Asa Hutchinson: “yesterday's papers were replete with stories praising the People's Republic of China for releasing Wang Dan, a leader of…”

“yesterday's papers were replete with stories praising the People's Republic of China for releasing Wang Dan, a leader of the 1989 pro-democracy demonstration at Tiananmen Square which was crushed by China's military. This release follows, by less than six months, the release of Wei Jingshen--arguably China's best known human rights dissident. While these are certainly positive developments, it is important to note that both of these releases are tainted by the fact that neither dissident was allowed to stay in their own country, but were instead exiled to the United States for 'medical treatment.' These exiles conveniently allow China to gain favor with the United States while simultaneously allowing them to silence two of their loudest critics by banishing them to the United States. Mr. President, the truth is that China appears to be using its dissidents as pawns in an international game of chess with the United States to gain military, technological and other favors from the Clinton Administration. In fact, the release of these two prisoners appears to be payment for the United States decision not to support a resolution condemning China's human rights record at the recently completed U.N. Conference on Human Rights and for the United States certification of China to join a pact on ballistic missile technology.”