IV 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 199

Calling on the Government of the People’s Republic of China immediately 

and unconditionally to release Dr. Yang Jianli, calling on the President 

of the United States to continue working on behalf of Dr. Yang Jianli 

for his release, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 11, 2003

Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts (for himself, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. SMITH of New 

Jersey, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. COX, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. 

ABERCROMBIE, Mr. OLVER, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. MARKEY, and Mr. 

PITTS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on International Relations 

RESOLUTION

Calling on the Government of the People’s Republic of China 

immediately and unconditionally to release Dr. Yang 

Jianli, calling on the President of the United States 

to continue working on behalf of Dr. Yang Jianli for 

his release, and for other purposes.

Whereas according to the United States Department of 

State’s 2002 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices in China, the Government of the People’s Republic 

of China has ‘‘continued to commit numerous and serious 

[human rights] abuses’’, including ‘‘instances of . . . arbitrary arrest and detention, lengthy incommunicado detention, and denial of due process’’; 
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•HRES 199 IH 

Whereas according to the 2002 Country Reports on Human 

Rights Practices in China, ‘‘the country’s criminal procedures were not in compliance with international standards’’, ‘‘the lack of due process in the judicial system remained a serious problem’’, and ‘‘authorities routinely 

violated legal protections in the cases of political dissidents’’; 

Whereas Dr. Yang Jianli, an internationally renowned scholar, pro-democracy activist, and President of the Foundation for China in the 21st Century, is an alien lawfully 

admitted for permanent residence into the United States 

who has been detained incommunicado by the Government of the People’s Republic of China since April 26, 

2002; 

Whereas according to the United Nations Commission on 

Human Rights Resolution 1997/38, ‘‘prolonged incommunicado detention may . . . itself constitute a form of 

cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment’’, which is prohibited by international law; 

Whereas Dr. Yang Jianli has been deprived of his basic 

human rights by being denied access to legal counsel and 

contact with his wife and two children (who are United 

States citizens), and has also been denied his right to 

trial within a reasonable time or to release; and 

Whereas the arbitrary imprisonment of United States citizens 

and permanent resident aliens by the Government of the 

People’s Republic of China, and its continuing violations 

of their fundamental human rights, demands a forceful 

response by the Congress and the President of the United 

States: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That—
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•HRES 199 IH 

1 (1) the House of Representatives—

2 (A) condemns and deplores the incommuni3 cado detention of Dr. Yang Jianli, and calls for 

4 his immediate and unconditional release; 

5 (B) condemns and deplores the lack of due 

6 process afforded to Dr. Yang; 

7 (C) strongly urges the Government of the 

8 People’s Republic of China to respond to the re9 peated requests by Members of the House of 

10 Representatives for information about Dr. 

11 Yang’s whereabouts and condition; and 

12 (D) strongly urges the Government of the 

13 People’s Republic of China to consider the im14 plications for the broader relationship between 

15 the United States and the People’s Republic of 

16 China of detaining permanent resident aliens of 

17 the United States without providing them ac18 cess to legal counsel or family members; and 

19 (2) it is the sense of the House of Representa20 tives that the President—

21 (A) should make the immediate release of 

22 Dr. Yang Jianli by the Government of the Peo23 ple’s Republic of China a top priority of United 

24 States foreign policy; 
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•HRES 199 IH 

1 (B) should continue to make every effort 

2 to assist Dr. Yang Jianli and his family while 

3 discussions of his release are ongoing; 

4 (C) should make it clear to the Govern5 ment of the People’s Republic of China that the 

6 detention of United States citizens and perma7 nent resident aliens, and the infliction of human 

8 rights violations on these groups, is not in the 

9 interests of the Government of the People’s Re10 public of China because it will reduce the op11 portunities for cooperation between the Untied 

12 States and the People’s Republic oif China on 

13 other matters; and 

14 (D) should immediately send a special, 

15 high-ranking representative of the United 

16 States Government to the People’s Republic of 

17 China to reiterate the deep concern of the 

18 United States regarding the continued impris19 onment of Dr. Yang Jianli and other United 

20 States citizens and permanent resident aliens 

21 whose human rights are being violated and to 

22 discuss their legal status and immediate hu23 manitarian needs.

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