Playing the Dissident Card

Major Chinese dissidents who have been freed during the 1990s, their dates of release, their destinations upon release, and subsequent actions by the United States that were apparently linked to their being let go:

Fang Lizhi

Astrophysicist

June 25, 1990

Britain (Cambridge University)

U.S. drops objections to resumption of Japanese loans to China.

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Han Dongfang

Founder of China’s independent labor movement

May 8, 1992

United States

President Bush extends China’s MFN status.

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Liu Qing

May 8, 1992

New York

Bush extends China’s MFN status.

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Wang Dan

Student

Feb. 17, 1993

Within China

President Clinton does not, as the Chinese had hoped, abandon the effort to link China’s MFN status to its human rights record.

(Rearrested Oct. 3, 1996)

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Wei Jingsheng

Carpenter

Sept. 20, 1993

Within China

International Olympic Committee almost votes to locate 2000 Games in China (final vote: 45 for Sydney, 43 for Beijing)

(Rearrested in 1994)

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Chen Ziming

Co-founder with Wang Juntao of Social and Economic Research Institute

May 14, 1994

Within China

Clinton abandons effort to link China’s MFN status to human rights.

(Rearrested in 1995)

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Wang Juntao

Journalist, co-founder with Chen Ziming of Social and Economic Research Institute

April 23, 1994

United States

Clinton abandons effort to link China’s MFN status to human rights.

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Chen Ziming

Co-founder with Wanf Juntao of Social Economic Research Institute

Nov. 6, 1996

Within China

Clinton abandons effort to link China’s MFN status to human rights.

(Rearrested in 1995)

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Wei Jingsheng

Nov. 16, 1997

United States

Release follows successful visit to United States by Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

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Wang Dan

April 18, 1998

United States

Clinton agrees to abandon sponsorship of U.N. resolution condemning China’s human rights policies.