Contrary to public statements issued
by the Chinese Government during the visit of Premier
Jiang Zemin to the United States, the Catholic
World News cites a Vatican report that
prominent political prisoner, Bishop Su Zhimin,
remains under arrest in Baoding.
According to the Vatican's Fides news
service, Bishop Zhimin is being held in detention
along with his auxiliary, Bishop An Shuxin, and Father
Wang Quanjun, a young priest. All are associated with
the "underground" Catholic Church which
resists communist control.
On October 28, U.S. Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright announced that a Chinese bishop had
been released from custody, who according to sources
in Hong Kong was Bishop Zhimin. However, on November
7, news arrived from Baoding that the bishop was still
under police control. Fides cited a source in China
who revealed that the bishop had been returned to his
prison cell on that same day.
International human rights agencies
have charged that the Chinese government periodically
arrests Christian leaders, then releases and
re-arrests them, for international public relations
and as an intimidation tactic against the Church.
Fides adds, "The case of Bishop Su Zhimin appears
to be a typical case of 'disinformation.'"
December 9
During a visit to the White House,
China's most prominent political exile, Wei Jingsheng,
urged President Bill Clinton "not to be
deceived" by Chinese communist leaders, the Washington
Post reports. Following the 35 minute meeting
with Clinton and National Security Advisor Sandy
Berger, Wei told reporters that he advised Clinton,
"Do not pay before the goods are delivered,"
when dealing with Beijing.
Wei, 47, a visiting scholar at
Columbia University, spent nearly 18 years in jail or
labor camps, beginning in 1979 for advocating
democratic reform, before being released by Chinese
authorities for "medical parole" to the
United States on November 16. The Post
adds, "A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman
expressed opposition to U.S. officials meeting Wei, a
perennial nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, and
restated the communist government's position that Wei
is a common criminal."
Wei told reporters that he warned
Clinton about being deceived because unlike the West,
"where you go by credibility and rule of law, the
Chinese communists do not have rule of law...They can
make any promise and (then) go back on any
promise." Under those circumstances, Wei said,
"very often you unwittingly allow yourself to be
deceived," admitting that he had fallen into such
traps himself.
