Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 138: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on recent meetings with Chinese Vice-Premier Zeng; if Amnesty International's recent report on human rights or other reports on human rights in China were raised with Mr. Zeng; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30641/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Chinese Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan paid an official visit to Ireland from 24-26 September. The Vice-Premier held official talks with the Tánaiste and paid courtesy calls on the President and the Taoiseach. The Minister for Education and Science, Ms. Mary Hanafin T.D., hosted an official dinner for the Vice-Premier and a business breakfast was hosted for him by the Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, Mr. Micheál Martin T.D., in co-operation with Enterprise Ireland. The key objective of the visit was to build on the close and developing relationship between Ireland and China.

The official talks held with the Tánaiste on 25 September enabled a detailed exchange of views on a wide range of bilateral, regional and international issues and provided an opportunity to discuss practical ways to further pursue our mutual interests. The discussion covered expanding trade and investment and strengthening cooperation at all levels, in particular practical co-operation in areas such as education, agriculture, science and technology and research with a particular focus on software development and bio-engineering.

The meeting also afforded an opportunity for the Tánaiste to raise human rights concerns with the Vice-Premier. Human rights issues are a constant and important point of dialogue with the Chinese authorities at both bilateral and European Union (EU) levels. For my part, I took the opportunity to raise human rights issues and concerns, including the importance we attach to freedom of speech and religion, when I met with Chinese Foreign Minister, Mr. Li Zhaoxing, during a visit to Beijing in May. Foreign Minister Li referred in particular to China's commitment to the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue and was hopeful that a decision would be taken to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as soon as possible.

The EU-China Human Rights Dialogue is the agreed formal framework through which the EU raises human rights issues and concerns with China. The latest round of the Dialogue was held in Beijing on 19 October.

Senior officials from both sides discussed a wide range of human rights issues. Special attention was given to questions related to combating racism, freedom of expression and reform of the criminal justice system in China. The EU took note of the commitment of China to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as soon as possible and, in that context, to reform its criminal justice system. The EU urged China to continue co-operation with, and implementation of the recommendations of, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, including the rapid abolition of the "re-education through labour" system. The EU expressed its deep concern over the continuing restrictions on freedom of expression in China, including on the use of the internet. The EU further expressed concern at the high number of human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists in prison and urged China not to harass or punish individuals exercising their right to freedom of expression in a peaceful manner.

Other subjects discussed included the recent incident on China's border with Nepal, where Chinese soldiers opened fire towards a group of Tibetans attempting to cross the border. The EU side asked for clarification and urged China to investigate the incident thoroughly.