AAP: Consider diplomat's claim: Labor MP

June 04, 2005

OPPOSITION immigration spokesman Laurie Ferguson sympathises with the Chinese diplomat seeking asylum in Australia and says his case should be looked at.

Security staff are looking for Chen Yonglin, 37, the consul for political affairs at the Chinese consulate-general in Sydney, who walked out of the mission a week ago.

Mr. Chen is understood to be in hiding with his wife Jin Ping, 38, and their six-year-old daughter.

He told The Weekend Australian newspaper he wanted to defect because he could no longer support his country's persecution of dissidents.

"China is a not a western democracy," Mr. Ferguson said.

"Obviously whether it's ethnic minorities in western China or Falun Gong or people who seek a more open society there are issues there and obviously his case should be looked at.

"I don't want to prejudge it because I don't know the person or his exact claims, but certainly we all know that there are issues with regards to human rights in China."

Mr. Ferguson said there seemed to be more grounds to consider Mr. Chen for a protection visa than for people from other countries.

"We shouldn't assume it's a weak claim and it should be looked at by the department," he said.