WRITTEN QUESTION P-2557/01 by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission. Arrest of the pro-democracy militants Mu Chuanheng and Yan Peng in the People's Republic of China.
Date: 2001-09-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: China, human rights, imprisonment, opposition, summit meeting, the EU's international role

18.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 93 E/159

The seriousness of recent events has led the Council to speed up the process of creating an area of
freedom, security and justice and to step up cooperation with its partners, especially the United States.

3.
To this end, the Council has agreed on certain measures to be taken with respect to judicial
cooperation, cooperation between police and intelligence services, financing of terrorism, border control,
civil protection and cooperation with the United States.

As concerns Europol, the Council is examining a list of possible amendments to the Europol Convention
as well as an extension of Europol’s mandate to deal with the serious forms of international crime in
general.

(2002/C 93 E/189)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2557/01

by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission

(13 September 2001)

Subject: Arrest of the pro-democracy militants Mu Chuanheng and Yan Peng in the People’s Republic of

China

The pro-democracy militants Mu Chuanheng and Yan Peng were officially arrested by the Chinese
authorities on 28 August for ‘incitement to subversion’. Mr Mu Chuanheng had been detained since
13 August for protesting against the illegal detention of the activist Yan Peng. The latter had been detained
since 11 July on suspicion of ‘illegal emigration’. The two men are at risk of being sentenced to long terms
of imprisonment, given the charges brought against them. Mr Mu Chuanheng, who has been a leading
figures in the pro-democracy movement since 1979, was first arrested in 1981 and sentenced to a year’s
imprisonment for counter-revolutionary activities. He has been unable to work for 20 years and has lived
under constant police surveillance. He has written many articles on social and political reconciliation and
the need to launch a process of democratisation in China, but his repeated calls for people to protest
against the arrest of Yan Peng were the immediate reason for his arrest. Mr Yan Peng, a leading dissident
from Shandong province, was arrested on 11 July in the province of Guangxi, where he was travelling on
holiday. He was charged with circulating, and publishing on the internet, articles by Mr Mu. To ensure that
Beijing was selected for the 2008 Olympic Games and to prevent his family from publicising Yan Peng’s
arrest, the police had claimed that he would be released the next day. However, as soon as Beijing’s victory
had been announced, Yan Peng’s arrest became official.

What information does the Commission have concerning the conditions of detention, and the state of
health, of Mr Mu and Mr Yan, and what initiatives has the Commission taken, or does it intend to take, to
obtain their immediate release by the authorities in Beijing?

Secondly, does the Commission not agree that the arbitrary arrest of these men, which follows a long
series of such cases, provides further confirmation of the failure of the policy of ‘critical dialogue’ on
human rights, the absurdity of the programmes of judicial cooperation between the EU and the PRC and
the risk, if not certainty, that the only purpose they ultimately serve is to sanction the Beijing authorities’
authoritarianism and their profound contempt for the law, and hence for the rule of law?

More generally, does the Commission not agree that strong support, including financial support, for the
activities of the democratic opposition to the Beijing regime might contribute more effectively to the
development of fundamental freedoms and democracy in the PRC and would be much better suited to the
promotion of the rule of law to which the EU claims to be committed?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(11 October 2001)

The Commission is aware of the arrests of Mr Mu and Mr Yan but does not have any new information
about their current situation or their state of health.

The Commission is aware that there have been many arrests in China recently as a result of a government
‘strike hard’ campaign against alleged offenders. The Commission is following very closely the human
rights situation in China and shares the concern expressed by the Honourable Member.

C 93 E/160

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2002

The Union is committed to the promotion of human rights world-wide. They represent a central issue in
the Union’s relations with third countries. In the framework of the Union-China human rights dialogue,
the Union has regularly raised individual cases with the Chinese authorities and will continue to do so.

The EU-China human rights dialogue, and the co-operation projects which support the dialogue, is the
Union’s preferred channel for helping to improve the human rights situation in China. Issues of concern
are raised in meetings with China at all levels, including at the highest level. The Union’s concerns about
the human rights situation in China were therefore also raised at the fourth EU-China Summit meeting on
5 September 2001.

The Commission will closely follow developments concerning the human rights situation in China and will
continue to raise individual cases with the Chinese authorities.

(2002/C 93 E/190)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2562/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Continuation of a national cadastral survey in Greece

(13 September 2001)

In the final paragraph of its reply to my question (P-0585/01 (1) > 18 May 2001), concerning launching of
the procedure provided for under Article 24 of Regulation (EC) No. 2052/88 (2) regarding the national
cadastral survey, the Commission ‘qualifies’ its previous reply thereby substantially changing the meaning
thereof in so far as it recognises the inclusion in the second Community support framework of three
cadastral survey projects covering a total area of 850 thousand hectares with a budget allocation of
ECU 124.6 millions.

Furthermore, in a document forwarded to the Greek authorities concerning the national cadastral survey in
Greece, (31.7.2001) the Directorate-General for Regional Policy announced its decision of initiating the
procedure under Article 24 of Regulation (EC) 4253/88 (3), on the grounds that the information it had
received had been incomplete and only semi-accurate and proposed ‘corrective financial measures’
involving new calculating methods.

this project

Given that
is generally considered to be the largest and most significant structural
environmental initiative being carried in Greece and has already absorbed enormous amounts of funding
from both the Community national authorities and that to halt it now would not only render null and void
everything achieved to date but would also mean totally writing off the funding already provided, does the
Commission consider its present retreat from (or qualification of) the position contained in its previous
reply to be a responsible attitude, given that the procedure under Article 24 is conditioned by ‘a significant
change affecting the nature or conditions of the operation or measure for which the Commission’s
approval has not be sought’? Independently of the final outcome of the procedure under Article 24, does it
intend to continue to support the cadastral survey project under the third CSF subject to the existence of
clearly defined new objectives and timetables agreed in advance with the national authorities?

(1) OJ C 318 E, 13.11.2001, p. 76.
(2) OJ L 185, 15.7.1988, p. 9.
(3) OJ L 374, 31.12.1988, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Barnier opn behalf of the Commission

(30 October 2001)

As the Honourable Member indicates, the Commission is at present enquiring into the implementation of
the land register project under article 24 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 of 19 December 1988,
laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 as regards coordination of the
activities of the different Structural Funds between themselves and with the operations of the European
Investment Bank and the other existing financial instruments. At the conclusion of this inquiry, it will
transmit a copy of its decision, as soon as it has been adopted, to the Honourable Member.