller, Tibet Society 020 7272 1414 / 07786 982222
(1) 26 May 2006 Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy speech (third in a series of three) http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page9549.asp
(2) Foreign Affairs Select Committee report published 13 August 2006
(3) European Parliament report published 8 September 2006 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=5270842 & http://www.europarl.europa.eu/omk/sipade3?PUBREF=-//EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A6-2006-0257+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&L=EN&LEVEL=0&NAV=S&LSTDOC=Y
