CONFIDENTIAL
delegation from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences,
studying human rights theory and practice visited the UK
on 17 - 28 February. They met officials and NGOs
concerned with human rights, visited a prison, and spent
two days in Northern Ireland.
There has been little Chinese response to the Prime Minister's list of human rights cases of particular
concern. Three of those named have been released, two
Hong Kong residents (one at the end of his ten year
sentence), plus Wang Youcai, released on parole in
November for showing "repentance". A further
six are
apparently no longer in prison. This leaves 28 out of
the original list of 37 still in detention, including Wang Juntao, a leading thinker in the pre-Tiananmen
protest movement whose health is again giving rise to
particular concern. (His wife told British diplomats
that Wang, who is suffering from Hepatitis B, has
symptoms which may indicate that his heart and liver are being affected. She has appealed for his release on humanitarian grounds). Limited information on the list
was given to Lord Caithness indicating how many had been
sentenced, released or never in custody but the Chinese have failed to respond to our repeated requests for more
detailed information. The Prime Minister reminded
Premier Li Peng of this omission when they met
they met in New York and handed over a revised list (corrected copy enclosed). We are also awaiting a response to the list of detained Roman Catholics forwarded by Mr Gummer to his Chinese opposite number and a TUC list passed over by the Embassy.
CONFIDENTIAL