Remarks at October 17 Press Conference Urging PRC President Jiang Zemin to Release Democracy Activist and U.S. Permanent Resident Dr. Yang JianliChristopher Cox Thursday, October 24, 2002 Good Morning. I am pleased to be here today with my colleagues Barney Frank and Mike Capuano to bring attention to the case of Dr. Yang Jianli, a permanent U.S. resident, a loving husband, and a devoted father of two beautiful children who has been held incommunicado since April of this year by PRC authorities. As many of you know, in a few days, President Bush and President Jiang will travel to Crawford, Texas to hold a few days worth of summit talks. We hope that President Bush will raise Dr. Yang’s case directly with President Jiang. This is great opportunity for President Bush to insist that the PRC release Dr. Yang and other democracy activists that are currently being detained within China. Let me say it bluntly, Dr. Yang’s continued detention is a violation of both PRC and international law. He has been unlawfully detained and should be released immediately Since Dr. Yang’ capture, I have been deeply interested and involved in this case. In April, a few weeks after his arrest, I met with Dr. Yang’s wife, Christina, a U.S. citizen, who is here with us today. In my office, she explained to me what happened to her husband while he was traveling in China. Needless to say, I was outraged. Dr. Yang’s case has a human face. Christina has told me, and I am sure my colleagues as well, the stories about her children asking, “where is daddy?” and “when is daddy coming home?” Since my meeting with Christina, I made Dr. Yang’s release a top priority of my congressional agenda. I personally have raised Dr. Yang’s case with Bush Administration officials and have sent or been a party to numerous letters to the White House and the State Department requesting that the U.S. insist upon Dr. Yang’s release in discussions with PRC authorities. I know that top State Department and White House officials have met with senior PRC counterparts and have raised Dr. Yang’s case. As recently as two days ago, State Department officials in China met with their Foreign Ministry counterparts to discuss developments in Dr. Yang’s case. Unfortunately, progress has not been made. While the State Department assures me that Dr. Yang’s case and the others like his are at the top of the U.S.-PRC agenda, the PRC is unwilling to address Dr. Yang’s case. Let me add, however, that the State Department informed my office this morning that the PRC has released Ngawang Sandrol, a Tibetan nun who has been imprisoned since 1992 for allegedly committing counter-revolutionary activities. Sister Sandrol, who was imprisoned at age 15, is believed to be the longest-serving female being held by the PRC for counter-revolutionary crimes. Her crime was that she was part of the “singing nuns” who put together songs about Tibet. The State Department made her case a priority and, during the past year, has secured the early release of 6 of 18 of the “singing nuns.” I commend the State Department’s efforts and hope that the same energy and focus will be directed toward Dr. Yang’s case. Thank you.
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