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U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesman Press Statement

Press Statement by Strobe Talbott, Acting Secretary
December 21, 1998

China--Reported Sentencing of Xu Wenli, Wang Youcai, and Qin Yongmin

The United States deeply deplores the sentencing of prominent Chinese human rights activists Xu Wenli and Wang Youcai to 13 years and 11 years, respectively, allegedly for subversion and threatening state security, as well as the reported sentence of Qin Yongmin on similar grounds for 13 years. We call upon the Chinese Government to release all three.

The principal activity of these three men that appears to have been the cause of their detention, trial, and sentencing was their effort to form a new political party. This form of peaceful political expression deserves the protection of all governments. We not only deplore that they were detained and tried for such actions but are deeply disturbed by the long sentences imposed and the lack of due process.

The trials of Xu, Wang, and Qin were not open to members of the public who wished to attend or to foreign observers. None was afforded the opportunity to select his own attorney or time to prepare a serious defense. China’s obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the obligations it will assume when it ratifies the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights--which it has already signed--require it to protect peaceful political expression and association and to ensure fair public trial.

The United States considers its relationship with China important to global and regional peace and stability and to other important American interests. We will however, continue to speak out about serious human rights abuses of this kind and continue to make the strengthening of human rights in China a key element of our policy.

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