Article from The Irish Times: Rights will be Part of China Agenda

The Irish premier Mr. Ahern said he would raise human rights' abuses if he visited China next year.

"Human rights issues are a constant point of discussion with the Chinese authorities...and we will continue to raise them," Mr Ahern added.

The Premier was speaking in response to Mr Joe Higgins, of the Socialist Party, who asked Mr Ahern if he was aware that China now had more trade unionists in prison for seeking their rights than any other country in the world.

"Was he aware that shortly before he met Vice Premier Huang, ten workers, the youngest being a 16-year-old girl, were jailed for years for work stoppages protesting against their working conditions in a foreign company, Stella International, a shoe-making concern in the province of Guangdong?" He asked if Mr Ahern would denounce the exploitation of workers when he was being "entertained in the Great Hall of the People and banqueted in Beijing".

Mr Ahern said that when the Chinese officials visited Ireland in recent years, he had raised the issue of human rights.

"We actively called for the release of the Falun Gong prisoners two years ago, which was deeply appreciated by the Chinese community in Ireland," he added.

"We succeeded in a number of high profile cases. When Ireland held the EU presidency earlier this year, we gave a commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms."