The Foreign Affairs Committee of the EU condemns China on human and religious rights
A report on relations between Beijing and the EU asks that the death penalty and laogai labour camps be abolished, defends the religious freedom of underground communities and advises Beijing to stay out of episcopal ordinations. An amendment also asks that web-sites, including AsiaNews, not be blacked-out.
Bruxelles (AsiaNews) The European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee has, with a wide majority, adopted a report on relations between the European Union and China which asks Beijing for greater respect of human rights, religious freedom and freedom of information. Among other things, it asks China to put an end to state-mandated episcopal ordinations and to refrain from censoring the press and Internet sites such as AsiaNews.
The report, drafted at the initiative of Dutch MEP Bastiaan Belder, consists of a series of considerations and requests addressed to Beijing on economic, social and religious matters, to make more truthful "the partnership" between the EU and China, which has existed for 30 years and which should be based on "credibility, stability and responsibility." In recent years, following enlargement, the EU has become Beijing's top trading partner, surpassing Japan; on its part, China has become the EU's second-largest trading partner, after the United States.
The report analyzes various sectors of interest to the European community: international trade, problems related to pollution and the environment; the (limited) freedom of Chinese markets; Beijing's lack of respect for international copyright; international tensions with Taiwan and North Korea.
Of great importance are several of the report's points on human rights, matters on which the EU is famous for having often kept silent. In a series of amendments adopted today, China is asked to eliminate its laogai system (labour camps for re-education). The report also condemns the practice of torture and internment of dissidents and Tibetan monks in psychiatric hospitals. It asks that attention be given to social unrest and that the death penalty be abolished.
Thanks to pressure by various Catholic parliamentarians, among which Antonio Tajani and Mario Mauro, the report also adopted various amendments more closely related to religious freedom: that the difference between "official" and "unofficial" Church be eliminated; that the "secularity" of the Chinese state be maintained, with the curbing of government interference on religious questions. In this regard referring to the illicit episcopal ordinations which took place some months ago, and which were forcefully criticized by the Holy See the report points out to China that it has no right to make appointments to the ecclesiastical hierarchy.
On freedom of information, the EU speaks out against the increasing lack of press freedom and the systems of Internet censorship. In this regard, the EU mentions in particular the AsiaNews.it web-site, described as "an excellent source of information" and asks that it not be blacked out.
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