The European Union and China held the 21st round of the EU-China human rights dialogue on 25-26 May 2006. Meeting in Vienna, senior officials from the EU and China discussed in an open and constructive way a wide range of key human rights issues, focusing on the internal human rights situation in China, as well as co-operation on human rights in international fora. The human rights dialogue has been taking place on a bi-annual basis since 1995 and forms an essential part of overall EU-China relations. The Council of the EU has established a number of key areas of concern on which it wishes to see concrete progress on the ground in China.
The 21st EU-China Human Rights Dialogue focused in particular on the issue of freedom of expression, following worrying trends in China towards more restrictions in the media and on the internet, arrests and intimidation of journalists and individuals, as well as closure of newspapers. The dialogue round also covered extensively concerns relating to administrative detention and in particular the system of re-education through labor. The EU pressed for the implementation of recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur on torture, Manfred Nowak, following his recent visit. As a positive step towards the prevention of torture, the Chinese side informed the EU on measures to establish a system of taping of police interrogations. On death penalty, the Chinese side provided information on the status of the review by the Supreme People’s Court of all death penalty cases. In this connection, the EU addressed the issue of organ transplantation, in particular from executed prisoners. The EU expressed concern regarding freedom of religion and rights of minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang. There was also an extensive discussion about the situation of NGOs in China. Questions surrounding the recent establishment of the UN Human Rights Council were prominently reflected on the agenda. In reply to Chinese questions, the EU provided the Chinese side with answers to particular human rights issues in the EU.
In the context of the 21st round of the dialogue, meetings were held with the European Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia and with the Austrian Human Rights Advisory Board. Immediately prior to the dialogue, a two-day EU-China legal seminar took place with NGOs, academics and government representatives from China and EU Member States which focused on human rights education and implementation of recommendations made by UN Special Rapporteurs and Treaty Bodies. The outcome of the seminar was addressed in the ensuing discussion at the dialogue.
The EU Troika was led by Ambassador Ferdinand Trauttmansdorff, Legal Adviser, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Austria, which currently holds the EU Presidency. The Chinese delegation was led by Ambassador Wu Hailong, Director-General for International Organizations, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of China. In a meeting of the Chinese delegation with Dr. Johannes Kyrle, Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs of Austria, the EU highlighted areas in which it wishes to see progress on human rights in the context of overall relations with China, in particular the ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the release of remaining 1989 prisoners, and the reform of the system of re-education through labour.
The next round of the EU-China human rights dialogue is scheduled to be held in China in the second half of 2006 under the Finnish Presidency.
Email Service
Accreditation
Hotel Reservation
Route Planner
Weather