[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 74 (Monday, June 12, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H3734-H3736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONDEMNING THE ESCALATING LEVELS OF RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN THE 
                       PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 608) condemning the escalating 
levels of religious persecution in the People's Republic of China, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 608

       Whereas the Constitution and laws of the People's Republic 
     of China purport to provide for religious freedom, however, 
     these freedoms are substantively ignored;
       Whereas all religious groups and spiritual movements must 
     register with the Chinese Government, which monitors 
     religious services and judges the legitimacy of religious 
     activities;
       Whereas unregistered religious groups in China continue to 
     experience official interference and members of religious 
     groups have been subjected to intimidation, harassment, and 
     detention;
       Whereas many religious leaders and adherents in China, 
     including those in official churches, have been detained, 
     arrested, or administratively sentenced to prison terms in 
     reeducation-through-labor camps;
       Whereas religious believers are denied the ability to hold 
     public office not by law, but by a logical extension of the 
     fact that most government positions go to members of the 
     Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and CCP membership and 
     religious belief are considered incompatible;
       Whereas numerous abuses of unofficial Catholic clergy have 
     occurred, including the detentions of Bishop Zhao Zhendong, 
     Bishop Jia Zhiguo, Bishop Yao Liang, Bishop Su Zhimin, Bishop 
     An Shuxin, Bishop Lin Xili, Bishop Han Dingxiang, and Bishop 
     Shi Enxiang, as well as other Catholic priests and lay 
     leaders who have been beaten or otherwise mistreated;
       Whereas the Chinese Government-sanctioned Catholic 
     Patriotic Association of China conducted unauthorized 
     episcopal ordinations of the priests Joseph Ma Yinglin and 
     Joseph Liu Xinhong, elevating them to the office of bishop 
     without the approval and against the wishes of the Holy 
     Father Pope Benedict XVI;
       Whereas numerous abuses of Protestant House Church Leaders 
     have occurred, including the detentions of Pastor Gong 
     Shengliang, Pastor Zhang Rongliang, Luo Bingyin, Li Cuiling, 
     Wang Chaoyi, Yang Tianlu, and Zhao Xinlan, as well as other 
     Protestant House Church Leaders who have been beaten or 
     otherwise mistreated;
       Whereas the whereabouts of Gendun Choekyi Nyima, the boy 
     identified by the Dalai Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama and 
     detained by Chinese authorities ten years ago, when he was 
     six years old, are still unknown;
       Whereas, according to the Department of State, Chinese 
     authorities continue to restrict Muslim religious activity, 
     teaching, and worship in Xinjiang, including reported 
     prohibitions on the participation and religious education of 
     minors;
       Whereas the Chinese Government continues its brutal 
     campaign to eradicate the Falun Gong spiritual movement and 
     thousands of its members have been subject to

[[Page H3735]]

     excessive force, abuse, detention, and torture, including Liu 
     Chengjun who died in 2003 after reportedly being abused in 
     custody in Jilin Province and Huang Wei who is currently 
     detained in Hebei Province, among others;
       Whereas Cai Zhuohua, a Beijing underground church leader, 
     was sentenced on November 8, 2005, to three years in prison 
     for distributing Bibles and other Christian materials;
       Whereas the Haidian Lower People's Court in Beijing also 
     sentenced Mr. Cai's wife, Xiao Yunfei, to two years in prison 
     and her brother, Xiao Gaowen, to 18 months in prison; and
       Whereas on November 20, 2005, after attending services at 
     the Gangwashi Church in Beijing, President George W. Bush 
     stated: ``A healthy society is a society that welcomes all 
     faiths and gives people a chance to express themselves 
     through worship with the Almighty'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the House of Representatives condemns the imprisonment 
     of religious leaders and people of faith in the People's 
     Republic of China and urges their release; and
       (2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that it 
     should be the policy of the Government of the United States 
     to promote and defend religious freedom and freedom of 
     conscience in China.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 608 condemning the 
escalating levels of religious persecution in the People's Republic of 
China, and I thank my colleague from Michigan, Mr. McCotter, for 
authoring this important legislation. I am very proud, along with many 
of my colleagues, to be a cosponsor of the resolution.
  Despite China's repression of religion as arguably among the most 
despotic in the world, despite China's entrance in the world economy, 
its government refuses to grant its citizens universally recognized 
rights to freedom of religion and thought.
  The People's Republic of China permits religious practice only for 
government-sanctioned organizations and registered locations of 
worship. Those who practice other faiths as their consciences demand 
risk disappearing into one of hundreds of Laogai, the forced education 
through labor system established by Mao Tse-tung decades ago.
  Not only is religious persecution of numerous groups and movements 
ongoing, but it is actually worsening. In February, the BBC reported 
that China had warned Hong Kong's newly appointed cardinal, Joseph Zen, 
a well-known critic of China's suppression of religious freedoms, to 
remain quiet on political issues.
  I have personally known some of the remarkable people that the 
Chinese Government targets for persecution. In the early 1990s, and I 
mentioned this earlier when we considered Mr. English's resolution, I 
met with Bishop Su of Baoding Province, a man who celebrated mass for 
our small delegation. I was amazed by his lack of animosity, by his 
lack of anything that even comes close to hate. He actually loved those 
who persecuted him and said he spent a considerable amount of time 
praying for his persecutors. He has now spent some 30 years of his life 
in prison and has suffered time and time again the ravages of torture 
by his persecutors. What kind of barbaric regime hurts a man like this?
  Last summer, our Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and 
International Operations heard compelling testimony from Mr. Chen 
Yonglin, formerly a diplomat for the Chinese Government who said, 
``According to my knowledge, the persecution of the Falun Gong by the 
Chinese Government is a systematic campaign.''
  To my horror, we have heard reports of the Chinese government 
targeting the Falun Gong for organ harvesting. According to the State 
Department's 2005 International Religious Freedom Report, the China 
Government's respect for freedom of religion and freedom of conscience 
remains poor, especially for many unregistered religious groups and 
spiritual movements.
  Members of unregistered groups, including Protestants and Catholics, 
are subject to restrictions including intimidation, harassment, 
detention, arrest, and add to that torture.
  Those who perhaps read the scathing report that was written by the 
rapporteur for the United Nations on torture that was released last 
December cannot help but be repelled by the ongoing systematic use of 
torture against those who are trying to promote either worker's rights, 
basic fundamental human rights, but especially those who espouse 
religious freedom and religious liberty.
  Given all of these disturbing facts, Madam Speaker, Mr. McCotter's 
resolution condemning the government of China's systematic persecution 
of religious freedom is both appropriate and timely.
  Let me also say, Madam Speaker, and I do hope the press takes some 
notice, today we are considering an unprecedented three resolutions on 
China. Each and every one of these is bipartisan. Mr. Lantos, as Mr. 
Wolf said a moment ago, has been a great champion of human rights all 
over the world, including in China, has joined with Henry Hyde, the 
chairman of the committee, and myself, along with Mr. Wolf and Mr. 
English. This is bipartisan. We talk a lot about bipartisanship or lack 
of it in recent weeks and months in this Chamber, but when it comes to 
human rights, especially as it relates to China, we are together.
  Now that we know what the problem is, we need to speak more about 
solutions. Hopefully as we move forward in this congressional session, 
we will talk more about what we need to be doing to try to get this 
government to roll back its repression.
  President Hu's visit was an opportunity. I would respectfully submit 
that it was a missed opportunity to raise these issues in a powerful 
way. He went back home to China thinking he had won over the American 
people. He has not. His record is deplorable, especially as it relates 
to religious persecution.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. Nearly 
three decades after the normalization of relations, Beijing and 
Washington have a mature, evolving relationship. Our two countries are 
working cooperatively on a broad range of issues facing the world from 
North Korea to matters before the U.N. Security Council.
  But in our effort to maintain this cooperative spirit, we must not 
sugar-coat the areas of intense disagreement between the United States 
and China. Beijing's systematic denial of religious liberty to the 
Chinese people is one of the darkest episodes in modern Chinese 
history.
  Pushing for religious tolerance must remain at the core of our 
bilateral agenda with Beijing, regardless of China's Government's 
predictably negative reactions to our entreaties.
  The leadership in Beijing must understand that we will never have a 
fully normal relationship with China until there is measurable progress 
on a broad range of human rights issues, including religious freedom.
  As this resolution notes, an intolerably long list of religions and 
faiths are squarely in the cross-hairs of the Chinese Government. The 
treatment of Tibetans, Catholics, and the Falun Gong is emblematic of 
the broader Chinese campaign against those who worship in an 
unauthorized manner.
  In the case of Tibetan Buddhists, Beijing has a perfect opportunity 
to demonstrate that it has opened a new chapter in an otherwise tragic 
story of the Chinese repression and marginalization of the Tibetans in 
their own land.

                              {time}  1515

  While we are pleased that China has held five rounds of discussions 
with representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama regarding the 
future of Tibet, the talks have not produced any concrete results, and 
our patience is wearing thin. If Beijing truly cares about preserving 
Tibet's unique religious and cultural heritage, it should invite the 
Dalai Lama to visit China and Tibet in the near future. Chinese leaders 
should also negotiate a deal with the Dalai Lama that allows His 
Holiness to return permanently to Tibet to manage the religious and 
cultural and economic affairs of the Tibetan people.
  Religious freedom is a right due all Chinese, whether Tibetan, 
members of

[[Page H3736]]

the Catholic Church or the Falun Gong spiritual movement. Tens of 
thousands of Falun Gong adherents have been locked away in psychiatric 
institutions. They have been tortured and jailed and even killed for 
refusing to renounce their faith. What a tragedy, Madam Speaker.
  The resolution before us shines the spotlight on China's horrendous 
record of religious freedom. The words in our resolution will cause 
great discomfort in Beijing. But when dealing with friends, it is far 
better to lay the facts on the table than to sweep the bitter truth 
under the rug.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this 
resolution.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the distinguished chairman of the appropriations 
subcommittee for the State Department, Frank Wolf of Virginia.
  Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I want to just, before I talk on this 
resolution, mention the one on Tiananmen. I want to be here and have 
the world know that I stood with the tank man and stood with those who 
are in prison in Tiananmen.
  Chris Smith and I were in Beijing Prison Number 1. I am sure he 
talked about it. But some of those young men and women are still in 
prison today, and some of you listening to this are wearing socks or 
underwear that have been made by them. So I want the world to know, 
Tiananmen Square demonstrators are still in prison, still in prison.
  Now, on this resolution, I want to express grave disappointment with 
the Bush administration. I wrote every member of the Bush 
administration after meeting with dissidents in China and over here, 
who said, please have the Bush administration come to our church 
services, the way that they did in the Reagan administration with 
regard to the Soviet Union. They said, please, we will stand with them. 
We want someone, someone from the Bush administration to come into a 
house church. We are tired of seeing the Bush administration going into 
the churches that are recognized by the Chinese government.
  So I wrote every high appointee in the Bush administration and I 
asked them would they call the individuals and stand with them, go to 
their apartments, as we used to do in the 1980s in Moscow with the 
Sakharovs and the Scharanksys, and in 3 months, not one Bush 
administration person has taken the time to pick up the telephone and 
to call the name and the telephone numbers of the individuals.
  What do you get out of the Bush administration? Silence. Silence. We 
should remember the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, who said, and I 
quote, ``In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies but 
the silence of our friends.'' And Dr. King's statement is so poignant. 
``In times of trouble, the silence of an enemy is expected, but the 
silence of a friend is devastating.'' I ask the Bush administration to 
break the silence. Speak out for Riba Qadiri, speak out for the 
Catholic Church. Speak out for the Evangelical Church. Speak out for 
those in Tibet who are being persecuted. The young Buddhist nun who 
came to my office 2 weeks ago had been in the Drapchi prison for 15 
years for doing nothing.
  This is a test. I am writing the Bush administration officials again, 
and I am giving the telephone number to call. I say now, with this 
opportunity, and I am going to give them the words of Dr. Martin Luther 
King. Silence should be over. It is now time for the Bush 
administration to adopt the policies of the Reagan administration, of 
Ronald Reagan, to stand with the dissidents because by standing next, 
it is like in government or politics. If somebody says they are really 
for you, but they don't want to be identified with you, how much are 
they really for you?
  How much is the Bush administration really for the Catholic Church in 
China? How much is the Bush administration really for the Evangelical 
house church who are putting their lives on the line? How much are they 
for those who are being persecuted in Tibet? How much are they for the 
Uighurs? How much for the Falun Gong? And keep in mind, this government 
is spying against our government much more aggressively than they did 
in the Soviet Union.
  I close again with the words of Dr. Martin Luther King. ``In the end 
we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our 
friends.'' If the Bush administration wants to be the friends of the 
dissidents, the silence should be broken. And Clark Randt, our 
Ambassador in China, should be the first one to begin to break the 
silence.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 608, 
Condemning the escalating levels of religious persecution in the 
People's Republic of China. I am concerned by reports that the People's 
Republic of China persecutes, coerces, and harasses its citizens based 
solely on religious beliefs. Freedom of worship is a human right 
enshrined in Article 18 of the Uniform Declaration of Human Rights, to 
which the People's Republic of China is a signatory.
  The abuses of members of the Catholic clergy by the Chinese 
government are especially troubling. The people of Guam predominantly 
follow the teaching and leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. The 
people of Guam, however, enjoy and indeed benefit from those on the 
island who practice different faiths. Faith in God and religious 
tolerance are both celebrated characteristics of the people of Guam.
  The Constitution of the People's Republic of China provides for the 
freedom to worship as an individual chooses. I urge the People's 
Republic of China to act accordingly.
  I strongly support this resolution. I urge my colleagues' support.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Wolf for 
his very powerful statement, as well as Mr. Lantos, on this resolution.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith,) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 608, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will 
be postponed.

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