January 25, 2001

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. State Department has urged Chinese authorities to release all members of the Falun Gong movement detained for "peacefully exercising their right to freedom of religion".

Spokesman Richard Boucher offered the comment after Secretary of State Colin Powell met Chinese Ambassador Li Zhaoxing -- Powell's first meeting with an envoy since taking office.

Boucher said the half-hour meeting was a farewell call by Li, who will return shortly to Beijing to assume a senior position in the Foreign Ministry.

During the meeting, Powell reaffirmed that the United States will be firm with China when differences arise, Boucher said.

The spokesman said the United States is saddened by the attempted group suicide by five Falun Gong members in Beijing on Lunar New Year's Eve. One of the five, a woman, died. [Editor's note: the suicide has nothing to do with Falun Gong. See http://clearwisdom.net/eng/2001/Jan/23/VSF012301_3.html .]

"The actions that led to such results are tragic for all of the people involved, most directly those who are injured and their families," Boucher said.

Asked whether Powell, during his meeting with Li, called for the release of imprisoned Falun Gong members, Boucher said, "The message that Secretary Powell delivered was one of tolerance and rule of law."

Commenting on the attempted suicide incident, Boucher said, "We note the statements by Falun Gong spokesmen that Falun Gong teachings oppose violence and suicide.

"And I would renew our condemnation of China's crackdown on Falun Gong. I would call on China to release all of those detained or imprisoned for peacefully exercising their internationally recognized rights to freedom of religion, freedom of belief and freedom of conscience."

[...]