[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 182 (Tuesday, December 15, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1791]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CHINA DISCRIMINATES AGAINST CANADIAN FALUN GONG CONTESTANT

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                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 15, 2015

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I come here today with yet another 
example of China's egregious disregard for the most basic of human 
rights--the right to live freely.
  After the Falun Gong's rise in popularity in the 1990s, the Chinese 
Government perceived this peaceful group as a threat. Over the years, 
Falun Gong followers in China have been imprisoned, tortured, and 
killed. In fact, there are more Falun Gong practitioners in prison in 
China than any other persecuted group.
  Last month China hit a new low in its attempt to silence the Falun 
Gong community. Anastasia Lin is a Falun Gong practitioner who also 
happens to be Miss World Canada. The Miss World competition is held 
this year in China but Miss Canada can't go. Why? Because China refused 
to give her a visa. She was given no explanation why. However, the 
motive is clear. Beijing does not like how outspoken Ms. Lin has been 
about China's human rights abuses and religious oppression.
  Anastasia Lin moved from China to Canada when she was 13 years old. 
Yet she has not stopped fighting for the rights of her fellow members 
of the Falun Gong community. During a congressional hearing in July, 
Ms. Lin told Members that tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners 
have been killed so their organs could be harvested and sold for 
transplants. Clearly, Beijing's only concern is remaining in power, not 
the welfare of the Chinese people.
  Last week, on the 65th annual International Human Rights Day, I gave 
another speech demanding Beijing put a stop to this atrocious practice 
of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience. It is high time 
China ends its illegal subjugation of Falun Gong practitioners. Justice 
must be served.
  Unfortunately, Anastasia Lin is an innocent victim of the Chinese 
Government's attempts to persecute the Falun Gong. It just goes to show 
how obsessed the Chinese Government is about persecuting the Falun 
Gong. Beijing is now censoring beauty pageants. But the courageous men 
and women of the Falun Gong community will not be silenced by Beijing's 
abuse--beauty pageant or no beauty pageant.
  And that's just the way it is.

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