China strongly condemns and resolutely opposes the resolution passed by US House of Representatives on Falun Gong, a leading official of the Foreign Affairs Committee of National People's Congress (NPC) announced in Beijing Thursday.

On July 24, the U.S. House of Representatives, disregarding China's serious representations and facts, passed a resolution demanding China to cease so-called "persecution" of Falun Gong.

Falun Gong's nature as a civil cult has been testified by numerous crimes committed by itself. Li Hongzhi, Falun Gong's chief, lured people to join his organization by pretending to "promote building up health," and then controled their minds with his fallacy about "doom of the world" and "ascending to Heaven." Li also forbids his followers who are sick to see a doctor or takemedicine, having caused the deaths of over 1,700 Falun Gong practitioners, the official noted.

All facts prove Falun Gong is an evil cult, and no responsible government will take a laissez-faire policy toward such a cult that harms society and destroys lives, he said.

The resolution of the U.S. House of Representatives, however, said China's forbidding Falun Gong practitioners to practice theirbeliefs, "violates China's own constitution as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights."

"Such an assertion constitutes a vicious attack on China out of ulterior motives," the official said.

The Chinese government banned and dealt with Falun Gong in 1999in accordance with the Chinese constitution, criminal law and regulations passed by NPC Standing Committee. The move safeguardedthe human rights of the people and therefore won firm support by people all over China, he said.

The ban of Falun Gong also conforms to the provision of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which says "Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived ofhis life," the official pointed out.

In banning Falun Gong, the Chinese government has protected thefundamental human rights and freedoms of the Chinese people, and fully respected and resolutely safeguarded human rights. A small number of US congressmen, disregarding such facts, support Falun Gong and slander the Chinese government -- "We just want to know what they are up to?" the official asked.

The evil cult is a common vermin to humanity and all nations should join efforts to crack down on it. China advises the few U.S.Congressmen to get a clear understanding of Falun Gong's nature asan evil cult and its political motive to sabotage the Sino-US relations and friendship between the two peoples, the official said.

Those Congressmen should stop interfering in China's domestic affairs by making use of the Falun Gong issue, and stop supportingand abetting the evil cult, or they will meet with opposition by fair-minded people all over the world, including the Chinese and American peoples, the official said.

(Xinhua News Agency July 26, 2002)