Greens welcome Xi, but human rights need to be on agenda
Greens welcome Xi, but human rights need to be on agenda
The Green Party welcomes the visit to New
Zealand of Chinese President Xi Jinping and wishes to
congratulate him on his recent announcement regarding China
capping emissions for the first time.
The United
States and China recently unveiled a deal to reduce their
greenhouse gas output, with China agreeing to cap emissions.
While the Green Party welcomes the Chinese government’s
moves on climate change, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel
Normanwill meet the Tibetan community to discuss their
concerns over the situation in Tibet and human rights abuses
in China.
“President Xi has made some progress on
climate change, but he must also lift the Chinese
government’s game on human rights issues,” Green Party
Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.
“It is
important that our Government continues to urge the Chinese
government to show restraint and respect human rights in
both Tibet and the Xinjiang province.
“The Chinese
government is guilty of policies that have displaced and
marginalised the ethnic populations of both these
provinces,” said Dr Norman.
“The Tibetan and
Uighur people have been subject to religious cultural and
language restrictions which have marginalised both
communities.
“A good first step for the Chinese
government would be to pull back from some of their recent
hard-line rhetoric around the Dalai Lama.
“The
Chinese government also needs to respect those protestors
taking a stand for democracy in Hong Kong and ensure that
any elections in this territory are free and
fair.
“President Xi and the China’s leaders must
not stack the odds in favour of those that support Beijing
unreservedly.
“The Chinese government guaranteed
Hong Kong democratic freedoms and must respect the
undertakings it made to ensure this, rather than undermining
Hong Kong’s democracy.
“The New Zealand Government
also needs to raise other human rights issues while
President Xi is in New Zealand,” Dr Norman
said.
“John Key should follow the lead of United
States President Barack Obama and push for the release of
2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, who has been
imprisoned since December 2008.
“The ‘crime’ Liu
Xiaobo is guilty of is publishing a manifesto signed by
hundreds of Chinese intellectuals and activists petitioning
Beijing for democracy.
“Liu Xiaobo has now spent
over six years in custody for pushing human rights and
democracy. It is important John Key and our government
support the work of other countries in pushing for his
release.
“China is a superpower that is making
progress in many areas. It is vital that while our
Government does not overlook human rights in its push to
advance trade,” said Dr Norman.
Additional
information: Russel Norman to meet Tibetan community
leaders
What: Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman to
meet Tibetan community leaders and monks
Where: 18
Valhalla Drive, Beach Haven, Auckland
When: 11am,
Wednesday 19 November
2014
ends