Expressing the Sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Should Vote Against China Regaining United Nations Human Rights Council Membership and Encourage Other Members to Vote Against its Election

Floor Speech

Mr. BENTIVOLIO. Mr. Speaker, I wish to make a few remarks regarding ongoing human rights and religious freedom abuses in China, and my related resolution, House Resolution 327.

China's suppression of its people's rights is an atrocious affair. With the recent change in leadership, some had held hope that there would be progress, but it seems that the new premier, Xi Jinping, has continued to take things in the other direction--suppression of religious and ethnic minorities is getting worse, the right to free speech is being eroded, and more people are being subjected to harsh treatment by their government.

China's claim that economic modernization would lead to increased protection of civil liberties has not proven true. Economic advances seem to come at the cost of those who are most vulnerable. Rather than securing liberty for its people, China has continued to vastly fund programs that serve to monitor and harass civilians.
There are many people who have been fighting to obtain for China the level of freedom we enjoy in the United States and other countries around the world. These are people who I believe many Americans identify with, because we can empathize with those who are beaten down in noble, selfless struggles for dignity and liberty.
Wang Bingzhang struggled to find a path towards freedom in China--a burden that I'm sure was overwhelming at times. His advocacy and his message ultimately cost him what he was fighting for--freedom. Dr. Wang was abducted in 2002, along with his colleagues, in Vietnam and taken back to China, where he faced a secret trial. In a one day trial, in which no evidence or witnesses were presented, Dr. Wang was sentenced to life imprisonment in solitary confinement on charges of espionage and terrorism. His physical and mental health has deteriorated to the point where continued imprisonment is inhumane. This case has begun to attract more international recognition.

Li Huanjun, whom I had the pleasure of meeting, was arrested on July 12, 2013, on ``suspicion of gathering a crowd to disturb social order.'' Ms. Li is a housing rights activist who advocates against the forced evictions that are occurring in China. She lost her home in just this manner as community leaders decided to sell her home to developers without consulting her. Her arrest is worrying, because many of the people who are arrested for protesting this kind of state action are subject to torture, beatings, and harsh sentences for alleged crimes. She is a mother whose fate is yet to be seen.

Though the previous two activists are not mentioned in the legislation, they are both activists for whom I have advocated. The specific cases and people mentioned in the legislation are equally important. The persecution of individuals and entire groups of people in China is staggering, and much of this abuse is covered in H. Res. 327.
Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region are facing increased pressure and persecution from Beijing. Hundreds of people have also been arrested in Xinjiang for spreading ``online rumors,'' and for expressing dissatisfaction with the Chinese government. Chinese authorities claim that they grant wide-ranging freedoms to people in this region, but religious persecution, suppression of dissent, and monitoring and harassment prove otherwise.

Mongolians continue to face harsh government oppression, as well. An example is Mr. Hada, who served a 15 year prison sentence for ``subversion,'' who continues to face detention after his release from prison, and whose wife and son have recently ``disappeared''. Dissidents are not the only ones who face persecution--their families are often targeted by authorities, as well. Inner Mongolia continues to struggle to keep a grasp on their culture and language while Beijing attempts to erode it. As a result of Chinese expansion into Inner Mongolia, the land and ecosystem is deteriorating--the Mongolian culture and way of life is in danger of deteriorating with it.

The oppression of Tibetans has caused concern around the world. In acts of desperation, many Tibetan monks have self-immolated. They want greater religious freedom, and the return from exile of Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. But, Beijing continues to maintain strict control over the Tibetan Autonomous Region, even going as far as maintaining police presence in monasteries. Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, who was sentenced to death in 2002, along with his assistant who was almost immediately executed, but had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment after human rights groups and experts claimed he did not receive a fair trial and that he faced harsh treatment in detention.

Falun Gong practitioners have also faced serious persecution from Chinese authorities. China's efforts to eradicate this religion can be particularly severe. Long imprisonment, torture, and inhumane treatment of practitioners can often lead to death. The adherence to a belief system in China, like Falun Gong, is often a dangerous attribute. Many Falun Gong practitioners are often subject to the China's ``Reeducation Through Labor'' program, black prisons, and arbitrary detention. Hundreds of thousands of people are sentenced to serve time in these ``Reeducation Through Labor'' prisons.

The list of human rights abuses, violations, and religious and ethnic persecution is almost innumerable. During China's previous membership on the Council, they greatly expanded their ``Weiwen'' program, used to monitor and harass civilians. This program is currently being funded at higher levels than their national defense budget. Many of the most famous cases of violations occurred while China sat as a member on the Council. Liu Xiaobo was arrested in 2009 on charges of ``inciting subversion of state power,'' and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010, making him the only Nobel Peace Prize winner in prison. His wife, Liu Xia, continues to face harassment is currently under house arrest.

For these reasons, the United States government and our representative in the United Nations should vote against China regaining membership on the United Nations Human Rights Council. This Council was designed to help protect people from the kinds of persecution that they suffer at the hands of the Chinese government. The effort to keep China off of the Council has a strong coalition, including Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongols, Han Chinese, Christians, Muslims, and Falun Gong, along with many human rights lawyers and advocates.

I would urge my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join in this effort by cosponsoring H. Res. 327 to keep China off of the United Nations Human Rights Council and encourage another suitably qualified member from the Asia-Pacific region to stand for election as an alternate candidate.

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