Hague calls on Brown to press China on human rights

"If the Prime Minister is going to welcome the Beijing Olympic torch to No. 10 Downing Street he should clearly remind the Chinese government of their public commitment to improve their human rights record in the run up to the 2008 Olympics.

The PM should also be clear that the international community is looking to China to end repressive measures against human rights activists, to give immediate access to Tibet and surrounding areas to UN and other independent observers, and to allow full and free reporting of the Olympic Games including access for journalists and unfettered use of the internet."

Boycotting the Olympics' opening ceremony - an idea that Sarkozy and Kouchner have floated but Labour ministers have been critical of - seems to be an ideal way of sending a clear message about the importance of democracy and basic human rights.

We personally know scores of Tories attending human rights and Tibet rallies as the torch comes through London tomorrow. Click here for details.

Comments

[Umbrella man]

I'd be more impressed with Hague if he went beyond words and followed France's lead by recommending a boycott of the opening ceremony. That way the sport goes on but China's propaganda opening is undermined.

[Tony Makara]

If all western nations made trade with China conditionally linked to human rights there would be progress. The Chinese operate a no-strings trade policy with many unsavoury regimes and it seems the west are happy to have a no-strings trade policy with China. The Communist regime will never introduce reform of its own volition. Today's leader from the People's Daily speaks volumes about the current attitude of Beijing.

"A Chinese website is appealing to people around the world to "sign up" for its protest against alleged Western media bias in their coverage of last month's riots in Lhasa...The website's appeal read: "Violent crimes of beating, smashing, looting and arson broke out in Lhasa in early March, but Western media organizations such as CNN and BBC have churned out untrue and distorted reports of the event. Please sign your name here to lodge your strong protest."

[Jack Stone]

The only people that will be able to change China is the Chinese and that will come as the people become more westernised and prospeious.
Boycotts will not make any difference all they will achieve is they will drive China back into the policy of isolation they had in the past.

[Raj]

The only people that will be able to change China is the Chinese and that will come as the people become more westernised and prospeious.

Or as the middle classes become more wealthy they will back even harsher means of cracking down on protesting peasants who challenge Communist rule.

It is an arrogant misconception that wealth will lead to democracy. One of China's freest periods was in the 1980s under Zhao Ziyang when it was poorer. Since then China has become much richer but actually more backwards in terms of media and political freedom.

Boycotts will not make any difference all they will achieve is they will drive China back into the policy of isolation they had in the past.

No, it won't. China cannot survive isolated. For one thing it needs international support to stop Taiwan declaring independence. If China went to sulk in a corner then there would be no reason to block Taiwan's entry to organisations like the WHO or not sign FTAs.

Furthermore China is increasingly dependant on energy imports. It has to have a global view to keep going. It could afford to be introverted when it could supply its own needs - not any more.

[graeme archer]

Jack Stone, there must be a place for authenticity in politics. I'm well aware that my public display of disdain at the torch tomorrow won't make the slightest improvement in the lives blighted by Chinese communism. But it will be good for Londoners to remind the Z- list celebs prancing around with the torch that it's not done in our name. I hate our craven government for its official gladhanding of China's torch and I wish Mr Hague had managed to write a press release that used the conditional tense a bit less. What on earth is the point of being a conservative if you can't even criticise a government like China's?

[Tony Makara]

"What on earth is the point of being a conservative if you can't even criticise a government like China's?"

Graeme, it seems to me that many of our senior politicians have forgotten that this is, politically at least, a Communist regime and behaves like a Communist regime with an all too typical assault on freedom of expression and assembly. There are people in Chinese prisons today because they expressed a political opinion, yet our politicians seem only willing to give token support to dissidents. No real action, no real support for democracy. Those people rotting away in Communist jails need the west to be a beacon of hope, to offer support for freedom. Words and token gestures are not enough.