Prime Minister John Key today put on record in Parliament his congratulations to controversial Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo.Asked yesterday about Mr Liu, Mr Key said he could not comment before receiving advice -- despite United States President Ba
Prime Minister John Key today put on record in Parliament his congratulations to controversial Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo.
Asked yesterday about Mr Liu, Mr Key said he could not comment before receiving advice -- despite United States President Barack Obama having offered his congratulations and calling for Mr Liu to be released from prison.
Mr Liu, 54, was awarded the prize on Friday. He is serving 11 years in jail for campaigning for democratic transformation of China's one-party state.
"The Nobel Peace Prize is a prestigious award, and I congratulate those who are honoured with receiving this award," Mr Key said in Parliament today.
Green MP Keith Locke asked if the government would seek Mr Liu's release.
"New Zealand officials have previously raised the case with Chinese authorities," Mr Key said.
"We have different views from those of China on some human rights issues. We have a good and robust relationship with China and we are able to raise those issues constructively. Those concerns are raised on a regular basis in China, including during the most recent high-level visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs."
Labour's spokeswoman for foreign affairs and trade, Maryan Street, called on China to release Mr Liu as a demonstration of its progress in areas of human rights.
"We applaud China for the huge leaps forward it has taken in recent years in advancing the social and economic conditions of its people, but we would also encourage China to make similar progress towards respect for human rights and democracy."
Mr Locke said New Zealand should advocate for Mr Liu's release.
"It is wrong for Mr Liu to be in prison simply for promoting the sort of democracy all New Zealanders take for granted."
United Future leader Peter Dunne shared their views and was concerned by reports that Mr Liu's wife had been placed under house arrest since the award was announced.
"It is my hope that the New Zealand government will use its close political and economic relationship with the Chinese government to lobby it for the early release ... and to commit it to implementing some of its rhetoric surrounding human rights reform."
