Saturday, January 10, 1998

Religious delegation expects to visit Tibet on China trip

A delegation of three American religious leaders scheduled to travel to China in February expects to include a visit to Tibet during the trip.

Officials from the Clinton administration say they would welcome a visit by such a delegation since there are continuing reports of human rights abuses against Buddhists in Tibet, The New York Times reported.

China's irritation over American criticism of its relations with Tibet has increased recently with the release of two American movies that depict Chinese abuses of Tibetan Buddhists. Tibet seeks greater autonomy from China.

The delegation, chosen by the State Department and the White House, includes Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, N.J.; the Rev. Don Argue, president of the National Association of Evangelicals; and Rabbi Arthur Schneier, a New York City rabbi who is president of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation. The trip will be paid for by groups affiliated with the religious leaders.

Last October, Chinese officials agreed during the summit meeting between President Clinton and China's President Jiang Zemin to permit the delegation's visit, but the itinerary and dates of the trip were not made public then.

White House and State Department spokesmen said U.S. leaders still have not received official confirmation of the itinerary from the Chinese government, but one official said "it would be remarkable at this point if they didn't visit Tibet."

Plans for the three-week trip, which is scheduled to start on Feb. 8, include visits with senior Chinese leaders and visits to prisons where dissident church leaders are being held. The Americans hope to urge officials in Beijing to release the jailed clergy, who include ranking leaders of underground Chinese churches.

The Chinese government allows Christians to worship, but has imprisoned church leaders who are affiliated with congregations that are not officially sanctioned by the government.