Contact: Bob Fu, China Aid Association, 267-205-5210, 267-265-6087
WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 /Christian Newswire/ -- Four of the most prominent China's Christian human rights defenders arrived at Washington DC on November 17, 2006. Invited by the China Aid Association, the delegation visits and meets officials from both the US government and NGOs including the State Department, the White House National Security Council, Congress and New York University. The four Chinese delegates will brief the US public on the issues of freedom of expression, religious freedom, and the rule of law in China. The China delegates will spend most of the time at Midland, Texas which is President Bush's hometown primarily to explore the spiritual heritage and foundation of the America.
The four Chinese human rights defenders are: attorney Li Jingsong, director of Beijing Yitong Law Firm, senior defense lawyer for the imprisoned blind activist Mr. Chen Guangcheng; attorney Li Subin, attorney and defense lawyer for Mr. Chen Guangcheng; attorney Li Jianqiang, defense lawyers for most of imprisoned dissident writers in China including Zhang Lin, Guo Qizhen; journalist Mr. Zan Aizong, editor in chief of the Zhi Jiang Station of China Ocean News who was detained for 7 days and later fired in 2006 because he reported on the government's demolition of the Dang Shang Church building in Zhejiang province.
"We are very thankful to these heroes of faith in China," Rev. Bob Fu said, " we pray this visit will provide a great opportunity to advance the religious freedom and the rule of law in China."
Short biography of the Chinese delegates:
1. Li Jingsong
Li Jinsong is an attorney for blind human rights champion Chen Guangcheng and the Director of Yitong Law Firm in Beijing. He is one of the first lawyers to obtain Certificates of Accountant and Registered Security and Tax Accountant in China. He is also the legal and tax advisor for the China Stock Economy Association and China Film Producers Association. Mr. Li is the first Beijing lawyer to adopt the policy of not charging a legal fee if he loses the case. In 2004, he found the Yitong Accounting and Tax Lawyer Group.
2. Li Jiangqiang
Li Jiangqiang is a mainland China civil rights lawyer and a graduate of the China Literature Department of China's People's University, and the Economics Department of China's University of Political Science and Law. He has held a variety of positions: teacher of a middle school, reporter, and lawyer. Mr. Li began writing in 1986 and was forced to resign his job because of his screen plays "The Falling Sun" and "The Blooming White Flower on the Chest" which were based on the 1989 student pro-democracy movement. He started his criminal law career in 1994. In 2003 his legal license was revoked by the government because he started a movement along with 150 other lawyers to abolish the legal code for the crime of "incitement and subversion of the national government" so that this could not be used against citizens who are exercising their constitutional freedoms. Because of this his license was revoked by the authority in November 2003 and with many efforts, it was later reinstated. He has defended many famous dissidents who promote freedom of speech, such as Du Daobin, Liu Di, Luo Yongzhong, Yang Tianshui and Li Yuanlong. He was involved in the civil right case of farmers in Tai Shi Village.
3. Li Subin,
Li Subin represented blind human rights champion Chen Guangcheng. Mr. Li became a lawyer in 1991. Four times he has successfully litigated government compensation for claims of national government illegal activities. He investigated the case of the Supreme People's Prosecutor's criminal activity, which was selected to be included in the 2003, Supreme Court Collection II. He partnered with Attorney Li Wuji to sue the Bar Association for charging an illegal fee in 2001, which evoked a huge national response and in 2003 he was elected to be one of the 32 people most influential people who have touched China, a program called "Touching China" on the National TV channel. In 2005 he partnered with Attorney Li Jinsong successfully sued 84 city governments for illegal activities.
4. Zan Aizhong
Zan Aizhong is a well known and respected human rights writer who has been published in many influential magazines, newspapers and human right websites. Mr. Zan has been a journalist since 1992. He was editor in chief of the Zhi Jiang Station of China Ocean News but was fired in 2006 because he reported on the government's demolition of the Dang Shang Church building.
Issued by China Aid Association, Inc. on November 21, 2006
