U.S. Relations With the People's Republic of China (2009)

U.S. Department of State

Annual Report on International Religious Freedom

FPC Briefing
Michael H. Posner
Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights & Labor
Foreign Press Center
Washington, DC
October 26, 2009

4:00 P.M. EDT

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QUESTION: Hi, Betty Lin of the World Journal. In your executive summary -- this is on China -- you talk about the government strongly opposed the profession of loyalty to religious leadership outside the country, most notably the Pope and the Dalai Lama. So could you elaborate on that? Thanks.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: Sure. There is -- I think we have both concerns about -- let's take each of those separately.

We have very serious concerns about the continued restrictions placed on religious leaders in Tibet and their ability and the Tibetan people's ability to communicate fully, to travel, et cetera, to have interaction with the Dalai Lama. We continue to believe that nonviolent practice of religion in Tibet, including expressions of concern by Buddhist leaders there about human rights conditions, ought to be tolerated. And there are restrictions in that regard, ongoing restrictions, harassment, even persecution of some Buddhist leaders there. So that's a concern that's expressed in the report, and it's a concern of the United States.

With respect to the Christian community and the Catholics in particular, I think there's a recognition in the report that there is a growing -- a rapidly growing Christian community in China, by some estimates 90 million or more. Some are practicing in state-accepted churches, others in informal house churches that the government has not registered or accepted. And we take exception to that. We think there ought to be -- for all people who practice their faith in a nonviolent, appropriate way, there ought to be the space and the legitimacy to open a church, to open a mosque, et cetera, in a way that allows them to practice freely.

The link -- again, the Government of China, I think, takes particular exception to the links with the Catholic community in China and the Pope, and that would be, again, to us, part of a natural expression of religion. The Pope is the most senior figure in the Catholic world and there ought to be every opportunity to interact with him.

MODERATOR: New York, we'll take your question.

QUESTION: Thank you. My name is Kahraman Haliscelik and I'm with Turkish television. Sir, I have a follow-up question to what you just said on China and then if you -- if I may, I'll just ask two more questions.

Can you elaborate more on what happens in East Turkistan in contact -- contacts with -- and you know, China's issue? The other two questions are how did the political -- you know, how did political conflicts around the world, like in Pakistan and Afghanistan and Iraq, affected the outcomes of the report? And this -- the other question is, can you please elaborate more on what the report stated on Turkey and the -- what kind of solutions you propose for countries that actually have conflict between secular and more conservative sites? Thanks.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: Sure. On the first question on East Turkistan, I think the report speaks for itself. I don't have anything to add to what it says. On the issue of how, in places like Afghanistan and Pakistan and elsewhere, larger -- I guess the question is larger -- how do larger political factors weigh into the report.

The theory of this report, and we try to stand by this, is that we're looking at information, reliable information, about restrictions on religious practice. It is part of a larger discussion within our government and even in terms of our government's reporting about a whole range of human rights issues. Clearly, the government will make judgments about bigger political questions based on more than reading these reports. And we understand that and accept that.

The purpose of these reports, as best as we can, is simply to make information available as reliable information that can help inform those debates, both in this country and around the world. One of our audiences for this report are the religious -- the minority religious communities that are mentioned in the report that are often targeted or restricted in practicing their religion. But another explicit purpose of the report and what Congress mandated us to do was simply to give information to the U.S. Government so that it can make the broader political judgments with this as at least one factor.

On the report on Turkey as well, the report is quite detailed. It is a mixed picture. There are certainly a number of positive things in the report about the government's performance. But there are some concerns about minority religions there, Greek Orthodox and others' ability to operate freely. And again, I think the report speaks for itself.

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QUESTION: Hi. Betty Lin again. How would President Obama address the religious freedom issue when he goes to China next month? And is he going to receive the Dalai Lama in December?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: On the first question, I mean, I think you ought to address that to the White House. There is no question that the human rights issues are going to be part of our bilateral diplomacy for many years to come. We are in the process of trying to set up a human rights dialogue, which I hope to be part of sometime next year, probably. There will be discussions.

QUESTION: Not this year?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: I think it's -- we haven't set a time. But I think in all likelihood -- I just arrived, there's a whole lot of things going on -- I think -- I'm hoping that it'll happen in the first few months of next year, but there's been no decision made on that. But there's certainly a back and forth between the two countries about resuming it. There is going to be a range of discussions taking place, both during the President's visit, before and after, where human rights will be part of the agenda.

And on the Dalai Lama, I think it's been made clear to everybody that the President and this Administration is concerned about Tibet. The President's willing and ready to meet the Dalai Lama. I don't think a date has exactly been set. But the Dalai Lama's own representatives have said, (inaudible) and others, that they're very satisfied with the Administration's concern about these issues and with the President's willingness to meet.

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