```

[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 570 Introduced in House (IH)]

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 reforms 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
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the United States--
            (1) 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) should publicly show its support and encouragement for 
        political reforms in China, including a peaceful transition to 
        a multiparty political system;
            (3) should publicly urge the People's Republic of China to 
        permit the registration of the China Democracy Party (CDP) 
        without discrimination or penalties for its organizers and 
        members; and
            (4) should urge the release from detention and house arrest 
        of all members of the China Democracy Party and other peaceful 
        advocates for democracy and human rights and a cessation of 
        intimidation and persecution against advocates of democracy in 
        the People's Republic of China.
                                 <all>
```