U.S. Diplomat Urges Release Of Advocate Who Challenged China's One-Child-Per-Family Policy

Assistant Secretary of State Ellen Sauerbrey, who is in charge of the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, in a meeting with Ru Xiaomei, deputy director of China's National Population and Family Planning Commission, called on Chinese officials to release human rights advocate Chen Guangcheng, who was arrested in the country's Shangdong province after trying to expose alleged human rights abuses associated with the enforcement of the country's one-child-per-family policy, the AP/China Post reports (Wong, AP/China Post, 8/11). The policy seeks to keep the country's population -- now 1.3 billion -- at around 1.7 billion by 2050. Ethnic minorities and farmers are the only groups legally exempt from the rule. Chen recorded testimony from men and women in communities in and around China's Linyi province who have experienced forced abortions and sterilizations, as well as had family members captured and tortured after they tried to hide or run from authorities. He was attempting to bring a class-action lawsuit against the Chinese government for alleged human rights abuses associated with the enforcement. Chen in September 2005 was placed under house arrest for speaking with journalists, government officials and other advocates about the one-child policy. Chinese police formally arrested Chen in June for his attempts to challenge the policy (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 8/10). According to Chen's former attorney, Li Jinsong, Chen's trial officially has been postponed and no new trial date has been set (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 7/21). "We believe that there has been a certain violation of normal standards and are urging China to release him from imprisonment," Sauerbrey said, adding, "For China's own reputation, ... our hope is just that if we keep a focus on the issue, that China will recognize that it is in their best interest to release this gentleman from jail" (Fan, Washington Post, 8/11). Sauerbrey said Ru "listened" to her request but made no commitments regarding Chen's release (AP/China Post, 8/11). Sauerbrey during the meeting also said the U.S. and China both are members of the U.N. Commission on Population and Development, which means that families in the country have the right to decide how many children to have. She said, "We encourage China at every opportunity to live up to that commitment and to not involve itself in coercive measures, abortion, sterilization" (Washington Post, 8/11). During the meeting, Ru said authorities have punished local officials who are accused of forcing people to undergo sterilizations and abortions, according to Sauerbrey (AP/China Post, 8/11).

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