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Statement By John McCain On China And The Olympic Games
ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain today issued the following
statement on China and the Olympic Games:
"Our relation****p with China is im****tant, and we value our ability to
cooperate with the Chinese government on a wide variety of strategic,
economic, and diplomatic fronts. But the Chinese government needs to
understand that in our modern world, how a nation treats its citizens
is a legitimate subject of international concern. China has signed
numerous international agreements that make China's treatment of its
citizens a subject of legitimate international concern, not just a
matter of national sovereignty. To be a responsible stakeholder in the
modern world, a government must also be responsible at home, in
protecting, not trampling, the rights of its people.
"I deplore the violent crackdown by Chinese authorities and the
continuing oppression in Tibet of those merely wi****ng to practice
their faith and preserve their culture and heritage. I have listened
carefully to the Dalai Lama and am convinced he is a man of peace who
reflects the hopes and aspirations of Tibetans. I urge the government
of the People's Republic of China to address the root causes of unrest
in Tibet by opening a genuine dialogue with His Holiness, the Dalai
Lama, aimed at granting greater autonomy. I urge the Chinese
authorities to ensure peaceful protest is not met with violence, to
release monks and others detained for peacefully expressing their
views and to allow full outside access to Tibet.
"I understand and respect Prime Minister Brown's decision not to
attend the Olympic opening ceremonies. I believe President Bush should
evaluate his participation in the ceremonies surrounding the Olympics
and, based on Chinese actions, decide whether it is appropriate to
attend. If Chinese policies and practices do not change, I would not
attend the opening ceremonies. It does no service to the Chinese
government, and certainly no service to the people of China, for the
United States and other democracies to pretend that the suppression of
rights in China does not concern us. It does, will and must concern
us."
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