DATE=3/2/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA / HUMAN RIGHTS (L)
NUMBER=2-259760
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO:  The United Nations' top official for human rights 
is in Beijing and is urging China to accept U-N help in 
bringing its human rights laws up to international 
standards.  Roger Wilkison has details from the Chinese 
capital.

TEXT:  Mrs. Robinson was in Beijing to open an Asia-Pacific 
human-rights workshop and meet with top Chinese officials, 
including Vice-Premier Qian Qichen.

As U-N High Commissioner for Human Rights, she has been 
seeking an agreement with China whereby the U-N can help 
Beijing change its criminal laws and procedures to match 
the standards of the International Covenant on Civil and 
Political Rights.  Beijing has signed that agreement and 
another U-N-sponsored treaty on Economic and Social Rights 
but has not yet ratified either.

Although Mrs. Robinson says China has made progress on 
economic and social rights, she decries what she calls a 
slippage in civil and political rights since she last 
visited China in September 1998.

            /// ROBINSON ACTUALITY ///

      I am concerned about three areas that I have 
      expressed my worries about: the areas of freedom 
      of expression, freedom of religion, and freedom 
      of association.

            /// END ACTUALITY ///

Mrs. Robinson says there has been deterioration in all 
three.  She lists harsh sentences given to political 
dissidents and what she calls a notable clampdown on 
religious expression as being particularly serious.

            /// ROBINSON ACTUALITY ///

      It is my responsibility to air these concerns 
      both in discussions with relevant officials but 
      also publicly because it is important to 
      emphasize what is really meant by the values and 
      culture of human rights and what is the real 
      significance of China having signed the two 
      international covenants.

            /// END ACTUALITY ///

Mrs. Robinson says China needs to reinvigorate its 
commitment to take the necessary steps to bring its laws up 
to international standards.

            /// ROBINSON ACTUALITY ///

      China has moved to a system based on law.  China 
      has moved to an approach of administration based 
      on law.  But the next move that will be 
      necessary is to ensure that the law is 
      compatible with international human rights 
      standards.

            /// END ACTUALITY ///

Mrs. Robinson says such Chinese practices as sending 
perceived opponents of the communist government to 
education through labor camps without trial are 
incompatible with the covenant on civil and political 
rights and must be phased out.

Even though China has repeatedly said the right to 
subsistence is more important than the political rights 
that are emphasized in the West, Mrs. Robinson says Chinese 
officials told her they accept the notion that the human 
rights standards outlined in the covenants are universal.

            /// ROBINSON ACTUALITY ///

      At the official level, it's clear that China 
      accepts international obligations, responds to 
      them and accepts the primacy of international 
      human rights standards.

            /// END ACTUALITY ///

But she says it is imperative to encourage China to move 
faster toward committing itself to those standards so that 
it can ratify the two treaties.  (Signed)

NEB/RW/KL




02-Mar-2000 08:33 AM EDT (02-Mar-2000 1333 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.