TNAG-2750-FCO40-3965-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-Hong-Kong-interests-1993 — Page 307

ETERS FEDERST

International Textile. Garment & Leather Workers' Federation

Fédération internationale des Travailleurs au Textile. ce l'Habillement et au Cuir Internationale Textii-. Bekleidungs-una Lederarbeiter-vereinigung Federación internacional de Trabajadores del Textil. Vestuario v Cuero

Ref. A118-42.UK

President: David Lambert

Prime Minister,

Rue Joseph Stevens, 8 - 1000 Brussels, Belgium

14 January 1993

The Right Honourable

Mr John Major

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 10 Downing Street

London SW1

UNITED KINGDOM

General Secretary: Neil Kearney

Telephone:

(32)2 512 26 06 (32)2 512 28 33

Telefax: (32)2 511 09 04

I write on behalf of the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation, which brings together 178 affiliated trade unions in 81 countries throughout the world, with a combined membership of some 6.5 million workers, to express surprise at recent reports that your Government is seeking a meeting between US President-Elect, Bill Clinton and Hong Kong's Governor as soon as possible after the 20 January 1993 inauguration, so that efforts can be made to persuade the US not to place conditions on its renewal of China's most favoured nation trading status.

With the report regarding this proposed approach to President-Elect Clinton was also a remark from a British official that "the US is the only country in the world that has any influence on the Chinese leadership".

You will be very aware of the Chinese government's lack of respect for basic human and worker rights, most clearly highlighted in the Tiananmen Square incidents, but continued since then by imprisonment of many democracy activists and workers attempting to establish independent and democratic trade union organisations. A great many of these detainees have joined China's 16 to 20 million prisoners engaged in forced labour. Many of the products so produced are exported to the United States and the European Community.

It would be a tragedy were the plight of all of these people to be ignored, just because of the effect that criticism and action against China might have on Hong Kong business interests.

Can it really be true that the UK Government puts the interests of Hong Kong businessmen before the human rights of millions of Chinese citizens?

Telegram address:

Workintex, Bruxelles

Please address all correspondance to the General Secretary.