Congress - House of Representatives - Letter to the Chinese President Jiang Zemin(9/19/02)

Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

September 19 , 2002

H.E. Jiang Zemin
President
People's Republic of China

Dear President Jiang:

As you prepare for your meeting with President Bush in Texas in late
October, we respectfully ask for your assistance with an urgent humanitarian
matter. We hope that your government will respond to the concerns expressed
by many Members of Congress regarding Dr. Yang Jianli, a legal U.S.
permanent resident who has been detained incommunicado in the People's
Republic of China since April 26, 2002.

We believe that a prompt and successful resolution of his case would help to
improve the climate between our two countries and to demonstrate the PRC's
commitment to internationally recognized principles of human rights.

We understand that Dr. Yang's brother was told by the local authorities that
on June 2, 2002, Dr. Yang was arrested and was being held somewhere in
Beijing. In apparent violation of PRC and international law, none of Dr.
Yang's family members has been allowed to meet with him or has received
written notification of his arrest and place of confinement. These factors
have prevented Dr. Yang's family from obtaining legal counsel for him.

Dr. Yang's wife and children are American citizens residing in
Massachusetts. His detention is a cause of growing pain and anguish to his
family. We urge your government to assure that Dr. Yang is given a prompt
and fair trial, permitted to meet with his wife and U.S. government
representatives, and allowed to return to the United States to rejoin his
family as soon as possible. This positive humanitarian gesture would be
strongly welcomed by Congress.

Thank you for considering our requests, and for taking the time to address
this important matter.

REP. CHRISTOPHER COX
REP. BARNEY FRANK
REP. NANCY PELOSI
REP. FRANK WOLF
REP. TOM LANTOS
REP. DANA ROHRABACHER
REP. SANDER M. LEVIN
REP. CHRISTOPHER SMITH
REP. J.C. WATTS, JR.
REP. BENJAMIN GILMAN
REP. HENRY J. HYDE
REP. RICHARD E. NEAL
REP. ED ROYCE
REP. EDWARD J. MARKEY
REP. DAN BURTON
REP. WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT
REP. JOHN W. OLVER
REP. JAMES P. MCGOVERN
REP. STEPHEN F. LYNCH
REP. MICHAEL E. CAPUANO
REP. MARTIN T. MEEHAN
REP. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA
REP. FORTNEY PETE STARK
REP. JOSEPH R. PITTS
REP. NEIL ABERCROMBIE
REP. JOHN F. TIERNEY
REP. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART

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Source: "ChinaEWeekly".