| (WASHINGTON) - U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today called on China to respect human rights and release political prisoners, including democratic activist Liu Xiaobo, as China today marks 60 years of Communist rule which began on October 1, 1949. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:
“Today’s anniversary of 60 years of Communist rule in China is a sobering occasion which reminds us of the countless innocent people victimized by this brutal regime for over six decades.
“It disappoints me that some in the U.S. are giving tacit approval to the policies of the Chinese Communist Party by lighting the Empire State Building in red and yellow, the colors of the Communist regime.
“Rather than making overtures to tyrannical regimes like the one in Beijing, responsible nations should use occasions such as this to reiterate strong support for freedom, democracy, human rights, and the people which are denied each of these by brutal leaders.
“The Chinese regime should listen to the voices of its people and turn over a new leaf, beginning with the release of all prisoners of conscience, including Liu Xiaobo, whose courage in standing up for freedom was recognized just yesterday by the U.S. Congress.”
Note: Yesterday, Ros-Lehtinen spoke on the House Floor in support of H.Con.Res. 151, which expresses the sense of Congress that “China’s government immediately release Liu Xiaobo and begin making strides toward true representative democracy.”
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