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 regard-
ing 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 offi-
cially register an opposition party in the People’s Repub-
lic of China, leading toward the first multiparty system
on mainland China since the founding of the People’s Re-
public 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-
•HRES 570 IH
forms and a full human rights dialogue with the inter-
national 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 Re-
public of China guarantees the freedom of association for
Chinese citizens;
Whereas during the visit of United Nations High Commis-
sioner 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 mem-
bers, 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 Peo-
ple’s Republic of China, Chinese authorities pronounced
the China Democracy Party to be illegal and systemati-
cally 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 Rep-
resentatives that the United States—
•HRES 570 IH
(1) should publicly urge the People’s Republic
of China to abide by the articles of the United Na-
tions Convention on Civil and Political Rights;
(2) should publicly show its support and en-
couragement 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 De-
mocracy Party (CDP) without discrimination or pen-
alties 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.
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