San Gabriel Valley Tribune 05/08/04

 

House resolution in imprisoned Chinese activist welcomed by family

 

By Jason Kosareff , Staff Writer

 

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a unanimous resolution Thursday urging China to release jailed pro-democracy activist Dr. Wang Bingzhang, a former La Puente resident.

 

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a unanimous resolution Thursday urging China to release jailed pro-democracy activist Dr. Wang Bingzhang, a former La Puente resident. "We're really happy,' said Wang's daughter, Christine Wang, who still lives in La Puente. "Right now, we're really urging China to release my dad.'

 

Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Santa Fe Springs, sponsored the resolution denouncing China for the December 2002 arrest of Wang by Chinese agents in Vietnam.

 

A spokesman for a human rights group tracking Wang said the vote was the first step toward getting him released.

 

"This is part of a global plan to exert significant pressure on China to release Dr. Wang,' said Timothy Cooper, executive director of Washington, D.C.- based World Rights.

 

Wu Fan, a longtime friend of Wang and a pro-democracy supporter from Alhambra, said the House decision would not likely have much impact on Chinese officials.

 

"I'm afraid,' Wu said. "The Chinese government can do whatever they want. They don't obey international law.'

 

Wang supporters call the arrest a "kidnapping' and allege he was beaten by soldiers. Wang was given a life sentence after a half-day closed trial. He is now held in Shaoguan Prison in Guangdong Province, according to Amanda Molk, a Napolitano spokeswoman.

 

A spokesman for the Consulate General of The People's Republic of China in Los Angeles had no comment Thursday.

 

Christine Wang said the family has been forbidden to visit him for a very long time.

 

"My grandma cries almost every day,' she said.

 

Wang's family believes he is in desperate need of medical treatment for gastritis and phlebitis, as well as depression.

 

"He's a political activist, not a terrorist,' Christine Wang said.

 

Wang promoted the violent overthrow of the Chinese government in a pamphlet he wrote, Wu said. "I can say he had violent thinking, no action,' Wu said. "He wants to take down the Chinese government because they oppress the people. You have to do it through revolution.'

 

Cooper said Wang only advocated violence in self-defense.

 

The United Nations Arbitrary Working Group declared in 2002 that Wang's arrest was a violation of international law. Rep. Jim Leach, R-Iowa, chairman of the Congressional Executive Committee on China, recommended in 2003 that President Bush step up diplomatic efforts to free political prisoners in China.

 

The Wang family is originally from Beijing and moved to La Puente about five years ago. Wang lived with the family in La Puente for about two years before he moved to the East Coast to continue political activism.

 

World Right's next step is to lobby the U.S. Senate to sign a similar resolution, Cooper said. "We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to free Dr. Wang,' Cooper said.

 

-- Jason Kosareff can be reached at (626) 962-8811, Ext. 2717, or by e-mail at jason.kosareff@sgvn.com .