FED: China dialogue to continue despite incremental gains

AAP General News (Australia)
08-10-1999
FED: China dialogue to continue despite incremental gains

Australia is to hold its third annual human rights dialogue with China in Beijing, despite
admitting the controversial talks have produced only incremental gains.

Australian officials today pledged to frankly raise China's treatment of Tibet, its liberal
use of the death penalty and restrictive family planning policies in the August 16-20 talks.

One specific issue to be discussed this year will be the recent crackdown on the Falun Gong
sect, which China argues is a political movement challenging the central Communist Party.

The controversial annual talks were agreed to by China as a reward for Australia abandoning
support for an annual United Nations motion condemning its human rights record.

The approach has seen a dramatic improvement in relations, and helped facilitate President
JIANG ZEMIN'S visit to Australia next month, the first by a Chinese leader.

But the Australian Tibet Council says China has used the talks to buy Australia's silence
and called for the dialogue to be suspended.

AAP RTV ss/mfh/shm/jn

KEYWORD: CHINA AUST (CANBERRA)

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