[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 109 (Friday, June 30, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9580-S9581]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  REGARDING THE ARREST OF HARRY WU BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S 
                           REPUBLIC OF CHINA

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senate proceed 
to immediate consideration of Senate Resolution 148, submitted earlier 
today by Senator Helms.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (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.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to proceeding to the 
immediate consideration of the resolution?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
                    red chinese up to no good--again

  Mr. HELMS. The resolution condemns the arrest of Mr. Peter H. W., a 
personal friend of mine who has been arrested by the Red Chinese. I 
understand the House of Representatives Committee on International 
Relations reported a similar resolution yesterday that is expected to 
be considered by the House this morning.
  Peter Hongda Wu, known to all of us as Harry Wu, entered China last 
week on a valid United States passport and a valid visa issued by the 
Chinese themselves.
  Harry submitted his papers at the border and was immediately placed 
under house arrest by Chinese authorizes and held for 3 days, after 
which a caravan of Communist-style cars arrived in the small border 
town near Kazakhstan and whisked Harry away.
  Harry Wu has not been seen or heard from since. Mr. President, the 
cruelty the Chinese Communists can inflict, especially on humans they 
claim have committed crimes against the state. Unfortunately, because 
Harry has devoted his life to exposing human rights abuses in China, 
the Chinese have 

[[Page S9581]]
taken purely punitive action against him.
  Harry Wu has worked and cooperated with the Senate for many years. It 
was Harry who first informed me that the Chinese were forcing their own 
prisoners, many of them political prisoners, to produce products for 
sale to other countries. Harry was extraordinarily familiar with these 
practices since he spent 19 years in a Chinese prison.
  More recently, Mr. President, at my invitation, Harry testified 
before the Foreign Relations Committee regarding the Chinese 
Government's practice of selling organs removed from the bodies of 
just-executed prisoners, including political prisoners. The Chinese 
make these organs available on the international market--for cold 
cash--for example, $10,000 for a liver and varying amounts for corneas 
and other human organs.
  Harry's video footage filmed in China, proved that the Chinese even 
have gone so far as to harvest both kidneys from living prisoners. 
Understandably, the hearing received a great deal of international 
attention, and the Chinese are obviously punishing Harry Wu for 
informing the U.S. Congress about this and other matters.
  Mr. President, the Chinese have already usurped 19 years of Harry 
Wu's life. They must not persecute him further. He is a faithful and 
honest American citizen devoted to ensuring the wellbeing of Chinese 
citizens. I urge Senators and the President to do everything within 
their power to press for Harry Wu's immediate release and safe return. 
As his friend, I appeal to all Senators for their support.
  Mr. President, my resolution expresses condemnation of the arrest and 
detention of Harry Wu. It further calls upon China to comply 
immediately with its commitments under the United States-People's 
Republic of China Consular Convention by providing the United States 
Government with a full accounting for Harry's arrest and detention. I 
urge the Senate to adopt the resolution.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be considered and agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion 
to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating 
to the resolution appear at the appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  So the resolution (S. Res. 148) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, is as follows: 6se
                              S. Res. 148

       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.
     

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