In a statement in support of twinning from Fine Gael Dublin City Councillor, Dr Bill Tormey fails to mention human rights once, but instead focuses on what Dublin can gain from a stronger relationship with Beijing.
Councillor Tormey said, “It is envisaged that a twinning relationship with Beijing would produce significant benefits to both cities politically, educationally, economically and culturally in the future.”
Over the last few years a failure to take a balanced view of our actions and policies have brought the country to ruin. With this in mind it seems very narrow minded to focus on the benefits that twinning with China might bring without looking at the way the communist regime in China treats their citizens.
The latest report issued by Amnesty International about China, published in 2009, said, “The Olympic Games in Beijing brought heightened repression throughout the country as authorities tightened control over human rights defenders, religious practitioners, ethnic minorities, lawyers and journalists.”
As the tanks and army rolled into Tibet during the Olympics and foreign nationals and media were flushed out, Dublin was at that time thinking of twinning with Beijing, but after witnessing how dissent was handled in China the plan was scrapped.
Some councillors in Dublin City Council still hold reservations about the plan to twin the two cities. Cllr Aodhán O'Riordáin who will be running in the upcoming general election for Labour in Dublin North Central said, “I must admit that I have very serious reservations with regard to plans by Dublin City Council to put in place, a twinning arrangement with Beijing.”
“While much progress has been made in China in recent years, the fact of the matter is, that it remains one of the most repressive and authoritarian countries in the world, where human rights, and what we would regard as basic civil liberties, simply do not exist.
“I am appalled by the unjustified use of arbitrary detention, the repressive action in Tibet, in Xinjiang, and against the Falun Gong movement and various forms of political opposition. Unless and until there is an immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of opinion and conscience, we should not even be contemplating move towards a twinning arrangement.
“A twinning is not a neutral economic trade statement. A twinning is a statement of solidarity with another city, a statement that we have a common understanding in relation to issues cultural, social and human rights issues – a statement of brotherhood.”
The executive director of the Association for Asian Research (AAR) Zhang Erping agrees with Councillor O'Riordáin. He told The Epoch Times that Communist China's efforts to twin Beijing and Dublin were aimed at building legitimacy for the communist regime.
"Beijing has been wooing to twin with major cities around the world in an attempt to build a legitimate image in the international community and to silence criticism of its deplorable rights record," said Mr Zhang.
"Sadly, many democratic city governments twin with Beijing for business interest against their conscience. A wolf in sheep skin is always dangerous despite its cover," he added.
Only last month an attempt was made by the Falun Dafa Association of Poland to sue the Mayor of Beijing Guo Jinlong during a visit to Poland, for his involvement in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in Beijing.
