US Congressional Hearing on Gao Zhisheng During Xi Jinping Visit

As Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping meets with officials at the White House and the Pentagon…down the street by the US Capitol, one Chinese woman is telling lawmakers her family’s story of suffering and despair at the hands of the Chinese regime. Geng He, the wife of imprisoned rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, is testifying before the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

Gao defended individuals from vulnerable groups in China including Christians and Falun Gong practitioners, taking cases other lawyers wouldn’t dare to. In September 2007 he wrote an open letter to the United States Congress urging the US to boycott the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Since then Gao has been in and out of prison, telling accounts of being tortured by authorities. The regime claims he is currently in the Xinjiang region serving a three-year sentence, yet his family hasn’t heard from him in months… and say they can’t find a lawyer who will represent him in the Mainland.

[Geng He, Gao Zhisheng’s Wife]:
“Right now it’s very difficult for us to get any lawyers to help Gao Zhisheng even if we are really paying, but no lawyers can take the case.”

The hearing is chaired by US Congressman Chris Smith. Smith says tough questions need to be asked of Xi Jinping when he visits Congress on Wednesday.

[Chris Smith, US Congressman]:
“I think, in a very serious way, the immediate release of political dissidents like Gao Zhisheng, Liu Xiaobo, Chen Guangcheng. All of these men and women who are suffering, they need to be released unconditionally.”

Bob Fu, president of the Chinese Christian rights organization “China Aid,” says that these rights are, in theory, guaranteed in China, but leaders fail to follow the constitution.

[Bob Fu, President, China Aid]:
“The Chinese constitution says citizens have the freedom of speech, have the freedom of assembly, have the freedom of religion. That is why he was convicted to defend for the defenseless. For that, he himself has been persecuted in such a way, I think that captured the hearts and minds of the freedom loving world.”

A freedom-loving world that is now welcoming the second in command of the Chinese Communist Party. Chris Smith has a very clear message for Xi.

[Chris Smith, US Congressman]:
“Human rights abusers are like self-haters, they destroy the very country they purport to care about and nowhere is that more apparent than in China.”

Gao now has asylum status in the US waiting for him, since his family has already made it out of China and claimed asylum. If the Chinese regime would release him, he could be reunited with his family. But Chris Smith says the Obama administration isn’t applying enough pressure to make this a reality.

Ben Hedges, NTD News, Washington DC