III

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. RES. 148

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the arrest of Harry Wu by

the Government of the People’s Republic of China.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JUNE 30 (legislative day, JUNE 19), 1995

Mr. HELMS submitted the following resolution; which was considered and

agreed to

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the arrest

of Harry Wu by the Government of the People’s Republic

of China.

Whereas Peter H. Wu, known as Harry Wu, attempted to

enter the People’s Republic of China on June 19, 1995,

near the China-Kazakhstan border;

Whereas Harry Wu, a 58-year-old American citizen, was

traveling on a valid United States passport and a valid

visa issued by the Chinese authorities;

Whereas the Chinese authorities confined Harry Wu to house

arrest for 3 days, after which time he has not been seen

or heard from;
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Whereas the Chinese Foreign Ministry notified the United

States Embassy in Beijing of Mr. Wu’s detention on Friday, June 23;

Whereas the United States Embassy in Beijing approached

the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday, June 26, to

issue an official demarche for the detention of an American citizen;

Whereas the terms of the United States-People’s Republic of

China Consular Convention on February 19, 1982, require that United States Government officials shall be accorded access to an American citizen as soon as possible

but not more than 48 hours after the United States has

been notified of such detention;

Whereas on Wednesday, June 28, the highest ranking representative of the People’s Republic of China in the

United States refused to offer the United States Government any information on Harry Wu’s whereabouts or the

charges brought against him;

Whereas the Government of the People’s Republic of China

is in violation of the terms of its Consular Convention;

Whereas Harry Wu, who was born in China, has already

spent 19 years in Chinese prisons;

Whereas Harry Wu has dedicated his life to the betterment

of the human rights situation in the People’s Republic of

China;

Whereas Harry Wu first detailed to the United States Congress the practice of using prison labor to produce products for export from China to other countries;

Whereas Harry Wu testified before the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate on May 4, 1995, informing

the Committee, the Senate, and the American people
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about the Chinese government practice of murdering Chinese prisoners, including political prisoners, for the purpose of harvesting their organs for sale on the international market;

Whereas on June 2, 1995, the President of the United States

announced his determination that further extension of

the waiver authority granted by section 402(c) of the

Trade Act of 1974 (Public Law 93–618; 88 Stat. 1978),

also known as ‘‘Jackson-Vanik’’, will substantially promote freedom of emigration from the People’s Republic

of China;

Whereas this waiver authority will allow the People’s Republic of China to receive the lowest tariff rates possible, also

known as Most-Favored-Nation trading status, for a period of 12 months beginning on July 3, 1995; and

Whereas the Chinese government and people benefit substantially from the continuation of such trading benefits:

Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That (a) the United States Senate expresses

2 its condemnation of the arrest of Peter H. Wu and its

3 deep concern for his well-being.

4 (b) It is the sense of the Senate that—

5 (1) the People’s Republic of China must imme6 diately comply with its commitments under the

7 United States-People’s Republic of China Consular

8 Convention of February 19, 1982, by allowing con9 sular access to Peter H. Wu;

10 (2) the People’s Republic of China should pro11 vide immediately a full accounting of Peter Wu’s
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1 whereabouts and the charges being brought against

2 him; and

3 (3) the President of the United States should

4 use every diplomatic means available to ensure Peter

5 Wu’s safe and expeditious return to the United

6 States.

7 SEC. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit

8 a copy of this resolution to the President of the United

9 States with the request that the President further trans10 mit such copy to the Embassy of the People’s Republic

11 of China in the United States.

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