Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Anne Marie Descotes
30 May 2001

[…]
“France and her European partners have observed with concern that from last autumn the persecution of Falun Gong adherents has clearly intensified since the crackdown began in 1999.

In the Council of General Affairs’ findings of 22 January 2001, the Foreign Ministers of the European Union stated their concern. The Union indicated that, among the areas in which it would seek progress through Euro-Sino dialogue on human rights, would be the respect China shows towards fundamental rights of all prisoners, including those arrested for their adherence to political opposition groups, to non official religious movements or other movements such as Falun Gong.

The matter was also raised during the last session of Euro-Sino dialogue which took place in Stockholm, 22/23 February, and which focussed on human rights and, more generally, on the respect of the Chinese authorities for freedom of expression and association.