From the Minister
Mr Liu Zhongyi
MAFF
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2HH
Minister of Agriculture People's Republic of China Nong Zhan Guan Nan Li No.11 Beijing
November 1991
Mürlü
As you know, when I met Vice Premier Wu Xuegian on 28 September, we discussed, amongst other subjects, the position of Roman
Catholics in China.
It was
I and my colleagues are very concerned to improve the relationship and understanding between our two countries. with exactly that in mind that I raised the subject of the Roman Catholic Church with Vice Premier Wu. As an active lay member of the Church of England, I am often approached about the attitude of the Chinese Government to Roman Catholics. It is of course an article of faith with Roman Catholics that they should be in Communion with Rome, and for them to be imprisoned for their beliefs is very difficult for those who approach me understand. I fully appreciated the desire, and need, for China to avoid foreign intervention in its affairs: but equally, China's actions have an influence on the attitude of others, and
to
I am very concerned to make that attitude as positive as
possible.
I append a list giving details of 40 Roman Catholic bishops and priests whom I understand are currently in detention or under surveillance/house arrest. I would be grateful if you could ask your Ministerial colleagues to look into the circumstances of these cases, and if you could let me know how matters stand.
Thank you again
recent visit.
for your
hospitality
and kindness during my
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འ ོར་ག
JOHN GUMMER