FED: PM urged to pursue China's human rights with president

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FED: PM urged to pursue China's human rights with president

By Rob Taylor, Foreign Affairs Correspondent

CANBERRA, Aug 19 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard today came under pressure to raiseChina's human rights record with President Hu Jintao when he travelled to Australia onan official visit later this year.

In major diplomatic coup for the government, Mr Howard ended his whirlwind trip toBeijing with an announcement that the new Chinese leader would visit Australia in comingmonths.

Mr Howard said the visit would highlight the close relationship between the two countriesand how much Beijing valued its links with Australia.

"I am delighted that he has accepted my invitation," he said.

"The fact that he will visit Australia as one of the very first countries he visitson a bilateral basis as president is a measure of the closeness of the relationship andthe respect that both our countries pay to that relationship."

Mr Howard said Mr Hu had a different style to his predecessor, Jiang Zemin, who visitedAustralia in 1999, and it was important they get to know each other better.

But Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown said if the relationship was truly close, MrHoward must take the opportunity to raise China's poor human rights record with PresidentHu.

"All heads of state are welcome visitors to Australia, but the fact is he needs tobe confronted about the terrible record that serial Chinese governments have had on humanrights and on their military occupation on Tibet in particular," Senator Brown said.

"Prime Minister Howard needs to keep in mind that you would be in jail if you triedto establish the Liberal Party or The Greens in China."

He said there were thousands of people languishing in Chinese prisons because of theirreligious or political beliefs.

"That is repugnant to Australians," Senator Brown said.

"It's incumbent on the prime minister to speak fair and square to the Chinese leadershipabout those matters."

Australian Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett also demanded that the government voice its concern.

"That doesn't mean to say he can't visit here. In most circumstances engagement anddialogue is better than putting up a brick wall," He said.

"But I don't think we should walk away from the serious human rights abuses that Chinahas, not least of which is that it is the country that uses the death penalty more thanany other country on the planet.

Mr Howard said he was satisfied with China's human rights dialogue, and the talks Beijingheld on the issue with Australian officials each year.

He said he discussed the issue with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during what was hisfourth visit to Beijing.

"Both of us expressed satisfaction with the human rights dialogue," Mr Howard said.

"We both thought it's superior to what used to happen before when Australia joinedgeneric statements about human rights that didn't appear to have any impact."

Mr Howard said president Hu's visit - details of which were yet to be arranged - wouldgive both countries a chance to build on their economic ties and allow Mr Hu to see Australia.

Canberra and Beijing would also begin talks next month on a trade agreement that couldlead to a free trade pact between the two countries, he said.

Mr Howard also discussed the nuclear stand-off on the Korean peninsular with Mr Wenand congratulated him on the constructive role China had played in kick-starting six-nationtalks in Beijing later this month.

The meeting is aimed at diffusing tension between North Korea and the US over Pyongyang'ssecret nuclear weapons program.

AAP rft/bd/hu/

KEYWORD: CHINA HOWARD NIGHTLEAD