(Clearwisdom.net) Chinese president Hu Jintao ended his four-day visit to France on January 29, 2004 and left for Egypt. Many people criticized the meeting between President Hu and Mr. Chirac, president of France, saying President Chirac ingratiated China in order to obtain business interests and to gain support on international issues. He ignored China's human rights issues and betrayed the spirit of democracy. A French newspaper stated that it was unforgivable for the French government to intentionally overlook China's terrible human rights record.
According to a BBC report on January 29, some French newspapers asked Chirac how much commercial interest would such servile acts really bring France? The newspaper Le Figaro commented, "French companies don't need to fawn on Beijing to get contracts. They should get contracts by proving their products are superior" and, "President Chirac has done too much to please Hu Jintao."
The World Journal stated that Chirac's excessive zeal is still understandable for embarking from the France economic interests. However, it's unconscionable that he ignored China's terrible human rights record. The paper went on to say, "Foreign diplomacy is never idealistic but highly realistic, therefore realistic diplomacy should not cover up the reality that China tramples human rights."
Jiang's group exports persecution of Falun Gong to Paris
On January 24, the Paris city government planned a public parade to celebrate Chinese New Year. As a legally registered group, Falun Gong has the right to participate in this activity. However, the Chinese Embassy threatened to cancel all of the festivities if the city of Paris allowed Falun Gong to participate. With less than a week to the event, City Hall rejected our participation.
During President Hu Jintao's visit to France, a series of unlawful arrests, detention and rough treatment of Falun Gong practitioners took place in Paris. Several dozen Falun Gong practitioners from England, Germany, France, Taiwan, and Norway were distributing truth-clarifying leaflets or simply wearing yellow scarves with the words "Falun Gong" on them on the streets of Paris. They were taken to a police station, had their passports inspected and their literature taken away, and were released after being detained for four hours. Some practitioners were taken away without having done anything, without even wearing any clothing or apparel that indicated they were associated with Falun Gong. These practitioners, from several different countries, did nothing illegal but were arrested simply for wearing Falun Dafa clothing or being with other Falun Dafa practitioners. This unusual behavior by the French police was clearly carried out under the coercion of the Jiang regime.
"If the democratic governments are not willing to stand up to evil wherever it exists, no one else will"
Jiang's dictatorship has persisted in escalating the persecution in China and has even extended it to other countries. Its associated massive propaganda campaign has been exported worldwide via Chinese embassies and consulates in order to sway public opinion and incite hatred against Falun Gong. Other contemptible tactics being used against the citizens and officials of other nations include threats, intimidation, blacklisting and diplomatic and economic pressure.
Regarding the French government caving in before the Jiang regime's pressure, Marco Cappato, a member of the European Parliament said, "France should have stayed true to European democratic and egalitarian principles by standing up to the pressure from China. China suppresses its own people and now France is allowing China to suppress the citizens of France from expressing their beliefs!" "Will France, a land of freedom, allow a foreign regime to dictate rules on its own territory?"
"Today, the Chinese regime exerts the pressure and interference in democratic countries. The more one yields to this pressure, the more the regime will impose its human rights abuses on his country." "It happens everywhere in the world; the regime tries to exert pressure. If the democratic governments are not willing to stand up to evil wherever it exists, no one else will."
Persecutors of Falun Gong will not escape just punishment
Sun Jiazheng, the Chinese Culture Minister was sued in France on January 28, 2004 for "Incitement of Massacre and Persecution."
Four Falun Gong practitioners filed a lawsuit with the Paris prosecutor's office against visiting Chinese Culture Minister Sun Jiazheng for "incitement of massacre and persecution." The plaintiffs said they had suffered detention and torture in connection with their practice of Falun Gong.
Falun Gong practitioners in the U.S. have filed lawsuits against Jiang Zemin, the head criminal guilty of the persecution. Various Falun Gong practitioners in Belgium, Spain, Germany, Taiwan, Korea and other countries around the world have also filed lawsuits against Jiang and the "610 Office." At present, Jiang Zemin, Liu Qi (former Mayor of Beijing), top officials of the "610 Office" - a total of 15 people - are accused of torture by Falun Gong practitioners in Canada. Their names are on the RCMP monitoring list. If any of them enter Canada, the RCMP will investigate their alleged criminal actions of which they are accused.
In February 2002, Beijing Mayor Liu Qi was sued in a Northern California Federal Court. Liu was sued for "cruel torture, torment, inhumanity, abuse, deprivation of freedom of belief and religion." In 2003, San Francisco Judge Edward M. Chen presented a report to the court that showed Liu Qi was guilty of torturing Falun Gong practitioners.
In August 2003, Canadian Falun Gong practitioner Joel Chipkar launched a libel lawsuit against the Deputy Consul General of China in Toronto, Mr. Pan Xinchun, who has now been noted in default after he refused to acknowledge three attempts of service.
Overseas Chinese diplomats should realize that the persecution of Falun Gong will not be tolerated. Anyone who has participated in the persecution of Falun Gong will be investigated and be held responsible, no matter where they are or how long it might take.
Just as stated in the H. CON. RES. 304 submitted to the 108th Congress, 1st Session by US Congresswoman Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself and Ms. Woolsey), "the Government of the People's Republic of China should immediately stop interfering in the exercise of religious and political freedom within the United States, such as the right to practice Falun Gong, that are guaranteed by the United States Constitution; cease using the diplomatic missions in the United States to spread falsehoods about the nature of Falun Gong." This should apply to the United States and every country around the world.
