Sir, - If anyone wants an example of how repressive is the regime that Jiang Zemin presides over they only have to read the comments of a senior Chinese official as quoted by Miriam O'Donohoe ("China's leaders have become alarmed about 'active thinking' among intellectuals"). It seems the rulers of the so-called People's Republic want to maintain total control over the population, even to the point of telling them what to think. Chinese people could not possibly be allowed to think for themselves when they have the [party' name omitted] Party to do it for them.

This latest effort at forcing the Chinese media to keep to the party line is typical of a state that won't allow its citizens freedom of religion, expression or political affiliation and cracks down mercilessly on any attempt to assert any of these rights. Torture and execution appear to be the means of enforcing law and order in this socialist paradise along with incarcerating citizens in labour and "re-education" camps or even psychiatric hospitals. The example of Zhao Ming, the Trinity College student currently serving time in a Beijing labour camp for nothing more than the practice of a simple spiritual faith, comes to mind.

So how is China reprimanded for its appalling abuses of human rights? It is to be allowed entry into the World Trade Organisation! This will surely give the country more influence than it already has and therefore further reduce the chances of China having to face rebuke by the United Nations Human Rights Commission.

Western leaders will say that dialogue is the best way (doublespeak for: "We don't want to upset them because we want to do business with them"). There was no dialogue with Yugoslavia. Jiang Zemin and friends can rest assured that they will not some day find themselves in an international court facing charges of crimes against humanity. - Yours, etc.,

TERRY BUTLER, Church Road, East Wall, Dublin

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/letters/2001/0704/index.htm#5