Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-01-20-Speech-4-133"
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"en.20000120.9.4-133"2
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"Mr President, it is only right and proper that the European Parliament puts on record its concerns with respect to the human rights situation in China. There have been far too many cases for us to ignore with respect to religious intolerance, discrimination against ethnic minority groups and continued use of the death penalty. We also have concerns about the political freedoms in Hong Kong and in the future in Macao. It is right that we put pressure on China to improve its record. In the EU it is important that we continue that pressure.
However, I have two concerns. Firstly, we must be careful not to unnecessarily endanger China's accession to the WTO because WTO membership in the medium term would do more to transform China's economy and China's human rights situation than anything else. Opening up China and bringing it into the global economy must have positive consequences with respect to human rights. Many in China's ruling circles know and welcome this. We must be careful not to throw out the baby with the bath water, in acting to try to get the best and end up siding with the interests of the worst.
Secondly, we must continue to criticise China. I will continue to do so where necessary, but I hope we will not see an over-emphasis on China at the expense of other regimes in the world, whose records are as bad, if not worse. This only gives China an excuse to ignore our demands."@en1
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