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[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 6 Introduced in House (IH)]

106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 6

    Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding support for the 
formation of the China Democracy Party (CDP) and to urge the Government 
of the People's Republic of China to guarantee the rights and safety of 
                          the CDP organizers.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 6, 1999

  Mr. Rohrabacher (for himself, Mr. DeLay, Mr. Cox of California, Mr. 
  Gilman, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Spence, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. 
     Hunter, Mr. Porter, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Pombo, and Mr. 
 Radanovich) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
    Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding support for the 
formation of the China Democracy Party (CDP) and to urge the Government 
of the People's Republic of China to guarantee the rights and safety of 
                          the CDP organizers.

Whereas the establishment of the China Democracy Party on June 24, 1998, was the 
        first attempt since the founding of the People's Republic of China to 
        officially register an opposition party, with the intention of 
        developing a multiparty system on mainland China;
Whereas during the visit of President Clinton to the People's Republic of China 
        in June 1998, the Chinese Communist leadership indicated a commitment to 
        consider further reforms and a full human rights dialogue with the 
        international community;
Whereas during the visit to the People's Republic of China in September 1998 of 
        United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, the 
        Chinese Government promised to sign the United Nations Convention on 
        Civil and Political Rights;
Whereas Article 35 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China 
        guarantees the freedom of association for Chinese citizens;
Whereas during the visit of Mary Robinson, the Department of Civil Affairs 
        indicated that the China Democracy Party might be able to register in 
        Shandong Province on the conditions that the local party had at least 50 
        members, that the party pay a registration fee of 50,000 yuan, that the 
        resumes of party organizers be submitted to the Department, and that the 
        party's local office address be submitted;
Whereas immediately after Mary Robinson departed the People's Republic of China, 
        Chinese authorities pronounced the China Democracy Party to be illegal 
        and systematically intimidated and persecuted members of that party, by 
        arresting and detaining them and engaging in other forms of police 
        intimidation;
Whereas in December 1998 the leaders of the China Democracy Party, including Xu 
        Wenli, Wang Youcai, and Quin Yongmin, were given long-term prison 
        sentences, without fair legal representation, by courts run by the 
        Chinese Communist Party, labor leader Zhang Shanguang was given a long-
        term prison sentence for discussing with United States-based Radio Free 
        Asia the hardships of Chinese farmers and workers, and many other China 
        Democracy Party founding members, human rights campaigners, and labor 
        activists have been arrested and are facing summary trials; and
Whereas new laws issued by the Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic 
        of China subject all writers, actors, singers, film makers, and computer 
        software programmers to life in prison if they are accused of 
        endangering the exclusive role of the Communist Party: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the United States should publicly urge the People's 
        Republic of China to abide by the articles of the United 
        Nations Convention on Civil and Political Rights;
            (2) the United States should publicly show its support and 
        encouragement for political reforms in the People's Republic of 
        China, including a peaceful transition to a multiparty 
        political system;
            (3) the United States should publicly urge the People's 
        Republic of China to permit the registration of the China 
        Democracy Party, without discrimination or penalties for its 
        organizers and members; and
            (4) the United States should urge the release from 
        detention and house arrest of all members of the China 
        Democracy Party and other peaceful advocates for democracy and 
        civil and human rights, and a cessation of intimidation and 
        persecution of advocates of democracy in China.
                                 <all>
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