“TT News Agency” (Sweden): The Issue regarding the Chinese Consulate's Misconduct has been submitted to the Swedish Parliament

The "TT News Agency" continued to issue news regarding the Chinese consulate’s attempt to stop Falun Gong broadcasts. On September the 20th 2003, the Gothenburg Post in Sweden published an article by Annika Hansson, a journalist of the TT News Agency. At the end of the article, the journalist quoted questions and answers between the TT News Agency and the Chinese consulate, in which it powerfully illustrated the Chinese consulate’s denial of the fact that they fabricated shameful stories.

“Democracy and the freedom of speech have their limitations” stated the Chinese consulate official in Gothenburg. He was accused of attempting to stop the broadcast of a Swedish programme.

The misconduct of the Chinese consulate has been a discussion topic in Parliament. Cecilia Wigström, a Parliamentary member will raise this issue to Jan O Karlsson, who represents the Minister of Foreign Affairs, on Monday.

Cecilia Wigström told the TT News Agency, “My question is, what measures will the Minister of Foreign Affairs adopt to ensure that the Chinese consulate respects our basic laws?”

She said, “This has something to do with the relationship between China and Sweden. A consulate should not to be used to persecute others in Sweden.”

Yuan Wenjin from the Chinese consulate admitted that he once attempted to stop the Falun Gong broadcast. He came in person during the summer to the local radio station to try and stop the programme. When he failed, he went to the Gothenburg city government, where he again failed in his attempt [to stop the broadcast].

Yuan Wenjin told the TT News Agency, “Any democratic society has its limitation.”

Having stayed in Sweden for three years, Yuan Wenjin said, “Falun Gong is harmful to society.”

Falun Gong practitioners broadcast programmes in a local station in Gothenburg every week, where they tell people the facts about the brutal torture in China. A Falun Gong spokesperson said that it is irritating for such a big country to try to suppress what they are not willing to hear about. As a result, they called the police to investigate the Chinese consulate’s misconduct.

In a discussion with the government in Gothenburg, the Chinese consulate reminded them in particular of Gothenburg’s business interaction with Shanghai, Falun Gong practitioners think that this is just a covert threat.

[....]

TT News Agency: Falun Gong practitioners said that they are suffering a severe crackdown in China?

Consulate official Yuan: It doesn’t exist fundamentally.

Translated from Chinese at http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200309/24564.html