Did the Key Government raise human rights during Xi visit?

John Key needs to tell the public whether his Government raised any human rights issues with the Chinese regime during their trade talk-fest, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.

Mr Key is reported to have rung and apologised to a member of the Chinese delegation for a scuffle during the arrival of Vice-President Xi Jingping at Parliament last Friday. The scuffle broke out when members Mr Xi’s entourage took exception to Dr Norman staging a protest outside Parliament holding a Tibetan flag. No mention of the New Zealand Government raising any human rights concerns with the Chinese delegation has appeared in the media.

“In recent years, while trade has dominated bilateral talks with China, the Clark Government, to its credit, did attempt to raise human rights issues,” said Dr Norman.

“If this practice has changed then Mr Key and Foreign Minister Mr McCully need to front up and explain why.

“If indeed human rights abuses in China were brought up during Mr Xi’s visit then it would be helpful if the Key Government could explain what the Chinese Communist Party’s representatives response was.”

The text of a press release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry was also released over the weekend on a Chinese Government authorised website in which New Zealand was said to have apologised for the protest on the parliamentary forecourt.

No mention of the fact that Dr Norman was an MP or that he was holding a Tibetan flag was mentioned in the press release. Dr Norman’s protest was considered by the Chinese Government to have ‘far exceeded the boundaries of the freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.’

“The Prime Minister should also explain just exactly what he told the Chinese trade contingent following the incident at Parliament on Friday,” said Dr Norman.

“Does John Key consider that holding a Tibetan flag exceeds the boundaries of freedom of speech?

“It is degrading for the Prime Minister of New Zealand to apologise for Chinese security guards assaulting a New Zealand elected representative on New Zealand's Parliamentary grounds.

“John Key as New Zealand's Prime Minister must stand up for free speech and democracy.”

Link to the website China.org.cn containing the text of a press release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

http://www.china.org.cn/world/2010-06/19/content_20297311.htm