IV

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. RES. 570

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding support

for the formation of the Chinese 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

OCTOBER 2, 1998

Mr. ROHRABACHER submitted the following resolution; which was referred to

the Committee on International Relations

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding support for the formation of the Chinese 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 Chinese Democracy Party

(CDP) on June 24, 1998, was the first attempt to officially register an opposition party in the People’s Republic of China, leading toward the first multiparty system

on mainland China since the founding of the People’s Republic of China;

Whereas during the June 1998 visit of President Clinton to

the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese communist

leadership indicated a commitment to consider further re-
2

•HRES 570 IH

forms and a full human rights dialogue with the international community;

Whereas during the September 1998 visit of United Nations

High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson,

to the People’s Republic of China, the Government of the

People’s Republic of China 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 United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, to the People’s

Republic of China, the Department of Civil Affairs of the

People’s Republic of China indicated that in Shandong

Province the China Democracy Party might be able to

register if the local affiliation of the Party had 50 members, the Party paid a registration fee of 50,000 yuan,

and the resumes of party organizers and the address of

the party’s local office were submitted to the Department

of Civil Affairs; and

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 the Party

by arresting and detaining them and engaging in other

forms of police intimidation: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that the United States—
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•HRES 570 IH

1 (1) should publicly urge the People’s Republic

2 of China to abide by the articles of the United Na3 tions Convention on Civil and Political Rights;

4 (2) should publicly show its support and en5 couragement for political reforms in China, including

6 a peaceful transition to a multiparty political system;

7 (3) should publicly urge the People’s Republic

8 of China to permit the registration of the China De9 mocracy Party (CDP) without discrimination or pen10 alties for its organizers and members; and

11 (4) should urge the release from detention and

12 house arrest of all members of the China Democracy

13 Party and other peaceful advocates for democracy

14 and human rights and a cessation of intimidation

15 and persecution against advocates of democracy in

16 the People’s Republic of China.

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