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 Prac-
tices in China, the Government of the People’s Republic 
of China has ‘‘continued to commit numerous and serious 
[human rights] abuses’’, including ‘‘instances of . . . arbi-
trary arrest and detention, lengthy incommunicado deten-
tion, and denial of due process’’;
•HRES 199 IH 
Whereas according to the 2002 Country Reports on Human 
Rights Practices in China, ‘‘the country’s criminal proce-
dures were not in compliance with international stand-
ards’’, ‘‘the lack of due process in the judicial system re-
mained a serious problem’’, and ‘‘authorities routinely 
violated legal protections in the cases of political dis-
sidents’’; 
Whereas Dr. Yang Jianli, an internationally renowned schol-
ar, pro-democracy activist, and President of the Founda-
tion 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 Govern-
ment 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 incommu-
nicado detention may . . . itself constitute a form of 
cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment’’, which is pro-
hibited 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
Resolved, That—
•HRES 199 IH 
(1) the House of Representatives—
(A) condemns and deplores the incommuni-
cado detention of Dr. Yang Jianli, and calls for 
his immediate and unconditional release; 
(B) condemns and deplores the lack of due 
process afforded to Dr. Yang; 
(C) strongly urges the Government of the 
People’s Republic of China to respond to the re-
peated requests by Members of the House of 
Representatives for information about Dr. 
Yang’s whereabouts and condition; and 
(D) strongly urges the Government of the 
People’s Republic of China to consider the im-
plications for the broader relationship between 
the United States and the People’s Republic of 
China of detaining permanent resident aliens of 
the United States without providing them ac-
cess to legal counsel or family members; and 
(2) it is the sense of the House of Representa-
tives that the President—
(A) should make the immediate release of 
Dr. Yang Jianli by the Government of the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China a top priority of United 
States foreign policy;
•HRES 199 IH 
(B) should continue to make every effort 
to assist Dr. Yang Jianli and his family while 
discussions of his release are ongoing; 
(C) should make it clear to the Govern-
ment of the People’s Republic of China that the 
detention of United States citizens and perma-
nent resident aliens, and the infliction of human 
rights violations on these groups, is not in the 
interests of the Government of the People’s Re-
public of China because it will reduce the op-
portunities for cooperation between the Untied 
States and the People’s Republic oif China on 
other matters; and 
(D) should immediately send a special, 
high-ranking representative of the United 
States Government to the People’s Republic of 
China to reiterate the deep concern of the 
United States regarding the continued impris-
onment of Dr. Yang Jianli and other United 
States citizens and permanent resident aliens 
whose human rights are being violated and to 
discuss their legal status and immediate hu-
manitarian needs.
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