The European Parliament (EP) passed a resolution on April 11 on "European Parliament on an EU Strategy towards China." The resolution reviews positively the development of Sino-European relations in the past few years, makes favorable accounts of China's contributions to international affairs and her achievements in domestic areas. Giving emphasis on the great significance of developing the Sino-European cooperative partnership, the resolution makes some constructive suggestion on further strengthening the dialogue, expanding the exchange and cooperation between the two sides in different fields in the future. We embrace and appreciate such an attitude. But on a range of vital issues, which include Taiwan, Tibet and human rights, the resolution adopts a wrong position by ignoring the facts. This cannot but only make us feel regret.

On the Taiwan issue, the resolution says that "the EU's adherence to the one-China policy is directly linked to its commitment to a peaceful resolution of the dispute" and it states its position that it "cannot accept that China reserves the right to use military force in its disputes with Taiwan." Such statements constitute interference in China's internal affairs.

As we all know, Taiwan is part of Chinese territory from ancient times. This is the fact confirmed by the international law and generally recognized by the international community. The Taiwan issue is purely China's internal affair and no one has any right to interfere in it. It is the common desire and firm will of the entire Chinese people, including the 23 million compatriots in Taiwan. The basic principle of Chinese government on settling the Taiwan issue is "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems." People living on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are all Chinese. The fact invokes the proverb -- blood is thicker than water, and the truth that no one up upon the world is more eager than the Chinese government to strive for a peaceful solution to the Taiwan issue. Despite all that, we will never make such commitment as renouncing the use of force in addressing the Taiwan issue. Yet this is not addressed to our Taiwan compatriots, but rather those "pro-independence" activists who attempt to separate Taiwan from China. While harboring the greatest sincerity and sparing no effort to attain the peaceful reunification of the motherland, we also have the resolution and capability to smash the separatist activities of the Taiwan “pro-independence.” Thus far, Taiwan authorities still refuse to accept the one-China principle and continue to purchase a large quantity of advanced weapons. In an attempt to "resist peace with force" and "resist reunification with force," they are sliding farther away towards the separatist position of "pro-independence." It is out of the consideration of the happiness and wishes of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits and of the final objective of resolving the Taiwan question through peaceful means that the Chinese government does not commit to renounce the use of force. However, the EP put it in the resolution that China refuses to commit itself to renouncing the use of force is in itself a "military threat" to Taiwan. Such an argument is entirely a distortion of the principle of peaceful reunification persistently pursued by the Chinese government and will only encourage the “pro-independence” factors in Taiwan.

The resolution also demands that Taiwan should take part in ASEM and that the EU member states should allow the important political figures from Taiwan, Chen Shui-bian and the like for instance, to visit EU. All these run counter to the one-China policy held by EU and its member states and will certainly meet our strong opposition.

Citing the lies concocted by some people with ulterior motives, the EP's resolution also criticizes the human rights situations in China, defiling that the political situation of the Tibetan people is "ever-worsening" and the human rights situation in Tibet is "deteriorating." Talking about the situation of China's human rights and Tibet, we have to bring to the fact that all the Chinese people including the people in Tibet are quite satisfied with the great progress we have made during the past few years. Many foreigners also admire the changes they've witnessed with their own eyes during their stay in China. Currently, the status of human rights in China remains at the best in history. Since 1965 when Tibet instituted the policy of ethnic autonomy, especially after the reform and opening-up, world-shaking changes have taken place in Tibet, and great success has been achieved in various fields, including politics, economy, culture and human rights etc. Furthermore, the freedom of religious belief has been guaranteed for the Tibetans to the full. These facts are obvious to all.

The resolution requires negotiations to be conducted between China's central government and Dalai Lama, saying what Dalai wanted is merely "genuine autonomy of Tibet." In fact, there always exists a free channel between the central government and Dalai Lama. Since 1979, the central government has conducted contacts with the personal delegates sent by Dalai Lama for more than ten times. Galedunzhu, the elder brother of Dalai, has himself returned to China for a dozen times. The central government has been constant in its position as regards contacts and negotiations with Dalai, which requires that Dalai must truly renounce his stand of "Tibetan independence" publicly, stop any of its separatist activities, and openly state that Tibet is an inalienable part of China, and what is more, Taiwan is one of China's provinces, and the government of People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China. However, Dalai has consistently rejected this reasonable demand. Facts show that Dalai is making use of the issue to concoct lies so as to deceive and hoodwink the international community. He has never meant to contact and negotiate with a sincere attitude. He readjusted his tactics now and then, severing his contacts with the central government when he thinks the situation is favorable to him, and requesting the resumption of contacts when he feels the situation unfavorable. As a result, contacts and negotiations between the central government and Dalai still remains nowhere, and it is Dalai who should be held entirely responsible. The so-called "genuine autonomy of Tibet" from Dalai betrays his attempt to deny the fact that the Tibetan people have long since been enjoying the rights entitled to them by the ethnic regional autonomy. In this way he is fanning up opinions for his aim to separate Tibet from China. All this demonstrates to the full extent that Dalai has never stopped or given up its political activities aimed at splitting the motherland.

Not long ago, the Delegation of People's Congress of Tibet Autonomous Region paid a visit to Europe. The delegation gave a comprehensive introduction to Tibet and it furthered many Europeans' learning of the true picture of Tibet. The defiance by the EP resolution of the facts could only hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and the development of Sino-European friendly relations.

Society is bound to develop and mankind is bound to advance forward. It is an inevitable trend of the history. Since the reform and opening-up policy is adopted, China's achievements in human rights cause have attracted worldwide attention and the status of the Chinese people's human rights has been substantially improved. Promotion and protection of human rights is a historical process in which all countries are positioned, and no country should consider its own human rights record is perfect. As the same as other countries, China is not satisfactory in some areas with respect to human rights. But China will continue to devote itself to the ever-increasing level of human rights for the Chinese people.

The sound development momentum of Sino-European relations, which is achieved through the unremitting efforts of both sides, is not easily come by. It is in compliance with the fundamental interest of Sino-European relations and peace and development of the world. We hope that the EP members could strictly abide by their relevant commitments and would not do anything that will interfere in China's internal affairs and be detrimental to the Sino-European cooperation. We welcome those who lack true knowledge of China to strengthen dialogue with China in a just and objective manner and to learn the true picture. We also welcome them to visit China themselves and see how China really is with their own eyes so as to avoid hampering the sound development of Sino-European friendship by simply parroting what they hear and making erroneous judgments.

(People's Daily April 19, 2002)