The Australia-China human rights dialogue concluded on June 27th, 2005 in Beijing. The two parties did not mention the defection of Mr. Chen Yonglin, the Chinese diplomat in Sydney and his claim that the Chinese communist regime has a huge spy network in Australia. Chen Yonglin said that the spy network is used to monitor Falun Gong practitioners' activities.
Recently, Assistant Foreign Minister Shen Guofang's statement that the Chinese communist regime has the "responsibility to restrict overseas Falun Gong activities" aroused attention from overseas media. On June 28th, SBS, an Australia special broadcasting service broadcast an interview with Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Li Ying. Li Ying said, "What Shen Guofang said can not be accepted. The Chinese communist regime has no right to demand that the Australian government restrict Falun Gong activities."
On June 27th, ABC Lateline program broadcast footage showing how Mr. John Taylor, a specially appointed reporter to China, questioned Shen Guofang and made him speechless.
The following is an excerpt of the program:
John Taylor: Australian officials arrived for talks on the neutral ground of a Swiss hotel in Beijing. It's the ninth time that Australia and China have sat down to discuss human rights in closed-door talks. There's plenty to talk about. The Chinese Communist party does whatever it takes to maintain rule over a fifth of the world's population. Its jails are full of people that in Western nations would still be free. For all its economic development, China still doesn't have freedom of speech, association or religion. This meeting also comes amid a diplomatic tussle in Australia with the would-be defection of a Chinese diplomat. He's spearheaded claims of Chinese spies harassing people in Australia, particularly members of the secret 6-10 office targeting practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual movement.
CHEN YONGLIN, Former Chinese diplomat (footage from June 22 re-broadcast): I feel really scared. I don't know what to do. I don't know. Who can...who can help me? I don't know.
JOHN TAYLOR: But no tension at today's press conference.
GEOFF RABY, Deputy Secretary, DFAT: there are continuing areas of concern that the Australian community has and we have been able to discuss those concerns.
JOHN TAYLOR: Australia announced an increase in funding for practical human rights programs in China to $1.8 million. Diplomat Chen Yonglin was not on the agenda.
JOHN TAYLOR: Dr Raby, did Australia raise at all any concerns about allegations of Chinese spying and harassment of citizens in Australia by Chinese authorities?
GEOFF RABY: Ah...this is not the forum for addressing those allegations.
JOHN TAYLOR: Chinese officials didn't want to go into details.
JOHN TAYLOR: Mr. Shen, are Chinese authorities infringing upon the human rights of citizens of China and people of Australia in Australia, in particular the 6-10 office?
SHEN GUOFANG, ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER: 6-10 office?
JOHN TAYLOR: So the 6-10 office doesn't exist?
SHEN GUOFANG: (Laughs)
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2005/s1401723.htm
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