Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-04-10-Speech-3-057"
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"en.20020410.3.3-057"2
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"Judging from the report on China and the Commission communication, a fresh start, appropriate to spring time, seems to be being made in relations between the EU and China. Relations of the EU and its Member States with China are increasingly improving and being extended.
These are, in themselves, promising signs. However, the Commission and the rapporteur will agree with me that quite a few difficulties have to be overcome before mention can be made of a true spring breakthrough. Compliance with human rights, in particular, leaves a great deal to be desired. Reports of torture, maiming and even killings are too systematic to be ignored. Various groups in Chinese society are suffering such human rights violations, including, for example, non-registered Christians. According to a reliable report issued by various NGOs, their persecution has, in recent years, even been ordered at a high level in the Chinese Government.
Since this persecution is hardly given any attention in the report by Mr Graça Moura, I have tabled a few additional amendments in this respect which I hope will find backing in the European Parliament.
The EU’s response so far to these abuses is, in my view, very disappointing. According to the Commission document on China, ten rounds of political dialogue have already been held. At the same time, the Commission realises that there is still a yawning gap between action and international standards. Should we then not conclude that the ‘critical dialogue’ is inadequate as an instrument? And would it not be preferable by far to link economic interests to China’s observation of human rights much more than is now the case? The critical dialogue should not be there to ease our conscience, while we in the meantime keep a keen eye on our own economic interests.
This will probably cost us something, but surely we should be prepared to go ahead nevertheless if human rights are so important to us. We in the European Union cannot conceive of spring if in China itself it is still the middle of winter."@en1
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