[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 63 (Wednesday, May 14, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S4501]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             WEI JINGSHENG

   Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I rise to join my colleagues who have so 
eloquently praised China's most prominent dissident and advocate of 
democracy, Wei Jingsheng, and who have called for his immediate release 
from prison. Yesterday marked the publication of Mr. Wei's remarkable 
book, ``The Courage to Stand Alone.'' The book is a compilation of his 
valiant prison letters to the Chinese leadership.
  As a result of Mr. Wei's outspoken and articulate views on human 
rights and democracy the Government of China has imprisoned him--mostly 
in solitary confinement--for the greatest part of two decades. His 
personal sacrifices in the name of fundamental freedoms are a testament 
to his heroic spirit.
  As one who has always supported commercial engagement with Beijing to 
encourage greater openness and freedom in China, I find China's 
repression of Wei's views and cruel treatment of Wei himself offensive.
  As we are about to embark on our annual debate on renewing normal 
trade relations with China, Beijing must realize that its treatment of 
Mr. Wei in particular, and its repressive human rights policies in 
general, trouble all of the Members of this body, especially those of 
us who favor renewal.
  While Mr. Wei has been outspoken in his own support of continuing 
China's MFN trade status--noting at his trial that the direct victims 
of MFN revocation ``would be the already poverty-stricken Chinese 
people'' rather than the authorities in Beijing--China would do its 
people and its position in the world well by heeding this brave man's 
calls for greater freedom and democracy.

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