From: Lloyd Axworthy, the Aid of Canada Prime Minister

Subject: In reply to your e-mail of March 14, 2000. Our Ref: A-05317-00

Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2000 16:41:05 -0400

September 6, 2000

Dear Sir:

The Prime Minister has forwarded to me a copy of your e-mail of March l4, 2000, concerning human rights and the situation of Falun Gong practitioners in China. I regret that a heavy volume of mail has prevented me from responding as soon as I would have liked.

The Government of Canada is extremely concerned about ongoing reports of the suppression of Falun Gong practitioners and their ill-treatment by Chinese authorities. We deplore the harsh sentences meted out to four Falun Gong organizers by a Beijing court on December 26, 1999.

We have raised these concerns with Chinese authorities on several recent occasions both in Ottawa and in Beijing. In March of this year I expressed Canada's concern to the Chinese Ambassador to Canada when we met in Ottawa. Our Ambassador to China, Mr. Howard Balloch, and Senator Lois Wilson, who was in China as leader of a Canadian religious freedoms delegation, referred in their discussions to Canadian concerns about this matter. The issue was also raised by Canadian officials at the fourth meeting of the Canada-China Joint Committee on Human Rights in Beijing in November. Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade have met with Falun Gong practitioners in Canada several times to receive their representations.

During my recent visit to China on July 14 and 15, I raised with Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Canadian concerns about human rights abuses in China. Canada decided not to co-sponsor the American resolution on China at the 56th Session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights because we believe that continuing a bilateral and multilateral dialogue with China on human rights is the best approach toward improving conditions. Canada voted against the no-action motion tabled by China on the grounds that no country should be exempt from international scrutiny. In casting this vote, Canadian concerns about the human rights situation in China were reiterated. Canada has consistently spoken out about the situation of human rights in China in public statements at the Commission on Human Rights and at the UN General Assembly. Our objective remains to have the Chinese authorities abide by international standards and obligations regarding respect for human rights. Canada established and continues to support a number of UN thematic human rights mechanisms which report on human rights in China, for example, the Special Rapporteurs on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, and on Violence against Women.

Canada condemns all violations of religious freedom and basic rights, and we call once again on the Chinese government to respect the rights of Falun Gong practitioners; to end the suppression of their freedom of expression and spiritual practice; and to respect the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which China has signed.

Please be assured that we are continuing to monitor the situation.

Thank you for writing.

Sincerely,

Lloyd Axworthy

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