Radio Netherlands: China Turns Screw on Falun Gong

12 February 2001 Relations between the Netherlands and China received a blow last week when Dutch Foreign Minister Jozias Van Aartsen scrapped a scheduled visit to China. The move came after Beijing publicly opposed a planned meeting between Dutch diplomats and members of the banned spiritual movement Falun Gong in Hong Kong. Following the cancellation, both countries have been trying to limit the political damage. In the meantime, China has continued its crackdown on the Falun Gong, which it regards as a [Chinese government's slanderous word]. The Dutch ambassador for human rights, Mrs Jones-Vos, should have been talking today to representatives of the Falun Gong spiritual movement in Hong Kong, but the meeting was cancelled amid heavy political pressure from Beijing. The human rights ambassador's visit was scheduled as part of a large Dutch government delegation headed by Foreign Minister Jozias van Aartsen. Its aim was to boost bilateral relations between China and the Netherlands. But Mr Van Aartsen postponed his trip indefinitely due to pressure from Beijing. The Chinese authorities were unhappy that a meeting was to be held between members of the Dutch delegation and the Falun Gong which is banned in mainland China, but is still legal in Hong Kong. New Low Point The cancellation of the trip marked a new low point in Dutch Chinese bilateral relations. Despite its legal status in Hong Kong, the Falun Gong has come under increasing fire from Beijing. The mainland authorities remain concerned that Hong Kong can become a rallying point for the movement. Mrs Sophie Xiao is a representative of the Falun Gong - she was supposed to have met the Dutch human rights ambassador today. What would she have told her? "If we had a chance to see her we would like to tell her what's happened inside China, the brutality and the human rights abuses in China against Falun Gong practitioners. We have 140 people dead, tortured in Chinese police custody. Thousands have been detained, sent to forced labour camps or mental hospitals. Thousands more have lost their homes or their jobs. Many of them have noting left and the situation is getting worse and worse." Political Dilemma The whole affair represents a political dilemma for Beijing. An open meeting between the Falun Gong and the Dutch human rights ambassador would have focused attention on China's brutal suppression of the spiritual movement. On the other hand, cancellation of the talks gives the Falun Gong even more publicity. But Mrs Xiao says that it's not publicity that her movement is after. "We have no political agenda; we are a spiritual group. What we're here to do is to improve our health, to improve our spiritual inner peace and we have no other intention, no even to get more publicity." But even in Hong Kong, the future of the Falun Gong is uncertain. Last Friday, Chief Executive Tung Chee-Hwa called the spiritual movement an [Chinese government's slanderous word] and vowed to closely monitor the organisation for subversive activities. A special article in the basic law - Hong Kong's constitution following the handover of the territory from Britain back to China in 1997 - against subversion may be used to curtail its activities. Optimism Apart from all the pressure from the Chinese government, Beijing-controlled newspapers in Hong Kong have been attacking the Falun Gong. But the movement's members feel confident about their future in the former British colony. Mrs Xiao says she's still optimistic. "We still believe in our own and other people's conscience and righteousness. We also believe the world will support those who are innocent."