China Human Rights and Rule of Law Update, No. 1 - March 5, 2014
Commission Letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping
In February, nine members of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China issued a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping expressing serious concern over the worsening crackdown on Chinese citizens peacefully exercising their internationally recognized rights to freedoms of expression, association, assembly, and religion in China. They called on President Xi to end the crackdown and to release all Chinese citizens who have been unjustly imprisoned. The letter was signed by Commission Chairman Senator Sherrod Brown; Commission Cochairman Representative Christopher Smith; Senator Carl Levin; Representative Frank Wolf; Representative Mark Meadows; Representative Robert Pittenger; Representative Timothy Walz; Representative Marcy Kaptur; and Representative Michael Honda. A full text of the letter is available at: https://www.cecc.gov/media-center/press-releases/in-letter-to-president-xi-jinping-cecc-commissioners-call-for-end-to
Hearing: China’s Compliance With the World Trade Organization and International Trade Rules
On January 15, 2014, the Commission held a hearing on “China’s Compliance With the World Trade Organization and International Trade Rules.” Panelists included David Horn, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, AK Steel Holding Corporation; Elizabeth Drake, Partner, Stewart and Stewart; Thea Lee, Deputy Chief of Staff, President’s Office, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations; and Timothy Webster, Assistant Professor of Law; Director, East Asian Legal Studies, Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Commission Chair Senator Sherrod Brown provided an opening statement. Cochairman Representative Christopher Smith and Senator Carl Levin also submitted statements for the record. Other Commissioners in attendance included Senator Jeff Merkley, Representative Mark Meadows, and Representative Tim Walz. Commissioners’ and panelists’ written statements and a video recording of the hearing are available at: https://www.cecc.gov/events/hearings/china%E2%80%99s-compliance-with-the-world-trade-organization-and-international-trade-rules