[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 148 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 148

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the arrest of Harry Wu by 
           the Government of the People's Republic of China.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                June 30 (legislative day, June 19), 1995

Mr. Helms submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
                               agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the arrest of Harry Wu by 
           the Government of the People's Republic of China.
Whereas Peter H. Wu, known as Harry Wu, attempted to enter the People's Republic 
        of China on June 19, 1995, near the China-Kazakhstan border;
Whereas Harry Wu, a 58-year-old American citizen, was traveling on a valid 
        United States passport and a valid visa issued by the Chinese 
        authorities;
Whereas the Chinese authorities confined Harry Wu to house arrest for 3 days, 
        after which time he has not been seen or heard from;
Whereas the Chinese Foreign Ministry notified the United States Embassy in 
        Beijing of Mr. Wu's detention on Friday, June 23;
Whereas the United States Embassy in Beijing approached the Chinese Foreign 
        Ministry on Monday, June 26, to issue an official demarche for the 
        detention of an American citizen;
Whereas the terms of the United States-People's Republic of China Consular 
        Convention on February 19, 1982, require that United States Government 
        officials shall be accorded access to an American citizen as soon as 
        possible but not more than 48 hours after the United States has been 
        notified of such detention;
Whereas on Wednesday, June 28, the highest ranking representative of the 
        People's Republic of China in the United States refused to offer the 
        United States Government any information on Harry Wu's whereabouts or 
        the charges brought against him;
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China is in violation of the 
        terms of its Consular Convention;
Whereas Harry Wu, who was born in China, has already spent 19 years in Chinese 
        prisons;
Whereas Harry Wu has dedicated his life to the betterment of the human rights 
        situation in the People's Republic of China;
Whereas Harry Wu first detailed to the United States Congress the practice of 
        using prison labor to produce products for export from China to other 
        countries;
Whereas Harry Wu testified before the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
        Senate on May 4, 1995, informing the Committee, the Senate, and the 
        American people about the Chinese government practice of murdering 
        Chinese prisoners, including political prisoners, for the purpose of 
        harvesting their organs for sale on the international market;
Whereas on June 2, 1995, the President of the United States announced his 
        determination that further extension of the waiver authority granted by 
        section 402(c) of the Trade Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-618; 88 Stat. 
        1978), also known as ``Jackson-Vanik'', will substantially promote 
        freedom of emigration from the People's Republic of China;
Whereas this waiver authority will allow the People's Republic of China to 
        receive the lowest tariff rates possible, also known as Most-Favored-
        Nation trading status, for a period of 12 months beginning on July 3, 
        1995; and
Whereas the Chinese government and people benefit substantially from the 
        continuation of such trading benefits: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That (a) the United States Senate expresses its 
condemnation of the arrest of Peter H. Wu and its deep concern for his 
well-being.
    (b) It is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) the People's Republic of China must immediately comply 
        with its commitments under the United States-People's Republic 
        of China Consular Convention of February 19, 1982, by allowing 
        consular access to Peter H. Wu;
            (2) the People's Republic of China should provide 
        immediately a full accounting of Peter Wu's whereabouts and the 
        charges being brought against him; and
            (3) the President of the United States should use every 
        diplomatic means available to ensure Peter Wu's safe and 
        expeditious return to the United States.
    Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy of this 
resolution to the President of the United States with the request that 
the President further transmit such copy to the Embassy of the People's 
Republic of China in the United States.
                                 <all>