Serving the Persecuted Church:
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Humanitarian Aid § Advocacy for the Persecuted on Capitol Hill

Statement Concerning Revocation of Most Favored Nation to China

Presented in the United States Capitol
by the President of ICC, June 5, 1997

I would like to begin by quoting from the Bible the words of the Prophet Isaiah: "The Lord looked and saw that there was no justice. He was appalled that there was no one to intervene."

Just last week I was in China. I too was appalled that there was no one to intervene. I met with 17 Chinese house church Christians who independently agreed that persecution against Christians is more intense now that it has been in 20 years. Two of those with whom I met were leaders of two separate movements or house church networks that represented a total of 10 million followers.

One western Christian worker in China wrote me a few months ago and said: "The Chinese people have given up hope that the United States will intervene." This same worker said that Americans who claim that maintaining the present course of action in dealing with China is best are self-serving. They have only their own interests at heart. I will hold my thoughts on this for now. What I can say is that after having worked for 12 years as an advocate against religious intolerance and on behalf of the many persecuted Christians in China, the engagement or non-confrontational philosophy simply is not working.

I wish that everyone of you here could have experienced what I just experienced during my short ten days in China. It was a sobering experience. It gave me a clearer understanding and appreciation for those who are in pursuit of freedom. More than ever, I saw horrors of oppression. You cannot fully appreciate the quest for freedom unless you have been with those who daily fight in the trenches against oppression, until you witness first hand those who so gallantly have sought after freedom.

To understand the plight of the oppressed in China, you must experience what it is like having to look over your shoulder at all times, wondering if you are being tailed or your conversations are being bugged. Even in the privacy of our own hotel rooms, we had to keep the television volume up in order to mask our conversations and that of our guests. We were told to expect that the government had bugged the room and was listening for information that could lead to the arrest of more Christians. You would need to have experienced what it was like wondering whether one of those within the group you are talking with is a government informant. You would have had to feel what it was like to meet in secret locations, in the woods or in a busy public place, always aware that the police could arrest you at any time. Being caught was of little personal concern to me, but I was very much aware of the consequences that my brave hosts would face if they were caught. They would face possible beatings, torture and a lengthy prison sentence. After all, it is a crime for Chinese Christians to meet with foreigners. Had they been meeting with me to arrange a sale of prison-made slippers, well I am sure that the government would have bent over backwards to help them.

Even more heart wrenching, you should have felt the anguish of hearing the accounts of loneliness, beatings, imprisonment and many other hardships of these brave Christians, simply on account of their religious beliefs. Most of those with whom I met were on the run, wanted by the PSB. They could not return to their families and friends. They have suffered loss of not only freedom, but also their possessions - confiscated by corrupt officials who use as a pretense for their actions the 'strike hard' orders coming down from China's hard-liners in Beijing.

You would have had to hear the testimony as it was described to me by one house church about Pastor Liu, nicknamed the Heavenly Man, the leader of a house church movement of about ten million followers. He was one of eight house church leaders arrested on March 16. He managed a miraculous escape, but only after being suspended from the rafters by wire tied to his thumbs. He was then beaten with rods. If that wasn't enough, he was thrust to the floor by the guards, who then trampled upon his legs with their boots, breaking one of his ankles. The guards laughingly said: "We will fix it so that you will never escape."

However, with God's help, they were proven wrong. Driven by the compelling desire for freedom, the Heavenly Man miraculously escaped. In the same way that Peter in the book of Acts miraculously escaped after the church had prayed, the Heavenly Man escaped. He picked up a broom and literally swept his way out past the guarded gates, each guard thinking the other had sent him out to sweep the floors. With great pain from a broken ankle and badly bruised legs, this man braved further beatings in his quest for freedom.

To understand the Chinese government's oppressive hand against Christians, you also would have had of heard the earnest plea for help from the house church leaders on behalf of their co-worker Xu Yong Ze. Pastor Xu is the founder of the eight-million member 'Born Again' house church movement. He was among the eight arrested on March 16.

During my meeting with house church leaders in China, I learned that Pastor Xu and another house church leader, Wang Xicai, had been taken away from their cell at midnight on May 19 to an undisclosed location. No one knows of their whereabouts or whether they are even still alive. Chinese believers with whom I met had good reason to believe that the two would be executed. The leader of the state-authorized church, the Three Self Patriotic Movement, has declared the groups that the two leaders represent to be dangerous cults. There is concern that their "disappearance" or even a "public execution" would be acceptable to the West in light of the activities of the cult groups in Waco and Tokyo.

I was told that 40% of those detained in Prison #1 in Henan Province are Christians whose only crime was that of leading a Bible study in a home or sharing their faith. Currently, there are said to be 355 Christians imprisoned in Henan province on account of their faith. And the United States wants to continue to do business as usual with such a tyrannical regime!

I was acutely aware of the fact that the Christians with whom I was meeting were placing themselves in great peril for having met with me. How I wanted to smuggle them on to the airplane with me and let them escape to freedom. But not one of them would have even accepted if the opportunity was offered. For their calling is to liberate their fellow countrymen by exposing them to the truth of an eternal kingdom and a loving God.

With great dignity these Christians continue to suffer. They are being pursued by brutal dictators who seek total control of their thoughts, their loyalty and their human spirit. The Communist Party feels compelled to seek out and destroy the Christian community, because the spirit of these Christians cannot be broken and they cannot be mastered. These Christians are driven toward a freedom that cannot be taken from them.

I would like to address the six basic arguments used by those who oppose revocation of Most Favored Nation status to China.

The first argument is that a "public stance against MFN is not in the interest of the church in China and will seriously hamper the efforts of Christians from outside China." I believe that this argument is arrogant. Over and over again I have heard Christian pastors in developing countries say that American missionary agencies have too high of an opinion of themselves. They are reminding us that the day of the American 'pioneer missionary' is over. "Quit trying to tell us what is best for us," they are saying. Then there are those western mission agencies whose entire existence is built upon their providing a social service to the people of the country they serve. These services are good and welcomed. However, it is not the Christians inside who will suffer the most if MFN is revoked, it is the agency provider that faces the greatest loss.

If you were to ask the Christians out there in the trenches what they think, as I have done, they will tell you that what the want most most is your prayers, more than our money.

In fact, it would be safe to say that 95% of the Chinese Christians receive little or no help from western Christian agencies. It is a small percentage that benefit. I know that I am stepping on some toes (or balance sheets) by saying this, but it is true. What these Christians need and want more than anything is for us to stop trying to make them feel that they are dependant up us and instead help them become independent and free.

If all our social programs even our providing of Bibles were to stop, which I don't think will ever happen, it will not impact the growth of the church in China. In fact, I am convinced that the church in China, with or without our support, will one day evangelize the entire world. The shear growth in the number of converts to Christianity and the zeal of the church in China is unprecedented - and it is unstoppable.

So what then is our role? Our role as Americans is to stop buying into the "be one of the guys" mentality and instead return to moral principles and take a stand for righteousness and justice. We must stop bending the knee to those who base our existence on globalization and trade. All the pious platitudes and rhetoric that we are accustomed to hearing is not going to lead us toward greater freedom, but instead we will one day wake up and find ourselves buried by despotism and despair.

A second argument commonly heard is that Christians should not use the MFN "club" as a means for helping end oppression in China. These are the ones who say: "Such political activism will likely result in greater persecution of Christians inside China." Let's look at the facts. There isn't one shred of evidence to support this theory.

The Christian leaders that I had met with in China had testified that persecution is at an all-time high in China. Many of the Christian leaders feel that the U.S. de-linking of human rights from trade has actually given the green light to increased human rights violations. Yes, persecution may increase more if we do something, and most certainly it will continue to increase if we do nothing.

We can learn from the efforts of Moses in the Bible, who repeatedly went before the king of Egypt and demanded "let my people go." The result was that his efforts caused an increase in persecution - at least for the short term. The king doubled the burden placed upon the Israelites. America's stand against oppression in Romania, Russia and throughout eastern Europe may have even intensified persecution for a season, but intervention, not silence, eventually brought down the iron curtain that at the time seemed impregnable.

The third argument I have heard raised is that "Christians should not make MFN a high profile because this just reinforces the perception in the minds of Chinese that Christians are a threat and are anti-China." Let me use one simple biblical illustration for those who depend upon this argument. Jesus himself hurled a blow against 'free trade' when he drove the money changers from the temple. He became a threat to those who mixed profiteering with righteousness.

Let me say in all candor, the Chinese perception of the American church is already seen as a mix of commerce and religion. Taking a firm stand for righteousness will require our recognizing how we ourselves are unwilling to deal a blow to the unrighteous acts of profiting from slave labor and oppression. If we take a stand for what is right, the government of China will fear making a profit upon the backs of people of faith. The Chinese government will think twice before beating, torturing and imprisoning Christians on account of their faith.

Was Jesus anti-Jewish, anti-government or even anti-free trade? No, but he was opposed to mediocrity and compromise. We too should be so bold.

The fourth argument is that "revoking MFN would put the United States "in a confrontational mode," therefore inhibiting our ability to make human rights appeals. It is also argued that such action might plunge the US and China into a cold war. This notion cannot hold water. In fact, in the past a confrontational approach with 'bully' regimes has been far more effective than appeasement.

We have tried reasoning with China's leaders. I clearly recall a conversation that Congressmen Chris Smith and Frank Wolf and I had with Premier Li Peng during a visit to Beijing in 1991. We appealed to China's leadership to end the imprisonment, beatings and mal-treatment of Christians. His response was: "Don't interfere with our internal affairs;. we don't punish Christians for being Christians, only if they commit a crime." In another trip in 1994, Congressman Chris Smith and I presented evidence to Chinese officials that three Christians were sent to a "re-education through labor" camp simply because they had invited some Christians to their home to listen to a foreign religious-radio broadcast. Did our appeal to the senses of the Chinese officials help in either case? No, the government in turn added to the punishment of the Christians and arrested a number more. Maybe it is time for a "confrontational mode." Simply making appeals has done nothing more but convince the Chinese government that they can do as they please and get away with it.

The fifth argument is that Christian Conservatives and anti-abortion groups have seized on China as a "new enemy" and have made opposition to trading "rights" as their last crusade. For many American organizations, as well as politicians, the China concern may have indeed become a "new" crusade. But please, don't speak for all of us who have been fighting for human rights in China for many years, even before the cold-war with the Soviets had ended. Whatever the motive may be for those now joining our struggle against tyranny in China, although it may be late in coming, their involvement is welcomed. It is better that we speak out now than never. As someone once said, "In order for evil to triumph, good men need do nothing."

The sixth and last argument is that a "healthy US-China relationship promotes democracy, human rights and high-wage jobs in America." My question to those who hold to this belief is this: What is the real current state of health of human rights and democracy in China? Has the patient's health stabilized or declined? Maybe the current policy of "engagement" has produced higher wages for a few top CEO's of some U.S. trading companies, but meanwhile the state of health of the majority of Chinese people is worse today than every. I am not speaking about wealth, but instead about freedom and justice.

Can we really say that our efforts have promoted these principles? Again yesterday we saw the Chinese government's response to the voice of freedom crying out. We can either join with these courageous young people in their pursuit of freedom or we can continue to ignore their cries. All the dissenters are either in jail or in exile. We can be assured that the Chinese authorities will not stop in their relentless show of force as long as there is no outcry of protests from the United States. Are we going to wait until every political and religious expression is permanently silenced?

Fortunately, there is a new movement replacing the old. I learned while in Beijing that there are some 700 to 800 students on Beijing campuses who are now members of underground house churches. These are the hope of China. They have found that there is no future in the empty promises of the Communist Party, not even in economic prosperity. One 22-year-old house church leader reported that his house church has doubled in number in the past three months. This young, educated generation of Christians is likely to continue to grow rapidly. They will no doubt become the target of a ruthless regime whose aim is to completely eliminate any free exercise of faith or thought.

But even if it were true that a "healthy relationship" with China could produce more democracy and greater wealth for everyone, is it worth the expense of cooperating with a regime that forces people to look over their shoulder in fear of being caught worshiping God; having to meet in secret in fear of being arrested; always wondering if your neighbor is an informant for the government; or suffering imprisonment, brutal beatings, and death for holding to your religious beliefs? Are these signs of a healthy relationship?

Let us not shrink back from serving as the world champion of freedom and justice for all. We cannot and must not sell short the cry of freedom. As long as tyranny and despotism reign anywhere upon the face of the earth, America has her responsibility to shun them, not favor them. As the prophet Isaiah said: "Though favor is shown to the wicked, they do not learn to do right" (Isaiah 26:10).

Now is the time to stop extending the same favors to China as we do to our friends. Talking to China's leaders has led only to increased tyranny. It is time to take a stand for what is right. We must revoke any form of rewards and preferential favors to any country whose deeds clearly violate the rights and freedoms of her people. May God look upon us and find that truly justice does prevail and there is someone to intervene.

International Christian Concern is a human rights organization based in Washington, D.C. that serves as a watchdog and advocate for religious freedom worldwide.

Originally Posted:  June 16, 1997

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