On September 5, the European Parliament (EP) passed a report on Commission Communication on Europe and Asia: A Strategic Framework for Enhanced Partnerships. The report covered such positive suggestions as to strengthen the cooperation between China and the European Union on international and regional issues, and to support the Sino-European high-level dialogue in trade and the inter-parliamentary and political party exchanges. We appreciate such an attitude. Regrettably, the EP crammed into the report some China-related contents that run thoroughly counter to the truth, and it even took an extremely erroneous position on critical issues like Taiwan and human rights. The report named Taiwan a "country", advocated support for its participation in World Health Organization (WHO) and "to involve Taiwan in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)" in the name of so-called multilateral cooperation with Asia. It also called EU states to issue travel visas to Chen Shuibian and other high-ranking officials from Taiwan. The EP's above-mentioned acts seriously violated the EU's solemn commitment to one-China policy and formed interference in China's internal affairs. Feeling extremely indignant, we express herewith our strong opposition to the acts.

As it is known to all, there is only one China in the world, Taiwan is part of China from ancient times and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole China. This is the fact generally acknowledged by the UN and international community. Taiwan, as part of China, is not entitled to participate in the international organizations such as WHO and ASEM whose memberships are only open to sovereign states. In recent years, Taiwan authority's repeated attempts to squeeze in the WHO all ended in failure. As one of the important organs of EU, the EP went so far as to support Taiwan's participation in the WHO and "to involve Taiwan in ASEM." Such acts not only violated the one-China policy upheld by the EU, but also went against the related principles and regulations of the two organizations, and it will absolutely get nowhere.

The call by the EP's report for issuing travel visas to Chen Shuibian and other important political figures from Taiwan also ran counter to EU's solemn commitment to one-China policy. The political aim of Chen Shuibian and his like to want to visit Europe is obvious that they want to paddle their fabrications of "two Chinas" and "one China, one Taiwan". Not long ago, Chen Shuibian flagrantly put forward the theory of "one country on each side of the Straits", which thoroughly exposed his true intention of "Taiwan independence", and it invited wide condemnation from all the Chinese both at home and abroad and from the international community. The EP's passage of the report at such a time and its requirement to issue them visas meant nothing but to encourage these separatist ambitions of "Taiwan independence" forces.

Since the implementation of the reform and opening up policy, China has made tremendous achievements in its human rights cause, which has drawn worldwide attention. It has witnessed improvements in basic human rights conditions of the Chinese people, which are now to be the best in historic perspective. Not only all the Chinese people including the ethnic minorities are satisfied with such human rights conditions, but also a good many foreign friends show their admiration for the great changes they have seen in China with their own eyes. Countries differ in national conditions, and it is only natural that different countries hold different ideas about human rights issues. We consistently pursue that all countries should properly handle differences through dialogues and exchanges on the basis of mutual respect and equality. In recent years, several human rights dialogues have been held between China and EU, which have enhanced our mutual understanding, trust and yielded positive results. Turning a blind eye to the great progress China has made in the human rights area, the EP report made unwarranted charges at China's human rights conditions by referring to one-sided materials concocted by some NGOs that are aimed at defiling China. This is neither in compliance with the facts, nor is it conductive to the progress of Sino-European human rights dialogues.

The current momentum of the development of the friendly Sino-European relations does not easily come by. It is achieved through years of concerted efforts made by the two sides and is in conformity with the fundamental interests of peace and development of the Euro-Asian regions and the world at large. We sincerely hope that the EP can respect the facts, adhere to the related commitments of the EU and do nothing that will interfere into China's internal affairs. Concurrently, we hope that, proceeding from your own interests, the EP will keep abreast with the historical trend and adopt a constructive and cooperative attitude towards the development of Sino-European relations instead of lightly releasing reports and passing resolutions that will poison the cooperative atmosphere between our two sides or ruin the already established Sino-European friendship.

(Edited from Xinhua News Agency, September 10, 2002)