The U.S. text, introduced at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, expresses concern about abuses including unfair trials, harsh sentences and "increased restrictions" in Tibet.

It welcomes changes in criminal procedure law, but calls on China to release political prisoners, including those jailed for "non-violent counter-revolutionary activity". It also calls on China to protect the cultural and religious identity of Tibet.

China's delegation is expected to try to quash criticism by again presenting its own motion to take no action on the U.S. resolution, according to Western diplomats and U.N. sources.

The 53-member state forum is scheduled to consider the U.S. resolution on April 23, but diplomats doubted that it would actually come to a vote due to China's counter-offensive.

"We are energetically going to work on this motion and will certainly work to defeat any no-action motion," a U.S. official in Geneva said.

"Tabling a resolution does not close the door on co-sponsors," the official said, noting that co-sponsors could still sign up at any time until the vote.

"Our decision was based on principle. How other countries who share our concerns approach the issue is a decision they have to make on their own."

China has escaped Western attempts to censure it at the Geneva body every year since 1990, the first annual talks which followed the student killings at Beijing's Tiananmen Square in June 1989.

U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, speaking to a House of Representatives subcommittee in Washington on Thursday, regretted that the United States had failed to find co-sponsors.

"This is an uphill battle," she said. "The Chinese have been lobbying the Europeans. No other country has agreed to co-sponsor a resolution, which is depressing to say the least."

Albright put a brave face on prospects for the U.S. resolution to find support at the U.N. rights body, which ends its annual six-week session on April 30.

Last year, neither the United States nor the European Union submitted a resolution on China, saying Beijing's record had improved and they were pursuing dialogue with authorities.

But Washington announced in March it would seek censure of China in response to the crackdown on Chinese pro-democracy activists, which began late last year.

Three founding members of the banned China Democracy Party -- Xi Wenli, Qing Yongming and Wang Youcai -- were sentenced in December to jail terms ranging from 11-13 years for subversion.

Prominent Chinese dissidents in exile, including former political prisoner Wei Jingsheng who spent 18 years in jail, have been in Geneva lobbying for U.N. action on China.

"As far as we know, countries in the European Union will not co-sponsor the resolution but we believe they will vote for the resolution," Wei told a news briefing in Geneva on Tuesday.

"It is very important that the Commission put great pressure on Chinese authorities," he added. [ Homepage ] [ NewsRoom ]



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Last updated: 16-April-99